How to come up with a new word

What do you mean by «make new words?» Do you mean coming up with new word shapes (such as word generators spit out), or coming up with the meanings?

Here’s how I do it…

Word Shapes

I do absolutely use word generation software for this. I’m an unusual case, since I wrote my own generator, Lexifer, and it operates exactly as I want such a tool to operate. Different people will have different preferences here, but if you’re going to use an online one, I’d recommend Rosenfelder’s gen because it generates a more natural distribution of phonemes. Without a lot of work awkwords produces highly unnatural results.

Meaning

This is tricker. Many conlangers don’t particularly care for crafting words and word meanings. It is a slow process, and I don’t think there’s really a good way to speed it up if you genuinely want to avoid making an accidental code for your native language (a relex). Here’s what I do, which you can adjust to suit your mood and tastes. You don’t have to do them in order.

First, create verbs for every core meaning in ValPaL. This will do two things. First, most of the senses are pretty common. Second, the ValPaL database is for investigating how different language mark grammatical roles for different kinds of verbs. Once you’ve done all of these verbs, you will have a very good idea how nearly every other verb will handle agreement and case marking (or whatever combo of these your language has).

Second, check CLICS often for new words you create (here’s want, for example). It’s a database of words that have identical meanings in a single word in different languages. It will suggest possible ways to derive new meanings, how to use words in compounds. For example, in the «want» map I gave, «want» and «hope» are often related. So you might have the noun «hope» be some nominalization of the word «want» in your language, with some other thing for the noun of «want, desire.»

My Conlanger’s Thesaurus has similar data for a lot of words (much derived from an early version of the CLICS database, but not all), and designed just for such explorations of meaning. It’s also a good collection of words that are reasonably common, with suitable adjustments to meet conculture requirements.

Always always always make examples for every new word you create. This has so many benefits. It tests your grammar. It very often suggests new words to create. It may inspire new grammar. It is often useful to check FrameNet for a new word, to make sure you think about the different sorts of company the word keeps (does it usually take prepositional phrases of location or means, for example).

Finally, I almost always have a notebook devoted to conlanging close at hand, either at home, or in my bookbag at work. If I think up a sentence or a meaning I want to develop, I jot it down in the notebook and work on it later. I always have more ideas for senses than actual new words, but I backfill as I have time and inclination. Every page is split in half, the top part is just the word list, the bottom (slightly more than) half is for the numbered example sentences, with circled numbers added to the words in the top half as I come up with examples.

Are you struggling to memorize new words?

Looking for easier ways to do it?

The key to improving your English vocabulary is commitment and willingness to consistently learn. 

Whether you’re looking to improve your vocabulary for educational purposes or personal growth, learning how to expand your vocabulary is the first step. 

Reinforcing what you have learned is what makes the difference. 

Your journey towards vocabulary development can be challenging. But lucky for you, we’ve put together six amazing tips that will help you become a better wordsmith in no time.

6 proven ways to expand your vocabulary

Keep a Dictionary and Thesaurus Within Easy Access

When it comes to expanding your vocabulary, the dictionary and thesaurus are your primary tools. Use whatever version you prefer, be it printed, application, or online at
Merriam Webster. 

Make it a habit to check your dictionary whenever you come across a new word to learn its definition and get its pronunciation right. Afterwards, check your thesaurus to uncover similar words and phrases, as well as their opposites — and learn the nuances among the words.

In addition to the dictionary and thesaurus, there are also some
free vocabulary apps that are available on both iOS and Android devices. You can download them on your device to help you learn new words anytime, anywhere.

Make Reading a Habit

Reading is one of the most effective ways to improve your vocabulary — and it’s enjoyable. 

The more you read, the more unfamiliar words you’ll uncover. 

As you stumble upon new words, try to make an educated guess about the meaning of the word based on context clues. Then double-check if you have guessed correctly by looking it up in your dictionary. 

However, if you don’t want to be interrupted during your reading time, you can highlight new words for you to check later or include them in your personal vocabulary list by jotting them down in your notebook.

Also, if you’re not fond of physical books, you might want to consider getting
Amazon Kindle Ebooks instead. 

Kindle allows you to read your favorite books on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. It also comes with amazing features to help you enjoy a hassle-free reading experience, including reading in bright or low light, custom font size, and the ability to store a large number of books conveniently.

Watch Movies With Subtitles

Watching movies is another fun and great way to improve your English vocabulary. 

Watching movies provides you with the opportunity to learn many words, phrases, and grammar and see how they are being used in a natural way. 

In addition, it can also help you
improve your English speaking skills as well as your listening skills, which will come in handy during real-life conversations.

When watching a movie with subtitles, we are so focused on the subtitles that we end up only practicing our reading skills. 

But to improve our vocabulary as well as our overall English skills, both reading and listening skills are crucial. 

Fortunately, there’s a solution: watching movies with 2-seconds delayed subtitles should do the trick. Take a look at how this unique strategy enables you to improve both reading and listening skills.

Similar to reading books, as you come across new words while watching a movie, you can pause the movie for a bit to check its meaning. 

If you prefer not to interrupt your watching time, jot down the words in your personal vocabulary notebook for later.

Related article: 90 Basic English Words You Should Know (+ Printable PDF)

Learn About Root Words

Did you know that Greek and Latin words are the foundation, or root, of many English words? In fact, more than half of the English vocabulary is derived from Latin and Greek. Broadening your understanding of these root languages enables you to learn new words and have the ability to easily decipher their meanings.  

