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If you are decently literate, it’s impossible to look at a word without reading it.
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Maybe you are in the middle of an exam and suddenly come across a word that makes absolutely no sense. This is usually a cue for most people to panic if a dictionary is not handy. But don’t worry! There are several steps you can take to help you figure out the meaning of a word without a dictionary.
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1
Read the entire sentence. It can be very frustrating to have your reading interrupted by an unknown word. If you are in the middle of an exam or an assignment for school or work, it can also be very stressful. If you can’t reach for a dictionary, take other steps to figure out what the word means.
- Your first step is to go back and re-read the entire sentence. You probably lost track of what your were reading when you stumbled upon the new word.
- Think about the content of the sentence. Do you understand the sentence without using the new word? Or is it incomprehensible?
- Try underlining the unknown word. This will help you separate it from the rest of the sentence.
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2
Identify words you do understand. You can often use other words in the sentence to help you define the unknown word. Think about what else is happening in the sentence. Hopefully, this will help you figure out whether the unknown word is a noun, verb, or adjective.
- For example, maybe you are looking at a sentence that says, «It was a very sultry day in the middle of the summer.» You probably understand each word except for «sultry».
- Think about what you know about the summer. It is likely that «sultry» has something to do with weather.
- Maybe your biology exam has this sentence, «Many members of the canine family are predators, looking for other animals to eat.» You can surmise that «predators» prey on other animals.
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3
Look for illustrative examples. Once you have examined the other words in that sentence, you can move on. Start looking at the sentences that follow the unknown word. An author will often give descriptions that can help you figure out the meaning of an unknown word.[1]
- For example, take the sentence, «It was a very sultry day in the middle of summer.» It could be followed by the sentence, «The heat and humidity made it appealing to sit in the shade and drink lemonade.»
- You can now more confidently define «sultry». The descriptive words such as «heat» and «humidity» are further clues that it is a description of the weather.
- Sometimes, the descriptive examples will be right in the original sentence. For example, it could say, «Sultry days are so damp and hot.»
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4
Think logically. Sometimes, the context clues will not be as clear. You will have to use logic to figure out the word. You can also use experience, or prior knowledge, of the topic.[2]
- For example, maybe a sentence says, «In the antebellum South, many plantation owners kept slaves.» It is likely that «antebellum» is the unknown word.
- The sentence itself does not offer many clues. However, the following sentences are, «But after the Civil War, slavery was outlawed. This was a major change between the two periods.»
- Think about what you know now. You are reading information about two different time periods, right? Before the Civil War and after the Civil War.
- You can now make a pretty logical assumption about the word «antebellum». Based on your experience and reading the following sentences, you know it probably means «before the war».
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5
Use other context clues. Sometimes an author will offer other types of clues. Look for restatement. This is where the meaning of the word is restated in other words.
- Here is an example of «restatement»: «The pig squealed in pain. The high-pitched cry was very loud.»
- You can also look for «appositives». This is where an author highlights a specific word by placing a further description between two commas.
- This is an example of the use of an appositive: «The Taj Mahal, which is a massive white marble mausoleum, is one of the most famous landmarks in India.
- You may not know the words «Taj Mahal», but the use of appositives makes it clear that it is a landmark.
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1
Look for a prefix. Etymology is the study of the meanings of words. It also looks at the origins of words, and how they have changed over time. By learning about etymology, you can find new ways to define unknown words without using a dictionary.
- Start by looking at each part of the word in question. It is very helpful to look to see if the word has a common prefix.
- Prefixes are the first part of the word. For example, a common prefix is «anti».
- «Anti» means «against». Knowing this should help you figure out the meanings of words such as «antibiotic» or «antithesis».
- «Extra» is a prefix that means «beyond». Use this to figure out words such as «extraterrestrial» or «extracurricular».
- Other common prefixes are «hyper», «intro», «macro» and «micro». You can also look for prefixes such as «multi», «neo» and «omni».
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2
Pay attention to the suffix. The suffix are the letters at the end of the word. There are several suffixes in the English language that are common. They can help you figure out what kind of word you are looking at.
- Some suffixes indicate a noun. For example, «ee» at the end of the word almost always indicates a noun. Some examples are «trainee» and «employee».
- «-ity» is also a common suffix for a noun. Examples include «electricity» and «velocity».
- Other suffixes indicate verbs. For example, «-ate». This is used in words such as «create» and «deviate».
- «-ize» is another verb suffix. Think about the words «exercise» and «prioritize».
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3
Identify root words. A root word is the core word, without a prefix or suffix. Most words in the English language come from either a Latin or Greek root word.[3]
- By learning common root words, you can begin to identify new words more easily. You will also be able to recognize words that have had a prefix or suffix added.
- An example of a root word is «love». You can add many things to the word: «-ly» to make «lovely».
- «Bio» is a Greek root word. It means «life, or living matter». Think about how we have adapted this root word to become «biology», «biography», or «biodegradable».
- The root word mater- or matri- comes from the Latin word mater, meaning mother. By understanding this root, you can better understand the definitions of words like matron, maternity, matricide, matrimony, and matriarchal.
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Keep notes. If you can increase the size of your vocabulary, you will find yourself less likely to encounter unknown words. There are several steps you can take to effectively build your vocabulary. For example, you can start by writing notes.
- Every time you encounter an unfamiliar word, write it down. Then later, when you have access to a dictionary, you can look it up for a precise definition.
- Keep a small pack of sticky notes with you while you read. You can write the unfamiliar word on a note and just stick it on the page to return to later.
- Start carrying a small notebook. You can use it to keep track of words that you don’t know and new words that you have learned.
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2
Utilize multiple resources. There are a lot of tools that you can use to help you build your vocabulary. The most obvious is a dictionary. Purchase a hard copy, or book mark an online dictionary that you find useful.
- A thesaurus can also be very helpful. It will give you synonyms for all of the new words you are learning.
- Try a word of the day calendar. These handle desk tools will give you a new word to learn each day. They are available online and at bookstores.
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3
Read a lot. Reading is one of the best ways to increase the size of your vocabulary. Make it a point to read each day. Both fiction and non-fiction will be helpful.
- Novels can expose you to new words. For example, reading the latest legal thriller will likely expose you to some legal jargon you’ve never heard before.
- Read the newspaper. Some papers even have a daily feature that highlights language and explores the meanings of words.
- Make time to read each day. You could make it a point to scroll through the news while you drink your morning coffee, for example.
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4
Play games. Learning can actually be fun! There are many enjoyable activities that can help you to build your vocabulary. Try doing crossword puzzles.
- Crossword puzzles are a great way to learn new words. They will also stretch your brain by giving you interesting clues to figure out the right word.
- Play Scrabble. You’ll quickly learn that unusual words can often score the most points.
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Question
Is there a list of prefixes/suffixes, or a simple etymology handbook, that I can obtain from the Internet or someplace else?
I’m sure there are many! Check websites like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other booksellers who might sell grammar handbooks. You could also try checking your local book stores.
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Question
How does one find out and understand the formation of words?
If you can recognize the prefixes, suffixes, and anything else that might alter the root word, then you’ll know how the root is being altered. For example, ‘amuse’ is made up of ‘a’ as in ‘not’ and ‘muse’ referring to ponderous thought. Even if you don’t recognize the root ‘muse’ because it’s a more archaic term, you know that the ‘a’ inverses it’s meaning.
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Question
How can I know the exact meaning of a word using dictionaries from many leanings given?
Substitute each meaning into the sentence where you encountered the word, and see which definition makes the most sense within the context of that sentence.
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Keep a notebook. This could be useful if you come across a word that you want to learn later, if you want to list any words that share suffixes or prefixes (both of which are known as «roots», which also include anything that goes into the middle.)
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Read etymology dictionaries. They are found online and presumably in bookstores if you look hard enough.
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Make your own notes in your personal English notebook to remember important points later on.
