Daily study of the word

If you are learning a new language, it is essential to new words each day. Gaining a powerful vocabulary will guarantee that you will be able to express yourself effectively and sophisticatedly. Designating a “word of the day” for yourself will also ensure that you understand grammar to a greater extent and the lengths to which the language you are studying is developed. In this article, I will be discussing websites that are great for learning new English words. Each website has its benefits and disadvantages, so it is better to use several websites at a time to gain the most out of your learning process. Many of these websites have a word of the day app that you can download on your smartphone or tablet for easy usage. It is best to be connected to new words in any way you can!

1. A.Word.A.Day (AWAD)

You can see the word of the day, and yesterday’s word of the day, on the website or through an email subscription. The website is strikingly simple, but highly useful. It provides the pronunciation, meaning, etymology, and usage of the selected word. Below the entry, the owner, Anu Garg, also presents a thought of the day. The New York Times commented that this website is “The most welcomed, most enduring piece of daily mass e-mail in cyberspace.” In fact, it has over a million subscribers from over 170 countries.

2. Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day

One of the most respected dictionaries in the world, Merriam-Webster has a sophisticated layout for its word-of-the-day page. It provides a definition (with sound of the word spoken included), a “Did you know” section, examples of its usage, a “Name that synonym” section, podcasts, and a word of the day calendar at the bottom. Those who are truly interested in words and their histories, this dictionary will be a treat. Its “Did you know” section is expansive, and allows readers to understand the nuances of each selected word. On the left of the presentation is an easy way to share the word of the day through Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus. You can even get the word of the day emailed to you through a subscription. It even has a section for learners called a learner’s dictionary. This dictionary also has a word-of-the-day category.

3. Wordnik

This website is all about words, with a word community, word of the day, and random word pages. On its word-of-the-day page, it has concise definitions of words with ample example sentences with the chosen word being used, extra notes on nuances, and also stats on its usage and even its Scrabble score. The fantastic thing about this page is that each word is accompanied with real examples from literature, not just sentences made up on the spot that sound unnatural. So, not only will you learn a new word each day, but also become knowledgeable in literature through this website. It also has an easy-to-access archive, and a convenient way of sharing words via social media.

4. Duolingo

This is perhaps the best language learning app and website out there. In turn, it is a great tool for learning new words. You can compete with your friends and family through the app, so you can gain that motivation needed to learn new words. It has a simple but pleasant layout, with many different exercises for learning: speaking, listening, writing, multiple choice questions, matching word exercises, and more. You can either strengthen what you already know, or venture into the world of new words each day. Duolingo focuses on obtaining a streak, so you know how many days in a row you have been learning a certain language (in our case, it is most likely English). There are many other language learning apps on the market, but it seems Duolingo takes the cake in terms of efficiency, user-friendliness, and motivation. It even has a cute owl mascot that cheers you on as you go through the exercises. I think that most people use the app rather than the website; however, both can be useful. It is important to download the necessary keyboards for the languages you are learning, though.

5. Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day

This is another popular option for learning new words easily. It shows the definitions in the form of a meme or picture you can conveniently share on social media (including showing the pronunciation and what kind of word it is). Below the definitions are citations of the word of the day’s usage from literature. Lastly, there is a section that discusses the origin of the word. You can sign up for an email subscription to the page, and seeing the visual archive of the word of the day for the previous day is just a scroll away.

6. Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Day

Maybe the most trusted dictionary in the world, the Oxford Dictionary website also has a webpage that features a word of the day. For each entry, you have an audio pronunciation guide, a definition, the word’s origin, and an easy-to-share picture of the word with a pronunciation guide across social media. I like that the Oxford Dictionary focuses on archaic usages of words as well, as for wordaholics, these archaic definitions can be useful to know and interesting to understand. Like most sites of this nature, it also has an email subscription option. Another section of this website to check out if you have time is “Explore the English Language,” which has wordlists and word origin features.

7. New York Times’ Word of the Day

A standard in the news industry, it is also a fantastic tool for learning. The New York Times presents a word of the day daily, attached with a quiz. What is also useful is that it shows words in context of The New York Times itself. So, they will show how the word was used in news articles from the Times. Each entry has sections for definitions, examples of its usage in news articles, and a quiz at the bottom. After you finish the quiz, you will see a more detailed look into the chosen word, discussing its nuances. A great tool for learning more words, and more about them.

8. WordReference.com’s Word of the Day

The special thing about this website is that it offers two categories: basic word of the day, and intermediate word of the day. The basic word of the day is aimed at beginners and the intermediate word of the day is focused on people who have been learning English for some time. Though each category has entries that are filled with detail, there is a clear difference between basic and intermediate entries. In the basic section, entries have sections dedicated definitions, common uses, usage within pop culture, and a button that reads “see full definition,” which leads a user to an elaborated entry. For the intermediate entries, there are sections devoted to expanded definitions, example sentences, words most often used with the chosen entry, usage within pop culture, “did you know,” origins, and once again a “see full definition” button. This seems like the most comprehensive website for learning words and their background stories, so to say. You can get these definitions sent to you by email, and can also share them easily via Facebook and Twitter. You can scroll through entries as if you were on a common blogging site.

9. Vocabulary.com

This website tries its best to make learning new words enjoyable. It has word games to play, you can look up words, and it has word lists. They say if you start playing with language, you will learn it quickly. This website seems to take this approach. When learning is fun and flexible, words will be retained at a better rate. A great thing about its quizzes is that when you answer a question, it will describe the word in detail. The search option has examples sentences written by humans, not computers (it happens often it seems), examples sentences that are in touch with the real world of how English is being used, and claims to be the fastest-working dictionary. Its layout is user-friendly and intuitive. In the lists section, there are myriad lists focused on different subjects, ranging from baseball to movies. It is a highly enjoyable and engaging website for learning new words, and for studying English in general.

10. Word of the Day! App

For people who are crazy about checking other dictionaries for varying definitions, this is the app for them. This app features the following sources:

• Merriam-Webster
• Dictionary.com
• Oxford English Dictionary
• The Free Dictionary
• The Learning Network
• WordSpy
• Latin Word of the Day
• MedTerms
• Yahoo! Education

You can conveniently compare definitions, and discover the nuances of words you want to delve into. In addition, you can “star” and “favorite” certain definitions and words. These starred and favorited words can be shared with friends, and the app will also alert you when new words have been entered into its system. It’s a free app, so it is a catch for those who don’t want to spend to learn. The entries for the words have audio recordings of pronunciation, root meanings, examples sentences, and connotations of chosen words.

