Vocabulary for Reading
Master 50 essential vocabulary words for reading comprehension — tone detection, bias recognition, argument analysis, and critical reading vocabulary for CAT, GRE, and GMAT success.
All Vocabulary Guides
10 guides with 5 words each. Master tone, attitude, bias, and argument vocabulary with examples and quizzes.
5 Words Critics Use to Tear Apart Arguments
Master critical reading vocabulary with words critics use to dismantle weak arguments. Essential for detecting author’s negative stance.
5 Words That Expose Intellectual Weakness
Devastating words to identify and describe intellectual weakness. Perfect for understanding harsh criticism in editorials and reviews.
5 Words for Harsh Public Criticism
Words for severe public rebuke and condemnation. Recognize when authors are delivering harsh judgment in their writing.
5 Words for Writer Disapproval
Words writers use to express moral condemnation and disdain. Key vocabulary for detecting negative tone and author attitude.
5 Words Revealing Hidden Bias
Essential bias vocabulary to identify prejudice and one-sided thinking in texts. Critical for inference and critical reasoning questions.
5 Words for Mocking and Ridicule
Mockery vocabulary for recognizing satirical language and tone of contempt. Sharpen your tone detection for reading passages.
5 Words for Dismissing Ideas
Rebuttal vocabulary for understanding how writers reject and dismiss arguments. Essential for argument analysis questions.
5 Words for Verbal Attacks
Powerful verbal attack vocabulary including tirade, diatribe, and invective. Identify aggressive rhetoric in persuasive texts.
5 Words for Subtle Insults
Subtle insult vocabulary — disparage, belittle, deprecate. Detect understated criticism that is easy to miss in passages.
5 Words for Expressing Praise
Praise vocabulary for detecting positive author tone. Master laudable, encomium, eulogy and more for tone-based questions.
Why Vocabulary for Reading Comprehension Is Different
Most vocabulary lists give you random words to memorize. That is like learning tennis by studying racket specifications. Vocabulary for reading comprehension works differently — it is about recognizing the reading vocabulary words that signal what an author thinks, feels, and wants you to believe.
When a passage uses “castigate” instead of “criticize,” or “laudable” instead of “good,” the author is sending a signal. These tone words for reading comprehension reveal attitude, bias, and argumentative stance — exactly what RC questions in CAT, GRE, and GMAT test. This library focuses on 50 critical reading vocabulary words across 10 guides, each chosen because it appears in academic texts and tells you something about author intent.
Learn reading vocabulary words by function, not alphabetically. Knowing that “castigate,” “excoriate,” and “vilify” all signal harsh criticism — and that they are stronger than “rebuke” or “reprimand” — helps you detect author tone vocabulary gradients in passages. That is what gets you correct answers on competitive exams.
What These Vocabulary Guides Cover
How to Use These Vocabulary for Reading Guides
Each guide follows the same structure: 5 reading vocabulary words, detailed definitions with usage context, real examples from texts, and a quiz to test understanding. Here is how to get the most from them:
- Start with the priority guides. V001 (critical reading vocabulary), V002 (intellectual weakness), V005 (bias vocabulary words), and V010 (praise vocabulary) cover the most common tone words for reading comprehension.
- Learn the gradients. Within each guide, words have different intensities. “Rebuke” is milder than “castigate.” “Snide” is subtler than “lampoon.” Understanding these author tone vocabulary gradients helps you pick the right answer choice.
- Take every quiz. Passive reading does not build vocabulary for reading comprehension. The quizzes force active recall — that is what makes reading vocabulary words stick.
- Connect to real reading. After each guide, look for these tone words in news articles, editorials, and RC passages. Recognition in context is the goal.
Vocabulary for CAT VARC, GRE Verbal, and GMAT RC
These 50 reading vocabulary words appear constantly in competitive exam passages — especially in social science, humanities, and opinion-based texts. They are the difference between understanding what an author said versus understanding how the author feels about what they said.
Tone and attitude questions rely on exactly these vocabulary words for reading comprehension. When a passage describes someone’s argument as “specious” or “facile,” you are being told the author disagrees. When it uses “laudable” or “venerable,” approval is signaled. Missing these author tone vocabulary signals means missing easy points.
- CAT VARC Vocabulary: Focus on V001, V002, V004, V005, V010 — these cover the most common tone words for reading comprehension in CAT passages. CAT VARC vocabulary emphasizes detecting author attitude and bias.
- GRE Verbal Vocabulary: All 10 guides are relevant. GRE passages use sophisticated reading vocabulary words to signal tone, and the answer choices often include near-synonyms from these lists. GRE verbal vocabulary rewards deep understanding of word relationships.
- GMAT RC Vocabulary: Prioritize V005 (bias vocabulary words), V007 (dismissal), and V010 (praise) — GMAT loves testing whether you can detect subtle author stance using critical reading vocabulary.
Vocabulary Is the Tool. Practice Is the Skill.
These vocabulary for reading comprehension guides show you what words to recognize. The course gives you daily passages to practice with — 365 articles, 1,098 RC questions, expert analysis, and a reading community.
Start Learning →Frequently Asked Questions About Vocabulary for Reading
50 Reading Vocabulary Words. 10 Guides. One Reading Edge.
Master the vocabulary for reading comprehension that reveals author tone, attitude, and intent — the critical reading vocabulary that turns RC questions from guessing into understanding.
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