No high-quality prose exists without strong vocabulary. To produce texts that hook, captivate, persuade, or fulfill any other mission, lexical richness is a must. After all, only those who can boast of it tend to express ideas precisely, draw pictures in readers’ minds, and evoke emotions.
Whether you go to high school, college, or the office, boosting your vocabulary is always a good idea. After all, writing is involved in all niches, so it’s better to work on it to take your academic or corporate work to the next level. How? Read our guide for some quick tips and tricks.
It Always Starts with Readin
If you’re not a fan of books, we have some bad news for you. The most natural and probably easiest way to upgrade your vocabulary is through reading. Read as much as possible, as often as possible. It doesn’t matter what genre you prefer – any will work! As a matter of fact, the more genres you deal with, the better.
To discover the most different word choices, do the following:
- Read diverse materials, from essays and short stories to novels, academic articles, newspapers, and blog articles.
- See new words? Don’t skip ‘em! Pause for a moment and learn what they mean. Write them down, if needed, and understand the context.
- Use context clues. Pay attention to how the word fits within a sentence.
Whatever you choose to read, have a highlighter with you to jot down unfamiliar words as you read.
…and as you read, keep a vocabulary journey.
If you make sure to write down new words, you will remember them faster than you know. Today, it’s up to you to choose the type of vocabulary – the physical or cyber one. However, make sure every entry consists of:
- The word and its part of speech
- A definition in your own words
- An example sentence (preferably the one you create)
- Synonyms and antonyms, etc.
Write a Lot
Just like in the case of reading, you have to write a lot. You can write it yourself, ask experts for help, or use AI-powered tools like the essay writer by WriteMyEssay.ai to create high-quality drafts you can use as examples for top-notch writing. All in all, the more you write, the more often you will find yourself juggling different words, terms, phrases, and sentences that, in tandem, help articulate your thoughts. After all, every text you create (an essay, a movie review, a blog entry, etc.) is one more chance to experiment with prose of all kinds. Just like in the case of weight loss, practice makes perfect. Regular practice will boost your vocabulary in a natural way and make your writing an enjoyable journey.
Use Vocabulary Applications
There are dozens of helpful instruments created to help you memorize more words and upgrade your vocabulary. They help boost your confidence and learn new words in an interactive and interesting way. Feel free to browse online for the most suitable apps that work for your level and goals.
Learn One Word Every Single Day
If you think that it is just too challenging for you, don’t! It is not that hard to learn a single word a day. However, this habit will eventually make a huge difference in your vocabulary. Here’s how you can do it: pick a new word each day and try to memorize it. Now, use it as often as possible. At the end of the day, you are supposed to have that word in your lexicon arsenal.
Enjoy Movies and Learn English
Watching various TV shows, cartoons, and movies is probably the most pleasant way to boost your vocabulary. When you watch your favorite TV shows, you should pay attention to the dialogue, words, and word combinations. Notice the unknown words and write them down. The reality is that there are gazillions of movies out there, but we’re here with our top favorites:
- Forrest Gump (1994)
- The Intern (2015)
- The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
- Julie & Julia (2009)
- The Holiday (2006)
- Notting Hill (1999)
- Little Women (2019)
- The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
- Dead Poets Society (1989)
- Finding Forrester (2000)
- Good Will Hunting (1997)
- Pride and Prejudice (2005)
- The Great Gatsby (2013)
- Shakespeare in Love (1998)
- The Queen (2006)
- The Imitation Game (2014)
- The Theory of Everything (2014)
- Sense and Sensibility (1995)
- Downton Abbey (2019 film and series)
- Friends (we just love them because they never go out of style!)
- How I Met Your Mother
- The Office (US)
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- Modern Family
- Sherlock (learn new words and bost your deduction skills)
- Downton Abbey
- The Crown
- Doctor Who
- Suits
- House M.D.
- The Newsroom
- West Wing
- Big Bang Theory
Learn More About Word Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Just take a look at words as if they’re living beings with organs like roots, prefixes, and suffixes. If you understand what these ‘organs’ are about, you will find it easier to decode unfamiliar terms. For example, take a look at the word biology. In it, you can see bio, which means life. You can see bio in words like biology, biography, and antibiotic. As for logy, it means the study of (ecology, psychology, theology, etc.). By learning roots and affixes, you can then guess the meanings of words you see for the first time in your life.
Try Flashcards
It’s one of the recommendations that college students tend to use. It is also one of the time-tested instruments for word memorization, and you are welcome to benefit from it as well. If you do not know where to start, we recommend taking the first step by putting together a couple of dozen flash cards with words that aren’t part of your vocabulary yet. Add new flashcards to your collection on a regular basis. Now your task is to run through your collection once or twice a day to upgrade your vocabulary non-stop.
Enjoy Your Favorite Songs
Just like reading or writing helps hone your lexicon, listening to your favorite lyrics can help you expand your vocabulary in an enjoyable way. Plus, it is a useful option, especially if you are listening to songs that are good for your mental health.
At the same time, it is better to give preference to the lyrics with creative verses, so you deal with the language that is far from ordinary. In addition to songs, you’re welcome to benefit from audiobooks and podcasts.
Finally, try to look around. Are you at home watching TV? Or perhaps you are on your way to college classes or work? Or you are in the middle of your friends’ get-together at the café? Whatever you do now, try this: find the right words to describe your current situation in your mind. What vocabulary would you use to do that? How can you describe people on the subway? What lexicon would you include to describe the café interior? As you answer these questions, you use descriptive language that you will thus memorize. Are you with a friend now? Great! You can play this game together! Take turns and give one sentence describing the people, the interior, the nature, and so on. After all, when we learn together, the process becomes smoother and more enjoyable. It is always nice to have someone to share the load!