Today I’m sharing additional tips and recommendations that I’ve found helpful:

Note: Links to the Words Their Way books are affiliate links. This means that I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Read my full disclosure here.

Getting Started

• After you pre-assess your students, it’s important to know that I (and most other Words their Way teachers) recommend that you only try to juggle 4-5 different word study groups in your classroom, otherwise, you may just go nuts! This also keeps your group sizes small—I find that my lowest groups need to be fairly small (3-4 students) in order for them to get the attention they need. My higher groups are manageable with around 6 students.

While I highly recommended a staggered word study activities routine in my last post, at the beginning of the year it is important to introduce, model, and complete each activity as a whole-group so that students are able to independently complete the daily activities once regular word study begins.

I just choose a word list for the whole class and model the routines in one or two cycles of word study until students understand the expectations. (You could choose a lesson from your lowest word study group that you know you are going to skip OR focus on a big spelling rule that you noticed many of your students missed on their word study pre-assessment like «drop the y, add -ies».)

Share Students with a Colleague

• Do you have a colleague that can do word study activities at the same time as your class? One year I was able to partner with a colleague for a word study block and it was AWESOME! This may be a way for you and other teachers on your grade level to serve more student groups.

I LOVED sharing a few students with him and vice-versa because

1. We were able to give the lowest group (made up of a few students from both of our classrooms) TWO meet with the teacher days-one with me, and one with him.

2. Having a shared word study activities schedule made us both ACCOUNTABLE to word study because we had each other to consult with.

How do you make sharing students for word study work? We created one master schedule with all of our students on it. We ended up with 6 student groups in all. Then, we decided which groups would meet with which teacher. You could change this each quarter so that you get to work with your students. I chose to give him my «knuckle-head» group so that maybe they would listen more and get more out of word study.

Our daily word study schedules were exactly the same since we made it with our students combined, so each day at lunch we confirmed which day we were on. If one of us needed to cancel word study, we had choices: do another writer’s notebook day, give more time for word searching, or continue a Greek/Latin word-parts or vocabulary study lesson.

Getting Organized

How do I get organized for word study activities? Well, I use the Words Their Way Word Sort Books and my Words Their Way Word Searches that were created for and aligned to the levels in each of the word sort books.

After I have pre-assessed students, created my groups, and decided which sorts each group will begin with, I spend an afternoon at the copier making copies of the Word Searches and Word Sort Sheets. I get at least 5 sorts ahead for each group (which means I’m copied/planned for 10 weeks since my routine is a 7 day cycle).

As I’m printing the copies, I paper clip the sets together and organize them into folders that match the color of each leveled word sort book. I’ve seen some teachers copy each word sort onto colored paper to match each level. I think this is a fabulous idea for keeping the different word sort sheets organized!

Before we start our first 7-day cycle, I spend a word study block helping students organize their word study notebooks. Students glue their word searches on the left side of the page so that they can record the words they find to the right of the word search.  I have them skip 2-3 pages between each word search for word work activities and for «Meet with the Teacher.» If you are using the word searches, remind students to keep the word searches in order as they glue them in!

My Derivational Relations Group (the blue group/highest group) also have Word Study notebook activities that are part of their routine. So, they must place the activity sheets for each word sort after their word search and «found words» list.

You may find that it’s easier to pull students into small groups to help them glue their pages into their notebooks, or some years, I’ve just printed all of the Word Study Notebook sheets off into a separate booklet for them. (I do have to admit that this was MUCH less stressful than the years I had them glue the pages into a notebook).

Additional Tweaks You Can Make to Your Routines

• On writer’s notebook day, you could have students keep up with the misspelled words they find in their writer’s notebook on a list that is kept in their Word Study or Writer’s Notebook. This is especially beneficial if you have time to analyze common patterns students are missing or want data on how the transfer of «word study» to actual spelling is going.

I personally find that my students make a lot of progress out of having to focus on going back through their entries in their writer’s notebook to find misspelled words without me requiring them to create this list, but recording misspelled words on a chart like this is an option to keep in mind and perhaps a modification for your lower spelling group.

You can grab the «Misspelled Words Chart» and a Personal Words Chart from my google docs for free.

If you use my Words Their Way Word Searches

• Be sure to teach students that they will almost never have a three-letter word in their word list (except for the Red Group). Students really have fun finding words, but I have found that stopping them from highlighting three-letter words keeps their word searches clean and they are better able to see the empty spots where another word may be hiding.

Y’all you might have realized it already, but I could just keep on talking about word study activities! I’m going to take a break from this 3-part series, but I’m sure I’ll be back in the future with more tips and tricks for your word study routine. 

I don’t believe I’ve confessed this up until this point, but I used to HATE word study (and planning for it) with a passion!!!! 

I spent countless hours combing through spelling books and trying to find the right systems that would work for ALL of my students’ needs (my high-flying spellers and my kiddos with spelling disabilities and low word-attack skills). I would beat myself up again and again because I didn’t really have any direction for how best to instruct my students in spelling and learning word patterns.

It wasn’t until the Word Sorts books came along that I truly FELL IN LOVE with WORD STUDY because instantly, I had the resources and word lists I needed.

The books come in 5 Different levels and each one is broken down into units. I could start my word study groups at the beginning, middle, or end of one of the sort books depending on where they fell in the pre-assessment. 

If you have not purchased the Words Their Way Word Sorts books, I highly recommend checking them out. You can check out the 3rd Edition Word Sort books, released in 2018 here:

Letter and Picture Sorts for Emergent Spellers

Word Sorts for Letter-Name Alphabetic Spellers

Word Sorts for Within Word Pattern Spellers

Word Sorts for Syllables and Affixes Spellers

Word Sorts for Derivational Relations Spellers

Until next time, have a blessed and glorious teaching time! 

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR UPPER ELEMENTARY WORD STUDY

A few days back, we had taken a look at a few resources which helped us with slangs and day to day jargons. Street language sounds hep and helps us to keep up with the times. But it also limits our vocabulary. There’s a word in the English language for every instance, provided we care enough to adopt and use it.

There are only two ways to learn new words — read and use.

Think about it, a word a day translates to nearly 300 words over the course of a year; and many more over a lifetime. An expanded vocabulary not only helps to ace tests like SAT/ACT, but also opens up the language that we speak every day. Read a great speech and see how it moves you. Its oration backed up by a great vocabulary.

So, let’s take it a word at a time and seek the help of these ten websites that teach us new words in different ways.

Wordsmith

Wordsmith.org is one of the better examples of a stripped down, plain Jane website that hides a lot of usefulness behind its looks. If you have to use just one of the services listed, opt for the daily newsletter. A word a day delivered to your inbox. The screenshot shows how a single word is covered in all its shades.

