English teachers have a different aspect of the students' learning condition that is to devise ways of from assisting students in completing grammar aspects to improving the students' vocabulary. The role of having a good vocabulary cannot be overlooked especially for students like you who are in the process of acquiring the language. It enhances your speaking, reading, writing as well as listening proficiency. In this article, we will focus on a few important strategies to help you expand your vocabulary over a period of time.
1. Make Reading an Everyday Habit
There are few things more effective in increasing one's vocabulary than constant reading and that is the suggestion to my students as well. Reading helps in learning different words because it gives them the opportunity to understand correct word usage in sentences and their respective meanings. I can share the advice that while reading, one needs to:
• When you notice a word that is unfamiliar to you, take the time to underline it or to highlight the word and then follow it up with consulting a dictionary. Do your best to figure out what the novel word means through the context then use the dictionary to confirm your understanding.
Also, reading a combination of fictional works and real-life accounts enhances your writing style as well as your vocabulary. For instance, reading the dailies could equip you with formal languages, while reading novels could equip you with casual conversations.
2. Start a Vocabulary Journal
As the name suggests, a vocabulary journal refers to a personal book where you can record new words, and phrases learned in class or even during leisure activities. A word is always a good way of cementing what you already know, while going through them from time to time will prevent you from learning them afresh. Below are some recommendations on how to use your vocabulary journal in a better manner:
• Use your vocabulary journal to record any new words as well as their corresponding meanings and some sentences to explain those words in context.
• Make a point of adding part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.) to appreciate where the word sits in the sentence.
• For better awareness of the words, add other associated words that have the same meaning or antonyms to the words that you are recording.
• It's good to frequently browse the vocabulary journal on a daily or even weekly basis to jog one's memory.
• For a more active approach to understanding the words, try and integrate some of the new words in sentences of your own or when talking to somebody.
When you develop a practice of noting and revisiting new words, your knowledge of vocabulary will progressively widen and become richer.
3. Learn Words In Context
Understanding the meanings of words involves knowing how certain terms or phrases are used on a day-to-day basis. Attempting to memorize scores' worth of words in a void is a futile endeavor. Rather, make it a point to learn the language in phrases or paragraphs. Context aids in:
• A word's understanding based on its meaning in relation to its context.
• Explaining how the word works with other words.
• It is easier to learn a new word because you are applying it within a sentence or a phrase, not simply memorizing it.
For example, the term "bright" has completely different meanings in the sentences, "She's a bright student" and "the sun is very bright today." In the first example, it means the child has a very good intellectual capacity and in the second one, it means there is a lot of light.
Knowing the contexts of such words will also give you a clearer picture of some idioms and phrases in English that are inconstant yet frequently appear in English-speaking contexts.
4. Integrating Newly Learnt Words into Day to Day Usage
Using the word in a conversation is one of the best methods to remember that the word has been learnt. When you say a word, you are interacting with that word, therefore, it is likely to stick in your mind. Here are some methods of embedding new words into your everyday vocabulary:
• Make it a point to use at least one or two new words in most of your conversations every day.
• When trying to use a new word for the first time, go ahead and use it in a few straight forward sentences to a friend or a language partner.
• Take risks and experiment even if it means making a mistake. Learning is a process, and making mistakes and correcting oneself or having others correct you is part of that process.
• Practice speaking by joining English clubs, participating in discussions or even practicing online in forums.
Using newly acquired vocabulary in conversation practice helps to enhance the memory of new vocabulary and in turn, increases your willingness to speak English confidently.
5. Precede & Succeed
English has an amazing number of words which are built upon using roots, prefixes or suffixes. For the most part it is possible to figure out the meaning of such words, which one has never seen, if one knows a few common prefixes and suffixes. For instance:
• The meaning of the word "unhappy" can be easily understood - as the prefix 'un' means 'not', similarly 'redo' and 'preview' may be interpreted easily as well.
• Words like "manageable" may be understood as 'able to be managed,' and 'happiness' or even the word 'quickly' may also be formed through suffixes like, –able, -ness and –ly.
Similarly, knowledge of word parts would benefit you as well when faced with more compound or complex words later on, once again in context of reading as well as written academic material.
6. Use Flashcards
Flashcards are a refurbished way to learn new words in a given language. They are quite simple to use, most studies suggest that they can easily be made portable, and it's been known to help in quick revision. To use them effectively, it is best to follow these few rules:
• The word itself should go on one side of the card.
• On the other side, write down the meaning of the word, a sentence that uses the word, and mention whether it's an adverb or verb, and so forth.
• Have your flashcards with you so that you can memorize them in your spare time, like commuting by bus, standing in a queue, or having a break.
• Use online tools or applications such as Anki or Quizlet, which assist you in designing virtual flashcards, and review them through spaced repetition techniques.
Flashcards are particularly helpful during review sessions, especially in learning new vocabulary for tests or quizzes.
7. Play Word Games
Who said learning vocabulary must be a serious and dreary task—this is an activity that can be made enjoyable as well! Wordgames are a great way to play with new words without the pressure of the classroom environment. Some of these types of games include:
• Scrabble . This is an interactive board game that allows players to count words created on a grid.
• Crossword puzzles . Today these can be found in newspapers or online and consist of entering words based on given hints.
• Word Search . These are puzzles that allow words hidden in squares that are formed by letters to be determined.
• Hangman . This is a lot of game where letters are chosen in an attempt to determine a word before making too many mistakes.
By involving yourself in such games, you can expand your vocabulary without necessarily going through 'studying'. These games also enhance spelling ability and memory for words.
8. Watch Films and Programe in English
It is highly recommendable to watch movies, notedies, and English documentaries as doing so will enable you to learn new words whenever you focus on the dialogue. In so doing, when you hear words, it will not only expand your vocabulary but also sharpen listening skills. To make optimum use of this:
• Watch programs that captivate you and are appropriate for your english level.
• English subtitles should be turned on so that you hear the words and see them too.
• Any new words or expressions you hear can be noted down and looked for later.
• When you hear a sentence, try to say it along with the person in order to improve your vocabulary usage and pronunciation.
Every day conversations of movies and TV shows can assist you in acquiring useful phrases and expressions.
9. Use Of Mnemonics
A mnemonic is a memory enhancement device which associates something you perceive to a new found word. A mnemonic devises can be a word, a statement, or a photograph that links the world to its definition. Like in the case of:
• For the word 'bizarre' which is 'strange,' think of a bazaar meaning a marketplace which is eccentric.
• In the dance of the buns – A lot of gana (buns) – is a good way to remember the word abundant, which means plentiful.
One of the most practical techniques for improving one's vocabulary could be mnemonics.
