By If you search Google for “ACT Vocabulary Words,” most of the results that come up are long lists of words with definitions to study. While memorizing a bunch of definitions might make you feel more prepared, that’s not what the ACT really tests you over. We think there’s a better approach to preparing and studying for ACT vocabulary. By the time you finish reading, you’ll understand how you can crush questions about ACT vocabulary words in 2022 even if you haven’t picked up a single flashcard.
How Does the ACT Test Vocabulary?
What They Won’t Do
Many people don’t understand how the ACT actually tests vocabulary words. There is no such thing as “official” ACT vocabulary. Any list that you come across online or in a book would simply be someone’s best guess. These lists might be based on what words were on the test before, or what words sound especially erudite or sagacious. See what I did there? Thank goodness for my Google dictionary and thesaurus.
More importantly, the ACT knows that memorizing the definition of the word is not as important as understanding how to use it correctly. For example, you might know that the word “grandeur” means “awesome or impressive.” However, if you walk out of a movie and say, “That movie was pretty grandeur,” you haven’t used the word correctly. Also, your friends might make fun of you.
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This is why you don’t see many “classic” vocabulary questions anymore. I would say these are questions from “back in the day,” but I don’t want you to accidentally think I typed “back in my day.” I don’t think I’m old enough to use that phrase yet. I’m pretty sure you have to be at least 40. Anyways, now that you know how young and hip I am, we can move on.
The classic vocab questions I’m talking about are where you have a sentence with a word missing. Then, you have 4-5 words to choose from to best complete the sentence. These questions required you to have definitions memorized, and they are largely extinct on standardized tests these days. Don’t expect to see questions like these about ACT Vocabulary Words in 2022.
What They WILL Do
So, if vocabulary questions aren’t formatted that way, what kinds of questions about ACT vocabulary words should you expect? According to the ACT test website, the test asks you to “determine the meaning of context-dependent words, phrases, and statements.”
The key phrase here is context-dependent. In other words, the test won’t ask you to provide a definition for a word without also giving you context to help. So, what matters more than memorizing definitions is understanding how to use context clues to help you define words. And that’s what we’ll cover next.
Context is King
Context turns isolated words and phrases into complete ideas, arguments, and stories. With context, it’s not just about knowing the word itself, but about understanding how it fits with the surrounding words and phrases. If you try to interpret a word outside of its context, you may walk away with an inaccurate perception of what’s taking place.
Context clues can be quite helpful when it comes to making sense of unclear words and phrases. As a matter of fact, when you’re first learning how to read, this process is how you determine the meaning of unknown words. You learn most of your initial vocabulary through reading, so understanding how context clues inform your reading is key. Since you’re constantly learning new words, you lean on clues from surrounding words and sentences to “connect the dots.”
An author can use context clues to give hints about what an unfamiliar word might mean; context clues can be direct or indirect. The trick here is knowing how to identify context clues surrounding ACT vocabulary words and use them to your advantage.
There are five main types of context clues. You’ll notice how these categories form the acronym IDEAS (Inference, Definition, Example, Antonym, Synonym):
Inference
This is an educated guess based on other clues that are available and other implications that the passage makes.
Example: While you may have heard that this neighborhood is dirty and noisy, that canard isn’t backed up in reality.
Context Clue: There is a contrast between the first half of the sentence and the second half, seemingly between something that is “true” and something that isn’t. This distinction is highlighted by the word “reality.” The fact that the “canard” doesn’t line up with reality, and the rumor shared in the first half of the sentence, is a clue that the word “canard” signifies a story or rumor that isn’t true.
Definition
These are the most direct clues about a word’s meaning and are often the easiest to spot.
Example: “John was apathetic about the conversation. He didn’t seem too concerned about the decision one way or the other.”
Context Clue: The second sentence helps you understand that the word “apathetic” has to do with a lack of concern.
Example
The author may provide evidence of a certain action taking place that clears up any confusion about what the word could mean.
Example: “David was asked to leave the gathering because of several infractions, including taking flash photography and bringing in outside food.”
Context Clue: Taking flash photography or bringing in outside food is often discouraged in certain contexts, and in this situation, led to David being asked to leave the gathering. Both are clues that the word “infraction” has to do with breaking the rules or going against what was expected.
Antonym
This is the opposite – or antonym – of a simile. Antonyms are words that are completely different from each other.
Example: “My mother was loquacious, but my father was quiet and reserved.”
Context Clue: The conjunction “but” shows a contrast between the father’s quiet and reserved personality, and the mother’s loquacious style. Perhaps the word loquacious suggests something that contrasts being “quiet and reserved.”
Synonym
Synonyms are words that have the same, or nearly the same, meaning. In context, synonyms may come up as a restatement of a previous idea, or as a further explanation of an idea shared.
