{"id":169,"date":"2016-06-08T20:39:26","date_gmt":"2016-06-08T20:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/waymaker-level3-english\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=169"},"modified":"2016-10-06T20:16:12","modified_gmt":"2016-10-06T20:16:12","slug":"text-strategies-to-improve-your-vocabulary","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-engcomp1-2\/chapter\/text-strategies-to-improve-your-vocabulary\/","title":{"raw":"Strategies to Improve Your Vocabulary","rendered":"Strategies to Improve Your Vocabulary"},"content":{"raw":"<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s2\">T<\/span><span class=\"s1\">here are <span class=\"s3\">several proven benefits<\/span> in improving your vocabulary, but how should we go about learning new words in the most effective way? By using the following ten vocabulary-building strategies, you are guaranteed to develop a strong vocabulary and keep improving it every day.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">1. Read Voraciously<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">It\u2019s undeniable that reading is the most effective way to get new vocabulary. When you read, you see <b>words being used in context<\/b> \u2014 and that\u2019s what makes it much more effective than, for example, merely memorizing word lists.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">With context information surrounding each new word, there\u2019s a good chance you can guess its meaning just by understanding the overall text. Finding out the meaning of words in such a way is the natural way of learning language\u2013and reading provides the best opportunity to get exposed to this natural way of learning.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you\u2019re not able to infer the meaning of new words when reading, it\u2019s probably because there are too many unknown words in the text. In that case, try reading easier materials. The key to good reading is making it a pleasurable activity.\u00a0Don\u2019t be afraid of coming across unknown words, but make sure the text is appropriate for your reading level.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">2. Make Friends with the Dictionary<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">A dictionary is the first indispensable resource to improve your vocabulary. It\u2019s only by looking up a word in a dictionary that you will learn its precise meaning, spelling, alternate definitions, and find additional\u00a0useful information about it. A thesaurus is also a valuable resource for learning by finding connections between words, such as their synonyms and antonyms.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Consider adding a good dictionary and thesaurus to your bookshelf. Here are some recommendations:<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\r\n \t<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0194001164\/002-5669342-9842432?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=phaedrus0b&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creativeASIN=0194001164\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Oxford Advanced Learner\u2019s Dictionary<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0195170776\/002-5669342-9842432?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=phaedrus0b&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creativeASIN=0195170776\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">The New Oxford American Dictionary<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0195170768\/002-5669342-9842432?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=phaedrus0b&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creativeASIN=0195170768\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">The Oxford American Writer\u2019s Thesaurus<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">For online dictionaries, there are many free options with great extra features. Even if you have a good dictionary in print already, you can\u2019t miss having a good online dictionary at your disposal:<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.onelook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">OneLook<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: has a reverse lookup function (get the word from its definition) and works as a \u201cmeta-dictionary,\u201d showing you definitions from other major online dictionaries<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Merriam-Webster\u2019s Online Dictionary<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: a\u00a0well-established and well-regarded name in the realm of dictionaries<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjawords.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Ninjawords<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: searches the free dictionary <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wiktionary.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Wiktionary<\/span><\/a>. What makes this site interesting is that you can look up multiple words simultaneously. Moreover, the results pages can be bookmarked \u2013 making them good personal reference pages<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.visualthesaurus.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: if you\u2019re a fan of <a href=\"https:\/\/litemind.com\/what-is-mind-mapping\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">mind mapping<\/span><\/a>, you will certainly enjoy viewing related words represented in a visual map format<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.answers.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Answers.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">, <a href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.reference.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Dictionary.com<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tfd.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">The Free Dictionary<\/span><\/a> and many others: all of them are good resources \u2013 try each one at least once to help you make up your mind.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">3. Use It or Lose It<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Don\u2019t settle after you learn a new word by reading it or looking it up in the dictionary: these are good starts, but it\u2019s by <b>using the new words<\/b> that you truly commit them to your long-term memory.