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Start of Chapter : Increase your vocabulary
Previous : Increase your vocabulary
Two top techniques for improving vocabulary
It's easy to improve your vocabulary without attending expensive courses or buying software. The best tool that can help you improve your vocabulary is probably already sitting on your bookshelf, dusty and unused. It's called a dictionary. If you don't have one, get one!
How to use your dictionary effectively
Each time you come across a word you don't know, or the way it's used is unfamiliar to you, follow these easy steps:
- Spend a few seconds trying to work out the meaning from the context of the sentence before progressing to the next step.
- Lightly underline the word and put a small box in the margin with an ‘n' next to it (for new word). Write the page number in the front of the book.
- Make a decision: Do you need to know the meaning of this word now, or can you look it up later? If the word is important to the topic you're reading, look it up now. When you find it in the dictionary, also circle or highlight it. This will help you later. Write a small definition somewhere near the word in the book.
- When you finish reading the book or chapter, go back through the page numbers and look up any words you didn't look up before.
Let's get some practice. Assume you haven't seen the word "discovery" when you read the following sentence:
Megan's discovery surprised the whole family!
Now go through the steps above. How long does it take you to find a pen and dictionary? What words come before and after "discovery"? Are there any new words you haven't seen on the same page of the dictionary?
If you need some motivation to do this, remember that every new word you look up might add $50 or more to your annual income one day!
Make them stick - use a "new word" journal
A great way to make those new words stick in your memory is to keep your own "new word" journal. Use a notepad, writing book or spreadsheet. Every time you come across a new word, also add the word and the definition to your journal. Review these occasionally. Even better, add entries to SuperMemo (software discussed in Memletics). These regular reviews help your memory and you'll surprise yourself with the words you once didn't know!
Here's a tip if you are learning a new topic or subject: Keep new words, jargon, symbols and acronyms specific to that topic in a separate part of your journal. Keep the journal nearby while you study so you can refer to the meanings easily.
Two extra steps you can take to lock in new words:
- Substitute similar words. When you learn a new word, take a moment and think of three similar words you know. Rephrase the sentence using one of these words, and then say the sentence again with the new word. Write the similar words into your new word journal.
- Write your own sentences. Create a new sentence using the word you've just learnt. Write it into your journal!
Again, keep in mind that every entry you make in your journal might be adding another $50 to your annual income one day.
Next : Learn common prefixes and suffixes
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