Weboword [No Longer Available]

A single word each day is illustrated with a cartoon. If you have a visual sort of memory, you won’t have any trouble picking up quite a few words over the course of a month, and learning to use them as they are meant to be. The blog is expecting a rebirth in a new avatar soon.

Wordia

From cartoons to video, visual learning is the new mantra and it seems it’s no different for dictionaries. Wordia functions like a normal dictionary but instead of text definitions, you get videos explaining the usage of a word. The video explanations seem more thorough and easier to grasp than the textual definition. Everyday you can test yourself with Vocability, the Wordia game.

Vocab Vitamins

The vocabulary learning tool gives you doses of «˜verbal supplements’ daily in the mail and also on the site. Word of the day is also arranged around a central theme. For instance, the word «˜doldrums’ belongs to the week’s theme — «˜How’s the weather?

[NO LONGER WORKS] Save The Words

Savethewords.org is a beautifully constructed website that endeavors to focus attention on the lesser known words in the English language. The Oxford Dictionaries site seeks to save these words from going into a state of non-usage and non-existence. The surefire way to do that is to «˜adopt’ a word and use it in daily conversation. The site helps out by sending out word-a-day mailers to those of us who are passionate about words and their meanings. (See [NO LONGER WORKS] Directory mention)

Wordnik

Wordnik.com covers meanings through example sentences to audio pronunciations. Like a lot of online word tools, it aims to go beyond the scope of traditional dictionaries by taking a 360 degree look at a word, the word-of-the-day page and mailer is a shortcut to that process. Wordnik makes it easier to grasp new words by also providing instances of related words and images to describe context.

[NO LONGER WORKS] Phrays

Phrays.com takes a competitive approach to making you learn a word every day. Each day, a word is displayed with its meaning on the site and you have to write a sentence using the word. The sentence with the most user votes is the winner. You can also see the creative Zen of the previous winners that’s also on display in the archives.

WordThink

WordThink.com does not believe in learning new words just its own sake. It bunks the more complicated words and goes in for words that you might use in your daily conversations. You might not find a word like eleemosynary here, but the site might show you benevolent instead. WordThink sources the words from media and news.

Vocabsushi

If you are hell bent on acing college tests like ACT, SAT, GMAT, GRE etc, try out Vocabsushi and its bite-size learning method. You can test where you stand with a 20-question Vocabsushi demo quiz right on the front page. Pick a test from the dropdown and have a go at it. If you don’t fare that well, it’s time to dive into Vocabsushi more seriously. Vocabsushi uses thousands of sentences from contemporary news sources that show how a word is used in the real world. The actual words are taken from standardized tests that students have to take. Vocabsushi is a superbly designed site with tools like MP3 clips (for pronunciations), word games, offline quizzes in PDF, etc.

BBC Learning English

BBC’s world service for the English language doesn’t have a word-a-day mailer or other downloads. But if offers a host of tools that you can use to enrich your vocabulary. Word in the News takes a real news report and highlights specific words with meanings which you can pick up. News English Extra looks at how a word is used in the context of daily news. Then you can Keep your English up to date that explains a word in broad detail. Also, check out the sections like Vocabulary on Football, Tennis, Science etc. Some sections are also covered with downloadable podcasts.

There’s no end to learning new words and adding them to your vocabulary. Words aren’t meant to make you a dictionary on two legs, but to in fact make your conversations simpler. Do you agree?

Image: Shutterstock

In terms of vocabulary development, we were all little geniuses in childhood, learning hundreds of new words every year. By the time we entered first grade, most of us had active vocabularies of several thousand words.

Unfortunately, we weren’t geniuses for very long. By age 11 or 12, equipped with a sizable survival vocabulary, most of us lost some of our early enthusiasm for language, and the rate at which we picked up new words began to decline significantly. As adults, if we don’t make deliberate efforts to increase our vocabularies, we’re lucky to pick up even 50 or 60 new words a year.

The English language has so much to offer (between 500,000 and 1 million words, by most accounts) that it would be a shame to let our vocabulary-building talents go to waste. So here’s one way that we can regain some of our youthful brilliance: learn a new word each day.

Whether you’re a student preparing for the SAT, ACT, or GRE, or simply an unabashed logophile (or lover of words), starting each day with a fresh word can be intellectually nourishing—and more enjoyable than a bowl of All-Bran.

Here are three of our favorite daily word sites: all are free and available through e-mail subscriptions.

A.Word.A.Day (AWAD)

Founded in 1994, A.Word.A.Day at Wordsmith.org is the creation of Anu Garg, an India-born computer engineer who clearly enjoys sharing his pleasure in words. Simply designed, this popular site (nearly 400,000 subscribers from 170 countries) offers concise definitions and examples of words that relate to a different theme every week. The New York Times has called this «the most welcomed, most enduring piece of daily mass e-mail in cyberspace.» Recommended for all word lovers.

Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Day

For many of us, the Oxford English Dictionary is the ultimate reference work, and the OED Word of the Day provides a complete entry (including a wealth of illustrative sentences) from the 20-volume dictionary. You can sign up to have the OED’s Word of the Day delivered by e-mail or RSS web feed. Recommended for scholars, English majors, and logophiles.

Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day

Less expansive than the OED site, the daily word page hosted by this U.S. dictionary-maker offers an audio pronunciation guide along with basic definitions and etymologies. The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day is also available as a podcast, which you can listen to on your computer or MP3 player. Recommended for high school and college students as well as advanced ESL students.

Other Daily Word Sites

These sites should also be useful to high school and college students.

• Dictionary.com Word of the Day
• The Learning Network (The New York Times)
• The Quotations Page Word of the Day

Of course, you don’t have to go online to learn new words. You can simply begin making a list of new words that you encounter in your reading and conversations. Then look up each word in a dictionary and write down the definition along with a sentence that illustrates how the word is used.

But if you need a little encouragement to work on building your vocabulary every day, sign up for one of our favorite word-a-day sites.

There are many languages which are spoken all over the world. To have good communication skills, a person must have good command over the language. People want to have good command over the language, but they never know which is the best way to accomplish their requirement. People often get confused about how to learn or best ways to learn vocabulary words fast and effectively.

Best Techniques for Learning Vocabulary:

Vocabulary acts as a strong basis for any language. You cannot be good at any language if you lack proper vocabulary. If you want to learn any language fluently then you need to get a strong grip on vocabulary. Moreover, it is the one ingredient that beautifies the language in the right way.

Now, it is not so tough as it sounds, but learning vocabulary can be considered as an advanced topic in language learning. Be it any language, target it and learn it as much as possible by following the steps mentioned below.

