1200 Vocabulary Words for the ISEE Upper Level
A strong vocabulary is a necessity in doing well on the Verbal Reasoning section of the ISEE, and it is also useful on the Reading Comprehension section. Our analysis of ERB’s previously released ISEE tests shows that the vocabulary can be very difficult.
This list is for the ISEE Upper Level (applying to grades 9-12). Click here for our Middle Level vocabulary list (applying to grades 7&8) or click here for our Lower Level vocabulary list (applying to grades 5&6)
The following vocabulary list contains 1200 words, each paired with a definition that gives the essence of the word. We designed this vocabulary list with terms you will find throughout your education, such as in literature and science.
Thus, not only is this vocabulary list meant to help you prepare for the ISEE, it is also meant to equip you with a larger vocabulary for your high school and college endeavors. You are not expected to memorize all of these words. Simply being exposed to many words will set the foundations for improving your vocabulary.
How to Use this List
- Create Flashcards. While we have already presented the cards in a digital flash card style that you can easily tap or click, research shows that actually making the cards yourself helps significantly with memory retention.
- Group words by definition. Once you’ve created your flash cards, try creating groups of words that have similar meanings. For example, you could have a group called “Friendly” with words like “amiable,” “amicable,” and “affable.”
- Write sentences using each word. Simply knowing the definition of a word is of little value if you don’t know how to use it in context. For words that have multiple meanings, try to write a sentence for each definition.
The Vocabulary Lists
Each group contains 30 words in a fun, flip-board style. Simply tap or click on the word to see its definition on the flip side.
