If you are reading this post, probably it’s because you have difficulties in learning English vocabulary.
The reason why you have this problem is because English language has got a lot of borrowed words. It also has so many exceptions to the rules.
This makes harder to approach English vocabulary, and because of this you face many difficulties to master.
Fortunately, there is a solution. No need to panic:
- Helpful tips to learn English vocabulary faster and easily:
- How to memorize English vocabulary faster;
- How to Learn spelling by the sound of a word;
- How to get vocabulary meanings by reading English stuff;
- Why learning English vocabulary in context matters;
- Use an English Dictionary and grammar to check how a given language item works
Helpful Tips to Learn English Vocabulary Faster and Easily
Are you ready?
Let’s dive in.
#1: “Vocabulary” comes from reading, “speaking”, from practicing
There is people who say “I love English. I’d like to be a fluent speaker”, but then they hate reading English content.
This is a huge mistake. If you want to learn a language, you need to cultivate the habit of reading. By reading, you lay the basis for language learning.
My advice is: Read as much as an hour a day, or more.
Every day.
#2: The Harder the Content, the less the Language Learning Outcomes
You may never have thought of this as being a problem, but it is. I say this because once I faced the same problems you are experiencing as a second language learner.
If you really want to learn English vocabulary faster through reading, at the begging read topics you are familiar with.
Read everything: books, newspaper, articles, magazines, blogs, websites etc.. provided you are interested in this content.
#3: The Power of a Diary or Notepad
Many language learner miss this:
To learn vocabulary very quickly, you should jot down every single new word or sentence structure you find interesting.
Write these down in an easy to handle diary, or a notepad. (an app you can download and install on you mobile phone to register information).
Practice as much as the learning is concerned.
The information you practice, later becomes useful English language items in your everyday life.
#4: Use Words in Combination with other Words
Like human or other beings, words have “family”.
You came across an odd vocabulary while reading? And you want to know its meaning? – Jot down the sentence in which the word inserted and then check the meaning.
By doing so you not only underline the meaning of the vocabulary. You also learn the collocation (which word appears with which to convey a specific meaning).
#5: Avoid to use a Bilingual Dictionary
It’s better to use English English dictionary because from this you can learn meanings and practice sentence structure.
#6: Know a Word and Practice others
Like human or other beings, words have “family”.
A clear example of this is that some English words are derived from others.
From the root “beauty“ (a noun), for instance, came:
- “Beautiful”- (an adjective);
- “Beautifully”- (an adverb);
- “Beautify” (a verb), and so on.
The strategy is: if you are interested in one word, then practice the other.
This is because our brain store things better if they are related to each other. So think about this.
How to learn English vocabulary words is a matter of thinking.
#7: Learn Words in 3 Dimensions
You came across a word, that you liked the pronunciation? – Consult its meaning then practice the spelling;
You loved the meaning? – Practice the pronunciation and the spelling;
You liked the spelling? – Practice the pronunciation and the meaning.
In this way you will not only master the meaning of the word. You will also learn the pronunciation and how to spell it accurately.
Words make part of our everyday life.
What tricks help learn English vocabulary quickly?
How to Memorize English Vocabulary Faster, Without Forgetting
How to become fluent in English depends mostly on how large your active English vocabulary is. To achieve this, you need to know the right techniques.
In some ways, words are like families; they have some relationships among them.
Learning English basing on this relationship can help you memorize English vocabulary faster and become fluent in English.
You are asking “how this can happen”.
Take few seconds doing the exercise that follow to see how this works to learn vocabulary English:
Read these two lists of words:
List A:
- Keyboard
- Monitor
- Mouse
- Printer
- Pen drive
List B
- Book
- Star
- Fish
- Apple
- Tiger
Are you through?
Right!
Keep the lists out of your sight.
Done it?
Good!
Now try to recall the words of both the lists.
Are you done?
That’s fine!.
Tell me now:
How many words of list ‘A’ do you still remember?
How about those of list ‘B’, how many can you recall?
Yes.
You straggled much to recall the words of list ‘B’ than those of list ‘A’.
Am I wrong?
Of course I am not.
#1: Why do you remember easier the words of list ‘A’ than those in ‘B’?
Here is why:
The words on the list ‘B’ aren’t related to one another, and this didn’t help much your brain store them.
That’s why it was harder for you to recall them.
On the other hand, the words on the list ‘A’ are all about computer. So, they are strongly related to one another.
This helped much your brain keep the words.
That’s why learning English vocabulary by list of related words is effectively faster.
Now there is a question:
#2: What to do to make a list that can help you learn English vocabulary faster and effectively?
Follow the instructions below:
Make a list of English vocabulary you want to practice the meaning. Make sure they all have at least one thing in common. (All the words on the list A, in the example situation above, have to do with computer).
- Let’s say, are you thinking of a traditional classroom, for instance? Look at words like black board/desks/chair/duster/piece of chalk and so on.
Is your focus on fruits?