1. Practice WLCR (Write, Look, Cover, Repeat)
2. Try to learn as many new words as possible
3. Understand where to use which word
4. Find better and new sources that can help you learn
5. Try flashcards
6. Make use of internet
7. Work in a Context
8. Bridge down links between data helps you memorize well
9. Practice repetition so as not to forget
10. Use sticky notes
11. Study Linguistics

The following mentioned tips explain to you how to learn vocabulary quickly, fast and in an easy way.

1. Talk to yourself whenever possible:

People who want to learn a new language, do not know the new words and they don’t have any idea as to how to fill the gaps in between. Whenever a person wants to learn a new language, then he should continuously talk to himself about various things like what he likes or what he wants to be…and so on.

By doing this, he will be able to understand the areas where he is lacking and he can make the necessary corrections.

2. Write down all the points which you want to remember:

One of the best ways to memorize things is to make a list of all the things that a person wants to remember. Always keep a book and whenever there are words which need to be remembered, then list them and make use of them whenever required.

By maintaining the list the person can have his own pocket dictionary and he can carry it wherever he wants to.

3. Read as much as possible:

If a person gets into the habit of reading, then a person is exposed to new words. Always make it a habit to underline the new words and refer to them in the context section and try to understand their meaning. By doing this, you will remember the words and will be able to make its correct usage.

4. Try to improve the context skills:

People always make use of context section whenever they are introduced to a new word. While a person reads or writes, always pay attention to the usage of the words. This will allow a person to know the correct usage of the word and will remember it for lifelong. There are various online sites that give detailed classes as to how to improve upon the context skills.

5. Practice is the key:

The best way to learn any language is to practice it. A person can practice it by writing it on a daily basis. For this, a person can write the word at least 10 times daily and also make sentences with its meaning. This will help not only to learn words, but also the meaning as well.

By maintaining the dictionary, a person can write 5 to 10 words to learn on a daily basis and refer to it whenever needed.

6. Try to make connections with the words:

Whenever a person listens to a word, he should try to connect it to a word of similar meaning or words which help you to remember them.

For example: If a person wants to remember the word gigantic, then he should connect it with Godzilla or any other rhyming word. This will create a picture in the mind of a person and he will be able to remember the meaning as well.

7. Make use of mnemonics:

People often don’t know about mnemonics. It is the device which is used to make people learn about the new good vocabulary words. This device helps to create a story in the mind of its reader so whenever he listens to it, he can connect it with that word and know its meaning.

There are different ways under this technique and a person can choose from a variety of ways, as every person has his own best way to learn vocabulary.

8. Keep searching the new words:

Always make it a habit to look out for new best vocabulary words every now and then. These days there are a variety of online dictionaries that are available. These programs provide a chance to the reader to go through a variety of words and introduce them with new words every time they search for them.

9. Play and have fun with the words:

Make it a habit to play with words through various board games like Scrabble, crossword puzzles and many other for your vocabulary improvement. These days to play these games a person doesn’t need partners as a person can play with the computer as a partner.

Also make it a habit to solve the crossword puzzle that are published in the newspaper for daily practice.

10. Make use of the vocabulary word lists:

Make use of the vocabulary word lists for the serious knowledge of the new words. These days there are many books available in the market for the knowledge of the words that are used in the competitive examinations. Also, various online sites are available where they provide knowledge about these words.

11. Take your own vocabulary tests:

One of the best ways to learn vocabulary is take your own tests. By taking your own tests, a person can easily evaluate the areas where he needs to work harder. Taking your own test will highlight your weaknesses and the corrective measures can be taken. These days online vocabulary tests are also available, so take these online vocabulary tests and find the areas of correction.

12. Play online vocabulary games:

Today the technology has advanced to a great level. There are so many online vocabulary games available that makes learning a complete fun. These games make learning not only entertaining but much easier. Another important feature of these games is that they make learning much easier as well as the kids at a very young age can start learning through these games.

13. Communicate more with people:

Practical experience of any knowledge is the best way to determine the level at which a person stands. Through communication with more and more people a person can get the actual learning process to start. When we communicate with more people we get a better understanding of the language and we get to know the correct usage of the language.

14. Imagine things in relation to the words:

Try to imagine things whenever you listen to new words. This will automatically become your habit once you start practicing this thing. Like it is done in school where teachers make the students remember things by telling them a story and creating a picture in their minds. This habit of a person will help him to create a picture in the mind of its listeners.

15. Try to remember in small portions:

Never try to remember too many things at one go because this will create confusion and make it difficult to remember. Language is a way to express things and not a tool where you just have to apply a formula.

Always try to connect the words with certain adjectives as they will add more meaning to the word and make it easier to remember.

16. Make use of pictures:

Whenever a person listens to a new word, draw a picture that will make a person remember it for a long time. For example, when a person is talking to another person in a new language and is unable to remember some words, then with the help of those pictures he can remember those words and can converse easily.

Just like in small classes where teachers use pictures to make students remember alphabets and they recall them by remembering those pictures.

17. Try to remember words with opposite meanings:

Whenever we hear a word we try to know its meaning as well. So, whenever a person listens to a word try to remember its opposite as well because sometimes it is easier to remember the opposite rather than the word itself. By doing this you can remember the word as well as the opposite as well. This helps to learn two words at a time.

18. A person should set realistic goals for himself:

Every individual has his own caliber to do things, although there are some exceptional cases. Generally, on average a person can remember only 10 words that he learns at a time.

So, try to set goals that are realistic rather than goals which are difficult to achieve. Even if a person sets higher goals for himself, then he has to put in extra efforts which may sometimes become an overburden.

19. Try to learn in clusters:

Always try to learn in cluster because it is difficult to remember a single word. Words, when learnt in a cluster, is a easy to remember. Whenever a person tries to remember words in a cluster he creates a picture in his mind and in the times of its usage there flows a chain in his mind. By doing this he can actually remember a large number of words at a time.

20. Learn words by breaking them:

Try to remember words by breaking them. There are certain words that have a suffix or a prefix attached to them. By dividing these words it becomes easier to remember them as they become two words to be remembered. Also, it helps to study the conjugations that are attached in these words.

21. Try to focus on phrases rather than a word:

Try to focus on phrases that are commonly used because it is easier to words which are commonly used in day to day conversation because our minds tend to remember them more easily.

This way the words are easily remembered and when combined in different combinations we get to frame new sentences easily. This is an easy way to remember a new language very easily.

22. Learn through music:

It is difficult to learn words when remembered in a theoretical manner. Music is that one thing which is loved by all, even kids can easily relate to it. Words can be easily remembered when learned in the form of a song.

