The book's time-tested self-instruction system facilitates learning by allowing students to check their own progress with answers to each frame in the margin of the book.

Contains exercises that require repeated recall (up to six times) of each defined word.

Covers learning words by analysis of context.

Stresses the use of precise descriptive words and active verbs while encouraging students to eliminate wordiness and clichés.

Includes Latin and Greek roots and prefixes that illuminate hundreds of derivatives in a memorable way.

Presents basic literary terms and terminology found in more advanced English courses (ex., hyperbole, irony, protagonist, naturalism, sonnet, etc.).

Three new chapters (Short Words I, Short Words II, Characterization Words) include simple, useful words that most students have seen but never perfectly understood.

Two additional chapters (Natural Science, also Fine Arts and Philosophy) expose students to vocabulary across the curriculum.

Stresses college vocabulary rather than random big words. Terms from physics, mathematics, fine arts, and philosophy have been added to this edition to help prepare students for courses in other areas.