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-171\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/06\/08202902\/16585708758_cf673febe6_z-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Young man and woman talking on a crowded sea wall\" width=\"230\" height=\"230\" \/>Be creative and try to use your newly learned words in as many ways as possible:<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Write them down<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Say them aloud<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Create sentences with them, mentally or in writing<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Try to use them in a conversation<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Discuss them with friends<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">It\u2019s also important to be aware of your own language style: every time you catch yourself saying common or nonspecific words such as \u201cnice,\u201d try coming up with richer and more precise expressions instead.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">4. Learn One New Word a Day<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you learn just one new word every day, you\u2019ll soon notice they add up pretty quickly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Many websites provide free word-of-the-day services. Here are some to try:<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mirriamwebster.com\/cgi-bin\/mwwod.pl\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Merriam-Webster\u2019s Online Word of the Day<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: this is the website that delivers the most useful words of all. It\u2019s also the most feature-rich: it provides audio explanation, pronunciation, and word history.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wordsmart.com\/infopages\/todays_word.php\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">WordSmart Wordcast<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: provides difficulty level, comprehensive details, and audio pronunciation for the word.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.reference.com\/wordoftheday\/\"><span class=\"s5\">Dictionary Word of the Day<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: another fine service, perhaps not as complete as Merriam-Webster\u2019s or WordSmart, but still worth checking out.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">5. Understand the True Meaning of Words<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">By deeply understanding words, you can make your vocabulary grow exponentially. Instead of just memorizing words, try to really understand them by looking at their <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Etymology\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">etymology<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espindle.org\/roots.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">word roots<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.factmonster.com\/ipka\/A0907017.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">prefixes, and suffixes<\/span><\/a>. At least half of English words are derived from <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Latin_roots\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Greek and Latin roots<\/span><\/a>, so enormous benefits come from being familiar with them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"s1\">Just to pick an example, when you understand that the prefix \u201cortho\u201d means <em>straight<\/em> or <em>right<\/em>, you start to find connections between seemingly unrelated words, such as <em>orthodontist<\/em> (a specialist who straightens teeth) and <em>orthography<\/em> (the correct, or straight way of writing).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Understanding the logic behind words always pays off in terms of learning and recalling. Consider the examples: \u201cbreakfast\u201d meaning \u201cinterrupt the night\u2019s fast,\u201d or \u201crainbow\u201d meaning \u201cbow or arc caused by rain.\u201d While these meanings may be trivial to native English speakers, having such insights about words, foreign or otherwise, never fails to deepen your connection to them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">6. Maintain a Personal Lexicon<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">By keeping a personalized list of learned words, you\u2019ll have a handy reference you can use to review these words later. It\u2019s very likely you\u2019ll want to go back and refresh your memory on recent words, so keeping them in your own list is much more efficient than going back to the dictionary every time.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Even if you never refer back to your lexicon again, writing words down at least once will greatly enhance your ability to commit them to your permanent memory. Another excellent learning aid is to write an original sentence containing the word \u2014 and using your lexicon to do that is a great way of enforcing this habit. You can also add many other details as you see fit, such as the date you first came across the word or maybe a sequential number to help you reach some word <span class=\"s3\">quota<\/span> you define.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-172\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/06\/08203228\/Hierarchical_Model_Mental_Lexicon.png\" alt=\"Concept map of words. Animal nouns are in blue, with descriptors in orange, connected by lines and arrows. Animal (eats; breathes; can move); Fish (has gills; can swim; has fins); Shark (big fin, eats meat); Salmon (is pink, is edible). Connecting from Animal on the left: Bird (has wings; has feathers; can fly); Canary (is yellow, can sing); Penguin (can swim, can't fly).\" width=\"635\" height=\"357\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">There are many ways you can keep your personal word list; each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to pick the format that works best for you. You may prefer to keep it as a simple text file in the computer, or in a regular paper notebook, or maybe as flash cards in a shoe box.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">One option\u00a0is a computer spreadsheet, for its handy features such as searching, sorting, and filtering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">7. Follow a Process<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">To make vocabulary improvement a permanent habit in your everyday life, you should make it as habitual, automatic, and tightly integrated in your daily workflow as possible\u2013otherwise you won\u2019t do it when your days get too busy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">In that regard, one particularly useful concept is the one of maintaining a \u201cWord Inbox.