For instance, take the words acrophobia and claustrophobia. These words share a similar root word “phobia”, which means “fear” in Latin. Both words — acrophobia and claustrophobia — are derived from the same root word. 

Acrophobia is the fear of heights, while claustrophobia is the fear of confined or crowded spaces. As you can see, learning root words will help you uncover many more words that derive from it.

You can start studying
Greek and Latin root words by checking out some
examples of root words. You don’t have to memorize every single root word out there, there’s a lot of them that memorizing them is nearly impossible to do. 

What you must do is familiarize yourself with the root words and their meanings. By doing that, it will be easy for you to determine the definitions of words that derive from the root words you have studied.

Practice Word Association

Word association is the act of connecting a new word with something more familiar to you so you can easily remember it. There are two ways to practice word association: based on meaning and based on sound.

When practicing word association based on meaning, you simply come up with words that are related to the word you’re trying to remember. 

For example, you have discovered that the word “scrumptious” defines an extremely tasty dish or an attractive person, depending on the context. 

With that in mind, you can think of several words related to its meaning, such as food, delicious, mouthwatering, appetizing, beautiful, handsome, good-looking, and many more. 

Having these associated words in mind when you hear the word scrumptious will help trigger your memory to remember what it means.

Word association based on sound, on the other hand, is connecting a new word with a familiar word that has a similar sound. 

For instance, take an unusual word like “aristate”, which means having a spiny or bristly tip (it’s a term most commonly used to describe leaves and grasses). 

The word “aristate” sounds like Aristotle, the name of a famous philosopher. If you envision Aristotle whenever the word “aristate” comes up, it will make it easier for you to remember its definition. 

Play Games to Expand Your Vocabulary

Memorizing new words doesn’t have to be boring. And what better way to improve your vocabulary than by playing games? 

Playing word games is effective and fun. There are several classic board games that will hone your vocabulary as well as spelling skills, such as scrabble, upwords, boggle, jenga, scattergories, taboo, apples to apples, and balderdash.

If you don’t have any of these board games, don’t worry! There are many vocabulary games you can play either by yourself or with your friends. And most of these only require a paper and a pen! Let’s check them out:

• Word Cloud

In this game, you only need a piece of paper and a pen. Begin by writing down a random word. Don’t overthink it, just jot down the first word that comes to your mind. However, keep in mind that nouns, verbs, and adjectives work best because they have synonyms.

Once you have written it down, set your timer to 1 minute. The goal is to write as many synonyms as you can within the time limit. This game is an effective vocabulary practice that helps you remember not only the words but also their synonyms.

• Categories

Similar to Word Cloud, the only tools you need to play this game are pen and paper. In a piece of paper, draw four columns and write a category at the top of each column. The categories are the four major word classes: noun, verb, adjective, and adverb. 

Then write down a word for each category starting with letter A within a 30-second time limit. When the time is up, move on to letter B whether or not you have completed writing for that category. Keep moving on to the next letter until you finish the alphabet.

To make this game more challenging, you can shorten the time limit. This game is also not limited to the four word classes, you can change the categories to make it more fun, depending on your preferences. Popular categories include names, animals, food, place, cities, countries, and more. 

If you have friends who can play with you, that’s even better! Here are three games you can play with them:

• Pictionary 

In this game, you’ll need the original Pictionary board game. If you don’t have it, pen and paper will work as an alternative.

Divide the players into two groups. There should be at least two players in each group. But the more, the merrier! Have one player from Team A draw one card from the Pictionary set of cards. Alternatively, you can have someone that isn’t a part of the game (preferably your parent) to write different words on slips of paper for the players to choose from. 

Once the player draws a card or picks a paper, he or she must convey the word written in it to his or her team using only drawings and without speaking. The player can’t use words, symbols, or hand gestures. Each team must take turns in guessing the word. Limit the guessing time to three minutes maximum. The first team to make three correct guesses wins.

• Charades 

Charades is quite similar to Pictionary, but it uses actions to convey the secret word instead of drawings. Have someone who isn’t part of the game to write different words in slips of paper. In this game, verbs are likely to be the easiest to guess. You can also include some complicated words, depending on how challenging you’d like this game to be. 

Divide the players into two teams. There should be at least two players for each team. Have one player from the team who will go first choose a piece of paper and act out the word written in it. The player’s team will have to guess the correct word within the time limit. Failing to do so will give the opposing team a chance to make the guess. The team that guesses correctly gets 1 point. The two teams must take turns in having their representative do the acting, and each player in each team must experience being the representative. The team that acquires 10 points first is the winning team.

• Guess The Word

In order for this game to work, there should be two groups with a minimum of two players each. If there are more than four players, everyone is welcome to join as long as the two groups have an equal amount of players. The two groups must be seated at opposite sides of the room, facing each other. This game also needs one chair positioned in the middle of the two groups.

The first step is to decide which team will go first. This can be done by a toss coin or a quick rock-paper-scissors battle. The team who will go first has to choose a representative from their team who will sit in the “hot seat”, which pertains to the chair in the middle. 

Once the representative is sitting in the “hot seat”, the opposing team will write any word to a piece of paper and give it to the other team who will do the guessing. The representative doesn’t know what is written to the paper, but their team does. It is the team’s obligation to help their representative guess the secret word within a predetermined time limit. The representative will then ask questions about the secret word and throw in guesses. The catch is that their team can only answer “yes” or “no”. To be able to guess the word easily, it is recommended to ask which part of speech the word is. Is it a noun? Pronoun? Perhaps a verb? And so on..

