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.
Matthew Gates http://notetoservices.com 2m 480 #challenges
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Challenge of the Week: Learn A New Word In The Dictionary
When it comes to learning a new language, it is not easy. There are some people who are great at it, but there are plenty of other people who must practice, practice, and practice until it starts to stick. Sometimes it may even help to live in another country where you are forced to use your non-native language, and this may help you to become much more fluent. As far as your own language, especially the English language, our vocabularies are very vast, but with so many words – over a million words in the English language, there are many words that we do not know or we do not use.
Having lived in another country, where the native language was not English, I was asked by non-English speakers: “How do you learn English and how do you speak it so well?” I gave them the same advice that I am about to give you.
You look for websites that send you English words and their definitions. Rather than study the word as if you are studying for a test, just familiarize yourself with the word, use it in a sentence or two, and move on. When you are just using it as an everyday word, it sticks more in your mind than if you were to study it and think of it as something that you have to remember. Writing it down may also help in remembering it.
A few years ago, I signed up for Dictionary.com and they have been sending me a few words per week. Sometimes I know these words, but the majority of the time, I am educating myself on a new word. Do I remember the word? Not all the time, but I do acquire some information about it, and if I see it again, I can usually recognize that I have seen this word before.
Receiving these emails from Dictionary.com has expanded my vocabulary to an extent and helps me to learn new words. I look forward to receiving these emails because the majority of the words they send to me help me expand my own vocabulary, whether in everyday personal use or in the professional business world.
Your challenge this week is to learn a new word each day on Dictionary.com that you never have seen or heard of before and learn the word and use it in a sentence, whether you use it in an email that you send to your boss or co-workers, or teach your family the word you learned. As an alternative, you can subscribe to the Dictionary.com website email list and have new English words sent to you a few times a week.
Let us know in the comments what new words you learned this week ot a favorite word you learned!
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Learning is ceaseless. You can cultivate an erudite persona as an adolescent—or even as an octogenarian—by building your vocabulary. Creating habits to help you learn and use the most accurate words in your language will make it easier to communicate, write, and think. Continue reading after the jump for more specific tips about building your vocabulary.
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Read voraciously. Once you leave school, you won’t get word drills and homework assignments that force you to learn new words. It can be easy to stop reading. If you want to build your vocabulary, establish a reading regimen and stick to it.[1]
- You might try reading one new book a week, or reading the newspaper every morning. Pick a frequency and pace that works for you, and develop a reading routine that fits into your schedule.
- Try to read at least one book and several magazines every week. Be consistent. As well as improving your vocabulary, you’ll also keep updated and backdated, your general knowledge will increase, and you’ll be an intelligent, well-rounded person.
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Read high literature. Challenge yourself by reading as many books as you have the time and inclination for. Read classics. Read new fiction and read old fiction. Read poetry. Read Herman Melville, William Faulkner, and Virginia Woolf.
- Try reading nonfiction and technical books: these will rapidly teach you not only new ways to speak, but also new ways to think. Read about a variety of subjects, like philosophy, religion, and science.
- If you usually read the local paper, consider trying the long, difficult stories in national, international and business newspapers and magazines, like The New Yorker or The Economist.
- There are many classics available for your perusal at Project Gutenberg and LibriVox.
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Read online sources. Read online magazines, essays, and blogs on a variety of subjects. Read record reviews and fashion blogs.
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Look up any words you don’t recognize. When you see an unfamiliar word, do not skip over it impatiently. Try to puzzle out its possible meaning in the context of the sentence, then look it up in the dictionary and confirm its definition.
- Consider keeping a small notebook with you and quickly jot down unknown words as you come across them for checking later. If you hear or see a word you don’t know, be sure to look it up.
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Read the dictionary. Dive in. Read entries for words you aren’t yet familiar with. This requires the ownership of a quality dictionary to make it more interesting, so look for a dictionary that has lengthy explanations on the origins and uses of words, as these will go a long way to helping you remember the word and enjoy using your dictionary.[2]
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Read the thesaurus. Look up words you use a lot so you can learn similar words, and use those words as well.
