How to Test Your Present Vocabulary

Welcome

Once—as a child—you were an expert, an accomplished virtuoso, at learning new words.

Today, by comparison, you are a rank and bumbling amateur.

Does this statement sound insulting?

It may be—but if you are the average adult, it is a statement that is, unfortunately, only too true.

Educational testing indicates that children of ten who have grown up in families in which English is the native language have recognition vocabularies of over twenty thousand words—

And that these same ten-year-olds have been learning new words at a rate of many hundreds a year since the age of four.

In astonishing contrast, studies show that adults who are no longer attending school increase their vocabularies at a pace slower than twenty-five to fifty words annually.

How do you assess your own vocabulary?

Is it quantitatively healthy?

Rich in over-all range?

Responsive to any situation in which you may find yourself?

Truly indicative of your intellectual potential?

More important, is it still growing at the same rapid clip as when you were a child?

Or, as with most adults, has your rate of increase dropped drastically since you left school? And if so, do you now feel that your vocabulary is somewhat limited, your verbal skills not as sharp as you would like them to be?

Let us check it out.

I challenge you to a series of tests that will measure your vocabulary range, as well as your verbal speed and responsiveness.

A Test of Vocabulary Range

Here are sixty brief phrases, each containing one italicized word; it is up to you to check the closest definition of each such word. To keep your score valid, refrain, as far as possible, from wild guessing. Click your answer to see immediate feedback.

Questions 1–30:

Vocabulary Range (continued)

Questions 31–60:

The Meaning of Your Score

A Test of Verbal Speed

Part 1

This is a timed test.

In no more than three minutes (time yourself, or have someone time you), decide whether the word in column B is the same (or approximately the same) in meaning as the word in column A; opposite (or approximately opposite) in meaning; or whether the two words are merely different.

Try to go as fast as you can. Click your answer to check.

Verbal Speed — Part 2

This is also a timed test.

In no more than three minutes (again, time yourself or have someone time you), write down as many different words as you can think of that start with the letter D.

Do not use various forms of a word, such as do, doing, does, done, doer, etc.

Space is provided for 125 words. You are not expected to reach that number, but write as fast as you can and see how many blanks you can fill in before your time is up.

(Complete this test on paper, then proceed to the Scoring step.)

Verbal Speed — Scoring

Part 1

Part 2

Total Score

The meaning of your verbal speed score:

A Test of Verbal Responsiveness

Part 1

Write in the blank a word starting with the letter P that is the same, or approximately the same, in meaning as the word given.

Example: look — peer

Warning: Every answer must start with the letter P. Think of your answer first, then click “Show Answer” to compare.

(If more than one answer is given, any word starting with P that matches one of the answers counts as correct.)

Verbal Responsiveness — Part 2

Write in the blank a word starting with the letter G that is opposite, approximately opposite, or in contrast to the word given.

Example: stop — go

Warning: Every answer must start with the letter G. Think of your answer first, then click “Show Answer” to compare.

(If more than one answer is given, any word starting with G that matches one of the answers counts as correct.)

Verbal Responsiveness — Scoring

Score Parts 1 and 2 together. Write in the blank the total number of correct responses you made.

The meaning of your verbal responsiveness score:

Vocabulary and Success

Now you know where you stand. If you are in the below average or average group, you must consider, seriously, whether an inadequate vocabulary may be holding you back. (If you tested out on the above average, excellent, or superior level, you have doubtless already discovered the unique and far-reaching value of a rich vocabulary, and you are eager to add still further to your knowledge of words.)

Let us examine, briefly, some of the evidence that points to the close relationship between vocabulary and personal, professional, and intellectual growth.

The Human Engineering Laboratory found that the only common characteristic of successful people in this country is an unusual grasp of the meanings of words. The Laboratory tested the vocabularies of thousands of people in all age groups and in all walks of life—and discovered that those people drawing down the highest salaries made the highest scores. Consider very thoughtfully the explanation that the director of the Laboratory offered for the relationship between vocabulary and success:

“Why do large vocabularies characterize executives and possibly outstanding men and women in other fields? The final answer seems to be that words are the instruments by means of which men and women grasp the thoughts of others and with which they do much of their own thinking. They are the tools of thought.”

There is other evidence.

At many universities, groups of freshmen were put into experimental classes for the sole purpose of increasing their knowledge of English words. These groups did better in their sophomore, junior, and senior years than control groups of similarly endowed students who did not receive such training.

And still more evidence:

At the University of Illinois, entering students were given a simple twenty-nine-word vocabulary test. The results of this test could be used, according to Professor William D. Templeman, to make an accurate prediction of future academic success—or lack of success—over the entire four year college course. “If a student has a superior vocabulary,” states Professor Templeman, “it will probably follow that he will do better work academically.”

And finally:

Educational research has discovered that your I.Q. is intimately related to your vocabulary. Take a standard vocabulary test and then an intelligence test—the results in both will be substantially the same.

You Can Increase Your Vocabulary

The more extensive your vocabulary, the better your chances for success, other things being equal—success in attaining your educational goals, success in moving ahead in your business or professional career, success in achieving your intellectual potential.

And you can increase your vocabulary—faster and easier than you may realize.

You can, in fact, accomplish a tremendous gain in less than two to three months of concentrated effort, even if you do only one session a day—in less time if you do two or more sessions a day.

Furthermore—

You can start improving your vocabulary immediately—and within a few days you can be cruising along at such a rapid rate that there will be an actual change in your thinking, in your ability to express your thoughts, and in your powers of understanding.

Does this sound as if I am promising you the whole world in a neat package with a pretty pink ribbon tied around it? I am. And I am willing to make such an unqualified promise because I have seen what happens to those of my students at New York University and at Rio Hondo College in Whittier, California, who make sincere, methodical efforts to learn more, many more, words.