Reduce Your Time Learning Vocabulary

So, you've decided to learn a new language to get your dream job, apply for a promotion, or just communicate with others. You see progress every day that passes by and feel proud of what you've accomplished. However, you want to become more proficient in less time. What do you do? Exactly! Learn more words. 

In today's post, you'll find practical tips on how to learn new words. Are you ready to take your English skills to the next level? 

Say Goodbye to Long Lists of Words

It's true that methods to learn a foreign language include memorizing long lists of words. This results in a boring way to experience the language because you're exposed to some words that may not be used in the present. 

Instead, focus on a specific topic. For example, the parts of a house. Then, use visual materials that show each room, object, and appliance you can find in the house. Visual learning has many advantages for students. Text-only material is something of the past. Images or videos are proven to help students retain information. 

Repeat What You Learn

Books, cartoons, movies, ads, and more surround you every day. Each of them includes words you may have never heard or seen before. While it can be frustrating to not understand their meanings immediately, there is a hidden benefit. Continuous exposure to unfamiliar words helps you learn them faster. 

Repetition is simply saying or seeing the same word over and over again until you memorize it and use it in your conversations. This technique has benefits if done properly. In order, for repetition to be effective, practice the new word five times a day using examples. Don't just repeat the new word fifty times in one day and never practice again.

Most English students are so busy doing other activities that they don't have time to sit down and learn new words. However, psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered the rate at which people learn and forget new information. If you don't want to fall behind in your learning goals, the spaced repetition technique is the solution. The approach consists of reviewing the words or phrases you've learned at different intervals.  

To illustrate this technique, learn fifteen new words or expressions today. Then, after four or five days, go over the same words to refresh your memory. Continue this pattern until you've fully memorized the list. This can be complemented by practicing in the setting where the words or phrases are used. If you’re learning words related to furniture, like "couch," go to your living room and interact with the object that the word represents.

Read Every Day 

Have you ever picked a book, started reading it, and then stopped after the third or fourth paragraph because the vocabulary was an impediment? 

One benefit of books is that they introduce new words to your vocabulary. There are books that you can read according to your level. If you're new to English, fairy tales such as "Cinderella," "Pinocchio," or "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" can teach you new words. But, if you have an advanced reading level, you can read Little Women, 1984, The Andromeda Strain, or War and Peace. English learners can measure their level in the language by grabbing a book and reading some pages. 

Memorize the words you find in books, learn them by heart, and incorporate them into your daily conversations.

Use the Words You Learn

English has a large vocabulary compared to other languages, like Spanish and French. This sounds overwhelming, but you don't need to learn every English word that currently exists. 

If you decide to learn English to communicate or engage with others, you have to focus on words and phrases that you'll use in your daily conversations. This is important if you don't want to think about the next word you want to use. 

Storing words that you don't use or hear every day will make you forget them. Also, you might have to go over them every now and then to remember their meaning. 

Have Fun Learning Vocabulary

Learning a new skill doesn't have to be a tedious task. It's true that you need to dedicate time and go the extra mile to achieve proficiency, but you have to have fun. Therefore, adding some entertainment, like board games, to your routine will speed up the process. 

If you're looking for ways to increase your vocabulary, pay attention to what you enjoy doing and mix it up with your English routine. 

Watch Your Favorite Movies or Series in English

The internet, especially YouTube, offers many free movies and shows you can watch. Through them, you can learn new words, expressions, and cultural facts. 

How does this work? Find the list of shows and choose the one you're interested in. Make sure it has subtitles available in case you need to rewind to check a word. Then, get a notebook and a pen to write down the new words and phrases. 

By doing this, you'll cover other skills, such as listening. Plus, you can apply this technique to movies as well. 

Listen to Your Favorite Song 

Some people learn a foreign language to understand song lyrics. They get to know more about their favorite artist's life, too. Music and language go hand-in-hand. As an English learner, you can take advantage of it. 

Did you know that a good amount of song lyrics contain slang? Yes, this is because songs aren't static. Genres evolve and include words that people commonly use in conversations. 

Try looking up the lyrics of a song you like and playing it simultaneously. The first time, read the lyrics and listen to the song. The second round, identify unfamiliar words, search for their meanings, and memorize them. After that, listen to the same song again, but this time identify other the new words.

If you want to raise the stakes, learn more than one song a day. You can create your own playlist and keep track of the songs you learn in one year. 

Play Games 

So far, we've reviewed shows and songs to learn more vocabulary. But there's another important element: games. 

You can go to a bookstore and buy games about biographies, riddles, or drawings to have fun! You can take this material with you on your trips or anywhere you go. 

If you're more of a tech person, take advantage of your phone and download apps to learn vocabulary. Since there are many apps currently available, try each to see which one meets your needs. 

Takeaway 

A high level of proficiency in a language will open up new doors. Your English stands out from the rest when you have a good command of grammar, speaking, listening, writing, and vocabulary. Remember that the more words you know, the easier it becomes to express yourself. Apply these tips and see how your English vocabulary improves faster.