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References
About This Article
Article SummaryX
To understand a word without a dictionary, try re-reading the entire sentence to see if the context helps you to find out what the word means. If it’s unclear, try to figure it out by thinking about the meaning of the words you’re familiar with, since the unknown word might have a similar meaning. Additionally, look for common prefixes in words, such as «anti,» which means against, or «extra,» which means beyond. Next, check the following sentences for clues, such as the topic the word is related to. Alternatively, keep a list of unknown words so you can check them in a dictionary at a later date. For tips on how to identify root words and how to learn words by doing crossword puzzles, read on!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 215,260 times.
Reader Success Stories
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Aaron Junior
Jul 26, 2016
«This article has really helped me especially finding the meaning of the word using prefixes, suffixes, and word…» more
Did this article help you?
Listen, read and look at the pictures. Can you understand the highlighted words without a dictionary?
Listen and repeat. Then answer the questions from the text.
A.
The camera obscura. Hundreds of years ago, artists made the camera obscura. It was a small, dark room with a hole in one wall.
Light went through the hole and made a picture appear on the opposite wall. A modern camera works in the same way.
B.
A modern camera. When you press the button on top of the camera, the shutter opens to let the light in through the lens and onto the film. The film records the picture.
C.
The first photograph. Joseph Niepce took the first photograph in 1826. After that lots of other people started making cameras and photography became very popular.
Say CHEESE!
People in Britain often say CHEESE when somebody takes a photo of them. What do people in our country say?
Vocabulary
to appear
to magnify
to record
Nowadays there are lots of different kinds of cameras.
D.
Powerful cameras can take photos of very small objects and magnify them. We can see things that we can’t see with our eyes. What do you think this picture is?
E.
Doctors use X−ray cameras to look inside people’s bodies. They can see what is wrong with them. This person’s finger is broken.
F.
X−rays can also look inside people’s luggage. This man has got a gun!
Cameras can take ‘trick’ photos. This looks like the ice is on fire!
Some cameras are very small. You can use these to take secret photos.
reshalka.com
ГДЗ Английский язык 5 класс FORWARD часть 1 Вербицкая. UNIT 2. The competition. Номер №22
Решение
Перевод задания
Слушайте, читайте и смотрите картинки. Вы понимаете выделенные слова без словаря?
Слушайте и повторяйте. Затем ответьте на вопросы из текста.
А.
Камера−обскура. Сотни лет назад художники сделали камеру−обскура. Это была маленькая темная комната с дырой в стене.
Свет проходил через отверстие и заставил картинку появиться на противоположной стене. Точно так же работает и современная камера.
В.
Современный фотоаппарат. Когда вы нажимаете кнопку наверху камеры, затвор открывается, позволяя свету проникать через линзу на пленку. На пленке записывается картинка.
С.
Первая фотография. Джозеф Ньепс сделал первую фотографию в 1826 году. После этого многие другие люди начали делать камеры, и фотография стала очень популярной.
Скажи СЫР!
Британцы часто говорят СЫР, когда их фотографируют. Что говорят в нашей стране?
Словарик
появиться
увеличивать
записать
В настоящее время существует множество различных фотоаппаратов.
D.
Мощные камеры могут снимать очень маленькие объекты и увеличивать их. Мы можем видеть то, что не видим глазами. Как вы думаете, что это за картинка?
E.
Врачи используют рентгеновские камеры, чтобы заглядывать внутрь тел людей. Они могут видеть, что с ними не так. У этого человека сломан палец.
F.
Рентгеновские лучи также позволяют заглядывать в багаж людей. У этого человека есть пистолет!
Камеры могут делать «хитрые» фотографии. Похоже, лед горит!
Некоторые камеры очень маленькие. Вы можете использовать их для секретных фотографий.
ОТВЕТ
camera obscura – камера−обскура
hole – дыра, отверстие
button – кнопка
lens – линза
film – пленка
Powerful – Мощный
luggage – багаж
trick – хитрость
secret – секрет
What do people in our country say? – They say “CHEESE”.
What do you think this picture is? – This is a picture of an insect.
Перевод ответа
camera obscura – камера−обскура
hole – дыра, отверстие
button – кнопка
lens – линза
film – пленка
Powerful – Мощный
luggage – багаж
trick – хитрость
secret – секрет
Что говорят в нашей стране? – Они говорят «СЫР».
Как вы думаете, что это за картинка? − Это изображение насекомого.
Alexander Borodin was a genius in two fields: music and chemistry. Composing music was really a hobby for him, but he is considered one of the greatest Russian composers. His opera “Prince Igor” is considered to be one of the most important historical Russian operas.
He studied piano and cello as a youth, but got interested in chemistry after trying to make fireworks. He studied medicine, and became a surgeon for the Russian army.
(отрывок из текста)
Александр Бородин был гением в двух областях: музыке и химии. Сочинение музыки было действительно хобби для него, но он считается одним из величайших русских композиторов. Его опера «Князь Игорь» считается одной из самых важных исторических русских опер.
Он учился игре на фортепиано и виолончели в юности, но заинтересовался химией после того, как попытался сделать фейерверк. Он изучал медицину и стал хирургом для русской армии.
Позже он стал профессором химии в Медико-хирургической академии в Санкт-Петербурге, и провел остаток своей жизни, обучая там студентов. Он любил преподавать. Он также провел много своего времени, проводя научные эксперименты.
Он сказал в своем письме, что написание музыки было просто его хобби. Музыка заполняла его время, когда он был вдали от химической лаборатории или класса. На самом деле он часто делал паузы во время обсуждения музыки, чтобы проверить эксперименты! Он также сказал, что он мог сочинять музыку только тогда, когда он был слишком болен, чтобы давать лекции.
How to learn English words: fast and easy, forever and without cramming
How to learn English words by reading texts, books or articles. My proven method.
Hello dear readers of my blog. In this article, I will tell you how to learn English words correctly and effectively. I have been using this method for several years now, because it helps me learn expressions quickly and easily. It really works with me, allows me to read a lot and learn by reading in English. Most importantly, I have tested this method on my students.
Entry
When we learn a foreign language, we all the time think of this process as «learning», that is, as something that makes us tense. I propose to diversify this process a bit by using reading books, news or topics so that you read what you are interested in. Then it will be perceived as a rest, it will help to memorize English words forever and without cramming.
How does reading help you learn English words?
Reading texts, books, articles helps to repeat and practice already learned phrases. Thus, you fix them in your memory, learn according to the context correctly, for memorization. And this helps them not only to begin to understand, but to use them in their speech.
Most importantly, it expands your vocabulary and improves your pronunciation of words when read aloud. Additionally, while reading books, you also repeat grammar, develop the skill of understanding the text in English without translating it in your mind. This skill is called Reading Comprehesion.
What Reading Comprehension?
compensation comes from the verb «comprehend / ˌkɑːmprɪˈhend / to comprehend». The definition in the Oxford Dictionary is: comprehesion / ˌkɑːmprɪˈhenʃn /
Source: https://irasenglish.com/lexis/kak-uchit-slova-chitaya-teksty.html
How to Memorize English Words Quickly and Easily — SpaceDeer AntiSchool Tips
ANTON LAZORENKO / 14.08.2019
Doctor English
Conducts weekly consultations
He teaches English at the AntiSchool. Believes that every teacher should be a psychologist.
Nikita
A person who wants to learn English
Learns English all his life. The same number of people forgets and remembers English words.
So many videos have already been shot about how to memorize English words. And we still don’t remember them. Maybe because Dr. English hasn’t talked about it yet?
The most effective way to memorize
Doctor English
We all want the most effective tool to do something important to us. But the most effective means suitable for absolutely everyone. And we are all different. There is no most effective way to lose weight that will work for everyone. Or quit smoking. Or become rich. The same is with memorizing foreign words. How to memorize English words?
