SAT Vocabulary: A New Approach - Introduction and Vocabulary Strategies

Sep 14, 2026

SAT® Vocabulary: A New Approach explains how vocabulary continues to matter on the redesigned SAT, even though sentence completions and traditional vocabulary lists were removed. It presents a new preparation framework centered on four question types: vocabulary in context, passage-based vocabulary, commonly confused words, and transitional words and phrases. The introduction outlines goals, estimates the exam’s vocabulary-in-context share, and preview-guides readers to use context to determine meaning and avoid over-assumptions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Vocabulary’s role on the new SAT

Preparation approach and four question types

Part I: Reading

Vocabulary in Context

Passage-Based Vocabulary

Part II: Writing

Commonly Confused Words

Transitional Words and Phrases

Part III: The Essay

Key Essay Vocabulary

Works Cited

About the Authors

PREVIEW SAT® Vocabulary: A New Approach Larry Krieger and Erica L . Meltzer The Critical Reader | New York Copyright © 2017 Larry Krieger and Erica L. Meltzer All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the authors. For information, please send correspondence to [thecriticalreader1@gmail.com](thecriticalreader1@gmail.com). SAT® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this publication. ISBN-13: 978-0-9975178-4-2 ISBN-10: 0997517840 2 Table of Contents | | Introduction | 4 | | --- | --- | --- | | | Part I: Reading | | | 1. | Vocabulary in Context | 6 | | 2. | Passage-Based Vocabulary | 31 | | | Part II: Writing | | | 3. | Commonly Confused Words | 54 | | 4. | Transitional Words and Phrases | 83 | | | Part III: The Essay | | | 5. | Key Essay Vocabulary | 108 | | | Works Cited | 120 | | | About the Authors | 123 | 3 Introduction A short time ago, in a galaxy not too far away, students just like you took a college admissions exam featuring “obscure” words like vitriolic, sardonic, and vituperative. An organization called ETS tested these words on questions called sentence completions, and teachers and tutors around the world finished each lesson by earnestly urging their students to “study your vocabulary.” Then, something extraordinary occurred. The College Board decided to write the SAT itself and promptly announced that these so-called obscure words and sentence completions would be banished from the SAT. Students cheered and stopped studying long lists of vocabulary words. These celebrations, however, seem to have been premature. While the College Board did banish all of the sentence completions and traditional vocabulary words, it replaced them with a new set of words—one that was not necessarily less challenging. As we have discovered, many students are uncertain about the meaning of words such as underpinning and phrases such as arrant purposelessness. And that in turn led us to ask a question: exactly what role does vocabulary play on the new SAT? This question prompted us to launch an exhaustive (and exhausting) analysis of vocabulary on both the new Reading Test and the new Writing and Language Test. We also took a close look at the new Essay. Our analysis revealed that vocabulary continues to play a significant role on the exam. However, that role is subtler than it was on the old SAT. Instead of being concentrated in 19 sentence completions and a handful of vocabulary-in-context questions, the new SAT vocabulary takes a variety of different forms. Our findings convinced us that the new SAT requires a new approach to vocabulary. In the past, SAT prep books featured long lists containing hundreds of alphabetized words. This book does not do that. Instead, we have devoted a chapter to the following four specific types of vocabulary questions: 1. Vocabulary-In-Context 2. Passage-Based Vocabulary 3. Commonly Confused Words 4. Transitional Words and Phrases Each chapter provides carefully sequenced sets of guided and independent practice questions, followed by detailed explanations. We conclude this book with a special section on the new SAT Essay. Although this part of the test is optional, a majority of students are choosing to write it. In addition to providing a general template for constructing a strong five-paragraph essay, we provide students with specific examples of how to use effective transitions and a strong descriptive vocabulary to achieve a high Writing score. The chapter concludes with a student essay that earned a top score of 24 on an actual exam. We have written this book with two main goals. First, we strive to present an enjoyable and stimulating course. And second, we strive to teach content and sk

FAQs

What role does vocabulary play on the new SAT?

Vocabulary still plays a significant role, but in a more subtle, varied form than in the older SAT.

Which four types of vocabulary questions does the book focus on?

The book focuses on vocabulary-in-context, passage-based vocabulary, commonly confused words, and transitional words and phrases.

How should students approach vocabulary-in-context questions?

Use contextual clues to determine the meaning, connect key words or phrases in the passage to the correct answer choice, and avoid relying only on a word’s typical definition.

Sep 14, 2026

Uploaded by Taylor Morgan