Vocab

I Meant Spurious…Not Specious (whoops)

Email exchange with PWNtheSAT while on phone with very nice supervisor of credit report website.

Attempting to get charges reversed:

Me (to PWN): Is this the proper use of specious?

PWNtheSAT: I wouldn't say specious for that...specious is really more about arguments.

 

Uh Oh.  Whoops.  Hopefully she didn't notice.

 

Me: What about spurious? 

PWNtheSAT:  :) yeah that works

 

Spurious charges now reversed, I can return to the reason for this blog post:

 

What's the Best Way to Learn Vocabulary for the SAT?

 

In a line:  Make abundant use of the words in your everyday life.

And if your brain refuses to remember a word?  Ask the smartest person you know to use this word in a personalized sentence for you, with real life context. Then free associate.

Below are a few of my free association words that I couldn't remember for the life of me, until I employed this "Smart Friend Real Life Context" strategy:

 

Now? Seared, forever. <3

Illustrations by Jennifer Orkin Lewis

 
6 Comments | posted November 15th, 2011
 
 
  • http://twitter.com/SheldonWordNerd Sheldon the WordNerd

    Love this Debbie, and it's absolutely a great strategy.  The more associations you have for a word, the better.  I especially love supine.  I'm a dedicated yogini, too, and there's nothing better than supine positions :)

    • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

      If you're emotionally attached to something, you are more likely to remember it (even if it's a negative emotion....but I"m sure you know that!).

      I only posted a smattering of the words I've remembered this way, because I don't want to reveal too much about myself (haha, as if I haven't already done that) but believe it or not, this river runs deep ;)  and I have a whole list of words that I remember through crazy associations that would either offend or shock people.....

      Some things are better left unsaid.

      • http://twitter.com/Fun_SAT_Vocab Vince Kotchian

        Hey Debbie, have you ever tried making mnemonics for the words? If it's a good mnemonic, you'll remember it forever. My twitter has a bunch (Fun_SAT_Vocab). - Vince

  • http://twitter.com/akilbello Akil Bello

    I don't get your free associations.. explain them!

    I some stat that said you had to encounter a word 15 times before you retain it.

    • http://www.perfectscoreproject.com Debbie Stier

      You're always trying to egg me on and get me in trouble ;)

  • Pingback: Tip #17 (she says with confidence) | Perfect Score Project

 

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