Hot Words for the SAT (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: vocabulary notebook, own memory clues, circle the word that fits, Words Relating, Cluster Title, Review Exercises (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Updated and expanded to reflect the vocabulary and format of the current SAT’s Critical Reading section, Hot Words for the SAT presents and defines more than 365 words that frequently appear on SAT exams. The book is divided into 35 lessons, each consisting of dozens of illustrative sentences and a thematic word cluster. Each cluster contains words having similar meanings or words that apply to similar circumstances. Also included are new pronunciation keys for each word, memory tips, expanded review exercises following every five lessons, and an alphabetical word index. College-bound students who successfully complete the book’s exercises and master these words will expand their lifelong vocabulary and improve their chance for acceptance at the school of their choice.

From the Inside Flap

(back cover)
Brand New in the 3rd Edition—

Special coaching to help you answer the important Literary Terms questions

A brand-new lesson focuses on words found on the most recent SATs

More Mini Word Clusters than ever

More Memory tips & “Tricky Twins”

More sentence completion exercises—many with two blanks

Hot Words for the SAT gives you 35 highly concentrated vocabulary-building lessons, each presenting dozens of illustrative sentences that focus on a thematic word cluster. This time-tested and proven word builder will help you develop the fluent, college-level vocabulary that is crucial to your success on the SAT’s Critical Reading section. Just as important, this book’s vocabulary-building exercises will give you the word power you need to achieve a high score on the SAT’s all-important Writing section. Think of Hot Words for the SAT as your personal tutor while you prepare to take that all-important college entrance exam.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series; 3 edition (July 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764136321
• ISBN-13: 978-0764136320
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,660 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #8 in	Books > Reference > Words & Language > Vocabulary
  #16 in	Books > Reference > Education > Test Guides - College & University > SAT & PSAT
  #17 in	Books > Nonfiction > Education > Study Skills

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SAT Verbal Breakthrough, November 4, 2001

By	Mike Toy, Lighthouse Educational Services and... (SF, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hot Words for the SAT I (Paperback)

This book is a must buy!!! I've been an SAT instructor for a long time and this is the best book for the verbal section! This will boost your vocab like nothing else!!! There are three sentences made for each vocab word so you "really" understand the meaning of each word. It's not just a list of words and their definitions and you have to memorize it. Words being used in sentences really aid the memory and will totally boost your scores on the SAT!!! I highly recommend it. (...)

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Popular Book, Reliable Concept, Some Mistakes, November 13, 2006

By	Paul Pscolka "IvyMasters" (South River, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Hot Words for the SAT (Paperback)

I am a full time SAT tutor and have almost all my students study this book. It is perhaps the most popular book of its kind, and for good reason-- Carnevale's effective approach to acquiring new SAT words. She presents words by theme. For example, the first chapter's theme, Cat Got Your Tongue? presents "Words Relating to Using Few Words or Being Quiet." They are: brevity, concise, laconic, pithy, quiescent, reticent, succinct, taciturn, and terse. I find that studying words in categories, as presented in this book, is an effective way for students to (1) learn more words and (2) internalize the sometimes subtle differences between synonyms. The book also has several sentences for each word to illustrate the word's proper context.
On the other hand, there are several mistakes in the book. For example, the introduction refers to the books approach as yielding, "expoential vocabulary growth" (the "n" in "exponential" is missing). In chapter 9, the book says correct use of "miserly" is "Using a sheet of paper on only one side is a sign of a miserly individual."
These mistakes take away only slightly from the book's value since the concept is so solid and the words appear so often on tests.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Words, Bad Form, May 6, 2003

By	M. L. Courtney "snshijuptr" (California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Hot Words for the SAT I (Paperback)

The vocab in this book is very appropriate for a low scorer who must raise their score, but if you are a high scorer you will be unimpressed by most of the words. I ended taking out about 5 words from each of the 30+ lessons and making my own word lists, not to say that those words didn't help me. My score rose 70 points, but I also made my own word lists and flash card using words from here and 10 Real SATs.

The exercises are awful. The other words in the analogies are more diffcult than the vocab. I ended up ignoring all of them.

If you are looking for a quick way to study for the SAT vocab, then buy flashcards. In the end that was the most useful format.