- Reading and having conversations with others is the most significant way to improve your vocabulary.[3]
- You can enhance your vocabulary by reading a dictionary or using an online thesaurus.[4]
[v161927_b01]. 1 September 2021.</ref> - Or take a linguistics class and learn about how languages have formed.
- Reading and having conversations with others is the most significant way to improve your vocabulary.[3]
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Set a goal. If you’re committed to building your vocabulary, set a goal for yourself. Try to learn three new words a week and work them into your speech and writing. With conscious effort, you can learn several thousands of new words that you’ll remember and use. If you can’t use a word effectively and accurately in a sentence, it’s not a part of your vocabulary.[5]
- If you’re easily learning three words a week, start upping the ante. Try to learn ten words next week.
- Looking up 20 new words a day in the dictionary will make it difficult to use any of them accurately. Be realistic and build practical vocabulary that you’ll be able to use.
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Use flashcards or post-it notes around your house. If you’re going to make a habit of learning new words, try some simple memorization techniques as if you were studying for a test. Hang post-its with the definition of a particular word you hope to memorize above the coffee maker, so you can study it while fixing your morning cup. Affix a new word to each house plant so you can study while watering.[6]
- Even if you’re watching TV or doing other activities, keep some flashcards with you and study your new words. Always be building.
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Write more. Start journaling if you don’t already, or start a blog. Actively flexing your writing muscles will keep your vocabulary strong.[7]
- Write letters to old friends and use lots of specific details. If your correspondence is typically short and informal, switch it up and write a longer letter or email than you’re used to writing. Take time in crafting letters as you would an essay for school. Make considered choices.
- Consider taking on more writing responsibilities at work. If you typically avoid composing memos or writing group emails or participating in group discussions, change your habits and write more. You might as well get paid to build your vocabulary.
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Use accurate adjectives and precise nouns. The best writers aim for concision and accuracy. Get out the thesaurus and use the most accurate word possible in your sentences. Don’t use three words when one will do. A word is a useful addition to your vocabulary if it reduces the number of words in a sentence.[8]
- For instance, the phrase «dolphins and whales» can be replaced with the word «cetaceans,» making «cetaceans» a useful word.
- A word is also useful if it is more descriptive than the word or phrase it replaces. For example, many people’s voices could be described as «pleasant». But someone with a very pleasant voice could be said to have a «mellifluous» voice.
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Don’t flaunt it. Inexperienced writers think using the Thesaurus function in Microsoft Word twice in every sentence makes writing better. It doesn’t. Using flashy vocabulary and «spelling bee» words makes your writing pompous. What’s worse, though, is that it also makes writing less accurate than more common words. Using the appropriate word is the mark of a real writer and a sure sign of advanced vocabulary.
- You could say that «Iron Mike» is Mike Tyson’s «sobriquet,» but «nickname» might be the more accurate and useful word in the sentence. Therefore, «sobriquet» may be less useful in your vocabulary.
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Sign up to be emailed a «Word of the Day» using one of the many online dictionaries. You can also procure for yourself a Word of the Day calendar; be sure to read the word on the page each day and aim to remember each day’s word and even use it somewhere in your day.
- Visit word building sites such as freerice.com and construct an expansive vocabulary while nourishing the hungry or doing something else useful.
- There are many online sites devoted to compiling alphabetical lists of unusual, weird, old-fashioned, and difficult words. Avail yourself of the search engine to find these sites and to learn from them. This is a great way to while away time waiting for a bus or in the bank queue.
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Do word puzzles and play word games. Word puzzles are an excellent source of increasing your word knowledge because the puzzle creators will often need to resort to an array of unusual words to ensure that the words fit into their puzzles and that they are interesting for the puzzle doer. There are many varieties of vocabulary puzzles, including crosswords, find-a-word and hidden word puzzles. As well as strengthening your word knowledge, puzzles are also good for improving your critical thinking skills. For word games, try such games as Scrabble, Boggle, and Cranium to extend your vocabulary.
