This post is aimed at English learners and ESL students in particular, but I also thought it might be useful to anyone who wants to improve their vocabulary skills.
STEP 1: Start Reading
The best way to improve your vocabulary is to read.
STEP 2: Learn with a Purpose
To be able to learn new words, you need to know what you want to use them for. This will help you focus your attention on the words you’re learning rather than wasting time on the words that don’t matter.
STEP 3: Break Down the Language
Breaking down language is an effective way of learning words. If you’re learning how to spell a word, for example, it’s a good idea to start by memorizing the spelling. If you’re learning a word’s meaning, it’s better to break down the word into its individual components. For example, a word like “coconut” can be broken down into “coco”, “nut”, and “ate”.
STEP 4: Focus on the Meaning
Most of the time, words are only useful when they’re combined with other words. It’s up to you to figure out which words are worth combining with others. If you’re learning how to write a story, for example, you might focus on the meaning of “story”. If you’re learning how to write an essay, you might focus on the meaning of “essay”.
STEP 5: Learn by Example
It’s not possible to learn all the vocabulary in a single book or article. Instead, it’s best to read books and articles written by people who have already mastered the vocabulary. If you want to learn how to write a story, for example, it’s a good idea to start reading books by famous authors.
STEP 6: Practice with Pictures
It’s hard to learn words if you don’t use them in real life. The best way to get comfortable with a word is to practice using it in everyday situations. For example, if you’re learning how to write a story, it’s a good idea to practice writing stories with friends.
STEP 7: Keep Learning
You can never be done learning new vocabulary. You will always have more words to learn and new things to understand. If you find yourself struggling to keep up with the flow of new vocabulary, it’s a good idea to take some time to review the things you’ve learned before.
Thanks for reading!