- Develop a reading habit.
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Please fill the namePlease enter only 10 digit mobile numberPlease select coursePlease fill the emailSomething went wrong!Download App & Start LearningVocabulary building is easiest when you encounter words in context. Seeing words appear in a novel or a newspaper article can be far more helpful than seeing them appear on vocabulary lists. Not only do you gain exposure to unfamiliar words; you also see how theyтАЩre used. - Use the dictionary and thesaurus. Online dictionaries and thesauruses are helpful resources if used properly. They can jog your memory about synonyms that would actually be better words in the context of what youтАЩre writing. A full dictionary definition can also educate you about antonyms, root words, and related words, which is another way to learn vocabulary.
- Play word games. Classic games like Scrabble and Boggle can function as a fun way to expand your English vocabulary. Crossword puzzles can as well. If you really want to be efficient, follow up rounds of these word games with a little note-taking. Keep a list of the different words you learned while playing the game, and then study that list from time to time.
- Use flashcards. A quick way to build a large vocabulary is to study a number of words via flashcards. In todayтАЩs digital age, a wide array of smartphone apps make flashcards convenient and easy to organize. Aiming for one new word a day is reasonable. You can always go for more, but it may not be reasonable to assimilate dozens of English words every single day.
- Subscribe to тАЬword of the dayтАЭ feeds. Some web platforms will provide you with a word a dayтАФeither on a website, an app, or via emailтАФto help you expand your vocabulary. You can add these words to running word lists.
- Use Mnemonics A mnemonic device is a form of word association that helps you remember wordsтАЩ definitions and proper uses. For instance think of the word obsequious which means тАЬattempting to win favor from influential people by flattery.тАЭ Break down that word into components: тАЬobseтАЭ is the beginning of тАЬobsessed,тАЭ тАЬquiтАЭ sounds like the French word for тАЬyesтАЭ (oui), and тАЬusтАЭ is like the word тАЬus.тАЭ So you can think of that big word obsequious as тАЬobsessed with saying yes to usтАЭтАФwhich is kind of what it means!
- Practice using new words in conversation. ItтАЩs possible to amass a huge vocabulary without actually knowing how to use words. This means you have to take it upon yourself to put your personal dictionary into use. If you come across an interesting word in your reading, make a point of using it in conversation. By experimenting in low-stakes situations, you can practice the art of word choice and, with a little bit of trial and error, hone in on the right word for a particular context.