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Learn a little Latin. Although it might seem like a dead and done language, knowing a bit of Latin is an excellent way to learn the roots of many words in the English language and can help you figure out the meaning of a wide range of words that you don’t yet know without having to resort to the dictionary. There are online Latin learning resources, as well as plenty of texts (check out your favorite used books bookstore).[9]
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Question
What kind of books should I read to work on my writing?
There are many books on how to write well. However, reading absolutely any book will help your writing if you pay attention to the way the writer uses words.
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I’ve tried hard to learn more and more words and utilize them in my daily conversation, but at the right moment I abruptly forget and get stuck. What should I do?
Just keep practicing. We get better at things we practice.
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I can’t understand some words when Americans sing, but I understand everything when they speak. Why is that?
American singers often sing very quickly and do not pronounce words clearly. Many native English speakers have to look up song lyrics in order to know what singers are saying.
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Frequent use of filler words such as «Like…», «So…», «Um…», «Ain’t» and «Yea…» can make even people with large, more constructed vocabularies sound unlearned. Stay away from the unnecessary words and contractions.
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Try to make a journal of synonyms/antonyms so that you can easily organize/learn the degree of «expression» of a particular word. For example, the word «destitute» sounds more intense than the word «poor».
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Look on the back of products you have in your house (soda cans, food boxes, shampoo bottles etc.) They’re bound to have complex words written on them.
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Be aware that you may use words others may not know, and this could create barriers to communication and mutual understanding. Be prepared to use simpler synonyms in different contexts to alleviate this problem. Don’t be a jerk, in other words.
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Things You’ll Need
- Dictionary
- Word cards and marker
- Notebook and marker
- Classic novels, difficult reads
- Wide range of reading material
References
About This Article
Article SummaryX
If you want to expand your vocabulary, read a variety of books and look up words that you don’t know. For example, you could try reading some free classics, like those by William Faulkner or Virginia Woolf, on websites like Project Gutenberg or Librivox. You can also improve your vocabulary by getting a high-quality dictionary and looking up a few words each day. Alternatively, you can sign up for one of the free «Word of the Day» emails sent by online dictionaries. To learn how to incorporate new words into your writing, read on!
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Are you asking yourself questions like where to start with vocabulary learning, how to learn it, what methods to use for learning vocabulary…? Then you are right here. Vocabulary learning is a crucial part of our language learning journey. The most important thing is to enjoy it and have fun. Otherwise, it gets a lot more difficult.
This article will show you fun and effective ways for how to learn vocabulary fast. You can look forward to some tips and tricks on how to learn vocabulary fast on your own. I’ll reveal various creative ways to work with the vocabulary, games that will help you memorize new vocabulary, and strategies to make the learning process enjoyable. Let’s learn vocabulary together.
3 Steps For How To Learn Vocabulary Fast
Before we get round to it, I want you to remember 3 things about learning vocabulary.
A: When you learn new words, you have to use various tips & tricks that are effective. Find the ones that work best for you.
B: To memorize the vocabulary, you need to repeat these words many times and be constantly in contact with them. Don’t learn 10 words in one day and switch to the other 10 days the next day, leaving the words you’ve already learned behind. You need to constantly repeat words you have already learned. The best way is to play some games and have fun.
C: Practice makes perfect. Practice using it in sentences after you feel like you’ve mastered the vocabulary and are confident with it. Create texts, talk to yourself, or talk to your friends. Improve your language skills with various methods to understand the vocabulary in context.
These are the 3 steps you have to implement when learning vocabulary. Below, I am giving you ideas for each step. Find out the best way to study vocabulary for you and use it to learn vocabulary on your own.
A: Tips & Tricks For Learning New Vocabulary
In the first section, I am giving you some tips to start studying new vocabulary. Remember that we want this process to be fun and effective. Just opening a book, writing words down, and trying to memorize them is not enough. You have to have constant contact with the language and the words you want to learn. So once you have the words you want to learn, you write them down in your language travel notebook, use these tricks to learn the vocabulary.