Whenever a person sings a song he can remember the lyrics of the song as well. Similarly, any language when converted in the form of a song can be easily remembered and when sung the words flow automatically.

23. Take your dictionary to the gym:

It is a well-known fact that whenever we do any form of physical exercise our brain tends to do work at a faster rate than normal.

So, whenever you hit the gym do take your dictionary with you and with the repetition of the exercise repeat the words along. As you know that by repeating the exercise we become perfect in them, same goes with the words also.

24. Give color schemes to the words:

Often it happens that we are very close to remember the word, but it is not possible for us to recollect that word because it is not photostatted on our memory. This problem can be solved by a simple technique of color scheme. Like we can write all the words in negative in red color and words with positive meaning in green color. This way you can easily recollect the words whenever you come across them.

25. Make a list of all the important word’s sequence wise:

An effective tool for remembering the words is making the list of important words in order of the priority of their usage. This way whenever you go through a list of important words the ones that are important are revised earlier.

26. Use FluentU:

Fluentu is an application that converts real-world videos, trailers into personalized learning lessons. There are various levels in this application and the lessons depend on the level selected. Once it is turned to lesson mode the lessons automatically starts.

Conclusion:

Learning any language is a task when done in a boring way, but when done in an interesting way it becomes fun. So, use the above-listed techniques and get that command over the language.

It has been a chilly, rainy first week back after winter break in SoCal! My students and I spent the majority of the week together inside the four walls of our classroom. Good thing I love them so much! 🙂 I’m always curious how they will return from break. Sometimes they need a little time to re-adjust to the academics, and sometimes they jump right back into the learning. This time, my students were CRAVING the learning! We did counting collections, word problems, independent and partner reading, how-to writing, and a new word study sort!

Just as a reminder, this is what our kindergarten day looks like. I’ve blogged in this series so far about our Play Centers, Morning Meeting, and Math times. My students were so excited to get back into our routines after break that I barely had to do any reteaching. I still did some, though, because all kids (and teachers) need a refresher! Let’s focus today on our Phonics/Word Study time, which I’ll refer to mostly as just Word Study.

I’ve decided to stop calling this time of day “Phonics” for a reason. It’s what the card said on my daily schedule so that’s what the students and I have always called it! I knew that I would be teaching phonics-based skills during this time, so it made sense to me. But if anyone would come into my classroom and ask a student, “What is phonics?”, I really don’t think they’d be able to answer that question…and students should ALWAYS be aware of what they’re learning and why!

So now we refer to this time of day as Word Study, because that’s what we’re doing! We are studying words. Parts of words like the beginning, middle, and ending sounds, digraphs (I actually DO use that word with my students!), vowel partners, or blends. We also study word families, rhyming words, sight words, snap words, or vocabulary words. So now if anyone were to ask one of my students, “What is word study?”, I hope they would be able to explain that it means we are learning about words!

Let’s talk about some of the main components of word study. There are things that I almost always include during this time of our day, and there are things that I add in or change from time to time. Let’s break it down:

I’ve written about how we use Words Their Way in our classroom in this blog post, head there to read about it in detail! A simple explanation is that my students work on a particular sort that correlates with their skill level during a 4-day rotation. That part of Word Study does not change. We are always working on a sort each week and it always takes four days to complete. What happens once their task with their sort is done is what is flexible during those four days.

All of the pictures above are from each of my four word study groups on the same day. They were all working together to complete their group sort. Afterwards, they partnered up to complete their partner sort, then finished word study time with their individual speed sorts. To read more, click HERE!

When I first adopted a workshop model classroom, I had to get rid of my quintessential “centers” time because it simply did not fit anywhere anymore! I didn’t like it, but I wanted to really give workshop a shot. However, I’ve finally figured out a way to get centers, or what we call “word study tubs,” back into our classroom!

If you’ve read the Words Their Way Our Way blog post, you’ve seen our schedule of tasks when working with a sort. I’ve learned that on a couple of those days, students tend to finish rather quickly with about 15-20 minutes left. This was when I wanted to try to establish some word study tubs using some of those awesome centers I had stashed away. So, on the cutting day and the gluing day, my students use the tubs (which are just four ice bucket tubs from Walmart!).

I display our word study tubs chart on the board while they are working on their sorts (I would show a picture of it, but it includes all of my students’ names, sorry!). As soon as they finish cutting or gluing, they put their WTW books away and check the chart. It shows which tub each student can work in for the day. I try to keep tasks similar so I don’t have to spend much time explaining them. I also keep the same tasks in rotation for two weeks since we only go to them twice a week. I typically have these four types of word study tubs:

• Word family tub (correlating with the word families they are currently working on in WTW)
• CVC tub
• Sight Word tub
• Sentence-Making tub

CVC Tub: This is a Center by the Minute resource from Babbling Abby that we love!

Sentence Making Tub: This is a very old resource I used during my first year of teaching. Such a great way to practice sight words, too!

Word Family Tub: Reviewing the word families we worked on the week before break! This is a great resource from Lavinia Pop!

Instead of doing a Sight Word Tub this week, we did another CVC/Word Family activity. This is an awesome resource from A Printable Princess!

We all have favorite center activities or TpT authors who we always go to, so include what you like to use! And make it fit what your students need to work on. 

On day 4 of our sort, the writing day, some of my students finish very early and others take the entire time to write. I have an extension activity for those early finishers called Making Sentences. Each extension correlates with a sort that we are working on and may also review past sorts. I love how my students laugh when I read the sentence all mixed up. I also tell them what the sentence should say ONCE, and then they go off and attempt to make the sentence on their own.

This is from one of my students who typically struggles to write any kind of sentence on his own. I was so proud of him!

One of the reasons that I love this extension is that it shows me not only that students can make sense of words but also understand their meaning. The illustration they draw to match the sentence shows me that they are able to use the words on their own. If you’d like to try this extension, you can grab it by clicking HERE.

On day 5, which typically falls on a Friday, we do not start a new sort in our Words Their Way book. Rather, I use this day for sight word instruction. In my six years of teaching kindergarten, I have not come across anything more ambiguous than the list of sight words we should be teaching children. So. Confusing. Our literacy coach tried to explain to us, though, that the lists are so similar that it really doesn’t matter about the particular “list.” What matters is that whatever words you teach, children should be able to immediately use them in context and see them in print. So, what teachers should probably do is use the sight words that are in their decodable readers they use for instruction. We use the Scholastic decodables that look like this:

…so we have taken the sight words from these books and made our “list.” There were a few surprise words that I wasn’t expecting to teach my K’s, or maybe not in the order that I’d taught them before, but it’s basically just another iteration of the “list” we’ve all used in the past. So all that to say: Teach the sight words that the kids will SEE and READ on a daily basis!

