Improve Your Vocabulary.

by RUSTAM RAKHMETOV

Hello everybody!
There is no cast of a doubt on the fact that many student struggle because of poor vocabulary and I is not exception. Today I want to share with you my methods of learning new words that I used in the past and that I use now.  In the beginning of my study English I used very simple acting of memorizing. I just put down new words in a column and opposite of each new word I wrote down a meaning of a word in my native language. Advantage of this method is the fact that you can easily and quickly remember new words. But with the same fast rate you forget them. Another demerit of this acting is usage of definition of new vocabulary on your native language that prevent thinking on English.

METHOD 1 - List of words

The second method I used after "list of words" is visual. It is very useful method for people with visual memorizing. You just write down new vocabulary on sticker paper and put in on the wall. Actually the place you most often locating. For example you can stick new words on your mirror or refrigerator. Another part of this acting is put new words on picture. As illustration I want to mention the picture with a man body. If you want to memorize the word "HAND" you should put down this word on image of this part of body. The merits of this acting are easy memorizing, of course if you are visible memorizing person. And it is not boring, sometimes it is funny when you are making picture yourself. The vices are limited places for stickers. For example if you want to learn a thousand of words. In addition it takes too much time to draw pictures. And then you began not to pay attention the sticker on your refrigerator or mirror. I can advice this method for learning some grammar rules. Just put the pictures with grammar on you desktop on PC.

Method - II "Stickers"

My advice use only grammar pictures!

The third method I used is vocabulary textbooks. I think it is one of the useful methods I used. There are some special textbooks for vocabulary you can find in book shops. There are the most common new words you may use in everyday life or in special area of your action. In this textbooks there are words with definitions on English, cognate words, part of the speech and etc. But the most benefit of this books is the articles with new words. You can not only learn definition of new word but also read the texts with new word. It is really very good because you can learn the usage of vocabulary.  Moreover if you want to repeat new word you just reread the article with new vocabulary. Also textbook offer you to do some exercises with new words. For example substitution of new vocabulary in space place in a sentence.

                                    

 Method - III "Textbooks"

Finally, I want to represent you the most convenient and the best method of memorizing new words for me is usage of "Flash Cards". Flash card is a piece of paper where you should write a new word on the one side of a paper with example of sentence, pronunciation, part of the speech and cognate words,  and on the other side of flash card the definition of the word with example sentence, also you may add synonyms and antonyms on this side. To learn vocabulary you should just leaf through new flash card and check meaning other new word on the other side. You can use this card when you are taking a bus, when someone drives you at school or somewhere, anytime you want. Also if you remember some words better than others you can set them aside and repeat difficult words more often than that are easier. You can buy completed flash card with all definition and all what you need. But my advice is do not do this. Make flash cards yourself because you can find clear definition or definition you easier to memorize or remember. Below I want you give some links I have used for filling my cards.

method - IV "Flash Cards"

1. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/  - Cambridge dictionary. It is very useful source with easy definition and pronunciation on two languages American English and British English. Also there is example sentences with new words.
2. http://oxforddictionaries.com/?region=us - Oxford dictionary. Almost the same as Cambridge but there are more difficult definition of new words and there is no pronunciations.
3. http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/avarice - Your dictionary. The dictionary which gives the best definitions for new word with example and situation in which you can easily understand the meaning of new word. There are a lot of example sentences but for me interface is not convenient.
4. http://www.urbandictionary.com/ - Urban dictionary. I name this dictionary "slang dictionary". If you can not find any word in aforementioned dictionaries use this one. But the interface is nit convenient and there very long definition.
5. http://corpus.byu.edu/coca/ - The Corpus of Contemporary American English. It is very good resource for looking for examples of sentence with new word.
6. http://quizlet.com - Quizlet. It is very useful site for examine yourself. There you can compose a quiz for yourself. You can invent a quiz for your friend if you are studding together.  And the same can do your friend for you.

I am glad I can share my small knowledge about learning vocabulary with you. May be it can help you in the future. I really have been using them all, and they are useful for me. I am interesting which method  you use. Thank you for letting me to share my ideas!!!