Having a strong English vocabulary is important for doing well on pretty much all standardized tests. It helps with reading comprehension, certainly. But it's also fundamentally important for logically completing sentences like you're asked to do on exams such as the GRE. 

So what's the best way to learn new words? And should you do anything different if English isn't your native language? We break it all down for you in this episode. Specifically, we discuss:

• The filter through which you should think about improving your vocabulary, namely how to get more right answers on test day;
• Why context matters (Hint: words don't exist in a vacuum);
• The drawback to focusing exclusively on root words and prefixes/suffixes (but there is some benefit, which we explain);
• What mnemonics are, and how they can help you commit words to long-term memory (with examples);
• Why there's really no substitute for memorizing a list of "hard" words leading up to test day -- and how to do it effectively;
• When to study your words for maximum retention;
• Recommended resources;
• And more!

RESOURCES & LINKS

1. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day: https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day
2. Quick word look-up: https://www.dictionary.com/
3. Common Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words: https://msu.edu/~defores1/gre/roots/gre_rts_afx1.htm

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION

"Words: So innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them." -- Nathaniel Hawthorne

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