Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
What the test rewards
Vocabulary questions test your ability to infer meaning from context and to choose words that fit both meaning and tone. Learn common prefixes (pre-, anti-, mis-), suffixes that signal part of speech (-tion, -ous, -ify), and roots (scrib/script, bene, mal). Distinguish denotation-the dictionary definition-from connotation, the positive, negative, or neutral feeling a word carries. Know synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and multiple-meaning words.
Traps to expect
Do not rely on a familiar meaning if the context signals another. Contrast clues often use but, although, unlike, or rather than; definition clues may use is, means, or a dash; example clues use such as or for instance. A synonym can be wrong because it has the wrong connotation: thrifty is approving, stingy is disapproving, though both concern saving money. Check the word’s part of speech in the sentence before selecting an answer. Also watch for homophones (affect/effect, principal/principle) and for answer choices that are too broad or too narrow.
Worked example
“The CEO’s remarks were terse-brief to the point of seeming rude.” The dash supplies a definition (brief), and seeming rude adds a negative connotation. Terse therefore means “brief and abrupt,” not simply “short.” An answer like lengthy is the opposite; concise is close but misses the negative edge.
Rule of thumb
Cover the word, predict a meaning from context, then verify with the sentence’s logic and tone. Check part of speech and connotation before choosing.