Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary
To learn a new word, you first need to see it. So, read in English as much as you can. The best way to improve your vocabulary is to read regularly. The more you read, the more words you will find, and the more words you will learn.
After you start reading often, you can build your vocabulary by doing these five things:
WORD PARTS
Many English words have Greek and Latin prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Learning these can greatly expand your vocabulary. For example, a prefix is the part of a word that comes at the beginning, like “pre-” in “prefix.” The prefix “pre-” means “before.” Once you know this, you can guess the meanings of other words with the same prefix, like “predetermine,” “predict,” and “predecessor.”
Learn more about Common Roots and Affixes
Here are some more examples:
- Prefix: “un-” means “not” (unhappy, unclear)
- Root: “bio” means “life” (biology, biography)
- Suffix: “-ful” means “full of” (hopeful, joyful)
Understanding these parts helps you understand and remember new words.
DIFFERENT FORMS OF WORDS
Knowing different forms of a word helps you improve your vocabulary. Suffixes can give you clues about a word’s meaning and its role in a sentence. These suffixes can show if the word is a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.
Noun Endings
- -tion: celebration, narration
- -ance: performance, reliance
- -ence: excellence, difference
- -ment: development, agreement
- -ism: capitalism, realism
- -ship: leadership, citizenship
- -ity: activity, creativity
- -er: writer, driver
- -or: actor, director
- -ee: employee, trainee
Verb Endings
- -ize: organize, authorize
- -ate: activate, communicate
- -en: broaden, strengthen
Adjective Endings
- -y: funny, windy
- -ous: dangerous, nervous
- -ious: curious, delicious
- -able: enjoyable, reliable
- -al: personal, historical
- -ic: energetic, realistic
- -ful: hopeful, helpful
- -less: hopeless, fearless
Adverb Ending
- -ly: slowly, happily
Learning about grammatical forms helps you understand the role of many words. As you get used to these endings, you will find it easier to guess the meanings of new words.
WORD FAMILIES
These words have the same base but different grammatical forms. They belong to a word family. When you learn a new word, look it up in the dictionary to find other words in the same family. Write these words next to the new word in your own dictionary. Make columns for nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, and write down the words in the same family. For example:
Verb | Noun | Adjective | Adverb |
to create | creation | creative | creatively |
to decide | decision | decisive | decisively |
to act | action | active | actively |
to differ | difference | different | differently |
Some word families have all grammatical forms; others have just a few. Some words even have two forms of the same part of speech but with different meanings, like the nouns “attendance” and “attendee.”
CREATE YOUR OWN DICTIONARY
Create your own dictionary to keep track of all the new words you learn. Make it look like a regular dictionary with different pages for words starting with A, B, C, and so on.
When you read or hear new words, write them in your personal dictionary. Try not to look up the meanings right away, as this can slow down your reading. Instead, try to guess the meaning from the context. You can check the specific meaning after you’ve made a guess.
Next to each word in your personal dictionary, write a definition and make up a sentence using that word. Use the dictionary as a guide. If possible, write the sentence where you first found the word or a sentence that helps you remember its meaning.
While looking up the word, find other words in the same word family. Write these words in your personal dictionary and make up sentences for them too. Notice the endings that indicate each grammatical form.
Writing sentences helps you remember words better. It’s easier to remember words when you use them in context. The more you use a word, the more likely you are to remember it.
If you don’t want to create your own personal dictionary, you can keep track of new words in a regular dictionary. Use a yellow highlighter to mark the words you look up. At the end of the week or month, you can quickly see how many new words you have learned.
DAILY READING
It is important to read something in English every day. Set aside as much time as you can, but try to spend at least 20 to 30 minutes daily on reading and writing in English. This time should not be used for class or work assignments. Choose something that interests you and is at your level. It should not be too easy or too hard. Here are some examples of what you can read:
- An article from a popular magazine
- A chapter from a novel
Try to read different types of materials. Don’t just read science journals or mystery novels. You want to build your vocabulary in various areas. If you need special vocabulary for your job or school, you can focus on those types of articles. Remember, the reading journey should include material beyond your assigned readings.
Choose a time of day when your mind is alert. Don’t try to study when you are tired. Follow these steps to build a reading journey:
1. Read WITHOUT stopping for about ten minutes.
The first time you read a passage, do NOT stop to look up words. Native English readers often come across words they don’t know. They understand the general meaning from the context. Try to get the main idea without using a dictionary.
2. Reread the passage and highlight unknown or unclear words.
Use a yellow highlighter or underline the words. If you can’t write in the book, write the words down in your reading journey.
3. Choose five key words.
From all the words you didn’t understand, select five for your dictionary. These should be words that prevented you from understanding a whole sentence.
4. Summarize what you read.
Write a summary of the passage in your reading journey. Summarize it in a three-sentence paragraph. If possible, make a copy of the passage or cut it out and paste it under the summary. If you’re reading a book, write the title, pages read, and a summary of the story or argument. Try to use your five new key words in your summary.