I would be glad to tell you — take this application and your problem is solved, but I am your doctor, and I cannot deceive.
And yet, what methods work?
Nikita
For example, I post stickers at home on different things, with their names in English.
What is wrong, are you going to scold me?
Doctor English
I never scold students, and for that I will even praise you. This is how the context is established with the appearance of the things that surround you every day, and with the place where they lie. When you need to remember a word, you can imagine the room in the house and the place where the object is. It works great with nouns. What about other parts of speech or abstract concepts like happiness, coincidence, liberty?
Nikita
Well, here I use a dictionary application, different words on cards pop up to me, and I study them, honestly, a few words every day. But where do they go then? How to quickly memorize English words?
Doctor English
There is no context in the application if you see only the word and the translation — therefore, there is very little chance of remembering. Let’s expand on your sticky method to memorize any words. A similar method is used by the hero of Benedict Cumberbatch in the TV series Sherlock. It is called the Palace of Memory or Halls of Mind, and does not even require the use of stickers. This is a completely scientific method of memorization based on visualization.
You imagine a well-known place — a long street, building, or store, and for each item or location you assign a piece of information that you want to remember. In our case, this is some kind of English word.
When you need to remember a word again, it’s like you go for a walk around this place, and you find an object that you associated with the word. How well to memorize English words? It is the Halls of Mind that are used by the participants of the competitions from memory.
This way you can memorize large amounts of information.
Doctor English
You can use the Leitner system. You write a list of words you want to memorize, each word on a separate sheet, with a translation on the back. Then you work with it in a convenient way — you learn by heart, stick stickers, take an application or go to the palaces of the mind. You check your memorization in the following way — you take sheets with words, read the version in your native language and translate.
If it works, you send the word into a separate pile, which you will use in 4 days. If it didn’t work out, the word remains in the same pile, and tomorrow you will work with it again, as you do every day. When the fourth day comes, you take both shots and repeat the procedure. And you continue to work on the same system further, moving words from pile to pile.
Remember — if you forget even one word, you start repeating it again every day. There is even a special application for this — Anki Flashcards.
Leitner system
The method consists in repeating foreign words at different intervals depending on the result of the reproduction of the word from memory.
AntiSchool of English Space Deer
In the classroom, we talk for 90 minutes, instead of 10. And we do interactive homework online, because it’s more interesting.
I remember. How to use it?
Doctor English
Remember and use are two different things. To use, in addition to the name of the word, you need to understand its context and place in the sentence. To successfully learn and use a word, you need the following:
- Learn the name of a word
- Write it. Not typing, but writing with your own hand is also a very effective memorization method.
- Read and recognize it in the text
- Be able to hear a word in a song or video
- Write a few sentences with him
- Use it spoken several times. This does not have to be done in a live conversation, although it would be ideal for memorization. You can imagine with whom and how you could use this word, simulate a phrase and pronounce it.
Nikita
So why didn’t you say about this instruction on how to memorize English words in 5 minutes before? Now everything is clear, with every word I just do these six steps. I ran, goodbye!
Doctor English
Wait, Nikita. These 6 steps cannot be done right away, during one lesson or day. I meant that if these actions occur with a word, then we can assume that you have memorized it and can use it in speech.
Nikita
Dr. English, how easy is it to memorize new English words? Is it possible to learn at least something in English in an easy way?
Doctor English
Oh Nikita, it looks like we still have a lot of sessions
How do you like the article?
Source: https://www.spacedeer.com.ua/blog/kak-zapominat-anglijskie-slova/
How to Memorize 100 English Words a Day Easily: Resources to Test and Practice English Words
It would seem like a simple math problem from the fourth grade: if you learn 30-35 English words a day every day, how many words of English can you learn in a month and a year?
Of course, you easily calculated: you can learn about a thousand English words in a month and, accordingly, 12000 words in a year. I wonder what experience and practice say?
As vocabulary shrinks, the number of feelings that you can express, the number of events that you can describe, the number of objects that you can name decreases. Not only understanding is limited, but also experience. A person grows thanks to language. Whenever he limits the language, he decays.
~ Sheri S. Tepper
As practice shows, you can learn something, but you will not be able to keep it in an active reserve and regularly use it in speech. Words without practice and associative connections are quickly forgotten, which the creators of intensive English courses keep silent about.
True, you always have a chance memorize a large number of English words — it all depends on the peculiarities of memory and techniques for memorizing English words, which we will talk about today.
How to learn a lot of English words quickly
Learning English words is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Signing the names of unfamiliar words is one of the most effective methods for memorizing.
Want to learn a lot of English words in a short time? The German scientist Ebinghaus found that with mechanical memorization, that is, when a person does not understand the meaning of the material and does not use mnemonics, after an hour only 44% of the information remains in memory, and after a week less than 25%. Fortunately, with conscious memorization, information is forgotten much more slowly.
First of all, you need to determine how it is easier for you to assimilate new information: by ear, to see it, or to write it down?
It will not take much time, but it will greatly facilitate the training and selection of effective techniques for you in the future. One of the tests that will help you determine how it is easier for you to remember new information is presented on this site. By answering 30 questions, you will be able to know exactly what type you are.
In short, we recall that visuals easily memorize new words after seeing or reading, audials — by ear, and kinesthetics need to be in motion, for example, to write information on paper.
In the modern world, most people are dominated by the visual type of perception of new information. Remember how long annoying commercials seen on TV or posters and banners that dot the streets of the city are kept in our memory.
You also need to know that 100% visuals or audials don’t exist. But some channel is still dominant, and it is this channel that should be used if your goal is learn a lot of English words quickly.
Visual method of memorizing English words
Characteristics and scheme of information perception by visuals.
If you have read the novel «Martin Eden» by Jack London, then most likely remember that the main character learned a huge number of academic words, pasting sheets of paper with new words at home.
Visual method for memorizing English words — this is pasting all the objects that surround you with stickers with new words. How does the visual method work? You constantly stumble upon an abundance of English words, read, memorize and, of course, use English words.
Purchase from the store or make your own cards with new words, translation, transcription, and even an example of use. It is convenient to take such cards with you if you take a long time to get to work or constantly disappear in queues. They can be classically done on paper or downloaded to your phone.
If you are just starting to learn English, you will be interested in the article «How to start learning English: learning secrets»
On the Internet, you can find and download applications for mobile phones that use a visual way to expand vocabulary. The most popular are Words, Easy Ten and Duolingo: Learn Languages Free.
Vivid pictures with captions, memory simulators, verification tests that use these mobile applications will help you learn a lot of English words in a short time … And most importantly, they are always at hand!
If your level is not initial (Pre-Intermediate and higher), you can watch films, programs and videos with and without subtitles, writing out not only new words, but also useful colloquial phrases.
English audio tutorials and podcasts
Characteristics and scheme of information perception by auditors.
If you belong to a rare category of people (about 10%) who love and remember with their ears, then this is the method for you.
The main condition for expanding vocabulary is to constantly listen to English speech, whether at home in the kitchen or in the car in traffic. New words and expressions can be written down and repeated periodically.
With this method, you will not be afraid to perceive speech by ear and your listening skills will improve.
Start with simple, short audio podcasts, possibly with translation. Then go to speech of the carriers. You can also listen and translate songs, watch movies in English and TV shows in the original.
TPR method for expanding vocabulary
Characteristics and scheme of information perception by kinesthetics.
The third type of information perception, which includes kinesthetics, prefers movement to static learning. If you are a kinesthetic, remember to write down new words on paper. It is better if you have a diary dictionary that you can refer to from time to time.
In teaching children, it is often used TPR (Total Physical Response) method … But, believe me, if you are a kinesthetic, this method is also for you: with its help you can easily learn English words and phrases.
The essence of the method consists in memorizing new words, phrases and lexical constructions using gestures, command execution, pantomime and games. For example, on the word ball (ball), you need to perform an action associated with this object, for example, a ball game.