Look at words like, apple/strawberry/orange/mango/lemon, and others.
Imagine that, your aim is to practice the meaning of the English vocabulary apple.
What should you do instead of just exercising the meaning of that term?
- Include also words like: strawberry/orange/mango/lemon (if you also need to know the meaning). This is because all have to do with fruits.
Need to practice the meaning of verbs, like “go”?
- Include on the list, verbs like“come”, “walk”, “run”, “arrive”… because apart from being verbs, they all express movement.
#3: What is the point behind this strategy?
Our brain records thing easily when they are related to each other, remember this.
How to learn vocabulary in English?
Follow the strategy above. Build lists of related words and start practicing.
How to learn and memorize English vocabulary is a key factor for achieving goals.
How to learn English Vocabulary Easily Using Sounds to Practice Spelling?
What do we mean by ‘spelling’, first?
According to Study.com, spelling means “the sequence of letters that compose a given word”.
What are the most common problems that second language learners face?
- Learn English Pronunciation: Techniques Leading to Success, is how to go for spelling.
To work out the problem, learners end up choosing an approach which leads them to no success.
#1: The easiest way to learn the spelling of English vocabulary
Step 1: ‘Study’ the word
Analyze the word and find every single sound that makes up the word.
Step 2: Read the word slowly, sound by sound
While reading, shift sometimes your eyes from the word. This is to check if you can picture in your mind the sequence of the letters that compose the word.
Make sure you have in your mind this sequence.
Once you are done with the first sound, go for the other sounds.
Step 3: Repeat the process
Go over again with other sounds, and then with the whole word. Do this until you get the whole sequence of the word in your mind.
If you manage to spell the English vocabulary correctly without spotting it from where it’s written, congratulations!
You have learned the spelling of such vocabulary.
If you fail, don’t worry.
Go over again the steps.
Don’t let anything distract you, while you picture mentally the letters that compose the sound of the English vocabulary.
You fail the second time?
Go over again and again, until you succeed.
This simple mental exercise underlines the particular features of the new English vocabulary you are practicing the spelling.
And it also helps your brain draw more attention on the features and then record the word for long-term use.
Does this work? – Just try it.
#2: What to do Next, now that You’ve Learned the Spelling of the Vocabulary?
Note that: up to this stage, the English vocabulary would be already stored in the short-term memory.
To transfer it from the short-term memory to the long-term memory storage, you need to do more exercise.
What should you do to make this happen?
Step 4: Two things you need to do to let the English vocabulary be moved from the short-term memory to long-term memory
Before that – what’s the meaning of short-term and long-term memory.
- Short-Term memory vs Long-Term Memory: What do these Mean?
Do you remember a situation in which you were could spell an English vocabulary? Or you knew the meaning of a vocabulary, but then you forgot completely?
Sure.
It happens to every language learner. Mostly to second language learners on non-native speakers.
The question now is, why this does happen? Why did you forget to spell the word that once you could spell before?
The answer?
-The word had been held in the short-term memory. It hadn’t been yet stored in the long-term memory.
The expression ‘short-term memory’ is self-explanatory.
What is short-term memory?
“The ability to store a small amount of information in the mind. Keep it readily available for a short period of time”.
According to arc.duke.edu, “the information recorded in the short-term memory doesn’t last long in your mind.
It disappears after a period of time making it harder for the person to recall what they learned”.
#3: What happens to the information recorded in the long-term memory?
- How to move an English vocabulary, from the short-term memory into long-term memory for a long-term use?
Here is what you need to do:
Practice the word.
One way I like to practice to learn a new English vocabulary is by using the word in a sentence.
This help me remember:
- The spelling
- The meaning
- The pronunciation,
The technique is simple, but it works.
Example situation on how to do this:
Imagine you have just learned the spelling of the English vocabulary, “always” and “English”. And you master the sentences “I get up at 6 o’clock every morning” and “I love learning”.
You know well the meaning of these sentences. What should you do next?
Apply the English Vocabulary you are targeting (English and always) in the statements “I get up at 6 am” and “I love learning” to add clear meanings to these statements, like this:
I get up always at 6 AM.
I love learning English.
Practice saying this alone or with a conversational partner.
Do the same exercise with other words, phrases and sentences.
The more you do this, the better you help your brain store the words for a long-term use.
This is a good way to how to learn new English vocabulary.
How to Learn More Vocabulary by Reading English Stuffs?
Reading is one of the most powerful tools for learning English vocabulary.
The literature say that “While you read, you keep your brain actively working due to the real language-learning environment”.
But there is a question: how to do successful reading if you have shortage of English vocabulary?
The strategy that follow can help you cope with the problem:
#1: Read English Content under Topics you are Familiar with to learn more Vocabulary
Let me put it this way:
Imagine that someone places two wrapped things into your hands, and then ask you to guess what they are.
You have no idea of course what they are.
The object in the right hand, although covered, you believe you’ve seen it somewhere.
The shape of the object in the left hand, doesn’t suggest you anything. You can’t guess what the object could be.
