10 Essential Tips To Improve Your English Vocabulary
One of the most quintessential tools for a writer is a good vocabulary. Of course, grammar and punctuation are pivotal too. However, if your vocabulary is good, it becomes easier to pick the best-suited word for every job. As a result, you can get rid of all the fluff and vague words, which do not add value to your writing.
Using a dictionary will tremendously improve your chances of expanding your vocabulary. Image source: www.unsplash.com
Angie, an English assignment help provider with TFTH, says that one of the simplest ways of improving your writing is by working on your vocabulary. When you have a myriad of synonyms in your repertoire to extract every time, you’ll undoubtedly write well. Here, we have come up with some of the most effective ways of improving your vocabulary.
Use new words
Anytime you learn a new word, try to use it immediately. You can make this a fun practice. You could also try slipping in a new word into an assignment, journal entry, conversation, or an email to a friend. Repeat this exercise as many times as possible.
Identify the empty words
We all know about the empty words, which we regularly use in speech, such as um, ah, uh, etc. However, in writing, too, we use a lot of empty words. You have to try and identify these empty words, which do not do any value addition to the written piece. It would be best if you tried to replace these words with something a lot more appropriate. You have to apply this principle to sentences and phrases too. Do ensure that you do not use six to seven phrases for communicating something, which could have been said in a single sentence if you chose the words carefully.
Read something new every day
After you pass-out from school, you rarely take out time to read beyond what’s necessary. However, reading is a crucial tool for improving your vocabulary. Toby, an online assignment help providing agent who works with TAE, says that he consciously takes measures to work on his English by reading new novels, magazines, edited essays, or articles every day. It would help if you always preferred technical and non-fictional books. These books will help you find more unique ways to speak and think, which you might not be already familiar with.
Try to find out the roots
You need to know the origins of the words. In the English language, every word is built from a common prefix, source, or a suffix, which might have a Latin or Greek origin. So, once you find out the source, you’ll understand more words with a similar root. For instance, -duc, which is a Latin root word, implies to make or to lead, such as deduce or produce.
Search for the meanings of the words you do not know
At times, you’ll come across words you are unfamiliar with in the movies, TV shows, online reading, or while communicating with someone. So, when that happens, do not overlook these words. Remember them and immediately look for their meanings in the dictionary. If you cannot do that quickly, you should write them down in the notes application of your phone and look them up later. You can also improve your English vocabulary by taking English language courses, for example at a London English course school.
Use a Thesaurus
Brian, an expert English homework help tutor who works with EduWorldUSA, says that back in the day, whenever he used to write an English article, he would always keep a thesaurus handy. It is because of this habit that he knows a lot of newer words now. This is indeed a good practice and will help you learn new words to convey the meaning right.
Try to work on your practical vocabulary
Practical vocabulary means that you start by learning words that express what’s important to you, concerning the task at hand. One of the best examples of this is learning the trade language. It could include the words which you often use in vocation or a hobby. Instead of always going with the cliches or the jargon, which are usually tossed around, you could turn to more precise words, which could better express what you are writing or talking about.
Maintain a journal
Journaling is an excellent way of developing the right writing style. It also helps improve your vocabulary. In the journal, you can use new words, which you have learned recently.
Try learning new words every day
James, an executive, employed with a top knowledge hub, TrumpLearning, says that when he was trying to work on his vocabulary, he would consciously try and learn a new word every day. It is a good practice, and there are a bunch of ways that you can do this. However, the best approach is to pick a dictionary or thesaurus and go page by page.
Have a diversified reading list
To improve your vocabulary, you need to diversify your reading. If you regularly expose yourself to reading only one type of literature, your range would be limited. You could consider expanding the topics and the authors you read. Some of the reading options you could try to include could be Shakespeare, politics, natural science, contemporary literature, philosophy, history, or any other topic of your choice.
