Tips to do well in English – Building Up Your Vocabulary

Many students face an age-old problem – limited vocabulary. They usually tend to express their opinions, descriptions and emotions using the same words over and over again. This results in a rather bland essay and expressions are often restricted to simple and monotonous phrases.

Thus, it is important to build up your vocabulary. It may take some time and effort, but the benefits will last you almost a lifetime. Here are a few suggestions to build up your vocabulary:

#1 – Dictionary is your best friend

Whenever you are reading any passages or books, you will most definitely encounter words or phrases that you do not understand. Grab your trusty dictionary and start looking up the word and understand the meaning. As time goes by, your vocabulary range will increase and gradually, you will find that you will rely less on your dictionary.

#2 – Create a vocabulary notebook

Knowing the meaning of a new word is never enough to build up your vocabulary. Write it down on a notebook and also include its meaning. In this way, you can refer to this little notebook and revise all the words that you have found so far. Some words may have more than one meaning and so you may have to jot down each meaning in order to use the word in more ways than one. In addition, construct a sentence for each use of the word. This not only improves your vocabulary but also sharpens your writing skills!

#3 – Read widely

Different genres may use different set of phrases/words often. This will expose you to a more extensive range of vocabulary for you to tap on. So when you read widely across genres, you will be able to appreciate and learn more words and their usage, thus building up on your vocabulary. Building something requires effort and care, but the rewards reaped is well worth the effort.

So, with these tips in mind, you can extend your vocabulary range and soon, you will be able to write with more ease and confidence.

Related to: English  For Parents  For Students  Study Tips