10 Best Books for Vocabulary Building and Better Communication

Get to know the best books for vocabulary to improve your writing skills, verbal capacity, and English comprehension.

I will always be thankful that learning English is a part of our educational curriculum. Starting to learn the most spoken language in the world at an early age gave me an advantage I didn’t appreciate until I connected to people outside my country. It made everything else simpler for me.

Learning and understanding how to use a language correctly can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. So, whether you’re planning to visit America or just want to learn English, we’ve curated a list of the best books for vocabulary that you can use. Check out our list of multi-syllabic words to learn more.

1. Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

Written by the lexicographer, etymologist, and grammarian Norman Lewis, Word Power Made Easy is often recommended for several tests. It’s a core book reviewers avail to build an extensive vocabulary. Through it, students can understand how words are correctly incorporated into the English language.

Lewis gives special attention to words that often confuse English learners. He uses simple but effective techniques to make learning a breeze. Expect various examples, etymology concepts, review exercises, and many more. Read it on Amazon; click here.

“Words are the instruments employing which men and women grasp the thoughts of others and with which they do much of their thinking. They are the tools of thought.“

Norman Lewis, Word Power Made Easy

2. 504 Absolutely Essential Words by Murray Bromberg et al

504 Absolutely Essential Words is a resource for people learning English as their second language. The book is divided into 42 lessons, with 12 words in each section. For easy memorization, the words and their proper pronunciation are used in sample sentences.

Additionally, there are short articles and exercises where learners can practice what they’ve learned. Get this workbook if you want to do well on English tests or have better conversations in your daily life. Read it on Amazon; click here.

“This is a self-help book. If you use it intelligently, you will help yourself to strengthen and expand your word knowledge.”

Murray Bromberg et al., 504 Absolutely Essential Words

3. The Princeton Review Essential SAT Vocabulary by The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review Essential SAT Vocabulary is designed especially for high school students gearing up for the SAT exam. What sets it apart is its user-friendly approach, featuring portable flashcards that are highly effective.

Each flashcard gives the meaning of the word. Then, it mentions how the words can be used in but also shows how that word can be used in various real-life contexts. This is incredibly helpful for students looking to understand how to apply them in different situations.

Plus, it’s not only for SAT’s Critical Reading and Sentence Completion sections. Students can also use the flashcards for the ACT and life in general. Read it on Amazon; click here.

“Students with a strong vocabulary tend to get better SAT scores.”

The Princeton Review, The Princeton Review Essential SAT Vocabulary

4. English for Everyone: English Vocabulary Builder

English for Everyone: English Vocabulary Builder is part of DK’s best-selling English for Everyone Series. It’s praised for its capacity to build your vocabulary in the easiest way possible.

It contains vibrant illustrations for visual learning. It even comes with an audiobook that can be accessed via the Apple Store or Google Play apps for practice speaking. Some of its lessons include Time expressions, Common English idioms, and many more. It also has a Spanish Language Edition. Read it on Amazon; click here.

“The best way to learn spoken vocabulary is to listen to the audio and repeat each word and phrase on the spread.”

DK, English for Everyone: English Vocabulary Builder

5. The Well-Spoken Thesaurus: The Most Powerful Ways to Say Everyday Words and Phrases by Tom Heeler

The Well-Spoken Thesaurus: The Most Powerful Ways to Say Everyday Words and Phrases offers learners up to 20 alternative words that are more specific to fit their intended meaning. It also has tips on how to sound better in speaking English. It’s a digestible book that anyone can use to elevate their lexicon.

It’s most helpful to writers who want to understand how to manipulate language to make them more rousing. The book does this by guiding them through pitfalls like repetitive descriptions and cliches. It also teams the words via handy categories, such as “descriptive terms” and “negative emotions.” Read it on Amazon; click here.

“The educated don’t get that way by memorizing facts; they get that way by respecting them.”