1. FLASHCARDS
Flashcards are one of the most effective ways for how to learn vocabulary fast. They materialize the whole vocabulary for you. So not only do you have the words in your memory, but you can visualize the vocabulary, hold it in your hand and carry them physically.
It’s also one of the best ways to be in contact with the vocabulary when designing your own flashcards. First of all, you think of the words you want to learn within a specific topic. Then you create flashcards and cut each flashcard. You’ll see the words various times during the process, which already makes you automatically memorize them.
2. VOCABULARY CARDS WITH IMAGES
Vocabulary cards with images are very similar to flashcards. These are basically cards with words that have a pair with image cards. You have to find a pair of word card with an image card.
Imagines are a fantastic way to memorize things. When you associate words with images, it helps you make unique connections in your brain. You are also using the brain’s left hemisphere, which is the creative part, so you not only memorize the words, but you create these unique connections.
The information is processed through a different channel, and it boosts the process of learning vocabulary.
3. CREATE MENTAL VISUALIZATIONS
If you associate words with images and real things that surround you, it helps you to remember the information much better. Imagine something in your head, for example, a sun, and then connect it in your mind with the word ‘sun.’
Coming up with these mental images and associating them with the words you are trying to learn is another great way to memorize and process new vocabulary.
4. VOCABULARY WALL
Cut small paper sheets, as many as you can. Write each word onto a sheet and glue them on the board. Or you can also put them on a wall. Choose a space on the wall in your room and create a vocabulary wall out of it. Attach all sheets with words on the wall that you want to learn that week or month.
This way, you have your vocabulary always handy. It’s constantly visible to you. Choose a wall or a spot where you spend most of the time at home so that you can be looking at the word sheets frequently.
5. WEEK SHEETS
Let’s say you have set up a goal that you’ll learn 50 words next week. After that week, once you have learned the vocabulary, there might still be some words you can’t memorize.
Write them down to your weekly sheet. Your weekly sheet has sections into which you can write the words you struggle with. This way, you’ll pay closer attention to these words, and hopefully will be able to memorize the words.
Get your WEEK SHEET here
6. EVERYDAY VOCABULARY ACTIVITIES
Pick one or two of your topics within which you learn vocabulary. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out my article about how to learn a language by yourself.
Then, start doing an activity associated with your topic in your everyday life. For example, you are learning food vocabulary. Create your own recipe, write it down in the new language, and cook according to the instructions.
Also, you can use this technique to learn random vocabulary. For example, suppose you are going to a supermarket and on the way you see many things like a tree, a bus, a road, people, etc. You can translate these words on the way into the language you are learning and try to learn them on the way. Once you come back home, write these words down in your language travel notebook.
7. LEARN VOCABULRY WITH SONGS
Music boosts any activity we do. Whether it’s running, cooking, having a shower, or just chilling on a beach, it just gives you that extra energy and engagement in the activity. Learning new vocabulary isn’t an exception.
Find an easy song with a melody you love and listen to it. Print the lyrics, highlight new vocabulary and play it repeatedly. You’ll see how easily and almost effortlessly new vocabulary will jump into your head. Play the songs when going to work or while cooking dinner. The whole vocabulary learning process gets easier because you might not even realize you are learning something, especially after a difficult day.
B: Games To Be In Contact With New Vocabulary
As I mentioned above, once learning vocabulary, you need to be in constant contact with it. You have to repeat the words. Below, I am giving you some great game ideas to be exposed more to the vocabulary you want to memorize.
8. PEXESSO
Pexesso is always a fun game. Try it with new vocabulary. For example, you might use your flashcards with words and images, shuffle them all together, organize them, and play pexesso.
9. LETTER CARDS – SCRABBLE
You have cards on which there are only letters. You can play around and put these cards together, creating words you’ve been learning that week. Just like playing scrabble. It’s another perfect practice and memory activity for you to remember the words.