Example: “After hearing about the tragedy, we all felt irate and displeased at the injustice taking place.”
Context Clue: Irate and displeased are used together, helping you see how the two words might have a similar meaning.
Sample Questions
So now that we’ve unlocked one secret to answering vocabulary questions, let’s take our IDEAS method and try it out on some real questions.
The first thing you notice is that the phrase “plus of compensation” is placed in contrast to the phrase “minus of a handicap.” This gives us two pieces of our IDEAS method that can be considered here. “Plus” and “minus” are certainly antonyms of each other, and so it’s not unreasonable to expect that “handicap” and “compensation” may follow suit as descriptors.
We can also use the synonym strategy because the word “compensation” is a restatement of the word “plus.” For that reason, the best answer choice will not only be quite different from the word “handicap,” but it should also have parallels with the word “plus.” By process of elimination (and for the sake of space), you’ll determine that Choice J is the best answer here. The other three choices either do not fit into the passage without significantly changing the meaning, or do not contrast well enough with “handicap” or match closely enough with the word “plus.”
Let’s look at one more question before we move on:
As you gather context clues, you notice that the passage in question is talking about acupuncture. You likely know that acupuncture has to do with puncturing the skin with small needles for medical and psychological benefits. That knowledge alone helps you eliminate choice F – I might consider acupuncture, but not if it means someone is going to extract my nerves!
Taking a closer look, you see two words that may shed light on the best answer choice – the word “acupoints” and the word “spots.” Both words draw attention to one specific place or location. At this point, choice J seems like an awkward fit, so we narrow our possibilities down to choice G and choice H. In this case, choice H makes the most sense, because of the emphasis on the words “acupoints” and “spots.” Congratulations, you have just used the skills of example and inference!
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Another Good Strategy
The IDEAS method can help you narrow down options by locating context clues. We also want to share another tool with you that might be helpful in determining unknown definitions for ACT vocabulary words. This is a simple three-step process that you can use on any vocabulary question.
We’ll try this method out on the following question:
“Scientists are just now realizing how experiences after birth, rather than something innate, determine the actual wiring of the human brain.”
As it is used in line 30, the phrase “something innate” most nearly means:
- A memory
- Learned behavior
- Physical immaturity
- An inherited trait
Try to think of your own word or short phrase that could be a synonym for the word in question.
Make sure the synonym matches how the word is used in context. If the synonym only works if the word is in isolation, this strategy may lead you down the wrong path.
For me, a few synonyms that come to mind for “something innate” are internal, natural, or instinctual. Other possibilities include inherent, intrinsic, or unlearned. Perhaps you thought of another one, too.
Pick the answer choice that most closely matches your word or phrase.
Let’s pretend like we chose the word “internal.” Looking back at the four answer choices, which one most closely matches the word “internal?” To me, it’s the fourth choice, or “an inherited trait.”
Plug your answer choice in for the original word in the passage. If you picked the right answer, the meaning of the sentence won’t change.
The final step is to swap our answer choice with the original word in the passage to ensure the sentence still makes sense. If we did that, the sentence would read like this: “Scientists are just now realizing how experiences after birth, rather than an inherited trait, determine the actual wiring of the human brain.”
Not only does that read pretty clearly and naturally, but it is a better fit than any of the other options. That’s another way you can get closer to the correct answer. Take all the answer choices, plug them into the sentence, and see if there’s one that clearly does NOT make sense. You’ll be able to cross that choice off the list immediately.
One More Note About Memorizing ACT Vocabulary Words
By now, hopefully, you have a pretty good idea of what context clues are and how to look for them to get to the right definitions. That’s what we promised at the beginning of the article, and I hope that we were able to deliver.
Before we wrap up, I feel like I should clarify something. We don’t think that memorizing definitions is a complete waste of time. We just think that learning how to look for context clues is a much better approach. A good vocabulary will help you read passages faster, and gain more clarity about what’s going on. It may also save you time answering some of these questions. So, if you want to make some flashcards, feel free, but recognize that there’s likely a point of diminishing return.
How to Keep Studying for ACT Vocabulary Words
Now that you know what context clues are and how to find them, keep working out this muscle on your own. Take practice tests and pay attention to the vocab questions that are on the test. Don’t just notice the words they ask about, but look for how the questions are worded, and how the authors use context clues. Get a feel for which ones are easy for you, and which ones are more of a struggle.
This will also give you a chance to study ACT vocabulary words in a way that is more natural, and less of a time commitment than making and reviewing countless flashcards. When you come to a word you don’t recognize, pause and look it up in the dictionary. Or, you can write the word down on a sheet of paper if you want to wait until later to review.
Many students have found that it’s easier to build up this skill when somebody is helping them. We would love to partner with you in this process. Reach out today and we’ll connect you with one of our world-class ACT tutors.
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