Tom Heeler, The Well-Spoken Thesaurus: The Most Powerful Ways to Say Everyday Words and Phrases

6. 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary by Wilfred Funk and Norman Lewis

30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary is a fun and engaging book that promises to teach you new words in just a month. It calls attention to vocabulary as a tool for a successful life. The authors believe that broadening your vocabulary words is for more than just literary musings. It’s a bridge to make you a leader.

Funk and Lewis are both experts in the field. They have participated in various encyclopedias and dictionaries, making them more than qualified educators to enhance readers’ vocabulary skills. Read it on Amazon; click here.

“Your words are your keys for your thoughts. And the more words you have at your command the deeper, clearer, and more accurate will be your thinking.”

Wilfred Funk and Norman Lewis, 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary

7. Merriam-Webster’s Vocabulary Builder by Merriam-Webster

Merriam-Webster’s Vocabulary Builder is one of the top-selling vocabulary books. It’s a 721-page resource you can still clutch in one hand. It’s a perfect travel book you can take wherever you go.

The book contains root words, example sentences, and comments to add context to the presented terms. Quizzes are also utilized for readers’ memory retention. It also has a Kindle edition via Amazon. Read it on Amazon; click here.

”Studies have shown that the only way a new word will remain alive in your vocabulary is if it’s regularly reinforced through use and through reading.”

Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Vocabulary Builder

8. The Oxford Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms by Oxford Languages

The Oxford Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms is a go-to reference for learning words. By better understanding familiar and discovering new vocabulary, you improve your speaking and writing skills. It’s packed with 140,000 words and shows readers how these words are used in real-life situations.

The dictionary also sorts out tricky words that sound similar or often get mixed up. By breaking down the words’ differences, learners can pick the perfect word for what they want to convey. Plus, it’s user-friendly and great for people of all ages and skill levels. Read it on Amazon; click here.

“[This is] an essential point of reference for anyone looking to widen their vocabulary.”

Oxford Languages, The Oxford Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms

9. Red Hot Root Words: Mastering Vocabulary With Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words by Dianne Draze

Red Hot Root Words: Mastering Vocabulary With Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words is a powerful resource for mastering the English language. It centers on the building blocks of words: prefixes, suffixes, and root words, many of which are derived from Greek and Latin origins. Understanding these word components helps learners unlock the meanings of unfamiliar words.

This book is tailored for young students and includes a teacher’s information section, making it a valuable asset in the classroom. Its short, engaging lessons are designed to be efficient and not overly time-consuming. This makes it easier for children to remember new vocabulary. Additionally, parents, tutors, and teachers will find it valuable for nurturing language skills in young learners, providing a solid foundation for their future language proficiency. Read it on Amazon; click here.

“Prefixes, roots, and suffixes — linguistic building blocks that are fairly nonfunctional by themselves, but string them together and you get a wonderful array of words that make up the English language.”

Dianne Draze, Red Hot Root Words: Mastering Vocabulary With Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words

10. The Vocabulary Builder Workbook: Simple Lessons and Activities to Teach Yourself Over 1,400 Must-Know Words by Magoosh and Chris Lele

The Vocabulary Builder Workbook: Simple Lessons and Activities to Teach Yourself Over 1,400 Must-Know Words is a collaboration between a test-prep company and a teacher. It’s a progress-focused book that helps readers preserve what they learned via tests and exercises.

It’s broken down into various themes and functions. The words are presented with their correct pronunciation for easy speech practice. Alongside are the origins, definitions, and how the words are used in example sentences. It’s a simple and straightforward book that beginners and advanced learners should review. Read it on Amazon; click here.

“A large vocabulary is not built from memorizing word lists or from some innate verbal capacity that very few possess, but rather is formed through targeted practice and context recognition.“

Magoosh and Chris Lele, The Vocabulary Builder Workbook: Simple Lessons and Activities to Teach Yourself Over 1,400 Must-Know Words

Are you looking for more words to enrich your vocabulary? Check out these 400 descriptive words.