Looking to expand your vocabulary? If yes, then get ready for the roller coaster ride. Learning new words is not a piece of cake, it requires commitment and regular practice. But, what is the need to learn new words? Why do you need to expand your vocabulary? The reason could be anything from personal to professional or even something as vague as wanting to impress a girl or boy in your class. However, the ultimate objective of improving your vocabulary would always remain the same i.e. to be able to communicate more clearly and impressively. To be able Good vocabulary enables you to leave a great impression of your personality on the person in front of you. To assist you in your quest of succeeding at improving your vocabulary we have listed below some useful tips for you.
Read, Read, Read
Inculcate a habit of reading, as reading is one of the best ways to expand your vocabulary. Start reading books,newspapers and good magazines. As well as novels and literary works. Make it a habit to look up the new and unfamiliar words as you come across them. Experiment with the various genre and explore everything from classic, to fiction, to non-fiction, to poetry and memoirs. Basically, anything that you can get your hands onto. Range your readings across subjects as the more you expose yourself the more words you'll learn.
Keep a dictionary and thesaurus handy
Sure, you can Google everything online within a matter of seconds. But it always is useful to keep a dictionary or thesaurus handy; be, it in print, online versions or in the form of apps on your phone. Whenever, you come across a new or difficult word always stop for a second and look up its meaning, pronunciation and even some sample sentences where the word is used. You can also look for synonyms or familiar words with the similar meanings to build your vocabulary.
Know the Roots
A lot of English words are derived from different languages like Greek and Latin. To better understand a word many people also recommend understanding the root of the word. The origin of the word helps you build a better association with the word. This process of understanding the word root is also called 'Etymology'. You can look for a word's etymology online on various websites. Try looking up for a word familiar to you and you will be surprised by the history of the word. Etymology can be incredibly fun. Once, you become a little familiar with the process you'll also be able to decipher meanings of the new words on your own.
Play with the words
Word games are a fun way to explore a language. They challenge you and help you discover new words. Popular word games like Scrabble are a fun tool to expand your vocabulary while also enjoying the process of learning new words. You can also take up games like crosswords, word jumble, and anagrams. They are a fun and interesting ways to learn new words and their meanings. You could either download apps for such games or even buy puzzle games or books.
Academic writing tips for college students
Write More
For a major part of our student life, our writing is often limited to our academics. We write exam papers, classroom lecture notes, even the essays and other creative writings all of which are connected or limited to academics or studies. But if you want to improve your vocabulary, you need to take a step back ahead and take up writing that goes beyond your academics. The best way to do so is by starting a blog. It doesn't matter what's the topic just write whatever comes to your mind. The point here is to flex your writing muscles, the more you exercise them the better your vocabulary will become.
Importance of extra-curricular activities for college students
Engage in conversations
Engaging in conversations is the best way to learn a language. Just think, how is it that an infant learns his first word? Kids start speaking even before they learn to write their first alphabet. The key to learning any language is to learn to converse in it. You learn new words in your daily conversations and slowly memorize them as you start using them more frequently. While conversing you'll also learn the different contexts in which the word is used and the minor differences that occur in the meaning of the wordas we use them in different contexts.
Smart tips to get success in every group discussion
In Summation,
Although, building a good vocabulary or improving it may seem boring, it can be fun, if you really want it to be. Learning new words, getting used to them and making them a part of your day to day conversations takes time. Patience is the key whether learning a new word or even a whole new language. Also, remember learning a new word is not the same as retaining it in your memory. Practice the use of the word, bring it in your conversations, review the words meaning at regular intervals. It will help ensure that the word gets etched in your memory. Hope, the tips outlined in this article will help with your quest to expand your vocabulary.
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