How to Improve Your Vocabulary Effectively? 3 Useful Methods

Most of us have probably thought at least 1 time when learning a language: “How to build a better vocabulary?” Here are some tips to help you start learning new vocabulary words right away.

Acquiring new words to expand vocabulary

Here are three methods of building up a better vocabulary:

First method: Determine the word group you need the most

Since the number of words available in any language is virtually limitless, many language learners look for lists of the most popular words in order to accelerate their learning.
“I’ll learn the 2,000 most commonly used words, and then I’ll be proficient in the language at a basic level,” says a large number of people who think they have an effective method. 

Frankly, it seems about as tempting as getting to know new people by looking at their social networking pages. 

Such lists of the most popular words in the language are for reference only, and in general, starting with such a list is not recommended. This does not mean that lists are not important, rather, your first vocabulary study should be determined by needs and contextual factors, such as a new profession or relocation. 

So, what needs to be done?

1. You need to determine the sphere in which you will find yourself during communication in the language you are learning, and understand what words you will need the most.
2. Form a list with a set of necessary words for effective communication. 
3. Form from this set of words your personal card set.
4. Start learning these words every day in your foreign language learning application. Effective learning will be enough for 15-30 minutes a day.
5. In doing so, don’t forget to add new words to your personal dictionary, which you may also need.

The second method: Learn new words through what you like

You can work with texts and movies in the language you’re learning while making a list of all the words and phrases you don’t understand and creating your personal dictionary. By the way, this is very easy to do in special vocabulary learning services.

The instructions are very simple:

1. Start watching your favorite movie or reading your favorite magazine in the language you are learning. 
2. Stop the moment you stop grasping the context or don’t understand a particular word in the text of the magazine or the speech of a movie character.
3. Start parsing the phrase or word step by step with the help of an interpreter. Try to remember the meaning or translation of the word.
4. Open a vocabulary study service and create a flashcard with the translation and context of the word.
5. Effectively practice 15-30 minutes a day and learn new words in your vocabulary study service.  
6. Keep adding more flashcards with new words until all the text in the magazine or movie phrases are 100% comprehensible.

By the way, besides movies and magazines, there are other useful sources of new words. You can read about them here.

But how do you learn such words effectively? You can do it with the Langavia Personal Dictionary application. Here you can learn new vocabulary words effectively by converting them into language cards, which will form your personal dictionary. Next, you won’t be just cramming those words. You will go through game-based exercises which will help the new words firmly stick in your memory. The only action you need to do is to devote about 15-30 minutes a day for language learning practice-sessions.

Moreover, we prepared a special guide on how you can use the Langavia app to learn the language and improve your vocabulary.

The third method: Learn new words natively

As a beginner, don’t get hung up on the idea that you have to learn from a native speaker. When you travel or visit a foreign restaurant or store, look carefully around, paying attention to signs and labels. Look for phrases and words you are not familiar with or have not heard before. 

So, do the following:

1. When traveling or relocating, take a walk around the city you are staying in.
2. Don’t miss banners, signs, or posters. It is through such sources that you can pick out the main vocabulary used in the new country for you, with the help of which you will be able to maintain a little bit of a conversation.
3. Put the new words you see into your personal dictionary. Don’t skip any new words. We are sure that you will form a large list of new words.
4. After such a walk, start studying these words in more detail in your application for memorizing foreign words. 
5. Repeat the new words every day until they are firmly fixed in your memory.

This method is versatile for everyone, and works like a Swiss watch. It will be useful for anyone, whatever foreign language you study.

5 practical tips for increasing your vocabulary

1. Make reading a regular habit. As mentioned before, when you encounter new words in context, it’s much easier to build up your vocabulary. Getting to know vocabulary words in context, such as through a book or newspaper article, can be much more useful than just encountering them in vocabulary lists. You don’t only become familiar with new terms, but you also observe how they are used in context. It’s not a bad idea to convert a new word into a flashcard and repeat it in your words memorization app.

2. Play word games with friends. Classic games like Scrabble and Boggle can be a great way to expand your vocabulary while still having a good time. Crossword puzzles can also do this. To get the most out of these word games, you should do some work with your personal dictionary afterwards. Keep your personal dictionary with vocabulary words you learned during the game, and go back to it from time to time for inspiration and clarification.

3. Use flashcards. Using flashcards to memorize a large number of words is a quick and effective method of expanding your vocabulary. Using it, you can learn from 5 to 25 new words each day without any troubles. You can always strive for a higher level of proficiency, but learning thousands of English terms every day may not be realistic and boring. 

4. Signing up for the “word of the day” newsletter can be very helpful. Some online services will send you a new word every day through a website, app, or email to help you expand your vocabulary and learn new words. You can add these words to your personal dictionary for convenience.

5. Use new words in conversation to get used to them. There is no point in just having a large vocabulary without having any idea how to use it. So use every opportunity to utilize a particular word you have recently learned.. If you come across a really intriguing word while reading, try to use it in conversation as soon as possible. You can learn the art of word choice by trying them out in not very difficult scenarios, and through trial and error, find the perfect word for the given context.

In addition, you may be interested in reading about how to memorize new vocabulary words faster. Don’t miss this helpful article!

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