If you’ve been reading our blogs you know that Vocabulary building is a very important part of preparing for the GRE Verbal Ability sections.
Although there are many ways to build vocabulary, you must work with a focus on developing a deep and meaningful understanding of words rather than just “mugging up” a few thousand words without really understanding what they mean. Read our blog on learning words through context to know one way of learning words effectively.
That said, you will realise that getting to understanding the meaning of a word is one thing, but recalling what a word means when you see it – is quite a different challenge all by itself! To over come this one needs to find ways to effectively remember and recall what a word means.
One such way is using flashcards: specifically the GRE Mnemonic Flashcards!
10 Words through Flashcards
Let’s take a look at 10 words that people generally have troubling recalling the meanings for!
1. Compunction
The word compunction means to feel sad because you did something bad.
I’m sure you’ve all experienced this feeling – the feeling of abject guilt because you did something nasty or that feeling of guilt that prevents you from doing something nasty!
Take a look at this flashcard – the visual and the textual triggers should help you create a link to the word and the concept that it stands for – ensuring that you recall the concept every time you see the word!
2. Facetious
Again, another one of those words that doesn’t “look” anything like what it “means”.
Facetious means to be deliberately non-serious in times that require seriousness; it also means to deliberately approach serious things with a sense of levity (lack of seriousness).
This Mnemonic should set you up to never forget what the word “facetious” mean!
3. Imperious
To be arrogant and overbearing is to be imperious. Can be easily confused with words such as imperial or empirical. The Flashcard gives you a context in which this word can be remembered without much confusion.
4. Lassitude
Another one of those words that don’t lend themselves easily to memory. The Flashcard and the mnemonics present there are self explanatory!
Warning: you’re never going to forget what ‘Lassitude’ means after you’ve seen this flashcard! 🙂
Here are 5 more words you can ensure you’d remember! These Flashcards need no explanation! 🙂
5. Pugnacious
6. Zealot
7. Ostracise
8. Celerity
9. Abdicate
10. Pedantic
Wasn’t that easy?
Try recalling the meanings of these words now!
Compunction Ostracise Abdicate Facetious Pugnacious
Pedantic Imperious Celerity Lassitude Zealot
So, what do you think? Does this make it easier for you to remember words?
Want to make Vocabulary building fun and hassle free? Check out our GRE flashcards ( the above ones are from the same set 🙂 ) that are tailored for the Indian test-taker!