Widen your vocabulary

How do you learn new vocabulary? Do you write it down in a notebook? Do you spend a long time memorising lists of new words? Everyone has their own preferred way to ensure they remember new vocabulary. However, how successful are you when you try to use the vocabulary in a new situation?

In this extract from English Makeover, Karen Adams gives advice to some students who want to be able to use a wider range of words when they speak English.

Before you read the extract Write down 3 English words or phrases which you have learnt recently. Now look at them and answer these questions: Have you used these words in conversation or in writing since you learnt them? If so, when and why did you use them? How would you describe the meaning of each word or phrase to a friend?

One thing which learners often have problems with is expanding their active vocabulary – that is, the words which they actually use in conversation or in writing, Students have often told me that they feel their conversations are boring, that they can’t really express exactly what they feel, because they simply don’t have enough words. And this is the real problem – how do you learn the words which you are likely to need in conversation? All too often, I see learners write down lists of words in a notebook and I know they are never going to look at them again, or use them, simply because they’re just not useful for that particular individual. I think there are two real keys to really widening your vocabulary. First of all, don’t write down every new word you meet. Instead, make a conscious decision to choose the words or phrases you want to learn – because you feel they are useful or interesting or because they sound funny. I really feel that having an emotional attachment to new words or phrases you are far more likely to remember them. However, when you are choosing new words, remember that your short-term memory cannot hold much information.Try to limit your choice of words or phrases to 4 or 5, and make an effort to use them.This will be much more effective than making a list of 10 or 12 which you can’t remember.

1. What does Karen mean by the term ‘active vocabulary’? Why is it sometimes difficult for learners to expand their active vocabulary?
2. Read the text to find 2 suggestions for improving your active vocabulary. Close the booklet and either write or say the suggestions in your own words.

Answer

• Your active vocabulary includes the words and phrases you can actively use in conversation or in writing.Very often, students don’t think about how useful a word is before they make a note of it so many new words don’t become active.
• Think carefully before you write down a new word.Ask yourself ‘Why do I want to learn this word?’

Limit the new words you want to learn to 4 or 5 at one time.Trying to learn too many will make it difficult to remember them.

5 top tips for widening your vocabulary

1. Be selective in what you learn. Remember, you are much more likely to use words or phrases if you think they are useful or interesting so avoid the temptation to make long lists.
2. Make meaning families. If, for example, you are interested in music, try to group words and phrases which will actually help you to talk about music. For example, learning all the names of the instruments in an orchestra won’t really help you make conversation – but learning the names of a few instruments, and adjectives to describe how their music makes you feel will allow you to talk about music.
3. Describe new words in your own words. By actively explaining what a new word or phrase means, you will be thinking about the word or phrase – and helping to fix it in your memory.
4. Read more English. One advantage of reading is that you will meet lots of new vocabulary. By using the text to help you work out what new vocabulary means, you can identify new words and phrases which will be useful for you.
5. Look for synonyms.When you read, you are unlikely to find the same words repeated over and over.Writers go to great lengths to avoid repeating words or phrases when discussing an idea.When you are reading, look for the number of different words the writer uses to express the same idea.

TASK

You can do this task with any English-language magazine or newspaper.You can also use a page from a book which you are reading.

1. Choose one article from a magazine or newspaper.
2. Read the article or page.While you are reading, identify the main character or idea which is being discussed.
3. Look back at the beginning of the article or page and identify the first reference to the character or idea.

• For example, if you are reading an article about the police arresting a criminal, look for the first word used to describe the criminal (for example ‘a robber’).

1. Now re-read the article.Try to identify each word which is used instead of ‘a robber’ (e.g. ‘the criminal’).
2. When you have finished reading, count the number of different words or phrases the writer has used to mean the same thing.