I use the workshop model method of teaching sight words and I LOVE IT. They are actually called “snap words” but basically mean the same thing (words we can read in a snap!). The way I teach sight words is simple, quick, and effective. I’ve posted a video on Instagram of my sight word instruction, but it basically follows this model:

• Read a sight word poem/watch a Youtube video that uses the focus sight word
• Follow the “Learning New Snap Words” chart on our interactive whiteboard
• Reread the poem/re-watch the Youtube video

That’s it! Told you it was quick! I can typically instruct in 15 minutes but might go longer if I’m teaching more than one sight word that day. When we are finished we just jump into Reader’s Workshop a little early. No harm in that! If you’re curious what the “Learning New Snap Words” chart is, it’s a messy chart in Smart Notebook software that I wrote/drew one day with my students that explains the order in which you learn a snap word, which is:

1. Look
2. Read
3. Cheer
4. Cover
5. Write

I plan on making another video while I’m teaching this, so be on the lookout on my Instagram for that! It’s much easier to show than to explain 🙂 In the meantime, click HERE to watch my old video (it’s my most-viewed video on my account)!

Well there you have it, a LONG (sorry!) but hopefully informative explanation of Word Study in our classroom. Do you have a Word Study/Phonics time in your room? I’d love to know! Check back soon for Part 5: Reader’s Workshop!

Learning a foreign language isn’t always easy, especially when it comes to vocabulary. (I’ve been studying Japanese for years and still have trouble remembering words!) Luckily, there are many ways you can learn English vocabulary—and some of them are even a little fun!

In this guide, we go over the top five methods you can use to learn English words and give you a few tips on how to find English words to study.

Feature image: Nicolas Raymond/freestock.ca

Method 1: Make Flashcards

One of the most popular (and arguably best) ways to learn English vocabulary is to use flashcards. Each flashcard will have one English word written on the front and the word’s translation or definition on the back.

To study them, you’ll look at one side of a card and say the word on it in the opposite language before you look at the other side of the card (so if you were looking at the English side, for example, you’d say the word in your native language).

Flashcards are excellent resources because they help you memorize vocabulary words both quickly and effectively. They’re also customizable and reusable. Both paper and digital cards are available, and you can make your own cards, buy a pre-made deck, or download a deck online.

Pros

• Flashcards are easy to make. If you’re making paper cards, all you need are note cards (or small pieces of paper), a pencil or pen, and a list of the words you want to study. For digital cards, all you need is a computer and some software or a website to make them with.

• They’re interactive, especially if you make them yourself. With paper flashcards, you must write down all of the words you want to study as well as physically thumb through the cards, helping you concentrate on what each word means.

• Flashcard decks are easy to expand if you find new vocabulary you want to study. All you need to do is make a new flashcard and then add it to your deck—that’s it!

• They’re easy to randomize. Mixing up the order in which you study is essential to ensuring that you fully understand the meanings of the words you’re learning.

Cons

• Making flashcards is time consuming. Though not particularly difficult to make, flashcards can take a long time to create (regardless of whether you’re making paper or digital cards). Therefore, make sure you have ample time to set aside when making them.

• Paper flashcards are bulky and take up a lot of space. As a result, they’re often difficult to take places and use for on-the-go reviewing. If you’re hoping to brush up on your English vocabulary at places other than home, consider bringing only some of your cards with you or using a more compact resource such as a list (see method 2 below).

How to Use This Method Effectively

Flashcards must be used in specific ways in order to be effective for English-language learning. These methods differ depending on whether you’re studying with paper or digital flashcards.

Paper Flashcards

Paper flashcards are best for those who prefer more traditional study methods and want a break from computers and smartphones.

You can use any blank note cards to make your flashcards. Once you have some, start making your cards: with each card, write an English word (spelled correctly!) on the front and its translation in your native language (or an image of the word) on the back. You may also include on the front the word’s part of speech and/or a sample English sentence.

When finished, begin studying your flashcards using the «waterfall» method. With this method, you’ll study cards in subsets (smaller stacks of cards) and get to review harder English words more often than words you already know.

We explain the waterfall method in more detail in our guide to TOEFL vocabulary flashcards. However, to summarize briefly, here’s how it works:

#1: Go through all of your flashcards and make two piles: a «Know It» pile (with words you know) and a «Struggled» pile (with words you don’t know). Put the «Struggled» pile to the right of the «Know It» pile:

#2: Next, go through the cards in your «Struggled» pile one at a time. As you do this, make a second «Know It» pile for words you know (put this pile to the right of your original «Know It» pile). For words you don’t know, put them back in your «Struggled» pile.

#3: Continue this process of going through your «Struggled» pile and making new «Know It» piles until you only have four to five cards left in your «Struggled» pile. Here’s what your cards should look like:

#4: Now, work your way back up your «waterfall» of cards, starting with your «Struggled» pile. Go through this stack of cards until you know all of the words in it. You might have to go through it several times before you can remember all of the words.

#5: Combine the «Struggled» pile with the «Know It» pile directly to the left of it. Now, you’ll go through all of the words in both piles (combined as one) until you know all of these words.

#6: Repeat step 5 until you’ve gone through all of the cards in your deck, from right to left. You should now know the meanings of all of the English words on your flashcards!

Digital Flashcards

Some people (myself included!) prefer studying foreign languages with digital, or computerized, flashcards. These types of flashcards are accessible through software applications, websites, and/or apps.

While there are many free flashcard-making websites and programs available, my personal favorites are Anki and Memrise.

Anki is a free downloadable software through which you can make your own flashcards or download pre-made decks submitted by users. It uses spaced-repetition software (SRS) to show you difficult cards more often—similar to the waterfall method described above—making it convenient and easy to use.

Memrise, on the other hand, is a free language-learning website that offers tons of pre-made decks. It’s a little flashier and more game-like than Anki, so if you’d prefer a more «fun» way to learn English words, this is a great website (and app!) to try out.

Method 2: Make a Study List

Another helpful method is to make a list of all of the English-vocabulary words you want to learn. A list is different from flashcards in that it has all of the words you need to know in one place (instead of on separate cards). If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of using note cards, a study list is a solid option.

Pros

• The biggest benefit is that lists are easy to expand as you come across new words you want to know. For example, if you saw an English word you didn’t know on a sign at a restaurant, you can simply take out your list and write it down.

• You can use your list as a base for other study methods. Lists are helpful resources for identifying specific words to put on flashcards and use in vocabulary quizzes (see method 4).

