One of the most daunting aspects of Latin GCSE is the vocabulary list. Even though you will probably have been tested on all the vocabulary before the exam, it is important to ensure you know the meaning of every single word to ensure you get the best possible grade. It can be very difficult to distinguish between some of the words, especially those beginning with q, as there are so many!
There are a number of ways in which you can make the task easier. Try grouping the words by type, learning all the military diction, then the words to do with agriculture, then those to do with love and friendship. This can be confusing in itself as you group similar nouns, verbs and adjectives.
Some people like to learn the vocabulary page by page, but this can also cause problems as it groups together similar words.
A useful tactic is to take the first two words from each page, write them down and call them 'Vocab 1', then the next two and call them 'Vocab 2' and so on. This way you separate the confusing words and spread them out.
Making flashcards, with the Latin on the front and a definition on the back and testing yourself can be useful. You could add pictures or derivations to help. Getting someone else to test you, provided they can pronounce the Latin (!), can also be helpful as it forces you to think about the answer and does not allow you to cheat!
If you cannot find someone to test you, cover up the English with some paper and then go down the list, writing the answers you know and then mark it. Star the ones you get wrong and try and learn them again.
Some other tricks which may help with difficult words include finding derivations or similar words which come from them to link the meaning in your mind, making up little poems or rhymes for key words, or thinking of something completely random and different to the word to help you remember because it is so different!
If you search on the internet, there are a number of rhymes people have made up to remember words, especially adverbs and words like 'quod', because and 'tamen' because. Further, there are also a number of vocabulary testers that are free to use. Try the Cambridge Latin Course vocabulary tester available from http://www.cambridgescp.com.
Finally, make sure you learn all the definitions given on the list, and only use those given, so that you can choose the most appropriate in the exam.
