Use a new word every day

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.

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.

At Woodward English on Twitter we have an “English Word of the Day” to help you improve your vocabulary with a new word every day from Monday to Sunday. We also include an example of that new word in a sentence so you can see it in context.

How can you use the English word of the day to help you learn?

The most important thing about learning vocabulary is to USE the new word.
It is best to learn words in context or associated with something and not just reading long lists of words (which is boring and doesn’t help you very much). That is why we have created 7 Tips to help you learn the new word of the day.

7 Tips for learning an English Word a day

1. Use the new word in a sentence

After you have read the word and understood its meaning, use that new word in your own sentence. It is best to try and create a sentence that has some type of relationship or connection with your life.

2. Look for grammatical variations of the word

Look for the different ways (grammatical forms) the word can appear. For example if the word to suspect (a verb) is given to you, you can look for its noun form (suspicion), its adjective form (suspicious) etc. Suspect can also be a noun (a suspect). Remember that not all words have all grammatical forms. It pays to have a good English dictionary to help you with this.
Once you have the different forms of the new word, you can then try and make a sentence with each one.

3. Do Word Associations

Try and associate the word with other things (like a mind map). Not only will it help you remember the new word but it will also increase your knowledge (vocabulary) of other things associated with the word.

For example if you have the new word CAR (a noun),
Think of nouns associated with the word (parts of a car: windscreen, steering wheel…)
Think of verbs associated with the word (to Brake, to accelerate, to crash…)
Think of adjectives to describe it (Fast, rusty… )
Think of examples of the word (Limousine, Jeep…)

If the word is an adjective for example BIG

Think of synonyms or words with a similar meaning (large, enormous, huge…)
Think of antonyms or opposites (small, tiny…)
Think of examples of the adjective (Big: Elephant, a continent, Jupiter…)

4. Carry a list or a notepad with you

Write the new word and its meaning (and maybe an example too) in a small notepad that you can carry with you and read whenever you have a spare moment (or some people keep them in their smartphone). This can be read while you are sitting on a bus, on the underground/subway, or while you are in a waiting room. This will help you see the words more than once and will help them stick in your mind.

5. Make flash cards

Make little cards with each new word on one side and the meaning of that word on the other side. Put them on the ground and if the meaning is face up, then try and think of the word. If the word appears face up, then think of its meaning. When you start to have a lot of cards you can shuffle them and randomly pick out 10 or so every day.

6. Look for examples on the internet

Type the word in a search engine (such as Google) and write down 7 different sentences that contain an example of that word. This way you will see the word in context and maybe other vocabulary associated with it. For better results, look for one sentence every day over 7 different days.

7. Learn the word again on other days

Don’t just learn or practice a word one day and then forget about it. You may think you have learned the word (since you have just been using it) but if you try to remember/use the new word a couple of weeks later, you may find it difficult. To really remember a word you need to reuse that word over and over before it sticks in your long-term memory.

There is a saying in English “Use it or lose it.” Basically this means if you don’t use (or practice) something you have learned, you will eventually forget how to use it properly.

I hope these tips have helped. See you at our English Word of the Day on Twitter.

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Learning a new language is well-known to improve cognitive ability, but what about expanding vocabulary in your own native language? Many of us fall out of the habit of learning new words as it’s often synonymous with our school years meaning we don’t always actively seek out new words to improve our range of vocabulary in adult life. However, developing the habit of learning new words can be beneficial (and enjoyable) in many areas of your life.

How Learning New Words Can Make You Smarter

A recent study looked at the impact that learning new vocabulary has on different areas of the brain. The correlation between vocabulary, intelligence and real-world ability has been found to exist from a very early age right through to adulthood. It primarily stretches our working memory as well as our ability to communicate more efficiently with the world around us, subtly opening up our perspectives and ways of communication.

Our working memory can only hold so much information so learning new words actually helps our brain to create more ways of retaining information. Each new word we learn gets placed into our long-term memory. While this may seem to be counterproductive, it actually allows us to associate much more information with each word, meaning our brain doesn’t need to dredge through and reach for information in order to express ourselves better. In other words, we are able to express more easily.

The concept of increasing vocabulary can be applied to whole spheres of knowledge and experience. So in effect, a large vocabulary is a powerful coping strategy that enhances our general cognitive ability and increases intelligence.