\u201d By having a predefined place you use to capture the words you come across, you can process them much more efficiently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Your process can be as simple as you wish\u2013the key is to define it beforehand and then follow it. By knowing exactly how and how often to process your inbox, you stay on top of your vocabulary improvement process, even when there are other pressing matters crying out for your attention.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">8. Play and Have Fun<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Playing games and engaging in group activities are useful in any kind of learning, but particularly effective for language-related learning. Gather your family and friends and play word games together. Some interesting options are <span class=\"s3\">Quiddler<\/span>, as well as the classics <span class=\"s3\">Scrabble\u00a0<\/span>and <span class=\"s3\">Boggle<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you don\u2019t want to spend money on boxed games, it\u2019s easy to come up with your own word activities. You may, for example, try your own variation of \u201cWord Evening\u201d: at a specific day of each week, a different person brings a new word to the meal. The person reads the word, defines it, and the others must come up with a sentence using the word.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you don\u2019t have time or don\u2019t want to engage in group activities, there are numerous options of word games in the Internet. You can either play them when you\u2019re bored, or integrate them in your daily routine, such as playing a quick game after lunch, for example. Consider the following recommendations:<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\r\n \t<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mirriamwebster.com\/game\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Merriam Webster\u2019s Daily Word Game<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mirriamwebster.com\/game\/crossword.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Merriam Webster\u2019s Daily Crossword<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/games.yahoo.com\/word-games\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Word Games on Yahoo! Games<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">9. Leverage Every Resource You Can<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">The Internet is a gold mine of resources for vocabulary building.\u00a0Here are a few to get you started, though many more exist:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">There are plenty of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.google.com\/search?hl=en&amp;q=vocabulary+software&amp;btnG=Google+Search\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">vocabulary applications<\/span><\/a> you can try. There are many <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3FinitialSearch%3D1%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Daps%26field-keywords%3Dvocabulary%26x%3D9%26y%3D20&amp;tag=phaedrus0b&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">vocabulary-related books<\/span><\/a> you can explore. There is a wealth of free literature on sites such as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/wiki\/Main_Page\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Project Gutenberg<\/span><\/a>. If you use the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.getfirefox.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Firefox<\/span><\/a> browser, there are many ways to integrate dictionary lookup functions, such as the plug-ins <a href=\"https:\/\/addons.mozilla.org\/en-US\/firefox\/addon\/735\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Answers.com<\/span><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/addons.mozilla.org\/en-US\/firefox\/addon\/68\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">DictionarySearch<\/span><\/a>. You can find specialized vocabulary lists, such as these <a href=\"http:\/\/www.psychpage.com\/learning\/library\/assess\/feelings.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">feeling words<\/span><\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.msgarrettonline.com\/descripwords.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">descriptive words<\/span><\/a>. You can even learn <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pangloss.com\/seidel\/shake_rule.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">some classy, Shakespearian insults<\/span><\/a>!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">The point is that you\u2019re only limited by your willingness to learn: let curiosity be your guide and you will never run out of resources to learn from.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">10. Diversify<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Do something different from your daily routine: hunting, fishing, or blogging\u2013any activity that is not a part of your normal life can become a great way to learn new words, as every niche has its own jargon and unique ways of communicating. Read different books and magazines than the ones you\u2019re used to. Watch foreign-language movies. Take up new hobbies, hang out with different people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-173\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/06\/08203719\/2222660939_78b9f00a11_z.jpg\" alt=\"Three panels: Image of a fist with &quot;rock&quot; spelled vertically down knuckles; flat palm with &quot;paper&quot; spelled across it; hand with first two fingers extended, with &quot;scis-sors&quot; spelled across them\" width=\"500\" height=\"215\" \/>By doing things out of the ordinary you will not only improve your vocabulary but also make your life much more interesting.<\/span><\/p>","rendered":"<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s2\">T<\/span><span class=\"s1\">here are <span class=\"s3\">several proven benefits<\/span> in improving your vocabulary, but how should we go about learning new words in the most effective way? By using the following ten vocabulary-building strategies, you are guaranteed to develop a strong vocabulary and keep improving it every day.