For more information on the TPR method, read the article “TPR or Actively Learn English”.
Mnemonics and memorization of English words
An illustrative example of how mnemonics works.
One of the most effective ways to memorize English, and indeed foreign words, is mnemonics. The method of mnemonics (or mnemonics) is based on creating images in your mind. You take information that needs to be remembered and turn it into an image through association.
First you need to understand that the brain does not remember the images that appear in the head, but the connections between several images. This is very important to remember, because immediately during memorization, it is necessary to focus on this.
Mnemonics actively develops memory and thinking. the task is to create images that are connected in the imagination in various ways. Images should be colored, large and detailed.
Learning English words with mnemonics is incredibly easy! We select the most consonant word (or a few words) from the native language for a foreign word.
How mnemonics works when memorizing English words, let’s look at an example:
Source: https://ienglish.ru/blog/interesno-ob-angliiskom/kak-viuchit-angliiskiy-bistro-samomu/kak-bistro-vyuchit-mnogo-angliskikh-slov-tekhniki-zapominania
Memorizing words — fast and easy
Memorizing words Is a very important and most voluminous part of language learning. The more you know the words, the better you will understand what you hear and read, the easier it will be for you to convey your thought to the foreign interlocutor.
3000 words is the minimum required to at least somehow communicate with at least some foreigner. 3000 words is 800 hours of boring cramming. By the way, it takes less time to study higher mathematics in universities. Therefore, nothing saves you time and energy as correct method of memorizing words.
How easy is it to memorize English words? What are the ways to memorize English words? How to memorize English words forever? You will find the answers in this article.
I will tell you about the most effective techniques for memorizing words, which will allow you to spend only 2-3 minutes on deep memorization of one word. It is based on two time-tested techniques for memorizing words — mnemonics and the method of cards. But before you start, you need to prepare material for memorization. I will tell you in steps how to do it.
Selection of words to memorize
Not all words are created equal. Obviously, you shouldn’t memorize words that you will never use. Here are some ideas for where to find the words you really need:
- Learn the basic vocabulary needed to understand foreign speech. There are eternal topics like «Greetings», «Family», «Food», everyone needs to know them.
- Do you read a lot in English? Learn English by the Ilya Frank Method? Then take the vocabulary from the texts you read. You will involuntarily notice unfamiliar words that are more common than others.
- Are you a schoolboy or a student? Surely you are being asked to take home lessons. This is also good vocabulary building material.
- Are you going to work for a large company? Learn Business English. Do you work as a programmer? Learn terms in your specialty.
These tips will help you build an impressive list of memorized words. The list will contain a lot of useful vocabulary, but also a lot of unnecessary ones. Extra words need to be filtered out:
- The first (main) filter is a frequency dictionary. You can see the frequency of use of words in English here. If your English is at an elementary level, you are only interested in the first 2000 positions of the frequency dictionary, if the intermediate level, then the first 4000 positions. Cross the rest of the words off the list.
- Filter the second (optional) to come up with a situation in which you could apply the memorized word. If the situation seems unlikely, then cross the word off the list.
Translation preparation
Almost every English word has a variety of translation options. You shouldn’t even try to memorize them all. The most comfortable situation for your memory is one translation for each memorized word. How to choose one of the many options?
Try to generalize, find a translation that will be synonymous with all other translation options. A translation that will be correct in most situations of using the memorized word.
For example, a word walk has about 20 translation options, including walking, walking and even marching. I would translate it as walk… Because if you translate
«I walk down the street» instead «I’m walking down the street»
or
«Soldiers Walking on Red Square» instead «Soldiers Marching on Red Square»,
then the meaning of the sentence will be clear anyway.
Preparing cards.
With the flashcard method, generations of translators have been increasing their vocabulary in record time. Flashcards for memorizing English words are prepared as follows. Buy a 10 x 10 cm stack of paper cards from a stationery store. Fold each card in half, write the memorized word with transcription on one side, and the translation on the other. In the middle (in the place of the fold) we will take notes that will make it easier for us to memorize words.
We make one card for each memorized word. We collect cards by topic in piles of 20-30 cards. Transport in one pile, business words in another, travel in a third. Cards grouped by topic are easier to remember.
Memorizing words
So, we have done some serious preparatory work. It’s time to start directly memorizing English words. We will memorize words in two ways and in two stages:
- Stage one. We memorize words using mnemonics. This method ensures that after some effort the word stays in your memory for at least a few weeks. It is much more effective than cramming, since it allows you to immediately throw information into long-term memory, bypassing short-term memory (read the detailed description of the method here).
- Stage two. Repetition using the flashcards method will provide an even stronger memorization of words — you can confidently translate the vocabulary learned after many months or even years.
A few facts that are mentioned in any book on mnemonics:
- the method was used by the outstanding ancient Greek orator Cicero;
- mnemonics is an order of magnitude more effective than cramming, because it uses the hidden reserves of the human brain;
- there are unique people, such as the Guinness record holder Samvel Gharibyan, who, using this method, memorized 1000 words per hour.
The method of mnemonics is worthy of a separate article (you can read it here) and even a whole book (here), I highly recommend reading it. But for those in a hurry, I will try to summarize the essence so that you can start using this most effective technique for memorizing English words.
The essence of the method is to invent a connection between a word and its translation. This relationship is called a mnemonic association. Let me explain with an example how to quickly memorize English words. Let’s try to remember
Eagle [needle] — eagle
Eagle is consonant with the Russian «igla». We need to come up with a connection between an eagle and a needle. And according to the rules of mnemonics, this connection should be unexpected, as absurd as possible. Our brains are designed in such a way that illogical connections are better remembered.
Imagine an eagle with medical needles instead of claws — this will be our association.
You need to come up with a reinforcement — a sentence describing the association. This will help you memorize the word faster and deeper. Like association, reinforcement should be flamboyant and unexpected. For our memorized word, I propose this version of reinforcement — «The claws of an eagle are ten hellish needles.»
We write reinforcement on the card — in the middle of the card. We folded the cards in half just so we could record the reinforcement at the fold. In the future, if you cannot translate some kind of card, then open it, look at the reinforcement and remember the association.
I am sure that the word eagle is already firmly embedded in your memory, but memorization can be made even more solid. Do the following:
- Turn on your imagination and try to represent the association as vividly as possible. Try to use all your senses — sight, hearing (like an eagle screams), touch (like an eagle digs into your hand with sharp needles).
- Make some English sentences with a memorable word.
I hope the essence of the method is clear. Use mnemonic techniques to learn all the flashcards in the stack you have prepared.
Method of cards. Memorizing words through repetition
The card method is very simple. You already have everything you need. The memorized vocabulary must be repeated after a week, then after a month, then after three months, then after a year. To repeat, take a stack of cards and do the following with each card:
- look at the card and try to remember the translation;
- turn the card over and check what you remember with what is written;
- if you made a mistake in the translation, open the card, look at the reinforcement, remember the association;
- put the card at the end of the pile.
Try translating flashcards in both directions — from English to Russian and from Russian to English. When translating from Russian into English, try to remember both the spelling of the word and its pronunciation (transcription).
Thus, you need to go through all the cards in the pile 5-10 times, until you transfer all the cards without errors. After each repetition, the cards in the pile must be shuffled. Sometimes there are flashcards that cause special difficulties that you cannot translate with confidence even after 10 repetitions. These cards should be put in a separate pile; this pile should be repeated more carefully.
Always carry several stacks of cards with you, then you won’t have to spend your free time on repetition at all. You will repeat the stack, standing in line or in transport on the way to work — you can use every minute of waiting to your advantage.
There is a detailed description of the card method here. The frequency and number of repetitions, everything is described in detail.
