<p>Some are still arguing whether or not we should memorize any of the big words. So in order to make it clearer, I want to ask:
1) is there any other purpose for doing that besides the SAT? (AP exam or etc.)
2) Anybody who has/hasn't memorize tons of words and got the perfect score can vouch for their ways here so that other students can learn any benefit from it?</p>
<p>Thanks a bunch</p>
<p>Well, there is definitely a purpose to having a large vocabulary. It helps you to be more precise in your writing and project a certain level of intelligence.</p>
<p>However, I am very doubtful of how must students study for the SAT. Memorizing a huge list of vocab words isn’t going to give you the ability <em>use</em> those words. A better way is to simply be an avid reader of advanced English, such as writing found in magazines such as The New Yorker.</p>
<p>Hmmm, let me think, how about to use them in life? To better yourself by bettering your vocabulary? It’s a shame that so many people are just memorizing words for the test and are not learning to apply them in their everyday usage.</p>
<p>You don’t really need to memorize words, the only true vocabulary are the hard sentence completion sentences. Just look at the sentence for puntuation or key words that indicate positive or negative words and pick the choice that best fits</p>
<p>There is a lifelong value in LEARNING lots of words. I don’t think memorizing them from flashcards is the best way to do that, though.</p>
<p>I would disagree with some of the above posts. Over the past couple years, I’ve memorized a lot of vocab words (required by my school). While initially, as many others have indicated, I didn’t have a working knowledge of those words, over time I began to notice them being used more and more often. I began to get a feel for when to use them, and started integrating them into my own vocabulary. If I hadn’t memorized those words, I probably wouldn’t have payed nearly as much attention to those words when I saw them; I would have just skipped over them without wondering what they meant. So while memorization alone wasn’t that useful, it ultimately benefitted me.</p>
<p>I don’t really see the point of memorizing words outside of the SAT. I learned a lot of them for the SAT by using this book called Word Smart. I also competed in Latin derivatives and got a good understanding from those. I never kept up with it and I’ve gotten way better at writing and thinking in college. </p>
<p>I think the derivatives are useful, but I don’t see any point in memorizing words to “project a certain level of intelligence” as in post #2. The last thing I would want is to be judged as intelligent because of the words I use rather than the thoughts they convey. I just plain wouldn’t want to use a word that other people might not know. What would be the point of that? </p>
<p>Intelligent ideas are not dependent on words anyway. You should be able to explain your ideas in any number of ways, meaning using different wording each time. </p>
<p>My best advice outside the SAT would be to look up the words you don’t know so that you understand what you are reading.</p>
<p>I dont think you need to memorize words.However there will be a minumum requirement which need to be met.And if you can make out the meaning from the context its enough.
root words help a lot in improving vocabulary.If you want to improve your score in verbal section this link will help you .having good vocabulary is not a waste can use it any way.
[Vocabulary</a> Builder Home](<a href=“http://www.vocabularybuilder.info/]Vocabulary”>http://www.vocabularybuilder.info/)</p>
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Hahaha wow someone’s proud of them self for reading the most stuck-up magazine on the planet.</p>
<p>Yup. It kinda fits my personality, no? :P</p>
<p>To use them in every day life as an intelligent, well educational professional.</p>
<p>As a 1970s public High school grad with 1980 state U, and mba, currently running amid size company, I found that there were only four words that I did not know in my D’s prep-book. The people who will be hiring you know and use those words everyday. </p>
<p>Learn them, know them, use them.</p>
<p>I don’t know many people who are going to use big words like “mellifluous” in their common vocabulary. 
I think it’s good to have a wide and intelligent vocabulary, but language is meant to be practical as well. </p>
<p>Honestly, taking Latin has been the single most helpful factor in improving my vocabulary. Knowing basic Latin terms and roots makes it much easier to decipher the meaning of almost any word. A huge portion of the English language is derived from Latin!</p>
<p>I can say that you definitely will hear many of the words that you memorize for the SAT. I had to memorize a bunch of words in 9th grade and didn’t hear them for a while, but this year I’ve started noticing my lit teacher using them all the time. I mentioned it to him and he was like, “Yeah, I know teenagers think we’re stupid, but adults are actually intelligent, educated people.” You will definitely start noticing more advanced vocabulary as you get older.</p>
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<p>Latin has been a huge help for me too. A couple of the SC’s I didn’t know the actual words but got it based on the Latin derivations. And it helps not only with vocab, but with grammar - the writing sections are so easy for me after having all those grammar rules pounded into me.</p>
<p>Vocabulary is the ONLY preparation I’ve ever really done for the SAT, because I’ve found it to be fairly applicable in both general writing and reading*listening.</p>
<p>I guess you just don’t realize how much you are missing. I would learn a few words, then hear it on CNN like 2 minutes later and realize how odd it was.</p>
<p>It happens to me all the time; whenever I learn a new word, I hear it later on-- But that’s because I’m listening - & usually if I don’t know a word/ never heard of it – I tend to just “block” it/ ignore it subconsciencly.</p>