1500 Words in 15 Minutes a Day

"1500 Words in 15 Minutes a Day" is an easy way to expand your vocabulary if you don't have the time to devote to other vocab programs such as Norman Lewis' "Word Power Made Easy". Cleveland provides a year-long, 52-week guide to increase your vocabulary and to teach you some useful facts about the English language.

Cleveland's composition is unique, because the entire book is not just a whole bunch of SAT vocabulary words, but includes phrases, idioms, styles of architecture, historical figures, and more. It's almost an encyclopedia.

The large 11" x 8" book is divided into two parts: Part 1 contains words in areas of the liberal arts and related subjects; and the first half of the Part 2 introduces everyday yet misused words while the second half has those more obscure and less often used words, like brachydactylic (having abnormally short toes or fingers). The words are introduced to you in 52 chapters, defined and used in context and arranged thematically into subjects. Each weeklong chapter is divided into one-day, one-paged lessons. Ultimately, you are introduced four (4) words a day. There are a couple of short tests at the bottom of the page and a shaded box "Did you know?" that provides an English language related fact.

One terrible flaw to the book is Cleveland's lack of providing pronunciation for each word, which would have been a very helpful addition. So if you have trouble sounding out difficult vocab words, you'll have to grab your Merriam-Webster as a reference.

If you are preparing yourself for a structured and intense vocabulary program, this is not the book to use. I see "1500 Words..." more as a pick-up-and-refer-to book that will add 4 words and an interesting fact a day to your repertoire.