If the representative guesses the word correctly, the team they represent gets 1 point. The team will then take turns in choosing a representative, and every player on each team must be able to experience sitting in the “hot seat”. The first team that hits 10 points is the winning team.

Final thoughts

A great vocabulary is a powerful tool that fuels both your English speaking and writing skills. The more words you know, the more capable you are of delivering exactly what you want to say.

In this article, we’ve given you a lot of ideas on how to expand your vocabulary.

And remember, learning new words doesn’t have to be boring. This article covers a lot of fun vocabulary activities that will make you enjoy what you’re doing!

We can also help you to master the English vocabulary as soon as possible.

English tutors at Justlearn are knowledgeable, native speakers who can help you become fluent in no time.

TRANSCRIPT

Are you tired of knowing all these words in English, but only using a fraction of them? Are you tired of not being able to remember the word or how to say it when you actually need to use it? If that’s the case for you, then you, my friend, are in the right place. Because today I’m going to share with you the most effective technique to learning and integrating new words into your vocabulary.

And I’m going to do it right here with you. So this is going to be a real exercise. This is why I put my Guns’n’Roses T-shirt because I am going to do some heavy lifting today with you. I ain’t just going to be teaching you stuff, I’m going to be doing it with you right now. So, drink a glass of water, close the door, put your headset on, and let’s get started.

By the way, if you’re new to my channel, my name’s Hadar and I’m a non native speaker, just like yourself. And this is the place for you if you want to learn how to speak English with clarity, confidence, and pride. So make sure you hit that subscribe button.

Okay. Let’s get started with your vocabulary upgrade. This is a 5-step exercise. The first step is to collect words. The second step is to build pronunciation confidence. The third step is to use existing examples. The fourth step is to create your own examples. And the fifth step is to use these words intentionally in a conversation. So let’s do it together with the five words that I’m going to introduce to you today.

So step number one, I got you covered – I’ve already collected five words that I’m sure you’d want to use more spontaneously and freely when speaking. The first word is “redundant”. So, let’s say you don’t know what this word means. First thing you want to do is go to the dictionary and look it up. I recommend English-English dictionary. So if I go to the dictionary, I see that it says “Not or no longer needed or useful”. Great.

The next step I want to do is to develop pronunciation confidence, which means that I want to get my mouth used to saying this word confidently. For that, I need to break it down in my head. I need to know what I’m supposed to say in every single syllable. And if there is some sort of struggle, I need to understand it now and resolve it before trying to use it when speaking.

Because here’s the thing. Your brain is not going to retrieve that word when you are speaking freely if you are not confident about the pronunciation. Because the brain is really smart and your brain is not going to want to put you in an uncomfortable situation. So if you are uncertain of how to say the word, if it doesn’t roll off your mouth, then you will not be using this word. This is why this step of developing the pronunciation confidence is super important. Do not skip it. Trust me.

And I’ve had students going through this method and technique, and they tell me it has been the most effective technique that they’ve ever used, and they really grew their vocabulary used, their active vocabulary. So, don’t listen to me, take their word for it.

Now, “redundant”. Let’s break it down. We start with ‘ri’, ‘ri’. It’s an R sound and a relaxed ‘i’. I hope you’re doing it with me. I told you, close the door. ‘ri’. Then we have ‘duhn’, like “I’m done with you”. ‘duhn’, ‘duhn’. It’s a D sound, a cup, and an N. ‘duhn’. And then ‘d’nt’, ‘d’nt’ .In the middle we have a schwa sound, it’s a D and T – ‘d’nt’.

Yes, sometimes the T is barely pronounced, it could be a held T – ‘redundan’. But if this is too much right now – we are working on increasing your vocabulary – go ahead and release that T. Don’t focus on making it perfect because a lot of native speakers release that T anyway: redundant, redundant, redundant.

Now, the next step is to say it 30 times in a row.

Let’s do it together, and again, I told you – this is a hands-on practice video, so I’m going to be doing it with you right now. So, don’t just look at me. Do it with me. Okay?

Redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant.

10 more times. Redundant. Redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant. Three more, one, good! Okay. How do you say the word? Okay, good.

So, now you know how to say the word. You’ve developed the muscle memory. You’re pretty confident about how to say it. If you’re not confident yet, do it again and again and again until it’s really clear. Use the Google search or use Siri or use your notes app, and record it and see if it detects the word clearly. Redundant, redundant. Great.

Now that you know how to pronounce it, and even if you did know how to pronounce it before, still say it out loud 30 times. Again, it’s a word that you don’t use on a regular basis, and your mouth is just not confident using it. So you’re taking a shortcut by saying it many times. It’s like you’re tricking your brain to think that, “Yeah, I’ve been using it, you know, all day long”. So this is why it’s easier for me to retrieve it and to use it when needed.

Okay. Redundant. Now the next step is to use existing examples. So what we’re going to do now is we’re going to go to YouGlish, we’re going to open a tab and we’re going to write on YouGlish “redundant”. And then a bunch of videos are going to come up with the word “redundant”. And they’ll show you exactly that one sentence where the person uses the word “redundant”.

