VOCABULARY &

SPELLING
SUCCESS IN 20
MINUTES A DAY
4th Edition

NEW YORK

Copyright 2006 LearningExpress, LLC.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United
States by LearningExpress, LLC, New York.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Vocabulary & spelling success : in 20 minutes a day.4th ed.
p. cm.(LearningExpress skill builders) ISBN 1-57685-545-7 1. VocabularyProblems, exercises,
etc. 2. English languageOrthography and spellingProblems, exercises, etc. I. Title: Vocabulary and
spelling success. II. LearningExpress (Organization) II. Title. III. Series: Skill builders series (New York,
N.Y.) PE1449.V58 2006 428.1dc22
2006040829
Printed in the United States of America 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Fourth Edition
ISBN 1-57685-545-7
For more information or to place an order, contact LearningExpress at:
55 Broadway 8th Floor New York, NY 10006
Or visit us at:
www.learnatest.com

Contents
INTRODUCTION vii
CHAPTER 1 Pretest 1
CHAPTER 2 Vocabulary Terms and Language Origins 11
CHAPTER 3 Spelling Rules 15
CHAPTER 4 Vocabulary List 1Prefixes 31
CHAPTER 5 Vocabulary List 2Suffixes 45
CHAPTER 6 Vocabulary List 3Learning Roots 59
CHAPTER 7 Vocabulary List 4More Roots 73
CHAPTER 8 Vocabulary List 5Foreign Language Terms
Used in English 87
CHAPTER 9 Vocabulary List 6Business Terms 101
CHAPTER 10 Vocabulary List 7Technology Terms 115
CHAPTER 11 Vocabulary List 8Legal Terms 129
CHAPTER 12 Vocabulary List 9Terms Relating to Language
and Literature 143
CHAPTER 13 Vocabulary List 10Short Words That Mean a Lot 157
CHAPTER 14 Vocabulary List 11Adjectives 171
CHAPTER 15 Vocabulary List 12Acronyms 185
v

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 16 Vocabulary List 13Commonly Tested Words 197

CHAPTER 17 Vocabulary List 14More Commonly Tested Words 211
CHAPTER 18 Vocabulary List 15Philosophical Terms 225
CHAPTER 19 Posttest 239
APPENDIX A Studying for Success 249
APPENDIX B Additional Resources 259
vi

Introduction

T
he ing, think, words to and working, we why use we to to think studying, communicate that to way. taking
Without every tests, day words, we are use important it words is difficult to in share every to express with
aspect others our of our ideas how lives. to we the feel, From rest what relax- of the we
world. The more words we knowthe larger our vocabularythe more clearly we can communicate
with oth- ers. Our vocabularies reveal our knowledge to the world; therefore, a person with a large
vocabulary has the advan- tage of self-expression.
This book will help you learn the words you need to know to successfully express yourself in school,
work, and your personal life. The words in this book have been carefully chosen to help you learn what
you need to know to pass any testfrom standardized tests, to civil service tests, to college entrance
exams, and to professional job interviewsand continue to build your vocabulary, even after you have
finished using this book.
In each of the following chapters, you will complete practice exercises that have been created
specifically to help you understand words inside out. You will learn pronunciation, spelling, context,
definitions, word parts, denotation and connotation, synonyms, and antonyms. The word lists are grouped
into categories, so you will be able to associate them with like words and remember them more easily.
There is also a crossword puzzle at the beginning of chapters 1418 to introduce you to the new words
before you begin to work on the practice exer- cises. Then, you can take the Posttest at the end of the
book and gauge how much youve really learned about words and how you have improved your
vocabulary.
vii

INTRODUCTION

 How to Use This Book

Build Your Vocabulary People haves three vocabularies in each language that they speak:

viii

seems important to you. Make notes in the margins that will help you follow whats important as you practice and learn your new words.
Make Flash Cards If you are having trouble remembering words, even A speaking vocabularywords
and expresafter the drills and practice exercises in the book, buy
sions we use every day to communicate
some index cards and make flash cards for yourself.