Language practice is the best way to memorize words
Mnemonics and flashcards are great techniques for memorizing words. They will teach you to memorize words quickly and for a long time. But remember that without use, any knowledge is quickly forgotten and the best way to keep your English at a high level is constant language practice. To improve your vocabulary, the best way to practice is reading in English.
Of course, not many people can just pick up and start reading fiction in English. This requires memorizing a lot of words. Good grammar knowledge is also required. But there are specially selected and prepared adapted texts in English. These are texts written using a limited set of commonly used vocabulary.
It is enough to memorize 2000 words that are used most often, and you can already read the text in English. Memorizing words through reading it is much faster and another advantage of this method is that it is interesting to read. Much more interesting than just memorizing words. And this interest gives you additional motivation to learn the language.
Ilya Frank’s reading method should be noted separately. These are parallel texts, parallel text means that a translation is written next to each sentence in brackets.
It is easy to read such texts, because if something is not clear, you can immediately look into the translation. Memorization of words happens by itself, in addition, while reading, you will notice the words that occur most often.
It is also worth remembering these words. You need to write them down on cards and memorize them as described above.
There is a whole encyclopedia of Wikipedia simple English in adapted English, and there is a radio station Voice of America broadcasting in simplified English. So, everyone can find materials of interest, the reading of which will ensure the memorization of words.
Source: http://pcards.hreminder.com/15-strategii/8-words-main.html
5 ways to learn English words and not forget them
Learning English words is much easier than it sounds. If you disagree with this, then, apparently, because at school you were forced to cram the columns of words that were remembered with difficulty, but were forgotten the next day. Fortunately, learning words is now a pleasure using simple techniques, tutorials, and readily available English materials.
Learning English words and learning a language are not the same thing.
First of all, we note that language learning is not limited to memorizing words. Yes, you cannot erase words from the language, but their interaction in speech occurs according to the rules of grammar. In addition, vocabulary and grammar will not be «animated» without practice in reading, listening, speaking and writing. Some of the techniques listed below involve memorizing words in the context of live speech.
Cards with words
Ordinary cards made of cardboard are a powerful tool for memorizing words. Cut out cards of a convenient size from thick cardboard, write on one side English words or phrases, on the other — Russian and repeat.
To be more effective, take sets of 15-30 flashcards and learn words in two directions — English-Russian and Russian-English — in four steps:
- Acquaintance with words. Skim the cards as you speak the words aloud, trying to imagine the objects, actions, and even abstractions they represent. Don’t try to memorize words thoroughly, just get to know them, hook them on the memory hook. Some of the words will be remembered already at this stage, but not reliably.
- Repetition of English — Russian. Looking at the English side, remember the Russian translation. Go through the deck until you can guess all the words (usually 2-4 runs). Be sure to shuffle the cards! Memorizing words with a list is ineffective largely due to the fact that words are memorized in a certain order. The cards do not have this drawback.
- Repetition Russian — English. The same, but from Russian to English. This task is a little more difficult, but 2–4 rounds will be enough.
- Fastening. At this point, time the time with a stopwatch. Run the deck as quickly as possible, achieving instant recognition of the word without hesitation. Do 2-4 rounds, trying to keep the stopwatch at a shorter time each round. Don’t forget to shuffle the cards. Words can be run in both directions or optionally in one (better in Russian-English, as it is more difficult). At this stage, you will achieve instant, without translation in your mind, recognition of the word.
It is not necessary to make cards out of cardboard; there are convenient programs for creating electronic cards, for example, Quizlet. With the help of this service, you can make voiced cards, add pictures to them, teach in different modes, including games.
Price: Free
Spaced repetition method
The method consists of repeating words using flashcards, but at intervals. It is believed that, following a certain repetition algorithm, a student fixes information in long-term memory. If the information is not repeated, it will be forgotten as unnecessary.
The most popular spaced-repetition word memorization program is Anki. Create a deck of words, and the application itself will select the half-forgotten material and offer to repeat it at regular intervals.
Convenience is that you only need to load the words, and the program itself will tell you when and what to repeat. But sometimes the interval method is simply not necessary. If you are learning a selection of such common words as days of the week and months, verbs of movement, vehicles, then there is no need to repeat them according to a special algorithm: they will already be encountered very often in the textbook, when reading, in speech.
Memorizing words while reading in English
It makes sense to learn words with flashcards when the vocabulary is still insufficient even to understand the simplest texts. If you do not yet know such basic vocabulary as days of the week, colors, motion verbs, politeness formulas, then it is convenient to lay the foundation of your vocabulary by memorizing words from flashcards. According to linguists, the minimum vocabulary for understanding simple texts and speech is about 2-3 thousand words.
But, if you can already read in English, try to write words out of the text as you read. It will not be just vocabulary taken from a dictionary, but living words, surrounded by context, associatively tied to the plot, the content of the text.
Don’t write out every unfamiliar word in a row. Write out useful words and phrases, as well as words, without understanding which it is impossible to understand even the basic meaning. Write just a few words per page to reduce distraction from your reading. After reading an article or chapter of a book, words can be quickly repeated.
By the way, if you just read in English without writing anything out, the vocabulary will also grow, but much more slowly and only if you read a lot and regularly, for example, every day for half an hour or an hour.
Learning programs can greatly simplify and speed up the memorization of words. For example, when reading texts online, you can save words with a single click and then repeat them using the Leo-Translator browser extension.
Memorizing words from video and audio recordings
While it is easy to underline or write out a word while reading, it is more difficult with a film or audio recording. But listening (listening) for vocabulary learning is no less interesting than books. In live speech of native speakers, there are fewer bookish, uncommon words and more popular colloquial expressions. In addition, listening develops not only vocabulary, but also the skill of listening comprehension.
The easiest way to learn English from films and audio recordings is to just watch or listen without being distracted by spelling out words. This is the easiest approach, but this way you are unlikely to learn something new, just fix the already familiar words well (which is also important).
If you write out and then repeat new words, then you will not only enjoy the movie, but also replenish your vocabulary. Of course, while watching, it is very inconvenient to be distracted by pause and writing down words, but you can take short notes, and then return to them and analyze the material in more detail. As with reading, you do not need to write out all the incomprehensible words in a row.
It is much easier to study audio and video using dedicated sites. Most of all, the popular online services LinguaLeo and Puzzle English are suitable for this, which use a special interface for easy viewing of videos with the ability to quickly (click on a word in subtitles) translate and save words.
Memorizing words while writing and speaking
Reading and listening is passive speech activity, speech perception. Speaking and writing is an active use of language. When you write or speak, vocabulary develops in a different way: you have to practice using already familiar words, translating them from passive (at the level of comprehension) to active vocabulary.
While writing, whether it be an essay or informal chatting, you have to constantly select words and try to understand, more accurately express the idea. A situation often arises when you want to say something, but do not know the right word or expression. It is not difficult to find it with the help of a dictionary, but do not let this valuable find be immediately forgotten — write down such small discoveries and repeat in your free time. Practice in vigorous speech activity is great for identifying such gaps.
Of course, you won’t be able to look into the dictionary during an oral conversation, but speaking practice forces you to work out already familiar words and constructions. You have to strain your memory, remember everything that is stored even in its most distant corners in order to express a thought. Conversational practice for learning a language is like training for the body: you strengthen, develop your «language form», transferring words from passive to active stock.
Conclusion
The first two methods — flashcards and spaced repetition — are suitable for memorizing collections of words, such as “In the city,” “Clothes,” and so on. Methods three through five are designed to memorize words during speech practice.
If you want the words to be not only remembered but also not forgotten, regularly practice reading and listening. Having met a familiar word several times in a living context, you will remember it forever. If you want not only to have a passive vocabulary, but also to freely express thoughts — communicate in the language. This will help you transform dry knowledge into confident skills. After all, we do not learn languages in order to know them, but in order to use them.
Source: https://lifehacker.ru/english-words/
How to memorize English words without doing anything. Especially for the lazy — Cynical English
Hello!