You can either do that or you can just google sentences with “redundant”. And then you’ll go to sentences.com, or there are many other websites that just collect different sentences from the online sphere, and show you how this word is used in a sentence.

So, at this stage, this is exercise number 3, at this stage you’re only reading out loud: out loud, don’t just copy-paste it, reading out loud sentences with the word “redundant”. So, I’ve collected a few examples for you. Let’s listen to the first one.

“So Simon’s right that it does seem to be a redundant phrase. Why do we need the adjective behavioral?”

Okay, good. One sentence, a little patronizing. “It does seem like a redundant phrase. Why do we need the adjective behavioral”, right? You can put it on a show, too. “It does seem like a redundant phrase. Why do we need the adjective behavioral?” So you want to say it three times out loud.

“It does seem like a redundant phrase. It does seem like a redundant phrase. It does seem like a redundant phrase. Why do we need the adjective behavioral?” So, it’s in front of you. You can listen to him and then repeat after it. Do not write it down, it’s really important that you only do it by heart.

Now, the reason why we’re repeating it in context is because your brain starts to understand the context of this word. This is why it’s really, really important to always put a new word into context. Don’t just say the word out loud, and that’s it, and expect yourself to use it. The brain doesn’t work that way. You have to use it in context, and hear it in context, and then intentionally use it in context.

Okay, so let’s do it one more time.

“So this redundant signal will be saying, “Again, again, again”. “So this redundant signal will be saying, “Again, again, again”. And again, have fun with it. “So this redundant signal will be saying, “Again, again, again”. “So this redundant signal will be saying, “Again, again, again”. Okay. So you should be saying each sentence three times.

And then you want to create your own sentence out loud, do not write it down. You got to challenge yourself here because that’s what ultimately you’ll need to do, right, to come up with it on the spot. So now that you’ve looked at three examples, you want to use the word “redundant” effortlessly. For example, “You’ve already said that, so it’s pretty redundant. You’ve already said that, so it’s pretty redundant”.

Now I want you to come up with a sentence and say it to yourself out loud, and right after put it in the comments. So, one sentence with the word “redundant”. I’m waiting. I know it’s challenging. Try it anyway. You can pause the video, think about it.

Because we’re practicing it now together, don’t say to yourself, “Okay, I’ll do it later”. Pause the video, come up with a sentence, one sentence, two sentences, three sentences, write them in the comments, and then continue the video.

The next step, which we can’t do right now, but you need to take a mental note and do it next time you have a conversation in English – I want you to take the word “redundant” and use it intentionally. That means that you’re going to have to manipulate the conversation in a way that allows you to use the word “redundant” in the conversation. Okay?

So you start speaking, keeping in mind the word redundant and saying to yourself, “What can I say that will make sense for me to use the word “redundant”? Redundant. Redundant.

Okay, next word. Let’s do this entire process with the word “inevitable”. By the way, I decided to choose only adjectives today because I feel that adjectives are things that we’re lacking. Because when it comes to nouns, it’s pretty straightforward cause you can’t change it with other things.

But when it comes to adjectives, I mean, you don’t have to use adjectives, but when you do, it makes your language richer, and you become more specific, which is something that non native speakers experienced. Like they’re not specific, they’re very general, they’re not particular. So, learning new adjectives can definitely help you with feeling more varied and expressive.

Inevitable. Inevitable. Okay. So first we want to define to ourselves, the word inevitable. It says “certain to happen, unavoidable”. Great. So now I have a fairly clear/vague idea of what this word is. Remember, to really get it in your system, in your body, you need to use it in context. This is why we are going to search for sentences with this word in a sec. But before that, let’s build up that pronunciation confidence.

Inevitable. Inevitable. Primary stress is on ‘ne’ ‘ne’, iNEvitable. Inevitable. We begin with an ‘i’ sound: ‘i-neh-vuh-‘, it’s a V sound and a schwa. ‘i-neh-vuh-duh, that’s a flap T, so it sounds like a D. ‘i-neh-vuh-duh-bol: it’s a B sound, a schwa, and a dark L. You create this tension in the back of your throat. You can even imagine as if there is an O sound between the B and the L. Inevitable. Inevitable, unavoidable. Inevitable.

Let’s say it 30 times in a row. Are you ready? Take a deep breath. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. That’s ten. You can go faster and slower as you wish. I’m here doing it with you. So keep going.

Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Good. 10 more times. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Inevitable. Very good. Now we want to hear it in context.

So let’s go to YouGlish. Not physically, just let’s, let’s just google YouGlish, okay. “The harmful effects of stress on your health are not inevitable”. “The harmful effects of stress on your health are not inevitable. The harmful effects of stress on your health are not inevitable. The harmful effects of stress on your health are not inevitable”. Play with it.

Another sentence, let’s listen. “The truth is, you will die. I’m going to die, it’s inevitable”. “I’m going to die, it’s inevitable. I’m going to die, it’s inevitable. I’m going to die, it’s inevitable”.

Okay, the next one, let’s listen. “Regardless of its inevitable negative outcome”. And let’s say it out loud three times: “Regardless of its inevitable negative outcome. Regardless of its inevitable negative outcome. Regardless of its inevitable negative outcome”.

And now, I want you to pause the video and think of three sentences where you can use the word “inevitable”. First, think it, then say it, and after that, write it in the comments. Okay, good. I hope you paused the video because otherwise, it’s going to be less effective.