• A list is less bulky than flashcards. With a list, you can keep track of dozens of words on a single sheet of paper, taking up far less space than hundreds of flashcards.

• It’s easy to make. All you need to do is write out each word, its part of speech (optional), and its meaning in your native language—nothing more!

Cons

• They’re pretty tedious and boring to work with. Unlike flashcards, which are highly interactive (you can make cards, flip through them, shuffle them, etc.), lists are static resources with few stimulating features.

• They make it difficult to randomize words. You’ll learn English words faster by sporadically mixing up the order in which you study them, but it’s a challenge to randomize words on lists since you can’t physically rearrange them as you can with flashcards.

How to Use This Method Effectively

Write your English words on the left side of a piece of paper, from top to bottom. I suggest numbering the words and adding their parts of speech, too (this is helpful because it teaches you how to use the words).

Then, on the right side of the paper, write the translation of each word in your native language (again, from top to bottom so that each translation aligns horizontally with its English equivalent). Here’s an example:

When you’re ready to start studying, get a separate sheet of paper (or your hand) to cover up the words on the right. You’ll then move this sheet down as you read and define each English word on the left. Make sure to say each word aloud in English before translating it into your native language.

Once you’ve defined a word, move your sheet of paper down to check that you’ve translated it correctly:

As you go through your list, consider marking any words you’re having trouble remembering. This way you’ll know right away which words you need to spend a little more time on than others.

Here are some additional ways you can use your list to learn English vocabulary:

• Study words in reverse. With this method, you’ll start at the bottom of your list and reveal words one at a time by moving your sheet up instead of down. This prevents you from simply memorizing the list in one particular order.

• Cover up the English side so that you must read the words in your native language and then translate them into English. Studying like this ensures you can come up with English equivalents for words all on your own.

These are both great methods to use after you’ve used the main method described above and are more familiar with the English vocabulary on your list.

Method 3: Write Out Words Repeatedly

If you want to practice spelling English words and like doing something physical as you study, writing out words is a solid option to try. With this method, you’ll write out each English word several times as you say it aloud.

If you’ve taken English courses in the past, you’ve probably had homework similar to this (I had to write out new words all the time for Japanese class in junior high and high school!). Although rote memorization isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it can still be a highly effective way to learn English words.

Pros

• It’s interactive. Unlike flashcards and lists, which you merely look at to study, you’re always doing something when writing out words. If you’re the type who gets easily antsy and likes having something to do with your hands as you study, this is a good method to try.

• It helps you remember how to spell words. Flashcards and lists mainly teach you what a word means, but writing out a word (rather than looking at it briefly) makes it far easier to remember how it’s spelled.

Cons

• Writing out words repeatedly can feel monotonous. Despite being an effective method, rote memorization isn’t a particularly fun way to learn a language and gets tiresome fast.

• You can easily lose focus on a word as you write it again and again. To truly benefit from this method, you need to focus on what each word means and how it’s spelled. Unfortunately, the repetitive motions make it easy to fall into a zombie-like stupor.

How to Use This Method Effectively

The best way to write out words is to have a set number of times you’re going to write them out. Usually, 10 to 20 times is sufficient. Just make sure you’re actively thinking about each word as you write it out: look at the letters and how they’re arranged, pronounce it, and then define it.

I find that it’s helpful to note the translation of each word (in your native language) above your repetitions so that you don’t forget the meanings of any words and can more readily make associations between words in your language and in English.

Finally, I strongly suggest using this method with one of the two methods above (flashcards or a study list) to keep you from getting bored with your studies. Personally, I think the flashcard method is better as it’s more fun and doesn’t require you to make another long list of words.

Method 4: Take Vocabulary Quizzes

If you’re tired of flashcards and lists, vocabulary quizzes are a great way to test what you’ve learned and ensure you truly understand the meanings of English words.

Many English-word quizzes are available for free online. While some are traditional tests, others are more game-like; for example, you might find a matching game in which you have to match English words with their meanings (also in English!).

You can also make your own vocabulary quizzes using any of the resources above (flashcards, lists, etc.).

Pros

• They check your English progress by testing what you’ve learned. Quizzes let you see whether you truly know the English words you’ve studied and can use them fluently. If you fail a quiz, you’ll know exactly which words to work on more.

• Most online vocabulary quizzes are free. You can find tons of free, high-quality English-language quizzes and games on websites geared toward students, ESL learners, and general language learners.

Cons

• You can’t really learn words from scratch using quizzes alone. In other words, you’ll need to combine quizzes with one or more of the methods above so you can learn English vocabulary before testing out what you know.

• Some online vocabulary quizzes aren’t super high quality, so make sure you’re choosing ones that have words you are familiar with and no glitches or inaccuracies.

How to Use This Method Effectively

You have two options when it comes to English-vocabulary quizzes: look for pre-made quizzes online, or make your own.

Online Quizzes

If looking for quizzes online, I recommend starting with popular learning websites.

One option is Free Rice, whose «English Vocabulary» mode tests your knowledge of various high-level English words. Each question gives you one English word and four possible synonyms; the answer choices are also in English, so you’ll need to have a high English level in order to do well. For each question you get right, Free Rice donates 10 grains of rice to help end world hunger. So this is an excellent resource to use if you like the idea of helping others as you study!

Quizlet and Cram are two other websites you can use for free. Both offer flashcards, vocabulary lists, quizzes, and games. All you do is choose an English-vocabulary deck (or make your own) and then test yourself using the site’s «Test» feature.

Both websites’ «Test» features are similar to an actual language test: you get a variety of question types, from fill-in-the-blank and matching to multiple choice and true or false. With Cram, however, you can also choose how the system grades your answers. For example, you can make it so you don’t lose any points for errors in punctuation or capitalization.

Making Your Own Quizzes

The best way to make your own English-vocabulary quiz is to use flashcards (see method 1). With flashcards, you can easily randomize the words you’ll get and can’t predict which words will come up.

To make a quiz, get out a sheet of paper and number it 1-20 (or however many questions you want to have). Then, choose a flashcard at random. On your paper, write down the English word shown and (without flipping the card over) its translation or meaning in your native language.

Don’t check your answers right away by flipping the cards over—rather, wait until you’ve finished your entire quiz and then flip over the flashcards to score your test.

Method 5: Use Vocabulary Words in Conversation and Writing

Although the methods above are extremely useful for memorizing English words, you’ll never retain the words you learn unless you actually use them in conversation and writing. In short, context is key!

Pros

• You’ll learn more quickly how to use and say words you’ve studied. Although you should always say words aloud when you first learn them, using them in conversation (especially with native English speakers) is by far the best way to ensure you’re actually pronouncing and using them correctly.

