Importance of Vocabulary for the PSAT
Why is PSAT Vocabulary Important?
Preliminary SAT comprises three major test sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing. You have to master the English vocabulary so that you can successfully attempt the Critical Reading and the Writing sections of the PSAT.
The Critical Reading section consists of:
- Sentence Completion questions
These questions consist of an incomplete sentence with one or two blanks to be filled in. You have to choose an option from among the five given options that best completes the sentence.
- Passage-Based Reading
You have to read a passage carefully and answer the questions based on the passage. To answer these questions you have to select one from among the five given options.
The Writing section comprises:
- Identifying Sentence Errors
A sentence is given. Some of the elements of the sentence are underlined. You have to identify the error in the sentence.
- Improving Sentences
A sentence is given. Some portions of the sentence are underlined. The underlined portions are to be improved according to the conventions of standard written English.
- Improving Paragraphs
A paragraph is given. The sentences of the paragraph are numbered. Portions of some of the sentences of the paragraph are to be improved according to the conventions of standard written English.
Why is PSAT Vocabulary Important?
To strengthen your preparation for the Critical Reading and the Writing test portions of the test you must learn and know the meaning of many tough English words.
Here are the points that signify the importance of a good vocabulary:
- A good vocabulary improves your reading and comprehension skills thus, helping to score high in the Critical Reading and Writing sections of the PSAT.
- It is important as it improves your spellings that are helpful for scoring well in the Essay section.
- It aids in expressing your ideas effectively.
- It also boosts your confidence and thus, aids in scoring high in the exam.
How Can You Master PSAT Vocabulary?
You can use the software Ultimate Vocabulary to master the vocabulary required for this test. It assists you in:
- getting a lot of information about a word so that you can memorize the meaning of the word easily
- getting an idea of how to use a word in a sentence and this also helps in understanding the meaning of the word
- doing practice with vocabulary exercises such as synonym tests, antonym tests, word recall tests, spelling tests etc.
- using flash cards which are a stack of cards that contain words on one side and their meanings on the other side
- tracking your progress with the help of the Learning Curve
You can visit the link http://www.ultimatevocabulary.com/ for more details.
PSAT Vocabulary with fun
You also have the option to work on your vocabulary in an interesting and fun-filled manner. You can play games online. The games are listed below:
- Crossword puzzle- you have to solve puzzles related to the given questions
- Word search- The words are jumbled in grids. You have to locate and outline the correct words within the grids.
- Unscramble words- you have to unscramble words to get the correct word.
- Vocabulary Test Me- you have to read definitions of words and select the meanings of the words from among the given options.
If you wish to get more information about such games, you can log on to the webpage http://www.spellingcity.com/Games/
Flash cards are the most popular and the most effective option for strengthening your vocabulary. For this, you can refer to the website of Quizlet http://quizlet.com/ where you can learn to make and use flashcards. You can also access several flashcards created by other users. Moreover, you can discuss flashcards online with your peers.
PSAT vocabulary books
You can refer to some of the best vocabulary books such as:
- Cracking the PSAT 2012
The Princeton Review has written this book. It contains the Hit Parade of important vocabulary words. To get more information you can refer to the webpage http://www.amazon.com/Cracking-PSAT-NMSQT-College-Preparation/
- Kaplan PSAT/NMSQT 2010
This book contains about 1000 vocabulary words. To get information in detail you can go to the link http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-PSAT-NMSQT-Premier-Online
By now, you would have realized that if you master vocabulary using various aids such as vocabulary software, books, flashcards, games etc. you will surely get success in the examination.