The topic of today’s post is extremely straightforward. How to memorize English wordswithout resorting to any special techniques. Let’s say you are incredibly lazy, you have enough enhanced brain activity at work and there is not the slightest desire to delve into the intricacies of memorization when using the tabbed method, look for a good illustrated dictionary or construct associations to memorize words.
And is there such a way? There is, as without it. It is quite possible, quickly and easily to memorize English words without doing anything special. Although no, I’m lying. You still have to do something. For example breathe
How to memorize English words. A guide for the laziest
First, a few numbers. It is believed (and I am ready to subscribe to each number based on my own experience) that in order to memorize a particular English word qualitatively, it is necessary to hear it (or read it) at least 20 times, of course in different contexts. But this is only for those who are doing well with their memory.
If you are honest with yourself and are ready to admit that your memory is so-so, average, the required number of repetitions rises to 30-35 times.
And finally, if the head is in real trouble (like mine), you need to hear or see an unfamiliar word in English, about 50 times to remember it completely. I don’t know how the definitions “fast” and “easy” are applicable here, but nevertheless.
Let’s consider the last case, as the most difficult, in more detail.
You can try to “pull” from a dictionary, for example Longman’s, ten 2 examples with the use of an unfamiliar English word, look for sentences with an unfamiliar word on English-language news resources, thus dial the desired number 50 and read the resulting “vinaigrette”.
But it’s like going to Moscow from St. Petersburg by electric trains, with three transfers. There are comfortable long-distance trains
Today, teacher Luke from London will act as such a «train», and I will modestly assist. Don’t you know this? Check out Luke’s website.
Now I will not dwell on the achievements of this absolutely amazing person, I will only say that he and the smiling American AJ Hoge, in my opinion, are real revolutionaries in the field of teaching English, especially independent, such Che Guevaras of the spirit who challenged the established system, consisting of both from school education, and a variety of English courses.
True, Comandante Che was shot by Bolivian militarists, and AJ Hoge and Luke are in good health, which inspires some hopes for a successful outcome.
Try it yourself how easy it is to remember the English word stammer
You can see for yourself the effectiveness of this approach to memorizing English words. What did Luke do? He recorded almost an hour-long audio, with a fairly detailed analysis of the British film “King’s speech”, we know it as “The King Speaks”.
Very briefly, the content is as follows, a peasant needs to sit on the throne, and he stammer — stutters and, therefore, is not quite suitable for public speaking, which were necessary in the era of the absence of television and the Internet.
But the character, brilliantly embodied on the screen by Colin Firth, turned out to be a guy made of flint and steel, and with the help of a loser actor who cleverly masqueraded as a speech therapist, he managed to turn himself around, conquered the illness and became the national leader of Britain during the Second World War.
“Nails would be made of these people, everyone in Russia would have more fun.”
However, let’s all the same, closer to 50 repetitions of the word stammer, since it is it that acts as a guinea pig, experiments on which teacher Luke is conducting. Luke’s ranting monologue is fascinating, replete with unexpected excursions into the history of the treatment of stammer — stuttering, in Britain, or the sudden appearance of a person who suffered from a similar disorder and now talks about it in detail and frankly.
Personally, you DO NOT DO ANYTHING! You just listen, sometimes with a smile, but nevertheless with interest. Luke plays the word stammer over and over again in all sorts of variations.
Source: http://sinenglish.ru/kak-zapominat-anglijskie-slova/kak-zapominat-anglijskie-slova-nichego-ne-delaya-tolko-dlya-lenivyx.html
How to quickly learn English words: a detailed description of the methods | Articles in English on Study.ru
- About memory work
- How to understand what needs to be taught and what not
- Common mistakes in learning new vocabulary
- Repeat, repeat, repeat
- Word groups
- Cards
- Cards-2
- Making lists
- Native language
- Learn interesting
- Mobile phone applications
- additional services
I have a memory like a fish: I just can’t remember English words! How can you ever learn so many new words? I devote a lot of time to increasing my vocabulary, but when it comes time to show off fresh knowledge, I can’t remember the right word! I want my vocabulary to be like an Oxford dictionary, but I keep forgetting what I already learned! vocabulary is really an important aspect. I would even say — one of the most important. Little schoolchildren come to their first English lesson, and where do you think their learning begins? With grammar? From the alphabet? No. Acquaintance with the language always begins with new words and expressions.
Therefore, today we will talk about how learn to teach new words, how to make sure that they do not fly in transit over your head, but remain in your memory and appear in the right place and at the right time.
Now there will be a small excursion into psychology. Let’s remember that our memory is divided into two types:
- Long-term.
- Short-term. It is also called operational.
All information coming from the outside to the brain is first stored in short-term memory. If we constantly use it, if we introduce it into our daily life more and more often, then it smoothly turns into a long-term one and remains there forever. You won’t be able to press the delete button here, even if these are “Pythagorean pants are equal in all directions”, about which you want to forget forever.
Also, our brain has a wonderful quality: it does not like boredom. Everything that he considers boring, uninteresting and irrelevant, he erases mercilessly. Therefore, it is here that it is worth noting a very important point:
Don’t even try to learn long sheets of new words 100 at a time. Nothing good will come of it. The main thing: there is no point in learning words that you will never use anywhere!
How to understand what needs to be taught and what not
Earlier we talked about how many words you need to know in order to speak fluently and understand English. Now our main question is — which words should be included in the 3000 units you need specifically?
Someone before us has deduced a golden formula, thanks to which you can easily calculate the required vocabulary: base + your personal dictionary, where Base is the most frequently used words by native speakers in a given period of time (they are also called high-frequency words), and Personal dictionary — this is already what is your personal interest.
Therefore, it is important to develop your vocabulary in the direction that is close to you, and where knowledge of the necessary vocabulary will definitely come in handy for you:
- being just a student of a foreign university;
- on work trips and interviews;
Source: https://www.study.ru/article/sovety/kak-bystro-vyuchit-angliyskie-slova
We memorize English words easily. Six strategies for effective learning
Learning a foreign language (especially new words) is hard painstaking work, impossible without tedious hours of cramming, isn’t it? Not really. “If you use the power of your brain correctly, learning can become a much faster and more exciting process,” says Inna Maksimenko, founder of the author’s English language courses.
Why do small children mastering their native language, as well as polyglots who easily master several languages at once, do not experience any particular difficulties? Inna told us about effective learning strategies that these people use. Take advantage of their secrets, and you will also learn to memorize words much easier and faster.
Strategy 1. Harness the Power of Emotions
What comes to your mind when you mention the word honey? Only an English textbook or an English-Russian dictionary? But people who memorize English words most quickly and easily know how to associate them with something important to themselves.
For example, the same word honey can conjure up the image of a beloved girl (after all, this is how Americans call those they love). And if you come across a new word in an interesting story, then it will connect with the emotions that you experience while reading the story. An interesting conversation in English will also help you quickly memorize a new word.
Why it works: Any positive emotion activates our ability to learn. After all, they signal that a given word refers to something meaningful to us.
Recommended: Learn English with the help of texts, films, books that interest you. Chat with interesting people. Then the very experience of such learning will become a positive emotional factor that will help you remember the words.
Strategy 2. «Embed» a new word in your experience
“When young children learn their native language,” says Inna Maksimenko, they begin to notice a new word in a variety of situations, environments, and contexts. ” For example, hearing the word «white» for the first time, a small child begins to repeat it when he sees white snow, white paper, white sugar.
And this is what helps him remember the word quickly and easily.
Why it works: Thus, the brain forms associations with different parts of the previous experience, the new word is associated with what the child already knows well, becomes more familiar and familiar. And to reproduce it in memory, you no longer need to strain, it is enough just to remember about sugar or snow.
Recommended: Use the new word more often in different situations — try to use it by retelling the text, doing your homework, practicing English with fellow students, with native speakers.