• You’ll remember words better by using them in sentences, so always look for opportunities to use words you learn in both conversation and writing.

• You can get feedback when conversing with or writing to native English speakers. If you’re not sure whether you’re using a word correctly, you can ask others to give you feedback or explain how they themselves use specific words in English.

Cons

• It’s not always easy to find people to use English with. If you don’t live in an English-speaking country, native speakers can be hard to find, making it difficult to actively use the words you learn in conversation and writing.

• You need someone to check that you’re using the words correctly. If you’re using a word in writing, for example, but aren’t sure whether you’re using it correctly, you’ll need to ask a native speaker to check it for you. This can be tough to do, though, if you don’t have access to any native speakers.

• It can be intimidating to use new words with others. When speaking another language, we tend to rely on using only the words we know so we can avoid making any obvious mistakes. Unfortunately, this fear can ultimately hinder your ability to learn new words and use them with confidence.

How to Use This Method Effectively

If you’d like to use new English words in conversation, you’ll first need to find native English speakers or other English-language learners to practice speaking with. If you don’t live in an English-speaking country, try looking for English-language groups or clubs you can join in your area. Meetup, for example, is a handy website you can use to search for language groups around you (you can even create one yourself!).

Another option for English-speaking practice is to pay for video chat language lessons. Fees vary depending on the company you use and how many hours you want to practice. Some of the best websites to try include Live Lingua, Verbalplanet, and italki.

But what about writing in English? If you want to practice using words in writing, start keeping a journal and then have other people (preferably native English speakers) read your work to check that you’re correctly using new vocabulary.

My personal recommendation is a free website called Lang-8 on which you write various posts (such as journal entries, questions, stories, etc.) in your target language. Once you make a post, native English speakers then correct your entries and offer feedback. I’ve used this website many times before while studying Japanese, and it’s always been an extremely helpful resource!

You can also find a pen pal to write to in English—ideally, one who is a native English speaker and will write to you in your native language in return. This way you can have someone you know correct your English as you also correct his or her writing in your language!

How to Find English Vocabulary to Study: 3 Options

Now that we’ve given you a handful of methods you can use for learning English vocabulary, here are a few tips on where to actually find new English words to study.

#1: Write Down Words You Hear and Read

This is perhaps one of the most practical methods for learning English vocabulary, and one I often used while living in Japan. Basically, you’ll keep a running list of any unfamiliar English words you hear or read in both your day-to-day life and studies.

For listening, some of the best resources to use for finding new words are as follows:

• Everyday conversation: Ideally, you’ll converse mostly with native English speakers; that said, it’s better to practice speaking with other English-language learners than with nobody at all!

• English movies and TV shows: Avoid turning on the subtitles for your native language. Instead, if you’re having trouble picking out key words, turn on the English subtitles; this will help you identify new words more quickly and let you see how they’re spelled.

• English podcasts: Start by browsing this excellent list of English podcasts for language learners. Then, find the ones that sound most interesting to you and start listening!

• YouTube: Find English videos on topics you’re interested in (and turn on English subtitles if needed).

For reading, try looking for new English words to practice in these resources:

• Newspapers: There are tons of high-quality English-language newspapers online. Intermediate speakers can start with easier English-news websites such as VOA Learning English and BBC Learning English, whereas advanced learners can dive right into popular news outlets such as CNN and The New York Times.

• Websites: Look for websites and blogs dealing with any topic of interest to you. I suggest looking for prominent websites with lots of followers to ensure that the English they use is high quality.

• Books and stories: What better way to learn new words than through your favorite fairy tales? Intermediate learners can start with children’s books and short stories, while advanced learners can jump to novellas and novels. Graphic novels are also excellent resources!

Once you’ve found vocabulary words you want to study, open a Word document on your computer and start making a list. You can then add words to this list whenever you come across ones you don’t know in your listening and reading practice.

Make sure to include most or all of the following elements on your vocabulary list:

• The word in English (spelled correctly!)
• Its part of speech
• The translation/meaning of the word in your native language
• An example sentence using the word

You can then use this list as your primary study list or to help you make flashcards and quizzes.

#2: Look for Free Word Lists Online

Another helpful option is to seek out pre-made English word lists. Waiting to hear or read new English vocabulary isn’t always practical for language learners, but you can luckily find many free English-word lists online using the websites mentioned above (e.g., Quizlet, Cram, Memrise, etc.).

If you want to study upper-level academic vocabulary, try looking specifically for vocabulary lists targeting popular college-admission tests, such as the TOEFL, GRE, SAT, and ACT. At PrepScholar, we’ve gathered all high-frequency words for these exams and even created free downloadable flashcards for the TOEFL and GRE.

#3: Use a Textbook

If you like having structure in your vocabulary studies, consider buying an English-language textbook or workbook. These books should give you plenty of new vocabulary words to study as well as lots of relevant exercises to help you memorize and retain them. Oftentimes, textbooks come with a built-in dictionary, too!

Make sure you’re choosing a book that’s highly reviewed and geared toward your English level. You can also try looking at books that specifically target the TOEFL. Unfortunately, English-language textbooks cater mostly to beginner and intermediate learners, so if you’re an advanced English speaker, you’ll likely benefit more from the two options above.

There are many different ways to learn English vocabulary, from rote memorization and repetition to flashcards and quizzes. But in the end, it’s up to you to figure out which methods will work best for your learning style.

Here are some final pieces of advice to remember when studying English vocabulary:

• Don’t try to memorize every single word. English is believed to have the most words of any language, and I guarantee you won’t be able to learn all of them (even native English speakers don’t know every word!). Therefore, focus on memorizing the words you encounter most often. For everything else, use a dictionary!

• Ask for help if you get stuck. If you can’t remember the meaning of a particular word and don’t have a dictionary on hand, don’t be afraid to ask someone to define it for you. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help, and it’s certainly nothing to feel embarrassed about!

• Make studying English a habit. For a lot of people, it can be hard to find time to study English. But you’ll need a routine if you want to learn English words and actually remember them, so try to set aside at least 30 minutes every day to go through your study materials.

Good luck with your English studies!

What’s Next?

Need English-vocabulary words to study? Take a look at our list of 300+ high-frequency TOEFL words today! We also have created a free TOEFL vocabulary flashcards PDF here.

Want more tips on how to learn English? Start with our guide to learning English and figuring out your language goals. Then, move on to our article on the best English-language games you can play, with others or by yourself!

Planning to take the TOEFL? Then you’ll definitely want to read our expert tips on how to prepare for this tricky English test.

Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article!