Are you preparing for an admission test or eligibility exam, or just feeling the need to expand your vocabulary? Learning new words cannot be done overnight. It is a continuous effort that gets gradually improved over a long period.
Starting at a younger age is helpful, as several vocabulary activities are creatively executed for little learners to improve vocabulary. But even if you are not a child anymore, it is never too late for you to try to learn new words. Here is how.
Read, Look it Up, and Note
Read, then read more. As you go over the pages of any reading material, whether it is a novel, a magazine, or a newspaper, you absorb every word and stop at an unfamiliar one. Once this happens, you should have a dictionary ready to search for that word to be able to understand its meaning as used in the context.
Using context clues is advantageous in some cases, but at this point, you should have the feeling of wanting to know. Uncover that unknown and have a whole lot of understanding of the world.
What is next? List it down. Writing down your newly learned words allows retention, and you can easily refer to it once in a while since you wrote it yourself.
As you build that list of words on your note, you slowly build them on your vocabulary, as well. Looking for its synonyms and antonyms if you have the time would be helpful, too.
The Goal for New Words Every Single Day
Have a word of the day that you will set yourself or through an application on your phone. This way, you will never stop learning. And if you utilize a vocabulary phone application, different words will be passively fed for you to learn.
Take some challenge and search for the meaning of the root words of those words. Most of the English words made from a common root, prefix, and suffix are usually from Greek or Latin language.
It will not hurt to learn the origins of words as it can help you understand the meaning of other words with the same root. Then, evaluate your development once in a while. It would make you feel better if you are getting it correctly, and you are finally using those words in your everyday life.
Play Some Word Games
Word puzzles and board games are vocabulary activities, as well. You can have some fun while learning. That is the idea of those games. You can do it while killing time and having a bonding moment with your family and friends.
Why Does It Matter?
Once you have been able to apply your expanded vocabulary in real life, did you know that you are now a step closer to success? It is more than just an improvement in your reading and writing skills. It opens up doors of opportunities.
Remember that communication is always the key. So, if you could be able to express yourself correctly, effectively, and limitlessly, you got all the power that you need to develop intellectual insights and a higher level of reasoning. And the result is an occupational success. There is an honest relationship between the level of vocabulary and success in a career.