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">1. Read Voraciously<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">It\u2019s undeniable that reading is the most effective way to get new vocabulary. When you read, you see <b>words being used in context<\/b> \u2014 and that\u2019s what makes it much more effective than, for example, merely memorizing word lists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">With context information surrounding each new word, there\u2019s a good chance you can guess its meaning just by understanding the overall text. Finding out the meaning of words in such a way is the natural way of learning language\u2013and reading provides the best opportunity to get exposed to this natural way of learning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you\u2019re not able to infer the meaning of new words when reading, it\u2019s probably because there are too many unknown words in the text. In that case, try reading easier materials. The key to good reading is making it a pleasurable activity.\u00a0Don\u2019t be afraid of coming across unknown words, but make sure the text is appropriate for your reading level.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">2. Make Friends with the Dictionary<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">A dictionary is the first indispensable resource to improve your vocabulary. It\u2019s only by looking up a word in a dictionary that you will learn its precise meaning, spelling, alternate definitions, and find additional\u00a0useful information about it. A thesaurus is also a valuable resource for learning by finding connections between words, such as their synonyms and antonyms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Consider adding a good dictionary and thesaurus to your bookshelf. Here are some recommendations:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0194001164\/002-5669342-9842432?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=phaedrus0b&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creativeASIN=0194001164\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Oxford Advanced Learner\u2019s Dictionary<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0195170776\/002-5669342-9842432?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=phaedrus0b&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creativeASIN=0195170776\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">The New Oxford American Dictionary<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0195170768\/002-5669342-9842432?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=phaedrus0b&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creativeASIN=0195170768\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">The Oxford American Writer\u2019s Thesaurus<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">For online dictionaries, there are many free options with great extra features. Even if you have a good dictionary in print already, you can\u2019t miss having a good online dictionary at your disposal:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.onelook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">OneLook<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: has a reverse lookup function (get the word from its definition) and works as a \u201cmeta-dictionary,\u201d showing you definitions from other major online dictionaries<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Merriam-Webster\u2019s Online Dictionary<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: a\u00a0well-established and well-regarded name in the realm of dictionaries<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjawords.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Ninjawords<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: searches the free dictionary <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wiktionary.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Wiktionary<\/span><\/a>. What makes this site interesting is that you can look up multiple words simultaneously. Moreover, the results pages can be bookmarked \u2013 making them good personal reference pages<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.visualthesaurus.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: if you\u2019re a fan of <a href=\"https:\/\/litemind.com\/what-is-mind-mapping\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">mind mapping<\/span><\/a>, you will certainly enjoy viewing related words represented in a visual map format<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.answers.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Answers.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">, <a href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.reference.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Dictionary.com<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tfd.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">The Free Dictionary<\/span><\/a> and many others: all of them are good resources \u2013 try each one at least once to help you make up your mind.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">3. Use It or Lose It<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Don\u2019t settle after you learn a new word by reading it or looking it up in the dictionary: these are good starts, but it\u2019s by <b>using the new words<\/b> that you truly commit them to your long-term memory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-171\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/06\/08202902\/16585708758_cf673febe6_z-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Young man and woman talking on a crowded sea wall\" width=\"230\" height=\"230\" \/>Be creative and try to use your newly learned words in as many ways as possible:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Write them down<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Say them aloud<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Create sentences with them, mentally or in writing<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Try to use them in a conversation<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s1\">Discuss them with friends<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">It\u2019s also important to be aware of your own language style: every time you catch yourself saying common or nonspecific words such as \u201cnice,\u201d try coming up with richer and more precise expressions instead.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">4. Learn One New Word a Day<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you learn just one new word every day, you\u2019ll soon notice they add up pretty quickly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Many websites provide free word-of-the-day services. Here are some to try:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mirriamwebster.com\/cgi-bin\/mwwod.pl\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Merriam-Webster\u2019s Online Word of the Day<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: this is the website that delivers the most useful words of all. It\u2019s also the most feature-rich: it provides audio explanation, pronunciation, and word history.