And the whole purpose of this video is to get you to start using these words, and to see for yourself that it is effective if you do it step by step by step. Trust me on that one, and invest the time and energy into coming up with a few sentences with the word “inevitable”. And then, I want you to use the word “inevitable” intentionally in a sentence.

Next stop, the word “accurate”. Accurate. If I go to the dictionary and I look it up, I see “accurate” is “correct in all details, or exact”. Accurate. Sometimes you may have more than one definition, but the purpose is to get a vague idea as to what this word is, but then to see how it’s being used in context. Okay? That’s what really, really matters. It’s not about the definition, it’s not about the meaning of the word in your native language. It’s how this word is being used in English.

Now let’s build up that pronunciation confidence. Accurate. Accurate. Let’s break it down. ‘a’ as in “cat”, ‘a’ – that’s the primary stress. ‘a-kyuh’, ‘kyuh’, ‘kyuh’, it’s a K sound, a Y and a schwa. ‘a-kyuh-r’t’. Round your lips for the R, and then there is a schwa and a T. Whether you hold it or whether you release it, it doesn’t matter right now.

Accurate. Accurate. 30 times. Accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate. 10 more. Accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate. And then the word starts losing its meaning just by the fact that you’ve been saying it for so many times.

10 more. Accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate, accurate. Right? We’re good with the pronunciation, right? Good. There is no fear around saying this word anymore. Good.

Now, let’s look at a few examples. YouGlish… “They were fairly accurate, I think, on their price, but they really missed the number of rigs”. “They were fairly accurate, I think, on the price. There were fairly accurate, I think, on the price”. Now, sometimes it’s going to be a long sentence. Just take that one chunk where the word “accurate” is used. Okay. Again. “There were fairly accurate, I think, on the price. There were fairly accurate, I think, on the price”.

Next one. “And I think it’s much more accurate to say we are deeply overwhelmed”. “And I think it’s much more accurate to say we are deeply overwhelmed. And I think it’s much more accurate to say we are deeply overwhelmed. And I think it’s much more accurate to say we are deeply overwhelmed”.

Another one. “Get your experience more accurate information processing”. “Get to experience more accurate information processing. Get to experience more accurate information processing. Get to experience more accurate information processing”. Okay? So we said each sentence three times.

Now pause the video and come up with at least two sentences with the word “accurate”. First of all, think about it, say it out loud, and only then write it in the comments. Accurate.

I’m waiting. Pause the video. Let’s move on to the word “valuable”. Valuable. Valuable is a thing of great worth. Let’s talk about the pronunciation. ‘val’ ‘val’, and then we have ‘lyuh’, ‘lyuh’: it’s an L sound, a ‘yuh’ and a schwa. ‘val-yuh’, ‘val-yuh-b’l’, ‘b’l’.  ‘val-yuh-b’l’. Just like with “inevitable”, we have the B sound, schwa and dark L: valuable, valuable.

Let’s say it 30 times in a row. Take a deep breath, into your belly. Valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable. Valuable. Valuable, valuable, valuable. Valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable, valuable. Good! Check, on pronunciation.

Now, let’s hear it in context. “I think these lessons are very valuable in other areas”. “I think these lessons are very valuable in other areas. I think these lessons are very valuable in other areas. I think these lessons are very valuable in other areas”. And yes, adding hand gestures can really help you remember the meaning of the word. I mean, this means, valuable, valuable.

Another example. “And your time is really valuable in Europe. A lot of people underestimate how important their time is”. “Your time is really valuable in Europe. Your time is really valuable in Europe. Your time is really valuable in Europe”.

Next example. “They become diamonds – one of the most valuable thing that exists”. “They become diamonds – one of the most valuable thing that exists. They become diamonds – one of the most valuable thing that exists. They become diamonds – one of the most valuable thing that exists”.

Now, turn off the video and use the word “valuable” in a sentence, in three sentences. Valuable. “Valuable” is a valuable word. So I really want you to get off this video knowing how to use “valuable”, and using it confidently. After all, you’ve said it 30 times already today. Valuable. Sentences. I’m waiting.

The next word is “obvious”. Even if this word is obvious to you, look it up the dictionary anyway, both for the definition and the pronunciation. “Easily perceived or understood, clear, self-evident, or apparent”. Obvious. So, to pronounce this word, we start with ‘aa’ as in father, and then it’s a B sound, very small one, ‘aab’. Then you move to the V immediately: ‘aab-vee-y’s’. ‘vee’ – high ‘ee’, a ‘y’ sound, schwa, and S.

Listen: y’s, y’s, y’s. The ‘y’ is an intrusive vowel that appears between two vowels when you connect them together. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Now, if this transition, the B-V transition is challenging for you – Hi, Spanish speakers – then listen to me, drop the B. It’s not accurate, but clarity is more important than accuracy.

So if you get to say it without the B, and you use it freely and confidently, then you better say it that way. Then with a B, but then you’d get stuck and you won’t use that word. That doesn’t serve us as well. Right? It’s less valuable for us.

So. Obvious, obvious, obvious, obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obviously.

10 more. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. Obvious. That’s my move for obvious. Obvious. Right? It’s obvious. Or ‘ovious’. Obvious.

Let’s look at a few examples. “What about fear when there is no clear and obvious danger?” “What about fear when there’s no clear and obvious danger? What about fear when there’s no clear and obvious danger? What about fear when there is no clear and obvious danger?” See how I did that? Obvious danger.