Ways To Make Learning New Words A Habit

We may think our vocabulary range is pretty wide, but it can always be widened even further. Making a habit of finding new words and putting them into practice will go a long way to increasing your brain capacity and expanding your mind to the world around you.

1. Really notice new words: We come across new words daily whether through reading, watching TV or talking with others; it may surprise you how often we skim over the new word or just second guess what it means through context.

Alternatively, there may be many words we think we know but when asked to give a true definition we may struggle. Making a conscious effort to look up any words we’re unsure of and understand their meaning will go towards making sure we will always use those words in the right way with confidence.

2. Read more: Reading is a great way to increase vocabulary if done in the right way. Make sure you read something interesting to you with the intent of questioning which words you don’t fully understand. Reading on a regular basis will expose you to many more words.

3. Use a dictionary: An obvious one, but more often than not a dictionary is only pulled out once in a blue moon to check a word. One habit is to pick a random word to learn each day, write it down and find ways to use it in conversation. Circle words you’ve learned and flick back through it every so often to refresh and test yourself on the highlighted words.

Recommended Resources

There are many apps and online resources to help you to develop a habit of learning a new word every day.

• Vocabulary.com is a combined learning tool and game that helps you find new words and remember them.
• Word A Day Widget can be downloaded on any device and gives you a new random word to learn each day.
• Words With Friends is a great game that forces you to find unusual words to win and gets your mind reaching for those forgotten words.
• Magoosh is great for differing levels of vocabulary and uses strategies to help you remember the new words you’ve learned.

Featured photo credit: unsplash.com via pexels.com

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If improving vocabulary is one of your resolutions for 2019, you are in the right place. Bookmark our site www.addicted2learn.com to read and learn a new word every day with this vocabulary builder series

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For the latest vocabulary May Series: Vocabulary Daily- May Series – Learn a new word every day

30-04-2019

Contrite

Adjective

Meaning: feeling and admitting the guilt or wrong committed by self.

Usage: She was contrite for her behavior yesterday. She admitted her mistake and rendered an apology letter.

That’s all we have for the month of April. Hope you enjoyed the learning experience with these posts. We will be posting the may series for the same on our website. For your convenience, we’ll drop a link here – Enjoyed reading the daily updates? Please share and inspire the people around you.

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29-04-2019

Tyro

Noun

Meaning: Someone who is inexperienced and has little knowledge, or skill of something; A beginner, trainee or a newbie.

Usage: Tim was a tryo in vocabulary and grammar a few months ago, but his dedication and zeal to learn made him an expert in the English language.

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28-04-2019

Pungent

Adjective

Meaning: Taste or smell that is sharp, strong, spicy or acidic.

Usage: Since the restaurant has an open kitchen, many guests complained about the pungent smell in the atmosphere.

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27-04-2019

Bemused

Adjective

Meaning: Unable to think properly; Confused; Puzzled

Usage: Tony stood bemused at the parking area unable to find his Car.

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26-04-2019

Parvenu

Noun

Meaning: Someone from the low social position suddenly acquires wealth, position and power.

Usage: When the parvenu won the lottery, he had joined social clubs, took partnership in businesses and took every possible measure to portray himself as the wealthiest businessman.

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25-04-2019

Pussyfoot

Verb

Meaning: To refrain from expressing an opinion or taking a decision; being cautious and careful about what you say because you are frightened or uncertain.

Usage: When you participate in group discussions and debates, you don’t pussyfoot. You just express your ideas and opinions frankly.

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24-04-2019

Frabjous

Adjective

Meaning: Amazing, Magnificent, Wonderful.

Usage: ‘Awe, What a frabjous day it is !’ All of us finally agreed to sort out the differences amongst us’

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23-04-2019

Unanimous

Adjective

Meaning: total agreement between/among two or more people; accord or consent among the members.

Usage: The decision to elect the vice-president of the Party by means of voting was unanimous.

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22-04-2019

Criterion

Noun

Meaning: A standard or a base for judging and deciding something.

Usage: In choosing a skilled cook, the right criterion is creativity.

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21-04-2019

Pugnacious

Adjective

Meaning: Quick or eager to quarrel, argue or fight; expressing one’s opinion forcefully and in an aggressive manner.

Usage: Tanya’s pugnacious behavior is one reason why many of her friends avoid talking to her.

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20-4-2019

Fallacy

Noun

Meaning: An idea or belief that seems to be true but is actually false and misleading.

Usage: It is a common fallacy that only women are good at cooking.