Strategy 3. Believe in your capabilities
Tell me, do you have a good memory? Is it easy for you to memorize English words? Whatever your opinion about your own abilities, sooner or later it will turn into reality. People who successfully learned English believed in their ability to do so.
Why it works: Self-beliefs often turn into self-fulfilling prophecies. By mentally repeating that languages are difficult for you, you are programming your brain to resist learning. «Why memorize these words — your unconscious is sure, — after all, nothing will work out anyway.»
Recommended: If you feel like learning languages isn’t good for you, try to understand where this belief came from. “It is confirmed by past experience,” you say, “so at school I grabbed a C for the language, and I passed the exam twice at the institute”.
In fact, these events have nothing to do with your abilities. The reason for the failure could be poor health, lack of time to prepare, or the fact that you did not need to know the language at that time.
Learn to share isolated failures and your abilities in general, and believe in yourself.
Strategy 4. Remember forever
«How long will the knowledge of English remain after your courses?» — many listeners ask. “If I don’t use the language, will I forget it a year after graduation?” The answer to this question also largely depends on the beliefs and motivation of the person himself. People who are successful in learning languages usually believe in their ability to quickly regain knowledge. “When I have such a need, I will quickly remember everything I need,” they say.
Why it works: Our beliefs shape not only the ability to perceive information, but also the ability to store it. We can believe that we have a good, in principle, memory — only a little short. “It will fly into one ear and fly out into the other,” we say in such cases, and reality, as always, confirms our expectations.
We recommend: Form in your mind an image of a quick recovery of lost skills. Determine the period of time during which your skills will recover. For example: «A week of working on the language will be enough for me to remember everything.» “Two hours of communication with a foreigner is enough for me to start speaking fluently and confidently again.”
Strategy 5. Remember the goal
Studies have shown that people with a good reason to learn a language are able to learn it much faster than others. For example, one of the Moscow doctors was able to master English in just a month — knowing that this would allow him to go on a foreign internship. Students who are told that certain words will be required in the next lesson are statistically better remembered than those who are not told about it.
Why it works: Any undertaking is impossible without a good reason, desire, motivation. Motivation gives strength. People who start learning English because it is fashionable often drop out halfway through. And if you have a goal, then your chances of successfully mastering the language are much greater.
Recommended: Remember why you are learning English. Perhaps you are dreaming of going to study in the USA, or watching the famous musical «Cats» in the original version, you want to get a promotion, or you dream of giving lectures in English. When memorizing words, choose, first of all, those that you actively use in Russian.
Strategy 6. Learning unconsciously
A small child easily masters his native language in the process of playing, communicating, learning about the world. A person who finds himself in the country of the language being studied quickly «absorbs» dozens and hundreds of new words along with the peculiarities of pronunciation and grammar. But they do not sit over textbooks and do not memorize words on purpose!
Why it works: It’s no secret that the average person uses only a tiny fraction of the potential of their own brain. But people who successfully master any languages were able to use the hidden capabilities of their unconscious.
It is known that the unconscious learns several times faster than the consciousness. This happens in those moments when the consciousness is «loaded» with other activities. For example, while you are watching a movie or chatting with a friend, you focus on the topic of the conversation.
And at this time, your unconscious is memorizing new words.
Recommended: Practice English vocabulary. For example, read an interesting story, watch movies, listen to audio materials, news, and often communicate with people in English. Then your consciousness will be occupied with the plot, and the unconscious will be able to easily assimilate new words and expressions. “In our courses,” says Inna Maksimenko, “we don’t learn words on purpose. And yet they are easy to remember. «
I hope I have convinced you that it is easy to memorize foreign words — quite possible. You just need to set a goal, believe in yourself and start working on the English language. And then, one day, the ability to easily communicate or lecture in the language will become a reality for you.
Natalia Eremeeva, englishmax.ru
Source: https://www.native-english.ru/articles/simple
How to quickly learn English words: techniques, tips for choosing vocabulary
Learn English: memorize a large number of words forever. How to increase vocabulary in the shortest possible time?
Words are the basis of the language and without them no knowledge of the rules helps. But as most people say, the hardest part of learning English is learning the required number of words.
Yes, as soon as you learn the words, you will not become a polyglot, but you will be able to understand speech without difficulty, express yourself somehow and convey your thoughts, but the most important thing is probably to watch movies, listen to music and read in English.
In this article, we will go over the basic principles of learning a large number of English words.
Learning English words simply: memorization technique
Standard cramming of English words is considered the least effective, because it is boring in the first place, and everything that is boring our brain is intuitively repulsive. On average, pupils learn no more than 1.5 thousand words for their studies at school, half of which are simply forgotten. We propose to abandon such a system and learn English words with fun and pleasure.
Mobile apps and games are a great way to learn English words
So, let’s take a look at the main problems of learning English words:
- As soon as you stop repeating words, they are instantly forgotten;
- Learning a large number of words at a time is not very easy, and sometimes impossible;
- Not entirely correct understanding of the process of effectively learning words in general;
- Short-term memory is a dangerous thing, because as soon as words get there, they are forgotten immediately after repetition.
After that, scientists once again conducted a series of studies that showed a certain result. First, we learn words, the second is repetition in a certain order:
- 20-30 minutes break and again you need to repeat the English words;
- After 1-2 hours, go through the same program again;
- Repeat the next day;
- After 7 days, repeat again;
- After 14 days, another repeat;
- After 60 days, repeat again.
This combination of traditional repetition and spaced learning is the perfect way to learn a large number of words forever, rather than for a short period of time.
Memorizing English words: tips
In this section, we offer several options for learning English words according to the above scheme. Which one is more effective depends entirely on the person. Try all the methods and then through trial and error you will surely find your ideal option.
We learn English words in order — take a dictionary and start learning along the way. On the one hand, it is boring, on the other hand, words of different complexity are memorized by many easier. The downside is that you don’t know the context in which this or that word is used, but on the other hand, it’s a great option for the base.
Thematic version of the study of words — take a notebook dictionary and write down words on the topic, for example «Home». Thus, you not only learn words, but also organize them. For example: a house, a private house, an apartment building, a skyscraper, a shopping center, a cinema, a country house, etc.
These schemes are one of the most effective ways to memorize words forever, but drawing on your own is very laborious, albeit interesting.
Learn words by flashcards.
This option previously assumed the production or purchase of cards, on which on the one hand an English word is written, on the other — its translation.
Today there are many mobile applications with such a system, supplemented with transcription and sound transmission of the word.
Learning words in context… Suitable for those who have already passed to the second and higher level. You watch a video in English, and when you encounter an unfamiliar word, you write down and learn the whole sentence in order to understand not only the word, but also its binders.
Now, having chosen the technique, let’s move on to the very system of memorizing English words. If you decide to learn words on your own, and not according to a ready-made program, remember this formula.
80% repetitions, 20% new words. At the same time, it is necessary to repeat both yesterday’s words and the words of two months ago. Thus, it will be easiest to remember new words, and not to forget already learned material.
You can learn words in different ways, but as soon as your stock goes beyond 1000 words, connect associations. Without them, it will be much more difficult to memorize the rest of the words.
How to quickly learn words in English?
In this part, we propose to study words in Mnemonics. This system is rapidly gaining momentum and becoming one of the most popular in the world. A word is a set of letters and a meaning. So, this technique suggests constructing associations between words and meanings in such a way that at the sight of a given set of letters, you recreate the necessary association and response in the brain.
Mnemonics is an effective way to learn words
Why Mnemonics works:
- After years of research, scientists have proven that the brain is best for creating visual connections;
- The technique appeared a long time ago and was actively used in Ancient Rome and Greece. Socrates was especially fond of her;
- Mnemonics is given to everyone in different ways, but after learning 1000 words using this technique, almost all supporters of the technique say that they can memorize about 100 words per hour! That speaks about its high efficiency.