Another example. “Now go down to the mouth of the Missouri near St. Louis, and it’s pretty obvious that that river is a big deal”. “And it’s pretty obvious that that river is a big deal”. By the way, he did not pronounce the B here. “And it’s really obvious that that river is a big deal. And it’s pretty obvious that that river is a big deal. And it’s pretty obvious that that river is a big deal”.

Let’s do another one. “I think people simplify that, “Oh, he doesn’t like sequels”. It’s obvious that I like sequels, I just did one. I’m about to do another one”.

“It’s obvious that I like sequels. It’s obvious that I like sequels”. See, he’s doing the same thing as I do. He learned from me. It’s okay, it’s okay. “It’s obvious that I like sequels. It’s obvious that I like sequels. It’s obvious that I like sequels”. Dropped the B, sounded the same, still.” It’s obvious that I like sequels”.

Good. Pause the video, come up with three sentences with the word “obvious”, but don’t make them so obvious, okay? Just slightly obvious. Obviously. Obvious. Go ahead.

And remember that once you say the new sentences out loud and write them in the comments, by the way, then I want you to intentionally use this word in a conversation next time you have a conversation. If you don’t have anyone to talk to, then just turn on your phone recorder and just speak to yourself freely, and answer a question or introduce yourself, or do something that creates this excitement around speaking. And intentionally use one of the words that we discussed today.

Let’s have a little recap here. We talked about the word “redundant”. We talked about the word “inevitable”; about the word “accurate”. We talked about the word “valuable”. We talked about the word “obvious”. Good.

And now I want you to take that system. By the way, I created a Vocabulary Planner for you that summarizes this system and allows you to create your own list of vocabulary with the five steps that we discussed here today, so click the link below to download it.

Also, on my website there is a list of more sentences with all of these five words, if you need more examples, and if you want to practice it out loud. So come on over to my website and just practice with a sentence that I’ve created for you. And don’t forget to download the Vocabulary Planner.

Okay, that’s it. If you liked this video, make sure to like it and to share it with your, colleagues, and friends, and students, and your mama that really needs to work on her vocabulary. And once you’re done, if you want to share your thoughts with me, either write it in the comments or coming over to Instagram, @hadar.accentsway. Where I connect and communicate with my students and followers over on my DMS or in the posts. So, come on over, I would love to hear from you. You can find me at @hadar.accentsway.

In the meantime, have a beautiful week. Stay healthy, stay safe, and speak up because mistakes is the only way to learn.

Finding it hard to memorize new words? 

You’re not the only one!

Even the most talented multi-linguists need help sometimes.

Luckily, there are many effective methods that can help you to expand your vocabulary.

And we’re not going to tell you to sit with a textbook for hours until you have successfully learned all the words. No, no! 

Instead, we’re going to share some useful but also fun ways to improve your vocabulary.

Play Word Games

Is there a better way to learn new words? 

This way of expanding your vocabulary is fun and effective. 

Many entertaining games require you to memorize new words and phrases.

For a start, try playing Scrabble, Upwords, or Apple to Apple.

You can also start with more simple games, like those where you need only paper and pen such as Charades, Pictionary, or Guess the Word. 

These are even more fun because you can play with your friends. Snacks, juice, paper, and pen can be an ideal way to spend time with your friends. Besides enjoying your evening, you will also learn new words.

Connect New Words With Familiar Ones

Connect a new word to something familiar so that you can remember it easily. This is known as word association. Depending on what works for you, you can choose to associate them by sound, or by meaning.

To associate new words by sound means that you will associate them with the familiar words that have similar sounds. For example, if you already know the word ‘write’ it’s easier to learn the word ‘right’ which sounds similar.

Association based on meaning means that you can memorize new words that are related to the ones you already know. For example, if you want to remember the word ‘open-hearted’ then you can think of several synonyms like ‘friendly,’ or ‘sympathetic’.

Watch English Movies

Don’t forget to turn on the subtitles. It’s an ideal and fun way to improve your vocabulary. Thanks to the movies, you can improve your listening and speaking skills. 

Not only will you learn new words, but you will see how they are used naturally, in casual conversations.

When you come across a new word or phrase while watching, you can always pause the movie, write down or come up with an example where you will use that word.

Hire a Tutor

Hiring an English tutor is a great way to expand your vocabulary. Learning with a professional teacher is an ideal opportunity where, besides learning new words and expressions, you can learn how to properly use grammar, practice tongue twisters and improve your pronunciation.

Learning English with a real person has always been the most effective way not only to learn the language but to boost your vocabulary. 

The key is in the conversation. 

Nothing better than a teacher who can explain the meaning of a new phrase, and teach you how to speak like a native speaker.

Read Every Day 

This method of learning new words and expressions happens to be one of the most effective ones. And yet it’s quite simple: the more you read, the more new words you will discover and memorize.

So, give your best to find time to read in English every day. Apart from reading books, you can read magazines, newspapers, blogs, poems even.

Try to guess the meaning from the context. If you can’t, then you can always search for help in the dictionary.

Final Thoughts

Vocabulary is the main tool in a language. If you don’t know words, then you can’t communicate at all. Your reading and speaking skills can’t be improved.

So, the more words you know, the better your skills will be.

In the end, speaking English fluently is every learner’s goal. And you can succeed with a richer vocabulary.

