0Spoken English is measured using four dimensions: fluency, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. In this lesson, I am going to focus on how to build your vocabulary using my five-step approach.
Before looking at my approach, it's essential to explain why having a wide range of vocabulary is necessary. The first reason is that if we have an extensive resource of words, we can get our message across clearly. It is vital because if we are definite, people are better able to understand the meaning behind our news. The other reason is that our speech becomes more engaging and exciting if we can use many different kinds of words. For example, look at the difference between these two sentences:
1. The movie was good
2. The movie was riveting
Doesn't the second sentence sound more appealing? The second statement encourages questions from the listener, and this can build a conversation.
So let's now look at my method of building your vocabulary. There are five steps:
1. Read an English newspaper and focus on the editorial section. You can find this in the middle of the paper. Each day, choose just two unfamiliar words because it's difficult to remember many new concepts at once. So go easy on yourself!
I like this resource because BBC news uses a lot of rich vocabulary covering many topics like politics, the environment, health, arts and culture.
2. Write down the two new words in a notebook. It will be your "vocabulary book" used for the sole purpose of writing down and learning new words.
3. Look up the meaning of these words in a dictionary. I recommend dictionary.com. When you refer to a dictionary, there are two crucial steps which you should follow. The first is to understand the meaning of the word. A dictionary will have some example sentences of how to use the word in a sentence. These sentences provide context for the term and are very helpful. The second is the pronunciation. Dictionary.com has a sound icon so you can click on that and hear the correct pronunciation. Take your time to listen to the sounds that make up the word and also listen to the syllable stress. Syllable stress is essential when we pronounce words. If we get the stress wrong, the term isn't pronounced correctly; for example, we say deVElopment, not Development
4. Now go back to your notebook and write down example sentences of the word so that you have a written record of the word's usage. Also, practise saying these words aloud.
5. The final step is to set yourself a goal to use these two words during the day in general conversation. The only way to remember new words is to use them.
My five-step approach involves active learning. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to building your vocabulary. To remember new words, you have to write them down, check a dictionary and start using them. Over time, these words will become second nature to you.
Good luck!
