Ten Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

1. Read
Read well-written essays, published magazine or news articles and/or
books every day. Nonfiction in particular will illustrate ways to use words
unfamiliar words. However, any type of reading will help you build
vocabulary, as long as you read with attention. If you're reading something
on paper, have a pen or pencil in your hand and make a quick mark next to
new or interesting vocabulary.

It helps to switch up what you read as well. If you generally read the
same types of texts most the time, you may be seeing a narrow range of
vocabulary. If you usually read articles about politics, think about including
reading in history, philosophy or any other topics that will help expand your
learning and your vocabulary.

2. Use Newly Learned Words

Use a new word right after you learn it. It takes between 10 and 20
repetitions to make a new word a part of your vocabulary. To help the word
settle into your mind and memory, write it down (both the definition and a
sentence you make up using the word), use it in conversation, include it in
an email or any other way you can think of. Repeat the word to yourself
several times.

3. Learn Word Origins and Roots

Learn the origins and roots of words. Words in the English language that
come from Latin and Greek (and their descendants) are typically built from a
root, and then have one or more prefixes and/or suffixes (a general term for
both prefixes and suffixes is affixes). Words originating from other languages
may lack familiar affixes but are no less interesting. Once you learn the
meaning of a root or its affixes, you’ll begin to understand more words that
use the same root. Going back to our discussion of the word journal, what
other words can you think of that contain the root jour-? How are they
related?

The online American Heritage dictionary is a good source for word roots and
history.

4. Be Aware of Content-free Words

In our writing, most of us have verbal 'tics', or words that are relatively
empty of meaning. For example, I overuse the word really. 'Really' doesn't

© 2019, M.E. Sokolik, Writing for Social Justice

add any meaning to a phrase in most instances. Compare these two
phrases:

I enjoy cooking in a big kitchen.

I enjoy cooking in a really big kitchen.

Is there really a difference between these two sentences? Not really.

Other words that don't add to your writing: quite, a bit, kind of, somewhat, a
little, etc. Look for these empty words in your writing and think of more
precise vocabulary to replace them. Choose written vocabulary carefully.

5. Make up Associations
When you learn a new word, say it out loud, and then relate it to a word you
know. A good example is infinitesimal, which means “very small” or “tiny.”
Create a meaningful sequence and say it out loud: infinitesimal, small,
medium, large, huge. Then list things you think are infinitesimal.

6. Visualize New Words

Visualization is an effective way to remember new words. Let's take the
word concomitant, which is an adjective meaning accompanying. One way to
remember the meaning is that something that accompanies is something
that comes along, so you could visualize a troop of ants (one of the
suffixes) coming along. By remembering the middle part of the word, you
can help remember the meaning of concomitant. That's just one way to
visualize the word. Can you think of another? Now try it out
for effulgent, which means brilliantly shining. What can you visualize for
that?

7. Make Vocabulary Tests and Flash Cards

Keep a list of the new words you learn each week. In addition to using them
in your writing, make yourself some flash cards and test yourself on how
well you remember them. There are also phone apps for creating quizzes
and flash cards.

8. Put a Dictionary and Thesaurus App on Your Phone

Having a vocabulary app, dictionary, or thesaurus on your phone will help
you turn wasted (or waiting) time into productive vocabulary learning time.
If you're waiting for a bus, riding the subway, waiting at your doctor's office,
grab those few minutes and look at some new words. Find something
obscure that interests you, or look up something from your reading.

© 2019, M.E. Sokolik, Writing for Social Justice

9. Make Synonym Word Lists
If you use a lot of the same vocabulary in your writing, here's a way to
expand. On a piece of paper, write one of your typical words at the top. Use
a thesaurus or to generate a list of at least five new words you can use
instead. Keep these lists in a vocabulary journal to remind yourself to use
them instead of your usual choices.

10. Do Puzzles and Play Games

There are lots of games that focus on vocabulary, from board games like
Scattergories, to computer games like Words with Friends, to simple pencil-
and-paper puzzles like word searches or crossword puzzles. All of these
puzzles and games are great for improving your active vocabulary without
becoming boring. Locate some puzzles or games that interest you and try
one or two out.

© 2019, M.E. Sokolik, Writing for Social Justice