If you've read my post titled "WARNING: Studying Vocabulary is a Waste of Time," you know I'm against excessive study of vocabulary words and lists just before a standardized test like the SAT or GMAT for several reasons:

1. There are more than 750,000 words in the English language according to AskOxford.com.
2. Vocabulary is not directly tested on the SAT, GMAT, IELTS, and TOEFL.
3. You have more important things to do with your time, such as understanding the different components of the tests and practicing.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. If you fall into one of the following categories, you should take a look at some vocabulary lists:

* You're taking the GRE. The analogy and antonym questions on the GRE, about one-half of the verbal section, are direct tests of vocabulary. If you do not have a wide vocabulary, it is very difficult to do well on the verbal section of the GRE. In addition to studying word lists, learn about Greek and Latin word roots as well as prefixes and suffixes.

* You have more than 8 weeks to study the SAT, GMAT, etc. If you have a lot of time to study for your test, it won't hurt to memorize about 10 words a week. However, be sure to focus your preparation on the test and NOT on vocabulary.

If you should study vocabulary as part of your test preparation, here are some resources to get you started:

* How to Expand Your Vocabulary: Great tutorial that includes tips on memorizing words, word lists, and summary of roots and prefixes.
* GRE Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes List: This website will help you decode the antonym and analogy questions on the GRE.
* SAT Word List: Only about 90 words included but if you learn these, you should be able to figure out the definitions of words like them.
* SAT Word Parts List: Learn the word parts as well as word definitions to boost your vocabulary.
* Extensive Vocabulary List: Print and make into flashcards for the SAT, GMAT, or GRE.
* Online TOEFL Vocabulary Tests: Use these 120 online tests to help build your vocabulary. Click the links in the Select Word by Meaning and Select Meaning by Word to begin. Be sure to make flashcards from any questions you get wrong.

The strategies I stress to all of my students is that is more important to know how to get the general meaning of the word in the context of the sentence and how to answer the question even if you cannot figure out what 1 word means. These strategies will help you much more than memorizing the definitions of words.