Building a strong vocabulary is essential as a writer. The more words you know, the easier it is to write! Today we’ll share some easy things you can do to improve your vocabulary.

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Why a Strong Vocabulary is Important for Writers

Before I go into all the different fun ways you can start building your vocabulary, it’s important to understand just exactly it means to have a strong vocabulary. It is also helpful to know why you might want to expand your vocabulary as a writer.

Vocabulary: Words We Use All The Time

Our vocabulary consists of the words we know and use every single day. The words we use regularly are the very foundation for how we communicate with others. When you have a wide variety of different words to choose from, you can strengthen and clarify your message.

Contrary to popular belief, having a large vocabulary doesn’t mean using big, long complicated words that are hard to pronounce and spell. It doesn’t mean using fancy words no has ever heard before. Instead, it’s about choosing words that best communicate and deliver the message.

Sadly, many people neglect improving vocabulary as an essential writing skill because it just doesn’t sound like much fun to practice or do. This is especially true if you ever had a teacher who made you practice and learn by making you copy words and the definitions out of the dictionary.

Fortunately, there are many ways to improve your vocabulary and many of them are fun. In fact, many of these things you likely even do already each and every day – you just didn’t know they were a fun way to add new words to your vocabulary!

Don’t worry, these activities are not homework!

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#1: Play Word Games

Smart teachers know the best way to help kids learn is to disguise learning as a game. There are a lot of great games that can help you learn new words without it feeling like a chore.

Some of my favorite word games of all time include classic board games such as Scrabble, Boggle, Scattegories and Banagrams. Playing games is always fun, and I love the kinds of games that make you ask, “Is that a word? What does that word mean?”

Crossword Puzzles and Word Search puzzles are also always a lot of fun to do. These may not seem as popular today as they once were, but a lot of people still find them fun to do.

There are also a lot of great word games available for smart phones and tablets. These are a great choice for travel or if you are ever stuck waiting somewhere. I am still forever grateful to the woman who sat next to me on an 8 hour bus ride from NYC and introduced me to a word game app by Word Mill Games.

There are so many great word games to consider that can help you build your vocabulary and become a better writer. We may need to write another post in the future solely dedicated to that topic!

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#2. Learn the Jargon and Pick Up Some Slang

Jargon is a set of words that are understood primarily only by people in a certain group or industry. For example, doctors have a different vocabulary from accountants. Slang is similar to jargon, but it is used informally and typically in a circle of people who are friends.

When properly implemented and executed, using jargon and slang in your writing can help you build credibility with your audience. This applies for both non-fiction and fiction writing. If you don’t use the right vocabulary people are going to know that you are an imposter.

Browse a Slang Dictionary

There are a number of great slang dictionaries available on Amazon. No matter what topic or interest you like to write about, it’s important to use words that help build trust and authority with your audience.

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#3. Practice the Art of Being Concise

Many writers fall in the trap of using the same words all the time in their writing. This can make your writing seem repetitive or even boring. Knowing a lot of different synonyms can make it easy to write for any type of audience.

As a writer, every word you know is a tool in your writing arsenal.  It is good to know a lot of words and the different ways words can be used.

One of my favorite websites for learning alternative words to use is the Shorter Thesaurus by IronicSans.

Rather than use a hard to spell and pronounce word like atrocious, we can actually use words like awful, evil, or dreadful. See, it doesn’t have to be painful to learn a new way of saying something!

Using shorter, smaller words can help you clearly convey your message without coming across as boring or repetitive.

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#4. Learn the Meaning of Root Words, Suffixes and Prefixes

Recently my 11 year old daughter was learning all about the many different suffixes and prefixes. When we learn about these things in school, we generally don’t really know why we learn them or why it is important. Naturally my daughter wondered why anyone would even want or need to know these things.

It may seem tedious or boring, but there actually IS a very good reason to study up on suffixes and prefixes! When you know the meaning of these suffixes and prefixes, you are able to understand the meaning of a word you might encounter, without necessarily needing to look it up.

Most of the words we use in the English language are created using suffixes and prefixes. When you know the basics of prefixes and suffixes, it can help you understand what a word means without necessarily needing to look it up.

Better yet, it can even help you create new words! A great example of this is The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, and is a very fun way to increase your vocabulary AND practice the meaning of different prefixes and suffixes.

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#5. Study the History of Words and Language

Etymology is the study of words and their origins. Learning about the origin and history of words can be very fascinating and a great way to learn about the history, customs and cultures in past times.

One of my favorite websites for etymology is the site Etymonline.com. The origins and definitions are very interesting to read about!

Understanding the history of how different words came to be can be very interesting. Often times when I need inspiration for writing, sometimes just looking up the history and origin of the topic can give me some new things to explore!

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#6. Be an Artist With Words

Writers in many ways are like artists. Instead of using paint, we create using words. Just as an artist might like to have many different colors of paint to choose from, writers can choose from many different words to express themselves.

Part of being able to use words effectively in your writing is to understand not just the basic meaning and definition of a word, but to also understand the connotation and different ways a word can be used.

If I look at the thesaurus for other words to use for the word red, I see many different words I could use instead. We have all sorts of alternative words to choose from: crimson, scarlet, burgundy, rose, wine, healthy, blushing, glowing, flaming.

However, just because all of these words are synonyms, this does not mean they have the same meaning! The color red also has many different meanings in symbolism. For example, the color red could imply love and romance, or it could mean anger and warning of danger.