Now I ask you.
Which of the two objects you think could guess?
The former, it’s obvious. The one you believe having seen somewhere.
Here is the thing:
The same happens when seek to learn English Vocabulary by reading English content based on a topic you know.
What happens when you read content over topics you are familiar with?
Here is what happens:
- You get easily the overall idea of the content, and this leads to guessing the meaning of specific words.
#2: Read English Content that are Easy to Understand
This is self explanatory.
What happens if the content you are reading uses English vocabulary difficult to understand?
You’ll still face problem to get the overview of the text. and this can lead to 2 thing:
- You won’t enjoy the reading
- The reading will be less profitable
Make sure that the English content you read (be that from books, newspaper, articles, magazines, blogs, websites etc.), is accessible for you level.
Remember: the harder the content, the less the chance you’ll have to guess meanings from the context. This will make less profitable the reading and you’ll unlikely achieve fluency.
Remember: The harder the content, the less profitable the reading will be.
And that’s it.
My advice:
You love sport? You understand this better than technology? – Read English sport-related content.
You love technology? You understand it better than sport? –Read technology-based content to learn English vocabulary.
The point is combine the useful with the pleasant which will enhance your motivation to language learning.
How to learn English vocabulary fast is a matter of motivation.
How Context and Continual Reading of the same Content can Help Learn Meanings of English Vocabulary?
What can we compare to Learning meanings of English vocabulary through reading content you aren’t familiar with?
It can be compared to a journey to a place you have never been before
After arriving to the destination, the impression you have is that the journey had been longer
But, when you go to the same place for the second time, you realize that you were mistaken. The place isn’t so far away, as you thought to be.
This happens almost to everyone. Maybe you alone haven’t experienced it yet.
#1: What this situation has to do with learning meanings of English vocabulary, based on written content?
In fact is has.
As second language learner, when you read an English content for the first time, some of the words sound strange.
But when you read the same content more than one time, the meaning now becomes obvious.
Why does this happen?
The answer is: the power of ‘CONTINUAL READING’ + CONTEXT.
Let me put this way:
What happens when you come across a new word more than one time occurring in different context?
It provides you clues about the meaning of that term.
This happens due to the context of the immediate words, that surround the new vocabulary. (the context), gives you clues about what the meaning of the word is.
Want a proof?
Follow these steps to see how this work.
- First: pick a sentence, or a paragraph which has got a word or phase you don’t know the meaning.
- Second: read attentively, 2 or 3 times the sentence or whatever you’ve picked.
- Next: pay attention to the meaning of the last words of the sentence or paragraph you you’re reading. And that of the immediate words to the targeted vocabulary.
- Finally, relate these meanings with that of the term you are targeting. After that guess the signification of the odd vocabulary.
Tell me
It worked?
Congratulation!
2 example situations for you to guess the meaning of the word in bold (admonished). (I assume that you don’t know the meaning of this term, but if you do, again congratulation. Skip this).
- “Last year David admonished his son for bad behavior, now the child behaves well”.
- “ The librarian admonished the students for the noise. Now the room is quiet.
Easy to guess, isn’t it?
– Sure.
The meaning is that popping up in your mind, right now –Warned.
That’s it. “To admonish” means to warn someone do, or not do something.
The question now is: how did you manage to guess the meaning of the strange vocabulary?
Here is the answer:
The context in which the vocabulary in question is included counts a lot. The terms (“ David…”, “his son …bad behavior”/“now the child behaves well”) – sentence 1 for example, gave you clues.
You concluded that the vocabulary “admonished” means is equivalent to “warned not to do something”.
These information guided you to relate the term “admonished” to “warned”, in both sentences and then guess the meaning.
This is the power of leaning meanings in context.
#2: What, if for any reason you fail to get the meaning of the word by the context?
- Don’t panic. Look up it in a dictionary. In today’s fast paced digital world, Internet will help you do this through the play store on your mobile phone. I hope you have already one. But if you don’t, it’s time you had.
Why is a dictionary so important?
- To check meanings of the words you feel stuck and increase your active vocabulary.
Use an English Dictionary and grammar to check how a given language item works
A dictionary and a grammar book (be that digital or physical), are language learning tools you shouldn’t miss.
Why do we recommend this?
For simple reason:
Along the journey, as second language learner, your experience will pose you so many questions. And you’ll need to find the answer for.
Some of these questions could be: “What’s the meaning of this word?” “Why or how this language item appears in this way?”
This, is where having an English Dictionary and a ‘Grammar book comes in handy
With this tools you can practice all learning skills including pronunciation.
And here you are.
Enjoy the results of your search.
How to Learn English Vocabulary?
I know.
It is a challenging task. It requires knowing the right techniques and doing a lot of practices.
But with the experience you have gained, all you need to do is follow the steps listed out. Soon you will achieve your goals.
Have a question? Check our FAQs on the contact page.
Want to read more? See the Blog to learn English effectively.
Sabino Manuel