Good command of the English vocabulary is essential to scoring well on your SAT. If you want to maximize your SAT score, then there is no other way around it. You will most certainly need to learn a variety of new words.
To learn a better vocabulary, you would need to get books specifically designed to teach you the SAT vocabulary.
There are hundreds of different books on the market and choosing a good one can be quite confusing. To help you narrow down your options, I have come up with the list of the 10 best vocabulary books available on the market. I will also include a few mobile apps that are free and offer great value.
In this Article
- 10. Picture These SAT Words by Barron’s
- 9. Hot Words for the SAT by Barron’s
- 8. Vocabulary for SAT (App)
- 7. SAT Power Vocab by Princeton Review
- 6. Seberson Method: New SAT® Vocabulary Workbook
- 5. New SAT Vocabulary (App)
- 4. Word Smart 6th Edition
- 3. SAT Flashcards: Prep & Vocabulary by Magoosh (App)
- 2. Vocabulary Cartoons, SAT Word Power
- 1. The Vocabulary Builder Workbook by Magoosh
10. Picture These SAT Words by Barron’s
This SAT vocabulary book by Barron’s offers a fun and practical way to memorize new words. It uses a collection of humorous cartoons that focus on words and their meanings. Learning words by mere rote and recitation often doesn’t work, which is why something like this is constructive for retaining word meanings long term.
Key Features:
- 300 cartoons with visual puns that serve as memory aids related to each word’s meaning
- Cartoons that come with a target word, its definition, and pronunciation, and sample sentences that show how the word is used
- Sentence completion exercises following every set of 12 cartoons to reinforce retention
- New to this edition is a section called Meet the Stars!, a unit that teaches the most frequently occurring words recently.SATs
Get It from here.
9. Hot Words for the SAT by Barron’s
Author Linda Carnevale takes a thematic approach to the learning of new words and memorizing them. Words are grouped by their similar meaning and usage, making it easier for learners to remember new words.
Key Features:
- Phonetic pronunciation keys for each word
- Memory tips
- Review exercises following every five lessons
- An alphabetical word index
Get it here.
8. Vocabulary for SAT (App)
This neat little Android app is a perfect companion for when you are out and about. You can easily use this whenever you have free time without having to carry a book with you. It offers thousands of words as well as their synonyms, antonyms, and more.
Key Feature:
- 4000+ SAT words list with definition and examples
- Multiple Test on 800 High-frequency words
- High-frequency words are added to the favorite word list.
- Synonyms, Antonyms, One Word Substitutions
- Idioms and Phrases.
- After each Test, the summary will be displayed, indicating your marks and percentage.
Get it here for Android.
7. SAT Power Vocab by Princeton Review
SAT Power Vocab offers more than just a word list. It will teach you practical advice to understand and remember key vocabulary terms for both Evidence-Based Reading & Writing and Math sections.
Key Features:
- Tried-and-true tactics to help you learn and remember essential vocabulary.
- Straightforward advice on how to focus your vocabulary prep for the SAT.
- Handy memory aids for visual learners.
- Lists of key vocabulary words defined in every chapter, along with example sentences
- Practice exercises to help you master word roots, mnemonic devices, relationships between words, and more
- Puzzles and other engaging activities to build and expand your word skills.
Get it here.
6. Seberson Method: New SAT® Vocabulary Workbook
This SAT vocabulary workbook contains some 700 high-frequency words. Themes order words to help improve retention. Moreover, each word is also followed by a little activity that tests your understanding of the word.
Key Features:
- Vocabulary is organized into sections focused on real topics you’ll encounter on the SAT, such as history and science.
- Learn the difference between similar words and phrases with different meanings.
- This focused approach works equally well for students taking the test in a week or a year.
- 700 high frequency SAT Words.
Get it here.
5. New SAT Vocabulary (App)
This app contains over 1000 most common SAT words ordered by difficulty level, i.e., Pre-beginner to advanced. It employs a game-based method of learning that makes learning new words amusing and easy.
Key Features:
- A resourceful vocabulary of over 1000 SAT words frequently asked on the real Test.
- Four gaming formats: Multiple choice, Matching, Spelling, and True/ False, scientifically proven to aid learning of new words.
- Scheduled daily word reviews based on your practice results to optimize memorization.
- Statistical analysis of your progress to help you target and drill your weaknesses.
- Illustrative image for every word to enhance your absorption.
Get it here for Android.
4. Word Smart 6th Edition
Word Smart is a trendy SAT vocab book around the world. It is often the first book most students buy, and it offers excellent quality. The book contains 1400+ words and lists of common roots and usage errors.
Key Features:
- More than 1,400 vocab words belong in every savvy student’s vocabulary.
- Lists of common word roots and usage errors.
- Key terms you need to know to understand fields such as finance, science, and the arts.
- Need-to-know vocab for standardized tests like the SAT and GRE.
- Foreign phrases and abbreviations are commonly encountered in reading or conversation.
Get it here.
3. SAT Flashcards: Prep & Vocabulary by Magoosh (App)
This excellent free app by Magoosh offers 350 words, which is substantially lower than the previous app on this list but these words hand-picked by SAT experts over at Magoosh. This app has an elegant and intuitive UI, which makes learning a breeze.
Key Features:
- English and Math SAT concepts.
- 350 vocab words picked by an expert SAT tutor.
- Definitions and example sentences for every idea and word.
- Decks for every difficulty level.
- Track your progress as you study.
- The smart algorithm focuses on your practice for efficient learning.
Get it here for Android.
Get it here for iOS.
2. Vocabulary Cartoons, SAT Word Power
This is an all-time classic SAT book that first came around in the early 2000s; millions of people have since bought it. SAT word power uses cartoons and other mnemonics to help you memorize some 290 most common SAT words.
Key Features:
- Contains 290 SAT words.
- 29 review quizzes consisting of matching problems.
- Multiple fill-in-the-blank exercises.
- Cartoons as visual aids help with learning difficult words.
Get it here.
1. The Vocabulary Builder Workbook by Magoosh
This is easily the most popular and highly rated vocabulary workbook. Written by Chris Lele, a SAT and GRE expert, this book offers some 1400 most essential SAT words that are ordered by theme so that you can identify roots and form associations.
Key Features:
- A total of 1400 must-know words for SAT, ACT, and GRE.
- Fun and Easy Lessons organized by theme to help you identify roots and form associations, and recognize thousands of additional vocabulary words.
- Progressive Learning Techniques for all levels with vocabulary lessons that steadily increase in difficulty for continued advancement.
- Retention Focused Activities to make sure you remember every word long after the Test is over.
Get it here.