With the latest incarnation of the SAT, test-takers everywhere are hoping to score as close to a “perfect 1600” as possible. Besides the elusive 1600 point composite score, however, the new SAT also includes several additional numerical indicators, designed to help students and educators evaluate how college-ready the student is on a number of fronts. Buried in this list of numbers is a subscore specifically for “Words in Context.” In this blog post, we’ll look at what that score means and how to best prepare for the type of questions that impact it.
What Are “Words in Context” Questions?
Although the SAT no longer features questions focused on obscure words tested in isolation, vocabulary will always be an important part of the exam. One way it is currently evaluated is through what are known as “Words in Context” questions. These passage-based questions generally appear as some variation of this general format:
“In line xx, the word “(vocabulary word here)” most nearly means:”
This is then followed by a list of possible answers.
Questions like this are included in both the Reading Test as well as in the Writing and Language Test, and results from both sections are used to create the composite “Words in Context” score.
What Kinds of Words Should You Expect?
The College Board has said that they will try to focus on what are sometimes referred to as “Tier II” words. Tier I words are basic words used in everyday speech and should be readily definable by virtually all native speakers; Tier III words are words that are considered especially esoteric or specific to a particular field of study. In between these extremes are the Tier II words–the types of words employed by mature language users across several content areas and hence frequently found in the types of texts used in higher education.
Many of the words selected for this type of question have something else in common: they have multiple meanings. This is an intentional attempt to make you interact with the passage itself and provides an opportunity for the test to evaluate your comprehension skills. Memorizing vocabulary isn’t enough–you need to be able to interpret how the word is being used under specific circumstances.
Strategies
There are a couple of simple strategies that can help improve your Words in Context Score. The first is to attempt to define the highlighted term in your own words first. Before looking at the list of possible answers, re-read the sentence and do your best to replace the indicated word with one of your own. Frequently the incorrect words that have been included in the list of possible answers were chosen specifically because they “sound like” they might be correct. By already having an answer in your head these decoys will be less likely to distract you.
A second helpful strategy involves doing a quick double-check of the answer you’ve chosen. Once you’ve selected the word that you think most closely matches the one used in the passage, go back and re-read the sentence using the word you’ve chosen. If the sentence still makes sense in the passage, you’ve likely selected the correct answer.
In addition to these two test-taking tactics, it’s also important to build your long-term word power if you want to get the highest possible score on the SAT. Regularly reading periodicals, working through Curvebreaker’s list of top vocabulary words, and taking frequent practice tests are the most reliable ways to give yourself a leg-up when it comes to answering Words in Context questions.
Even with the de-emphasis on obscure vocabulary, being able to accurately interpret the meaning of words will always be an important component of college preparation and a perennial part of the SAT. By taking time to specifically prepare for this aspect of the test you will be prepared to not only get your best score on the SAT, but be in a better position to handle the intense amounts of reading and vocabulary that come with college-level learning.