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Verbal WoesAug 24 '00 Write an essay on this topic.Most people like the math section of the SAT better than the Verbal section. However, that doesn't mean you can pass it over. I am a 750 verbal person who feels that anybody can get a good verbal score - if you put your mind to it. First: Read! Over 80% of my vocabulary comes from reading. It doesn't matter what you read (contrary to people who think that only reading the "classics" will help you). Personally, I read lots of science-fiction and fantasy - and that has helped me as much as if I had read Dickens, Shakespeare and Bronte. When you read, you don't have to take notes - read for the pleasure of reading. Really enjoy the book. Your mind will absorb words by itself. Second: If the SAT is coming up fast, then the first option may not be the best. Why? Because it takes time for the mind to absorb words from casual reading. The best thing to do with a limited amount of time is to use a structred way of reviewing words. First - buy/copy/borrow a list of the top words used on the SATs. Many publishers have it - take a look around the bookstore. Next, make flashcards. Make lots of flashcards. However, the flashcards don't have to all be memorized in one day. It actually helps if you don't - that way your mind will have time to digest things. Everyday, take 5-10 words (depending on the closeness of the SAT date) and memorize them. It is best that you do it at night - before you go to sleep. It has been scientifically proven that many people remember things better at night than at any other time. However - just pick your best time and sit down and learn those words. The next day, review all of your previous words in addition to the words that you learned the previous night. Soon, you'll have the words down in no time. Third: Many people believe that the SAT Verbal is purely based on vocabulary. That is not true. Knowing vocabulary does not promise a good SAT score. There are many other factors involved. You must know HOW the words are used, WHERE the words are used, and in what WAY the words are used. It is more important that you realize how and where the word is used than the dictionary definition of the word. The best way to learn? Make sentences. Pick a word - and make a sentence with it. Later as you get comfortable with the words, pick a group of words - randomly for more fun. And attempt to make a paragraph with it. Once, I picked ALL the words I had and tried to write story using the words. It came out fine - though I doubt that many people could have understand it (MS Word gave it a reading ease of 1%). Fourth: When you read, you must UNDERSTAND what you read. That doesn't mean understand the meaning of the individual words. That means you must understand what the author is TALKING ABOUT. You must learn to read beyond the simple words - to the actual idea the author is presenting. The best way to do this is to practice. Take a piece of writing and talk to your friends/family about what you think the author is trying to say. Have a conversation with them about the meaning of the piece. Fifth: Of course, the best and most reliable way of improving your score is to PRACTICE! Buy/Copy/Borrow the Ten Real SATs book published by the college board. Work your way through it - stopping along the way to write down words that you don't know. The SAT Verbal section is not unbeatable. All it takes is determination, perseverence and a will to succeed.  |
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