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Not long ago, an 11-year-old girl went through the entire dictionary and made a list of all the words she didn’t know. (The process took several months.) She then studied the list faithfully for a year and went on to win first place in the National Spelling Bee finals. You don’t have to go to this extent, but even putting in a tenth of her effort can dramatically improve your scores on the Word Knowledge subtest.

One way to improve your vocabulary is to keep a word list. Here’s how that list works:

1 When you hear or read a word that you don’t understand, jot it down or make note of it in your smartphone.

2 When you have a chance, look up the word in the dictionary and then write the meaning on your list.

3 Use the word in a sentence that you make up.Write the sentence down, too.

4 Use your new word in everyday conversation.Finding a way to work the word zenith into a description of last night’s basketball game requires creativity, but you won’t forget what the word means.

Arrange your list by related items so the words are easier to remember. For example, list the words having to do with your work on one page, words related to mechanical knowledge on another page, and so on.

You can also find websites that offer lists of words if you spend a few minutes surfing. Try using search phrases such as “vocabulary words” and “SAT words.” Here are a few resources:

 Vocabulary.com: This site (www.vocabulary.com) offers thousands of vocabulary words and their definitions, as well as interactive, adaptive games to help you learn.

 Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com: Dictionary.com (www.dictionary.com) includes a great online dictionary and word of the day. The related site Thesaurus.com (www.thesaurus.com), which links back to the dictionary, gives you the same word of the day as well as lists of synonyms and antonyms.

 Merriam-Webster online: Merriam-Webster online (www.merriam-webster.com) is another useful site with a free online dictionary, thesaurus, and word of the day.

A ton of books exist to help build your vocabulary. Try Vocabulary For Dummies by Laurie E. Rozakis or SAT Vocabulary For Dummies by Suzee Vlk, both published by Wiley. These books are great resources designed to help you improve your word-knowledge skills.