How to improve your vocabulary?

How to improve your vocabulary?
How to improve your vocabulary. Image source: Pixabay

No matter what you are studying, the biggest secret to success is vocabulary practice. Words are the building blocks of the English language, and one of the critical predictors of an individual’s social status, profession, and education level. Yet more and more students are struggling to increase their vocabulary. It is not that people have difficulties grasping the vocabulary; instead, they struggle to remember it when they get the chance to use it.  

Building your vocabulary has many benefits. For starters, it can help you cultivate an erudite persona. But no one said it is easy. You need to create certain habits that can help you learn and use new words in the English language in the most appropriate manner, which will make it easier to think, write, and communicate.

Continue reading this post to know how you can build and improve your vocabulary.

#1 Read Every Day

Assigned reading and word drills become things of the past once you are out of school. But this doesn’t mean that you should abandon reading. Reading is the best way to build and improve your vocabulary repertoire. You are advised to read a well-written and edited essay, news article, book, novel, magazine article, etc. every day. Technical and non-fiction books are the best sources to learn new ways to speak and think with words that you are unfamiliar with. However, any type of reading will help you along.

#2 Vocabulary Tests and Quizzes

One of the best ways to learn new words and improve your vocabulary is to take vocabulary tests and quizzes. A vocabulary test consists of several different words that you may or may not have heard before. So, it is a great way to get exposure to difficult words in the English language. It is the test for knowledge (as of use or meaning) of a selected list of words that are often used as a part of an intelligence test. Taking these tests online can help you improve your overall vocabulary and help you speak fluently without embarrassment.    

#3 Try Word Puzzles and Word Board Games

There are several word puzzles and word board games available, both online and offline, which are designed to build and improve language and vocabulary skills without being a bore. A vocabulary quiz is another excellent way to improve your vocabulary. You can join a group online or take classes to get your hands on some of the problematic word puzzles and quizzes. Crossword puzzles are brain teasers that can get your brain to work hard searching your memory for words you know but don’t use. Or, if you know someone with great vocabulary, you can invite them to play the word game with you. This way, you get to learn new words, and they can polish their vocabulary.  

#4 Write

Once you learn new words, you should better write them down in a journal or a separate notebook dedicated to vocabulary learning. Learn 5-6 new words every day and write them down in your notebook. Using the words you learned today, try creating a story or expressions using those words. As you write every day, you will see the improvement. When you start, it is okay if you aren’t able to form words with proper grammar, you will once you make it a habit. The key to build and improve your vocabulary is to learn new words every day.

#5 Go Through a Dictionary

A good dictionary may consist of more than 20,000 words that are both known and unknown to you. As you may know, a single thing can be described using many different words (synonyms). For example, the word ‘recognize’ has multiple synonyms such as see, remember, perceive, observe, notice, note, etc. So, any new word you learn, you must search for their synonyms. This will only build your vocabulary and will provide you with plenty of words when communicating. A dictionary is the best source to learn new words and their synonyms. As you learn, you will understand that synonyms don’t fit in every sentence of the same meaning but in different contexts that generate certain emotions.

#6 Listen

The best way to learn how to use new words is to see how people use them. Subscribe to English broadcasts that stream English news, stories, documentaries, and movies. The key to learning and improving your vocabulary is to listen to how experienced people speak and express themselves. You can use subtitles that will keep you in the loop if you face difficulty catching what they are saying.

Conclusion

You need to keep an eye out for the words you are learning. Ensure that the knowledge you are gaining isn’t wrong. If you have any confusion, you can always ask someone like your teacher or friend who has a good vocabulary or search the internet.