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19-4-2019

Fawning

Adjective

Meaning: Praising someone too much or displaying exaggerated affection especially with an intention to gain some favor.

Usage: Since John wanted a promotion, he spends most of his time fawning over his higher officials.

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18-4-2019

Prodigy

Noun

Meaning: A young child who is extremely talented and shows exceptional skills and abilities.

Usage: Peter is considered a prodigy ever since he won the National level chess championship.

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17-4-2019

Ambivalent

Adjective

Meaning: Characterized by mixed Feelings about someone or something; Uncertain and Indecisive about someone or something.

Usage: Patricia was ambivalent about her weekend vacation because she had many things pending on her to-do list.

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16-4-2019

Propitious

Adjective

Meaning: Indicating favorable results or showing great chances of success.

Usage: Since the circumstances were propitious, the political party had decided to give the ticket to a young eligible and a popular figure.

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15-4-2019

Tawdry

Adjective

Meaning: Attractive and flashy in appearance but poor and cheap in quality.

Example: Though the wedding gown was fabulous, the jewellery that she wore was a bit tawdry.

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14-4-2019

Cantankerous

Adjective

Meaning: Someone who is bad-tempered, and difficult to deal; Argumentative, Uncooperative and Irritating.

Usage: Keith often complains that his sales manager is mean, biased and cantankerous.

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13-4-2019

Espouse

Verb

Meaning: To advocate or to support a particular belief, cause or ideology.

Usage: Swami Vivekananda espoused the ideology of spiritual enlightenment for the youth of India.

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12-4-2019

Congruous

Adjective

Meaning: To be in a harmonious agreement; to Confirm to the agreement or requirement of a situation.

Usage: Congruous in their decision to buy a home, their only battle is to choose between an independent home and an apartment.

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11-4-2019

Innocuous

Adjective

Meaning: Not likely to harm, offend or upset anyone; Harmless and not offensive.

Usage: Tanya took offense at Tim’s innocuous comment about her spicy meal.

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10-4-2019

Plausibility

Noun

Meaning: Seeming to be believable, reasonable and is likely to be accepted as truth.

Usage: The principal of the school goes on to test the plausibility of a fuel-free vehicle designed by the students.

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9-4-2019

Gibberish

Noun

Meaning: A speech or a piece of writing which makes no sense and is utterly foolish.

Usage: Although, all the tickets were sold, the majority of the audience left in the middle of the show when the comedian started talking gibberish.

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8-4-2019

Pantomime

Noun

Meaning: 1. A Musical entertainer based on funny stories and jokes for children. 2. A drama or a play that involves an expression of body, face, gesture along with music

Usage: While the Children enjoyed watching pantomimes at the fair we went shopping for groceries.

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7-4-2019

Nepotism

Noun

Meaning: The practice of granting undue favor to one’s own relatives and friends in jobs, businesses, sports, entertainment, etc; Favoritism; Partiality

Usage: Kangana Ranaut (a Bollywood Actress) takes a dig at Karan Johar by calling him the flag bearer of Nepotism on the show Coffee With Karan.

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6-4-2019

Puissant

Adjective

Meaning: Powerful, Strong and capable of influencing.

Usage: The Vice-chancellor appreciated the gold medallist and said that he would become a puissant man.

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5-4-2019

palsy-walsy

Adjective

Meaning: Being or appearing to be excessively friendly or intimate.

Usage: Tim kept a close eye on his son because he was getting palsy-walsy with the street goons.

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4-4-2019

Adroit

Adjective

Meaning: Intelligent, clever or skillful in thinking or moving.

Usage: The teacher was adroit at asking questions and dealing with mischievous children.

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3-4-2019

Clique

Noun

Meaning: An exclusive narrow group of people united to pursue a common interest or to fulfill a common objective.

Usage: The Chess team in the school is a real clique; they all work together, move together and eat together.

2-4-2019

Grinning

Adjective

Meaning: To laugh in such a manner that completely shows the teeth

Usage: The Children at the park were grinning when the joker presented the gifts in a funny manner.

Comeback tomorrow on the same page to learn a new word every day.

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1-4-2019 

Flourishing

Adjective

Meaning: Growing and developing vigorously and successfully

Example: Impact of Globalization and the growth of FDI has created many flourishing opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

Comeback tomorrow on the same page to learn a new word every day.

