LEARNING
VOCABULARY
By Viv Quarry
(www.vivquarry.com)
Why is vocabulary important?
Communication in a language involves four skills:
Active skills: Speaking
and writing
Passive skills: Listening
and reading
A language is comprised of the following components:
Grammar (The rules for correct sentence formation)
Functions (The appropriate language in a specific situation)
Pronunciation (The correct formation of sounds at word and sentence
level)
Vocabulary (The words used to transmit meaning)
Having a wide range of vocabulary means that you can operate more
efficiently in both active and passive skills. Your speaking and writing will
become more fluent and your language more natural. Your listening and reading
will improve because you will be able to understand more of what is written or
spoken.
A person with a limited vocabulary will never be able to speak, write,
read or understand English effectively.
Your range of vocabulary can be divided into two types:
Passive vocabulary
Your passive vocabulary includes all of the words in your notebook, and
all of the words that you have understood when reading and listening to
English.
Active vocabulary
Your active vocabulary is the total of all the words that you can use
correctly when speaking and writing.
A person’s active vocabulary is normally much smaller than their
passive vocabulary.
How do I improve my range of
vocabulary?
To learn vocabulary efficiently, you need effective organisation and regular revision.
Organisation
It has been proved that it is easier to remember words when they are
associated with other words in groups. This is why your notebook is divided
into different vocabulary sections. Always identify a new word with it's part
of speech (verb, noun, adjective, adverb or preposition) separated by a margin.
This will help you locate the word in the future. Always put a definition,
either in English or in Portuguese, and if necessary, put the pronunciation of
the word using a different colour to differentiate it from the spelling. When
appropriate, draw pictures or diagrams to illustrate new words. Make special
note of the words which you have problems pronouncing, and keep another list of
the words you spell incorrectly. You will need to revise both these lists
frequently.
Revision
Everyone forgets words which have been learnt. The only way to learn
new vocabulary effectively is by regular revision. Imagine that during your
English class you learn ten words. During the next three days, you will gradually
forget most of the words until on the third day you will only be able to
remember two of the words. These two words you will probably never forget, but
the other eight words will be lost. However, if on the third day you revise the
same words, you will briefly go back to knowing ten words. Over the next three
days, you will start forgetting the words again, BUT by day seven you will be
able to remember four of the ten words, and these four you will never forget.
If you repeat the process three more times, you will know all ten words.
Some techniques for learning
vocabulary
1. When you revise your vocabulary, don't just
read the words and their definitions. First cover the word and try to remember
it using the definition. Then, cover the definition and try to remember what
the word means. If you can, ask a friend or member of your family to test you
(that way they may learn some English too!).
2. Cut out small squares of card. Write the word
on one side and its definition on the other. Keep the cards near you, either in
your pocket or in a small bag or box. When you have time, take out a card. If
you can remember the word or definition, put it somewhere else. If not, look at
it and put it back in your pocket again. When there are no more words left in your
pocket, you have learnt them all.
3. Make the same small cards as in 2. Instead of
putting them in your pocket, fix them with selatape to things around your
apartment or bedroom eg. on a mirror in the bathroom, beside the tv etc. Every
time you see the word you will be reminded what it means. When you can
remember, take the word off and put another one in its place.
4. The computer can be very useful in learning
new words. Put the words into a table. This way you can sort them
alphabetically, and temporarily delete a column to test yourself.
5. Record words, definitions & context
sentences on tape. Play the tape in your car driving to work.
6. Draw pictures to illustrate what words mean
and use different colours to write them.
Do you have any other ideas for learning vocabulary? Let Viv know if
you do.
Dealing with unknown
vocabulary
1. Identify
the part of speech.
(Is it: a noun, a verb, an adjective, an adverb, a
preposition or a linking word?)
2. Are there
any prefixes and suffixes to help me understand it?
3. Does the
context (before or after the word) help to explain it?
4. Is there a
word in my language which is similar? Yes - Is it a false
friend?
5. Is this
word important to understanding the text?
Yes - Look it up in
the dictionary.
No - Is it the first time the word has occurred?
Yes - Ignore it.
No
- Look it up in the dictionary.