Why do I need to learn so many obscure words

Question

Tests in school, from Elementary all the way up to the SAT, often focus on difficult vocabulary words that aren't used in everyday speech. Why do we need to know these words?

Answer 1

It’s true that some vocabulary words feel obscure, but there’s a reason they still show up on tests like the Digital SAT. The exam isn’t just testing whether you’ve memorized a list — it’s measuring whether you can use context to figure out meaning quickly.

Here’s what I tell my students:

1. It’s about precision. The right word often makes a subtle distinction that changes the meaning of a sentence. That’s why the SAT asks you to pick between similar choices.
2. It’s about transfer. Strong vocabulary helps with reading comprehension, writing, and even word problems in math where language can be tricky.
3. It’s about strategy. You don’t need to memorize every obscure word. On the DSAT, you need to practice using the context of short passages to narrow down meaning.

The good news? This skill can be learned. When students practice with Bluebook (the official SAT platform), they discover that vocabulary questions are less about rote memory and more about thinking clearly under time pressure. That’s a skill that pays off far beyond test day.

Answer 2

As the tutor above has explained so well, the ability to use a specialized vocabulary for a particular professional field is very important to your career prospects.

It's also true that a well-developed vocabulary is the key to good reading comprehension of a wide range of texts, and excellent writing of almost any kind. In STEM research writing, you need a specialized vocabulary to make your work relevant in your chosen field. In Literature and the Humanities, specialized vocabulary is the toolkit of an excellent writer for both analyses, literature, and reporting. Authors like Vladimir Nabokov showcase the power of a wide and deep vocabulary -- the impact of choosing the "perfect" word to surprise and delight the reader, to make a perfect image in their mind, or deepen the complexity of any moment in a story or novel. A specialized vocabulary and the ability to use it accurately and in a balanced way is the key to excellent writing, both creative and analytical.

How can you broaden and deepen your vocabulary? By reading widely and regularly. Being a reader is probably the single most powerful thing you can do to improve yourself in any professional or academic field. Especially these days when many folks are distracted by screens and short, shallow texts (like this one!), it's extremely valuable to spend time reading books and great journalistic writing. It's also the key to understanding what is real and true as opposed to fabrication and disinformation, since these are destructive trends right now.

People may think they read all day long because they are always on a screen, but the internet is not luring people in with its credibility -- it's counting on cheap clicks and what the algorithm calculates that you want to read. It is not reading that will expand your mind. Look for credentialed journalists and writers, great literature, field-reviewed research. Feed your brain the right stuff and it will pay you dividends in broadened thinking and vocabulary with which to express yourself.

Good luck building a specialized vocabulary! : ) Joss

Answer 3

In the professional setting, you will often be asked to use obscure and elaborate language. This isn't just for the purpose of making everything confusing, but to most accurately provide the description of what you are trying to convey. Having a large vocabulary means that you have more choices of words to describe a problem, or explain an idea to your boss.