Study skills B2 Units

Expanding and remembering vocabulary

1 Read the Study tips (1–8) and match them with the reasons (a–h).

a This helps you to focus on reviewing the new words you have
STUDY TIP
learned. You can also write sentences on the cards to help you
Here are some ways to expand to see the words in context.
your vocabulary. b When you read around a subject you like, you increase the
chances of certain words and phrases repeating. This will help
1 Read novels in English.
you to remember the words.
2 Read non-fiction books related to
c Whether you write a blog or emails to friends, to express yourself
your interests.
better you will want to use more original words and phrases.
3 Read online blogs, social media
d This helps not only by giving the meaning of unknown words,
discussions or articles.
but by showing examples of the words being used.
4 Use a vocabulary app to learn
e If you enjoy a particular story you will naturally want to know s
new words.
ome of the key vocabulary that appears in it.
5 Use vocabulary cards or a
f This helps because it provides you with examples of more modern,
vocabulary app to test your
colloquial expressions. New words are constantly appearing and
memory of new words.
this is an effective way to keep in touch with them.
6 Write in English more often.
g There are many apps that offer you the chance to learn a word
7 Use a dictionary.
a day. Often they are so interesting that you will learn four or five!
8 Use a thesaurus (a book that
h This helps you to expand your vocabulary by giving you a list
contains lists of words that have
of synonyms of everyday words. However, it is important to use
similar meanings).
a dictionary to understand the different ways the words are used.

2 Read the feedback that a teacher gave to four students about their work. Which Study tips would each
student find useful? Match the Study tips (1–8) in 1 with the students (a–d). It is possible to match more
than one tip to each student and to use each tip more than once.

a b
Antonio  Y our informal letter was well
organised, with good ideas, but
you repeated the same phrases
many times.
Bella  Y ou have not used any of the
vocabulary we have studied in this
piece of work. Please review your
vocabulary and use it next time!

Study tip           Study tip          

c d
Collin  Y our article on your hobby of
photography was very interesting
and contained a wide range of
related vocabulary. Unfortunately,
a lot of the words were spelled
incorrectly!
Didi  Y ou did badly in the grammar
test because you didn’t know your
collocations (words that go with other
words). If you read more you would
see these patterns more often!

Study tip           Study tip          

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Study skills B2 Units

3 Look at the extract from a thesaurus. Write the correct synonym next to the definitions (1–4). Use a
dictionary if necessary.

1 – to make something bigger by filling with gas or air

• expand – to mak
2 – to make something appear bigger than it really is e something bigg
er
synonyms: enlar
ge, maximise,
3 – to make something larger magnify, inflate

4 – to make something as large as possible

4 Complete the sentences (a–d) with the correct form of a synonym from 3. More than one synonym may be
possible.

a The text in the document was too small to read so I it.

b The company wanted to sales of ice cream during the summer.
c The tyres of my bicycle were soft, so I had to them with my pump.
d He couldn’t see the planet until he used a telescope, which it a hundred times.

5 Read how four students remember new vocabulary. Which method do you think is the most effective?

a new
I listen to a podcast which sends me I read on a digital reader with a
friends
word each day. Now, every day, my dictionary. I can click on a new word
Tel ling
ask me what word I have learned. and it gives me the meaning. At the
even
them helps me remember the words end of the month I review the words
more! – Toni, 14 I have looked up. – Anna, 15

I have an English-speaking friend, Tom, and I am I try to use the words in

always asking him how to say things. He teaches me some a composition as soon as
funny expressions too! I write them down and use them in I can. My teacher tells
conversation. His friends laugh and that motivates me to me if I have used them
use them again. – Maria, 16 correctly. – Aleix, 14

6 What can you do to expand your vocabulary and remember the new words? Write your ideas here. Use the
tips in 1 and 5 to help you.

To expand my vocabulary, I will …

To remember new vocabulary, I will …

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