10. ONLINE GAMES
Any gamers here? Gaming online while interacting with other gamers in another language is also an effective way to learn new vocabulary. Many gamers understand a foreign language thanks to online gaming, and you can do so as well. It can be any game such as Minecraft, Age Of Empires, Escape From Tarkov, Detroit Become Human, or any other game that comes to your mind.
So choose a game you like to practice and memorize the vocabulary.
11. TABOO – PLAY WITH FRIENDS
Taboo is a perfect game. I always recommend my students create associations when it comes to vocabulary studying. Whether you are creating associations with images or finding other synonyms and antonyms for the word, it always helps you memorize the words better.
With taboo, you already have different synonyms and words with similar meanings written below the primary word. So you have to describe to your friend what word you have on the card without using any of those 4 words written on the card. It boosts the learning process a lot, not only because you see all these synonyms and associations. But also because you have to come up with different words to describe what is on your card.
12. IDEAS FOR GAMES & ACTIVITIES
I’ve put together a list of great gifts for language learners, including exciting games you can play. They will help you to learn the language in a natural and fun way. It includes games such as play cards, storytelling, a dice game, a blank recipe book, and other tools for your language learning journey.
C: Ways To Practice Vocabulary
Lastly, we need to use the vocabulary in real life, construct sentences, and make connections. Here are the ways you can practice the vocabulary you’ve learned. It’ll help you not to forget it.
13. WRITE A STORY TO A FRIEND
Open your social media account – Facebook, Instagram, Email. Write a message to your foreign friend that speaks the language about what you’ve been up to. Tell them anything and try to use the vocabulary you are currently learning to practice.
14. TALK TO YOURSELF
This is my favorite strategy. Because you can do it everywhere and anytime you want. Let’s say you are waiting on a bus or train or walking to a shop, school, or work. Rekindle all vocabulary you have been learning recently and the sentences you wrote down to your language travel notebook. Then talk to yourself using them in your head. It is the best way to improve vocabulary.
15. SPEAK WITH LOCALS
Speaking is one of the most important skills in language learning. You need to overcome fear of speaking foreign language and use the vocabulary you have learned effectively. Find a friend online or a tutor and speak to him. You can even tell them what kind of vocabulary you learn at the moment and ask them to talk about it. Use one of the best 4 platforms to practice your vocabulary and speaking skills.
16. START A BLOG
Writing a blog is more for advanced language learners when you can create sentences on a topic you are interested in. But don’t worry, you don’t need to know the words.
You can start a blog and write short articles about a topic of your interest. You’ll learn the vocabulary naturally on the way. You don’t necessarily have to create a blog. Just open Word Document or some notebook, and start writing a story or thoughts that come to your mind.
I’ve done it on my own many times. I randomly started writing a text about some topic using the vocabulary I was learning. And the result? My language skills naturally improved.
17. TRAVEL TO THAT DESTINATION
Eventually, we are here to learn the language for travel. You’ve now made it through and done your best to learn new vocabulary, memorize it, and practice it.
Let’s travel to a country where the language is spoken to practice in real life. Travel is one of the biggest motivations why we want to learn the language. It’ll help us fully immerse into the language, connect with local culture, and fall in love with the language even more.
Don’t be afraid to practice what you have learned on the market, in your accommodation, at the airport, or in a coffee shop ordering your favorite things.
Use my travel itineraries to get to know European countries more in-depth and learn and practice your language while traveling.
These are the effective and fun ways to learn, memorize and practice your vocabulary. Find what works best for you and start learning vocabulary on your own.
This article is part of my language learning method. I explain this method in my general post about how to learn a language for travel. If you are interested in learning a language for travel with me, join the community and start from the beginning. Read my article to understand my method for learning a language for travel.
If you find it difficult to stick to vocabulary learning. Or, if you don’t know how to achieve your goals, read my article about how to achieve goals when learning languages.
Check out my article about the benefits of learning foreign language for travel. I’ll give you more inspiration and encouragement to get started.
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.