A listening vocabularywords and expressions

Write a vocabulary word on one side of the card, and
we have heard but may have never used
then write its definition, synonyms, antonyms, or other

A reading vocabularywords and expressions

essential information on the other side of the card. we
have encountered in print but have neither
You can carry the cards with you to review when you
heard nor used
have a free moment.
One of the best ways to increase your vocabulary
Ask for Help is to make a conscious effort to
move words from your
Enlist a friend or relative to help drill you on any
word listening or reading vocabularies to your speaking
with which you are having trouble. Youll be
surprised vocabularythe words you not only understand, but
at how much more you will remember if you
share also use. This book is especially helpful because the
what you know with someone else, and if they
help you exercises you complete help you use your new vocabucome up with clues to help jog your memory.

lary words so you know them cold. Suddenly, youll find yourself speaking and writing with these new
words,
Keep a List and you will also find that reading
will become much
In addition to the words you learn in this book,
make easier as you begin to recognize more and more words.
a list of flash cards of new, useful words that you Test
makers try to assess how well you have
encounter at work, at school, on TV, in your
reading, absorbed your language and how well you can use and
or even at home. They will more than double the
ben- identify the words you know to express yourself and
efit you will get from using this book. understand
others. Each lesson in this book will help you show test makers and prospective employers that you know
how to communicate clearly and effectively,
How the Book Is Set Up and that you
understand what others are communi- cating to you. Once you have learned the vocabulary
Each chapter of this book that contains a word
list words and completed the exercises in this book, youll
starts with a crossword puzzle to help you get
have what you need to ace any exam or job interview.
acquainted with your new words. Do your best to fill it in; if there are some words you dont recognize,
you can
Write It Down

flip to the next page, where you will find the full
defi- If this book is yours, write in it as much as you like.
nition, pronunciation and part of speech of each
word Write your answers in the blanks indicated and write
in the word list. Take a good look at how each
word is notes to yourself in the margins. It is meant for you to
pronounced, especially the accented syllables.
You consume. Pull out important details from the surshould pronounce each word aloud several times.
The rounding text to make them more visible and accessisentence below each definition illustrates the
words ble to you. Underline or highlight information that

meaning. You should fill in the blank inside each sen-

INTRODUCTION

tence with the correct word from the list. It is a good idea to say the entire sentence aloud.
Second, you will encounter several words from the Vocabulary List in context. If you do not
remember the meaning of the words, you should circle any clues in the text that might help you figure out
the meaning of these unfamiliar words.
Then, you will read and fill in the blank to com- plete the sentence by selecting the best choice from
the Vocabulary List on which you are working. Read each sentence slowly and carefully. There are
usually clues within each sentence that tell you which word from the list is the best choice.
Next, you will encounter exercises that revolve around synonyms and antonyms. You will read a
group of words and decide which one is not a synonym. Then, you will read a group of words and select
the word from the Vocabulary List that is most nearly opposite in meaning from the entire group of words.
You will also complete matching, true/false, and choosing the right word exercises that will help you
reinforce the meanings of each new word you have learned. Then, at the end of the book, you will take a
75-question posttest so that you can see how much youve learned as youve worked through this book.
The pretest that follows this Introduction will help you see how good you are at identifying unfamil- iar
words. Then, Chapters 3 and 4 will teach you about the basics of vocabulary. In Chapter 3, youll learn
important vocabulary terms and about language ori- gins, and then in Chapter 4, youll learn important
spelling rules to help you become a better speller, even on those tricky or foreign words. Then, youll get to
the word lists. The 15 Vocabulary List chapters consist of helpful exercises to drill you on new words, so
that by the end of each lesson, youll know them inside out. Finally, completing the posttest will show you
how far youve come, and how well you know your new words. You can also refer to Appendices A and
B to learn important studying strategies and find out about other valuable resources.
ix

Self-Analysis Find out how you feel about your own vocabulary with the following self-assessment. Put a
check next to the sentences that best describe your own vocabulary habits.
1. I feel confident that I express myself
clearly in speaking.
2. I sometimes feel uncomfortable when I
know what I want to say but just cant think of the right word.
3. I notice unfamiliar words in print and
wonder about their meanings.
4. Sometimes I come across unfamiliar words in print and feel that I should know them.
5. I remember words that I had on
vocabulary quizzes and tests at school.
6. If I write down new words, I can learn
them.
7. If I come across an unfamiliar word in

print, I will look it up in the dictionary.

8. If I come across an unfamiliar word in print, I will ask someone to tell me the meaning.
9. If I hear an unfamiliar word in
conversation or on TV, I will ask someone to tell me its meaning.
10. If I hear or see an unfamiliar word, I am usually embarrassed to ask for or to look up its meaning.
Your answers to these questions should give you a good sense of how you feel about and use your
vocabulary.

VOCABULARY
& SPELLING
SUCCESS