Four reasons to choose mnemonics:
- The visual lobes in the human brain are the most powerful and contain the highest percentage of neurons, and, accordingly, they can assimilate the largest amount of information in a certain time, in comparison with other lobes;
- The brain does not store sets of letters; the brain stores a picture with meaning (word) and sound. That is, regardless of whether we see the letters «dog», we hear the word dog, we still represent a dog;
- Associations, like feelings, they take us to the place where we first got acquainted with something new, or in the period when emotions were at the highest level. The melody started playing, and you feel a gust of wind, goosebumps and before your eyes that time when this melody was special? This means that this direction is well developed for you, and you can memorize many words without any problems from the very first lessons. If not, then after a few weeks you will reach the desired level and can easily memorize a large number of words in one lesson;
- 90% of those who started using this technique reported that after the first week of classes they memorize about 100-300 words (the indicator is individual and largely depends on the initial skills).
How to study Mnemonics:
- The visuals are good, but they are not suitable for this direction. Turn on the image and draw a picture in the head. For example, we learn the word sun. We close our eyes (if it doesn’t work with open eyes) and imagine a bright sun on a clear day. Not the street, but the sun, we «look» at it repeating the word and reading the letters;
- If the first rule isn’t working hard, try the second. Association with absurdity. We are looking for a suitable word in Russian, for example, for English fist so Russian begs pistachio… Now imagine a pistachio in a fist and say the word fist. Now it will definitely pop up in consciousness as the most vivid memory from a sound or a set of letters fist. But here it is important not to confuse that the word fist is a fist, not a pistachio;
- The plot associated with the picture. Another bright direction of abstraction. Introducing a giant crane lifting a giant fish and repeating fish;
- It is important to put your eyes correctly. For each word, you repeat 4-5 times and set your eyes in this way: slightly lifting and pointing at the bridge of the nose. According to scientists, in this position of the eyes, the neutrons of the visual part of the brain are most active;
- Learn to remember with open eyes, this is important, since memories come depending on whether you kept your eyes initially closed or open (to remember, you need to return your eyes to the same position);
- Repetition is the mother of learning. Do not forget the associations well, but without repeating the scheme given in the first section, the associations will disappear.
The main mistakes in quickly memorizing English words
No matter how hard you try to learn English words, you can make mistakes, so we propose to analyze the most basic ones, and ways to solve them.
- «Today I will learn everything. « Do you know how muscles ache after the first workout? And then how does the body not want to train again, so as not to suffer in the end? So in studies, moderation is good, otherwise the lesson will quickly get bored and it will be very difficult to return to it.
- «I’ll memorize the most difficult, and leave the easy for later.» Of course, the initiative is good, but then you simply have a «mess», because each level has its own vocabulary. English teachers recommend starting with simple words, especially verbs, and only after a month, try to move to a more difficult level.
Great association for learning the word «mistake»
- «Today I will learn something new, and next week I will repeat it.» And again, deception, it is necessary to repeat it according to the compiled schedule, as well as 80% of the repetition and only 20% of the new, only in this way you can effectively remember everything and forever.
- We teach without understanding the context. Do you know that the same object, the action is called differently depending on the situation? So, you need to memorize the word in context, and not separately, in order to minimize the «bloopers».
- Learning words with incorrect pronunciation. Even if you don’t speak out loud, you are thinking with one pronunciation or another. We strongly recommend that you think several times and only then pronounce. This is very important, as retraining is 10 times more difficult than learning.
How to learn and memorize English words forever? Five tips
Source: https://crownenglishclub.ru/uprazhneniya/kak-bystro-vyuchit-anglijskie-slova-metodiki-sovety-po-vyboru-leksiki.html
Knowledge of the English year has always been in demand. It is the international language of business, culture, tourism, cinema and other important spheres of life, spoken by hundreds of millions of people around the world.
Recently, learning English has become extremely popular — moreover, fashionable. They strive to teach children from an early age, so that in the future it will become a good help for them in the professional field. Knowledge of the English language is highly valued by employers — because it emphasizes the professionalism of the employee and helps to solve complex problems.
However, learning English, like any other foreign language, is not easy. Learning is based primarily on memorizing unfamiliar words to form the student’s vocabulary. Without it, communication in a foreign language will be impossible, because it is through vocabulary that communication is carried out — both oral and written.
English for different groups of people
How can you speed up the learning process? For this, there are a number of effective methods that will help to firmly consolidate the vocabulary in the head and apply it in various communicative situations.
To choose the most effective method or several of them, it is worth first distinguishing three main groups of people according to the method of memorization:
- Visuals. About a third of the population has a predominantly visual memory. For these learners, the emphasis should be on eye contact with new vocabulary.
- Audials. New information in such people is better perceived and remembered through sounds. In this case, listening to audio and video recordings, frequent pronouncing of new words is suitable.
- Kinesthetics. New knowledge is fixed in the memory of such people through emotions, sensations, feelings. In this case, the use of pens, pencils, a computer keyboard for accelerated memorization of foreign vocabulary will be effective.
How to quickly memorize English words
- Method of marking surrounding objects. For the speedy memorization of English words, it is worth sticking stickers with the names of objects, written with a marker, on all objects at home or in the office. Both kinesthetic memory (working with a marker) and visual (constant eye contact with stickers) work here. Constantly having English words in sight, the brain firmly fixes them in memory.
- To memorize English words quickly and easily, you need to write flashcards with difficult vocabulary and carry them with you. In any free time, you can take them out and repeat — this reliable method will help to firmly fix the material.
Source: http://cool-english.com/kak-bystro-zapomnit-anglijskie-slova/
How easy it is to memorize English words
All learners want to memorize English words quickly and easily. But, of course, there is no such universal way that allows you to learn 100 English words in 5 minutes and not forget any of them. However, it is quite possible to learn to quickly memorize vocabulary and be able to retain it in memory for a long time. To do this, you just need to be able to choose the right technique. In this section, we will introduce you to the best of them.
Mnemonics
The question of how to quickly learn many English words has been considered by many linguists and scientists. Thanks to their searches and efforts, a unique method of memorizing foreign words was invented, based on the peculiarities of memory.
The standard approach to the study of vocabulary is carried out according to the following scheme: English spelling — transcription — translation. With this method, the memorized word is recognized primarily by its spelling, i.e. clearly. Therefore, we read and translate texts well, and in a conversation we often get lost and cannot remember a suitable expression.
The mnemonic method offers the opposite scheme: meaning — sound — spelling. At the same time, work with translation and pronunciation is carried out with the help of associations of the native language.
For example, let’s take the word monkey. The student’s task is to present a vivid image of a monkey and associate it with a phrase that is consonant with an English word. For example, the MONKEY ate a plate of MANKEY, or simply the MONKEY ate a MONKEY. And we imagine how a monkey eats semolina. A bright and consonant image 100% will settle in memory for a long time, and when you need to talk about monkeys in English, the word «decoys» will automatically be remembered.
Mnemonics is the most popular method of memorizing new information. If you urgently need to learn English words for a dictation or an exam, this technique will not be equal in effectiveness. But, if associative thinking is not at all your strong point, then it is better to find another easy and quick way to memorize English words.
, video, writing, logic circuits and maps
This is not really a technique, but rather a tip: if you want to learn words in English as quickly as possible, include your individual qualities in the work.
- Do you hear information better? Listen to special audio recordings or record your own audio lessons.
- Prefer visual design? Watch videos with popular vocabulary, study words with pictures, independently compose images for the studied expressions.
- Are you accustomed to trusting feelings more? Learn vocabulary in writing or on the move. Manually rewrite thematic collections of words, animate words with gestures and movements, tap out the rhythm of syllables.
Source: https://vk.com/@abclanguage-kak-legko-zapominat-angliiskie-slova