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This world runs on communication. From classrooms to businesses and hospitals, verbal communication is the most effective way one can detail their needs or impart information.
Having a good hold over one’s public speaking skills and articulation is an extremely important asset to them, as they possess the ability to effectively communicate their needs in a more precise and concise way while also being able to quickly interpret and analyze the information they have received.
English is the most spoken language in the world, unsurprisingly, and almost 15% of the world population speaks English. There are so many reasons why building a better vocabulary, at any age, is important-
Expressing yourself better through writing- It’s no doubt that to write well, you need to know where to use what, with the applied context. An impactful piece of writing starts with words that perfectly describe what the writer meant to convey!
Workspace proficiency- Recent research study showed that a person’s vocabulary was one of the best ways to predict their workspace success. This doesn't isolate vocabulary to be the only factor that determines success, but shows how important it actually is!
Comprehension- This is no surprise as the more words we know, the better and more easily we understand things we are reading or studying.
Putting forward ideas better- People with a more vast vocabulary will have the ability to articulate and express their ideas in an extremely personalized and impressionable way.
In any language, there are usually 4 primary sets of vocabulary- reading, speaking, listening, and writing. They are used differently or the same way in different contexts, but to have a hold over a language and communicate effectively with it, embarking on a journey to improve gradually in these fields is important!
The most effective way to expand your vocabulary is to live it. What this means is to immerse yourself in the world of context, words, and sentences.
To think about it, how did you learn your mother tongue (assuming English isn’t your mother tongue!)? You tried to convey your message with certain specific words instead of using a general term like “that” or “the green thing”. Committing to learning is perhaps one of the most important decisions you will have to make for this learning process to improve you for the better.
It’s important to understand your personal learning style, as this personalised way of learning can help you learn faster than you would if you followed somebody else’s plan. There are so many learning methods like audio, visual, reading, writing, and kinesthetic.
Knowing your learning style can help you not only in expanding your vocabulary but also become a better student overall, in any field where it applies! The key is to stay motivated to your cause and always remind yourself of where this good habit can take you in the next few weeks, months, and even years!
Some of the best tips to improve your vocabulary are-
Make it a point to learn at least one new word every day, and slowly increase this as you become more comfortable with the process. Understand the meaning of what you are learning properly, and don’t just by heart it!
Use the word you learn either by setting a task to use this word in a written or spoken sentence.
Use a little introspection and think about some of the conversations you had recently. Could you have used the words you learned in these situations? Now this will stay in your head, and you will most probably use it the next chance you get!
Always review the new words you learn by revisiting them! The best way to keep track is to keep a record or journal with simply r=the words you learned, or by using an online platform like Quizlet or Anki.
Use these words in emails, write-ups, or just conversations. By knowing their meaning and using them in situations that call for them you won’t seem pompous, just articulate and precise!
Coming to the most important part, what are some of the best resources one can use for learning and building a better vocabulary?
Here they are!-
1. Freerice -
Users of the website and mobile application Freerice can donate rice to needy households through a multiple-choice quiz game. For each question that is correctly answered, the World Food Programme of the United Nations donates 10 grains of rice.
Accessible categories include those for English, Geography, Humanities, Learning a Language, Math, and Science, among more than 50 more categories. The categories can be played at up to five different levels of difficulty, depending on the subject. The total score of a user is calculated using the amount of rice and the number of grains earned.
The Online Etymology Dictionary (Etymonline), a free online encyclopaedia that explains how words in the English language originated, was produced by Douglas R. Harper.
The Online Etymology Dictionary has been named as one of the "top sites for discovering the perfect term" by the Chicago Tribune and as "an great tool for individuals investigating the origins of words" by Oxford University's "Arts and Humanities Community Resource" catalogue.
3. Describing Words -
A website called Describing Words extracts all the words that are used to describe nouns by analyzing the text of countless works of fiction and modern literature.
4. Memrise -
A British language learning tool called Memrise employs flashcards that are repeated at intervals to speed up learning. The UK's London serves as its headquarters. Memrise provides user-generated material on many other additional topics.
Courses in 16 languages and their combinations are available in the Memrise app, but there are many more languages available on the website. There were 35 million registered users of the app as of 2018. Since late 2016, Memrise has been profitable, with a $4 million monthly revenue.
5. BeanBeanBean -
BeanBeanBean has you covered whether you're looking for a small-scale individual volunteer opportunity or a huge corporate community service event. You can play their easy online quizzes wherever and anywhere you like.
This is not just a game, their educational quizzes are a great supplement to many classes and curricula because they cover crucial themes in mathematics, language, science, and geography.
6. Visuwords -
Visual learners will start to comprehend meanings in a way they have never before thanks to this graphical online dictionary, which will make looking up words and figures of speech addicting. The dictionary uses Princeton's WordNet, an open-source database created by university students and linguists, for its information.
The color-coded word "entries" display like a mind map or graphic organizer, presenting related words and phrases together with different colored portions of speech. To fully comprehend all of the provided information, be sure to glance at the color key at the bottom.
7. BBC Learn English -
The BBC World Service has a section devoted to teaching English called BBC Learning English. The service primarily uses its website to offer teachers and students free tools and activities.
Additionally, it creates radio shows that are broadcast on a few of the language services and affiliate stations of the BBC World Service. Numerous honors have been bestowed upon it, including two Elton's from the British Council and an award from the English Speaking Union for inventiveness in English language instruction.
8. Quizlet- App/ Website-
An American multinational corporation called Quizlet is utilized for learning and studying. It was started by Andrew Sutherland in October 2005, and it became open to the public in January 2007. Digital flashcards, matching games, electronic practice tests, and live quizzes are among Quizlet's main offerings.
9. Duolingo -
Duolingo is an American company that develops instructional technologies for schools and provides certification in a number of languages. Users can use spaced repetition to develop vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and listening abilities on the main app.
In total, Duolingo offers over 100 courses in over 40 different languages, including a few invented languages. With more than 500 million registered users, the business utilises a freemium model. A premium service from Duolingo is available with less advertising and more features.
10. Reverse Dictionary-
A reverse word dictionary's entries are arranged in alphabetical order, starting with the very last letter, moving on to the next to last, and so forth. Words with the same suffix are found together in them.
This can be helpful for linguists and poets searching for words with a specific suffix as well as an epigrapher or forensics expert reviewing a damaged text (such as a burned document or a stone inscription) that only had the final part of a word. For the vast majority of important alphabetical languages, reverse dictionaries of this kind have been written.
Using these resources according to your schedule, adjusting the methods of learning to your taste, and maintaining your passion for learning are the three golden points to remember before you take off on your journey to mastering the language and building a better vocabulary.
All the very best, reader!
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