Steps to Better English Vocabulary (Article 6)

In this post, I’ll walk you through my process for learning new words. I hope it helps you improve your vocabulary and also helps you gain confidence with your own writing.

STEP 1: Read Books

The best way to learn new words is by reading. There’s no shortcut to learning new words, but reading is the best way to pick up new vocabulary.

STEP 2: Find a List of Words to Learn

Once you’ve read a book or two, you’ll start noticing the new words in it. You’ll also notice the most common words and the most frequently used words in common English phrases.

You can use these lists to find words that are similar to the ones you already know. This will help you remember the new words better.

STEP 3: Memorize the List

Once you’ve found a list of words to learn, the next step is to memorize them.

There are a lot of ways to memorize lists of words, but I’m a big fan of flashcards. If you have a few minutes, you can download a free trial of Anki from this link.

Anki is an excellent tool for memorizing flashcards because it offers a bunch of features that make it easier to learn. I recommend you try it out if you want to learn more about how to memorize lists of words.

STEP 4: Practice Writing With the New Vocabulary

The final step in learning vocabulary is practicing writing with the new vocabulary. I recommend doing this with a pen and paper.

I also recommend using a different word every time you write. Don’t use the same word over and over again, and don’t use words that you already know the meaning of.

STEP 5: Take Tests

To really test yourself, you’ll need to take a vocabulary quiz. There are lots of sites online that will allow you to take a free test. The site can give you feedback on your score, which can be very helpful in improving it.

STEP 6: Get a Good Dictionary

You can do a lot to help your vocabulary, but nothing beats a good dictionary. A good dictionary will give you definitions for words and phrases you don’t know. You can also look up synonyms for words you already know. This will give you the opportunity to see how similar words are, which can help you understand their differences.

STEP 7: Keep Learning

The best way to continue learning new vocabulary is by reading more books. If you’re reading a book that uses a new word or phrase, use your dictionary to check it out. If you find it’s used again, read the book again.

The more books you read, the more you’ll learn.

Thanks for reading!