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wordsmart.com\/infopages\/todays_word.php\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">WordSmart Wordcast<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: provides difficulty level, comprehensive details, and audio pronunciation for the word.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li10\"><span class=\"s7\"><a href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.reference.com\/wordoftheday\/\"><span class=\"s5\">Dictionary Word of the Day<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: another fine service, perhaps not as complete as Merriam-Webster\u2019s or WordSmart, but still worth checking out.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">5. Understand the True Meaning of Words<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">By deeply understanding words, you can make your vocabulary grow exponentially. Instead of just memorizing words, try to really understand them by looking at their <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Etymology\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">etymology<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espindle.org\/roots.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">word roots<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.factmonster.com\/ipka\/A0907017.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">prefixes, and suffixes<\/span><\/a>. At least half of English words are derived from <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Latin_roots\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Greek and Latin roots<\/span><\/a>, so enormous benefits come from being familiar with them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"s1\">Just to pick an example, when you understand that the prefix \u201cortho\u201d means <em>straight<\/em> or <em>right<\/em>, you start to find connections between seemingly unrelated words, such as <em>orthodontist<\/em> (a specialist who straightens teeth) and <em>orthography<\/em> (the correct, or straight way of writing).<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Understanding the logic behind words always pays off in terms of learning and recalling. Consider the examples: \u201cbreakfast\u201d meaning \u201cinterrupt the night\u2019s fast,\u201d or \u201crainbow\u201d meaning \u201cbow or arc caused by rain.\u201d While these meanings may be trivial to native English speakers, having such insights about words, foreign or otherwise, never fails to deepen your connection to them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">6. Maintain a Personal Lexicon<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">By keeping a personalized list of learned words, you\u2019ll have a handy reference you can use to review these words later. It\u2019s very likely you\u2019ll want to go back and refresh your memory on recent words, so keeping them in your own list is much more efficient than going back to the dictionary every time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Even if you never refer back to your lexicon again, writing words down at least once will greatly enhance your ability to commit them to your permanent memory. Another excellent learning aid is to write an original sentence containing the word \u2014 and using your lexicon to do that is a great way of enforcing this habit. You can also add many other details as you see fit, such as the date you first came across the word or maybe a sequential number to help you reach some word <span class=\"s3\">quota<\/span> you define.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-172\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/06\/08203228\/Hierarchical_Model_Mental_Lexicon.png\" alt=\"Concept map of words. Animal nouns are in blue, with descriptors in orange, connected by lines and arrows. Animal (eats; breathes; can move); Fish (has gills; can swim; has fins); Shark (big fin, eats meat); Salmon (is pink, is edible). Connecting from Animal on the left: Bird (has wings; has feathers; can fly); Canary (is yellow, can sing); Penguin (can swim, can't fly).\" width=\"635\" height=\"357\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">There are many ways you can keep your personal word list; each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to pick the format that works best for you. You may prefer to keep it as a simple text file in the computer, or in a regular paper notebook, or maybe as flash cards in a shoe box.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">One option\u00a0is a computer spreadsheet, for its handy features such as searching, sorting, and filtering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">7. Follow a Process<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">To make vocabulary improvement a permanent habit in your everyday life, you should make it as habitual, automatic, and tightly integrated in your daily workflow as possible\u2013otherwise you won\u2019t do it when your days get too busy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">In that regard, one particularly useful concept is the one of maintaining a \u201cWord Inbox.\u201d By having a predefined place you use to capture the words you come across, you can process them much more efficiently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Your process can be as simple as you wish\u2013the key is to define it beforehand and then follow it. By knowing exactly how and how often to process your inbox, you stay on top of your vocabulary improvement process, even when there are other pressing matters crying out for your attention.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">8. Play and Have Fun<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Playing games and engaging in group activities are useful in any kind of learning, but particularly effective for language-related learning. Gather your family and friends and play word games together. Some interesting options are <span class=\"s3\">Quiddler<\/span>, as well as the classics <span class=\"s3\">Scrabble\u00a0<\/span>and <span class=\"s3\">Boggle<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you don\u2019t want to spend money on boxed games, it\u2019s easy to come up with your own word activities. You may, for example, try your own variation of \u201cWord Evening\u201d: at a specific day of each week, a different person brings a new word to the meal. The person reads the word, defines it, and the others must come up with a sentence using the word.