For March Vocabulary Series: Visit: Learning English – Learn a new word every day

We would like to thank our readers for showing us their commendable support. We have received emails from our lovely readers stating that they enjoyed learning new words every day. Some of them even stated saying that they started implementing it in their daily routine. With many requests from our readers, we have decided to start the same series for this month.

Some Tips to improve vocabulary:

1. Learn new words every day
2. Learning new words will not be sufficient, try to include those words in your daily conversations.
3. Keep discussing those words with someone who is interested in vocabulary.
4. Carry a dictionary. Wait, that doesn’t mean that you carry a huge bulky dictionary, You have many apps available on both android and ios platforms. Download them.
5. Understand the root words. This will make your job easier.
6. Use flashcards to memorize the new words.
7. Read everyday
8. Make a note of word that you don’t know and refer that in a dictionary.
9.  And you can visit us and bookmark our site: www.addicted2learn.com to learn a new word every day.
10. You can also find many apps that notify you of a new word every day.

If you enjoyed reading this post, do share it. Because everyone deserves to learn.

We would like to thank our readers once again for showing us so much love. It is all your support that we always give our best to bring out the best content for all of you.

By Richard Restak, MD, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Edited by Kate Findley and proofread by Angela Shoemaker, Wondrium Daily

In school, did you view vocabulary and spelling tests as useless exercises in rote memorization? As it learns out, learning new words can be useful when it comes to boosting your memory and, ultimately, your brain power. Dr. Restak explains.

How Words Boost Memory

Words are memory boosters and prime the brain’s visual areas. The resulting mental images make us more sensitive to what we’re trying to memorize. 

This is called top-down processing, where the upper part of the brain is controlling the limitations on the lower part—the sensory input. In this type of processing, the information moves from general to specific as we first form an abstract impression of an item and then gather more details through our senses. 

In one experiment involving Cheerios and Sprite, it was shown that by repeating the product’s name to themselves, people were able to quickly find those items hidden in pictures of a crowded supermarket shelf. Knowing the name for something helps you to locate it more easily. 

For example, when you know the name for a certain plant and go into a garden, you can quickly find it. Verbally defining an item helps you to better perceive it using your senses. In one study, if people heard a letter said aloud, it helped them find it among a string of other letters. 

Building Your Vocabulary

Since learning new words is a key component to memory enhancement, try to learn as many new words as possible. If you learn one a day, that’s 365 words a year; two words is double that and so forth. Learn a new word every day and keep the word in a journal. 

“Today’s word for me is sedulous: involving great care, effort, and persistence,” Dr. Restak said. “And here’s a sentence: ‘She was sedulous and would work on a poem for years.’ It was written about an American poet.”

When attempting to memorize words, learn the meaning of the word, the language of origin, and the root. Break the word into its component parts, and use the word in a sentence. 

Pronounce the word and review its meaning. Spell the word to yourself and match it with its sound. Mentally picturing the word brings more brain structures into play. 

Senses and Memory

You want to incorporate as many senses as you can. Listen to yourself saying the word. This increases the linkages of the word and its networks. The networks of the brain can actually mirror the networks that you’re trying to find in terms of knowledge.

“I asked the winner of the adult spelling bee for his secrets,” Dr. Restak said. “He told me he made tapes of words for listening while commuting or jogging. He spent many hours of solitary word study.”

Dr. Restak used a similar multisensory method to prepare for an examination years ago. He was reading textbooks, writing, and dictating into a tape recorder, which he would play when he was driving around or otherwise unoccupied. 

“I was then able to have two channels of input, both having read it and having heard it,” Dr. Restak said. “Sometimes I would sit home and read it while also listening to it at the same time; so the two channels were working simultaneously.”

Engaging multiple senses naturally focuses your attention. Since paying attention is the most fundamental rule for improving memory, you can do some warm-up exercises to sharpen attention before attempting to memorize information. 

One exercise involves rapidly scanning pictures and describing what you saw. Then look back and check for accuracy. Additionally, you can draw something and then verbally describe what you have drawn.

Both of these exercises engage your senses and motor skills. They also improve your ability to put images into words, which in turn strengthens your memory.

This article was edited by Kate Findley, Writer for Wondrium Daily, and proofread by Angela Shoemaker, Proofreader and Copy Editor for Wondrium Daily.

Dr. Richard Restak is Clinical Professor of Neurology at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He earned his MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine. Professor Restak also maintains an active private practice in neurology and neuropsychiatry in Washington, D.C.