One way to have fun with this is to use a sketchbook and draw a picture to illustrate a word or concept. You could also consider taking pictures of different words and concepts.

Finding ways to express your thoughts visually can give you all sorts of new insight into what a word means or different ways it can be used. As the saying goes, one picture is worth a thousand words!

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#7. Make Friends With People From Around the World

One of the biggest advantages to writing online and having a website for me is that it has helped me connect with people all around the world. I have friends on nearly every continent.

Learning to communicate with others who do not speak English as their native language is a great way to increase your vocabulary and practice ways to clearly communicate with others.

Here’s a Couple of Ways to Practice Writing World-Wide:

• Learn a New Language
• Get a Pen Pal
• Join International Forums
• Participate in International Facebook Groups

Making friends around the world helps introduce you to new ways of saying things, as well as helps ensure you don’t write in a way that is confusing.

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#8. Study Idioms, Expressions and Clichés

One of the things many people will tell you about writing is to avoid using clichés. These expressions, often also known as idioms, are frequently overused. However, when you explore them you can often find they stretch your vocabulary and increase your creativity!

The Free Dictionary Idiom Search is one of my favorite websites which features different idioms and phrases. If I look up the word “bird” for example, I can find a whole list of different phrases, sayings, and meanings.

By using the Idiom dictionary feature, I can learn many new uses for the word bird – it could mean airplane, an odd person, a hundred dollars, or even to describe an insult to some.

While it’s best to come up with your own way of saying things, you can often find a lot of inspiration simply by looking at how different words are used in these sayings and phrases.

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#9. Read as Much as You Can

Ever wonder why many established writers tell you to read as much as you can? This is because in reading you can learn many new ways to improve your own writing skills and build your vocabulary.

There are more books on this earth than any of us could ever possibly read in a lifetime, so probably the hardest thing to decide is what to read! However, it doesn’t really matter so much what books you read as it does to read a wide variety.

You can learn a lot just by reading different formats and writing styles. You can benefit just as much from reading cookbooks and magazine articles as you can from reading the literature classics.

Not sure what to read? The Amazon Bestsellers Book List is always a great place to start. You can also explore sites such as OverDrive.com and access thousands of free books to read online – all you need is a library card!

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#10. Write Your Own Dictionary: Keep a Vocabulary Journal

Writing in a journal is another great way to naturally improve your vocabulary. The more you write, the more words you need to use! One way to do this is to make your own dictionary by keeping a vocabulary journal.

Creating a vocabulary journal is very easy to do. Start with a blank notebook and write a word for the day at the top of the page. The word can be one you use all of the time, or it can be a word that you just recently learned. If you’re stuck on choosing a word, open up a random book to a random page and use the first word you see.

Once you have a word, try to create a definition for this word without looking up the meaning. This can be very challenging for words we use all of the time!

How would you explain this word to someone who does not speak the language? How would you explain it to an alien from outer space who has never been to our planet?

Need some inspiration? This list of One Word Journal Prompts is a great way to get started in writing your very own dictionary and learning new words and their meanings.

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#11. Practice Free Association and Stream of Consciousness Writing

One of my favorite methods of writing is from a stream of consciousness. Free association in writing means that you simply write whatever you think about, without worrying about how everything connects.

For example, if I start with a random word, I will then think of all the things I associate with that word. Let’s use the word “baseball” as an example.

When I think of baseball, my first thoughts are all of the people who I know who liked the game. I also think of different aspects of the game, such as the outfield, 9 innings, a bat, a ball, first base, second base, a home run.

I also think of an umpire, yelling “Strike Three, You’re Out!” as the player drops his bat into the dirt. Of course, I also think of that classic song mentioning buying peanuts and cracker jacks.

Using free association and simply writing whatever comes to mind first is a great way to consider words and how they relate to one another.

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#12. Get in the Habit of Revising and Editing

Lastly, as all publishers and professional writers know, it is important to revise and edit your work. Taking some time to revise and edit your writing can help you ensure you effectively communicate your message with your audience.

If you can, have someone else read your work. Someone who is objective and unbiased will be able to help you spot any areas that may seem confusing, inaccurate, or even boring and repetitive.

You can also learn a lot simply by offering to give feedback to other writers you know. Sometimes when you read someone else’s work it is easier to see room for improvement than when writing your own work.

It can sometimes be brutal when you see how others edit what you write, but it’s often an important part of learning to become a better writer.

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Words Are Power: Practical Use of Vocabulary in Every Day Situations

Many people think vocabulary is something limited to school or writing. However, there are many practical, real-life situations where a strong vocabulary is important!

There are many benefits to increasing your vocabulary, even if you are not a professional writer.

Learning to effectively communicate is important in your relationships with others and can help you achieve many great things in your life.

Improved communication means stronger relationships with friends, family members, and partners. People who are able to communicate with others often have healthy and enjoyable relationships with others.

You can also find a strong vocabulary is beneficial in career or business.  It is very easy to collaborate and cooperate with a diverse range of people when you are able to share a mutual understanding with others. Your vocabulary and word choice is also a great way to demonstrate knowledge, experience, and proficiency in your field of expertise.

As you can see, there are many ways a strong vocabulary can serve us well in life! Expand your vocabulary and you will naturally have more words to choose from to effectively communicate with others.

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Do you have any ideas for fun ways to develop your vocabulary? What are some of your favorite activities and exercises to learn and use new words? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!