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you don\u2019t have time or don\u2019t want to engage in group activities, there are numerous options of word games in the Internet. You can either play them when you\u2019re bored, or integrate them in your daily routine, such as playing a quick game after lunch, for example. Consider the following recommendations:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mirriamwebster.com\/game\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Merriam Webster\u2019s Daily Word Game<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mirriamwebster.com\/game\/crossword.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Merriam Webster\u2019s Daily Crossword<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li9\"><span class=\"s4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/games.yahoo.com\/word-games\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s5\">Word Games on Yahoo! Games<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">9. Leverage Every Resource You Can<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">The Internet is a gold mine of resources for vocabulary building.\u00a0Here are a few to get you started, though many more exist:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">There are plenty of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.google.com\/search?hl=en&amp;q=vocabulary+software&amp;btnG=Google+Search\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">vocabulary applications<\/span><\/a> you can try. There are many <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3FinitialSearch%3D1%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Daps%26field-keywords%3Dvocabulary%26x%3D9%26y%3D20&amp;tag=phaedrus0b&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">vocabulary-related books<\/span><\/a> you can explore. There is a wealth of free literature on sites such as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/wiki\/Main_Page\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Project Gutenberg<\/span><\/a>. If you use the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.getfirefox.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Firefox<\/span><\/a> browser, there are many ways to integrate dictionary lookup functions, such as the plug-ins <a href=\"https:\/\/addons.mozilla.org\/en-US\/firefox\/addon\/735\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">Answers.com<\/span><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/addons.mozilla.org\/en-US\/firefox\/addon\/68\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">DictionarySearch<\/span><\/a>. You can find specialized vocabulary lists, such as these <a href=\"http:\/\/www.psychpage.com\/learning\/library\/assess\/feelings.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">feeling words<\/span><\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.msgarrettonline.com\/descripwords.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">descriptive words<\/span><\/a>. You can even learn <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pangloss.com\/seidel\/shake_rule.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s3\">some classy, Shakespearian insults<\/span><\/a>!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">The point is that you\u2019re only limited by your willingness to learn: let curiosity be your guide and you will never run out of resources to learn from.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\">10. Diversify<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Do something different from your daily routine: hunting, fishing, or blogging\u2013any activity that is not a part of your normal life can become a great way to learn new words, as every niche has its own jargon and unique ways of communicating. Read different books and magazines than the ones you\u2019re used to. Watch foreign-language movies. Take up new hobbies, hang out with different people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-173\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/107\/2016\/06\/08203719\/2222660939_78b9f00a11_z.jpg\" alt=\"Three panels: Image of a fist with &quot;rock&quot; spelled vertically down knuckles; flat palm with &quot;paper&quot; spelled across it; hand with first two fingers extended, with &quot;scis-sors&quot; spelled across them\" width=\"500\" height=\"215\" \/>By doing things out of the ordinary you will not only improve your vocabulary but also make your life much more interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-169\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Revision and Adaptation. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>10 Sure-Fire Strategies to Improve Your Vocabulary. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Luciano Passuello. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Litemind. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/litemind.com\/10-strategies-improve-vocabulary\/\">https:\/\/litemind.com\/10-strategies-improve-vocabulary\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of people talking. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Pedro Ribeiro Simoes. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/rgC6nQ\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/rgC6nQ<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of Animal Concept Map. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Nathanael Crawford. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Hierarchical_Model_Mental_Lexicon.png\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Hierarchical_Model_Mental_Lexicon.png<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of rock, paper, scissors. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: nikki. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/4opHEk\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/4opHEk<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":19,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"10 Sure-Fire Strategies to Improve Your Vocabulary\",\"author\":\"Luciano Passuello\",\"organization\":\"Litemind\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/litemind.com\/10-strategies-improve-vocabulary\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Image of people talking\",\"author\":\"Pedro Ribeiro Simoes\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/rgC6nQ\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Image of Animal Concept 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