Best way to understand word problems in math

The best way is to use real examples for them, things that trigger an actual memory or even a visual aid! (:
Good luck, rockstar!
I hope you pass, and good luck!

The best way for me to learn word problems is to sit down and write out or draw exactly what the problem is saying, line by line.

"Charlie has 3 Dollars"
$ $ $
"He spends 2"
$ | $$->
"How many does he have left"
$

Now this kind of thinking is used from basic addition, all the way up to data structures, number and graph theory, differential equations, physics. It is so useful to draw out stuff (:
I'm in college and I still draw apples on trees to try and visualize stuff. Picture in your head and write it out, if it doesn't make sense, try and draw it a different way!(: You got this.