When studying foreign language it is very important to constantly replenish your vocabulary - to memorize new and new words in English. However, not everyone succeeds in doing this. We offer you seven tips to help you remember new words in English more effectively.
Build Associative Networks
Our brain takes in what we read and converts it into images, ideas and feelings, and then forms connections between new information and what we already know. This is how memorization happens - the new is combined with the old.
Imagine a tree. Isn't it easier to see a large spreading tree with many branches and leaves than a small tree with a few branches? The same is true for the brain. When you connect a new word or concept with something you already know, it's easier for your brain to find it and remember it at the right moment.
How to do it? Very simple. Draw a network of concepts. Take what you want to remember (word, idea, sentence) and write it in the center of the paper. Then draw lines from it in all directions, like a web.
At the end of each line, write down any English words or even draw pictures that come to your mind when you think of the word written in the center. It doesn't matter what the associations are, just write down whatever you come up with.
It will only take a couple of minutes, and now all the words or concepts will be interconnected in your brain. If you see or hear one of them, it will be easier for you to remember the others.
To make it work even better, say how this or that word in English is related to others. The more often you do this, the more connections are formed. And the more connections, the easier it is for your brain to “see” the word you want to remember.
Memorize phrases (phrases)
Remembering a word is important, but English, like any other language, is not just a set of concepts, it is a tool that people use to communicate and express their thoughts. Find examples of how a particular word is used in the text.
Write down not only the word itself, but also neighboring ones. For example, if you need to remember the English word "arrogant" (arrogant), you can write: "the tall, arrogant man" (tall arrogant man).
This will help you remember that "arrogant" is an adjective used to describe people. Then try three complete sentences to practice using it.
Use Pictures
Draw small pictures to remember the meaning of the word. Can't draw? Don't worry, it's even better. Our brain receives so much monotonous information that a strange picture is a kind of surprise, and we always remember surprises.
Our brain is better at reading visual information. Draw a funny picture illustrating the meaning of a word and you will remember it much faster.
Make up stories
English learners often complain that there are too many new words and they are hard to remember. There is one trick that you can use to quickly learn words. Make up any, even a ridiculous story, in which all the words in English are involved. Imagine it in detail.
We easily remember stories, especially strange ones, if we can recreate them in our imagination. Feel free to combine words in fun and awkward ways. Let's say you need to memorize the following 20 English words:
shoes, piano, tree, pencil, bird, bus, books, driver, dog, pizza, flower, door, TV set, spoons, chair, jump, dance, throw, computer, stone
(shoes, piano, wood, pencil, bird, bus, books, driver, dog, pizza, flower, door, TV, spoons, chair, jump, dance, throw, computer, stone)
You can make up such an incredible story from them:
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There is a piano wearing shoes and sitting in a tree. The tree is strange because someone has stuck a giant pencil through it. On the pencil a bird is sitting and watching a bus full of people reading books. Even the driver is reading a book which is bad because he isn't paying attention to driving. So, he hits a dog that is eating a pizza in the middle of the road and kills it. The driver digs a hole and buries the dog in it and then puts a flower on it. He notices that there is a door in the dog's grave and opens it. Inside he can see a TV set with 2 spoons for antennas on top of it. No-one is watching the TV set because they are all watching the chair. Why? - Because the chair is jumping and dancing and throwing stones at the computer. |
The piano sits on a tree in shoes. The tree looks strange because someone pierced it with a huge pencil. A bird sits on a pencil and looks at the bus, full of people reading books. Even the driver reads the book, which is bad because he doesn't pay attention to the road. So he hits a dog that was eating pizza in the middle of the road to death. The driver digs a hole and buries the dog, then places a flower on top. He notices that there is a door in the dog's grave and opens it. Inside, he sees a TV with two spoons on top that act as antennas. Nobody watches TV because everyone is looking at the armchair. Why? Because the chair is jumping and dancing and throwing rocks at the computer. |
Try it. You will be surprised!
Remember opposites
Remember in pairs words with opposite meanings (antonyms) and words with similar meanings (synonyms). For example, remember the pairs angry/happy and angry/cross at the same time. We remember similar and opposite things faster, as the brain creates connections between them.
Parse the word by composition
Use roots, prefixes and suffixes to guess what a word means.
For example: even if you are unfamiliar with the word "microbiology", you can guess what it means. First, take a look at the "micro" prefix. "Micro" means something very small. You may know that the "-logy" part means science, the study of something.
So, we can already say that it is about learning something small. Also, you may remember that "bio" means life, living beings. Thus, we can conclude that "microbiology" is the science of microscopic living organisms.
Do you have trouble remembering English words and expressions? Do you find it difficult to remember idiomatic and slang expressions? Are you in constant struggle with grammar rules?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are not alone: most people who study are faced with such problems.
Even native speakers have a hard time remembering how to spell a particular word, because often there is no direct connection between the spelling of a word in English and its pronunciation.
The secret to remembering new words and their spelling - for both native and non-native speakers - is to develop a good memory. If you are one of those people with poor memory, read on.
This article will explain a few techniques to help you memorize words and grammar in a much easier way.
First of all, you need to understand how memory works.
So how does memory work?
Our memory stores information. As soon as we see, hear, smell, taste or touch something, our memory puts this data in a certain place.
In some cases, however, when we need to extract this information, we cannot find it. Sometimes, even when we are trying to remember something, this piece of information simply cannot be "taken out" from its proper place in our memory.
Can I improve my memory?
Yes! You can use auxiliary tools - mnemonics.
These include pictures, sounds, rhymes, or acronyms that link to a word, expression, or spelling that is difficult to remember.
Imagine: the sea after a storm with parts floating in it and debris from a wrecked boat, algae and other debris floating aimlessly on the surface.
This is what happens to poorly organized memory. It is difficult to find anything in such a huge heap of disordered information.
Now imagine a port or harbor where each boat is anchored or docked in the correct spot. Everything is organized and in its place.
TO 
The picture is a little unrealistic, but hopefully it will help you imagine what a well-organized memory looks like. Following this analogy, a mnemonic is an anchor that fixes a piece of information in a certain place, preventing it from “drown”.
Let's look at a few different ways using such "memory anchors" for language learning.
Using mnemonics to memorize the spelling of words
Spelling mnemonics are used by both native speakers and learners of the language, because it is very easy to get confused in the spelling of English words. If you can't remember how a particular word is spelled, create a mnemonic link to something that will help you remember.
Here is a great example: many people are not sure about the correct spelling of the word "vacuum" (vacuum cleaner). They know that there should be a double letter in the middle, but which one, "c" or "u"? The following video presents a wonderful mnemonics designed to help with this:
Hear, here! How to memorize English homophones
weather or whether? Hear or here? There, their, or they're?
It is especially difficult to remember the spelling of words that sound the same but have different meanings. And again, mnemonics to help us!
For example, you confuse the words compl i ment and compl e ment . There is a mnemonic that allows you to understand the difference between these words. Let's take a look at it and you'll never have a problem with those two homophones again.
Compliment is translated as "compliment", "praise". This is an expression of delight, admiration.
He told her he admired her music, and she returned the compliment by saying that she was a fan of his poetry. He told her that he loved her music, and she complimented him by saying that she was a fan of his poetry.
Complement, on the other hand, is something that complements or enhances - a complement.
The necklace was a perfect complement for her dress. The necklace was the perfect complement to her dress.
Both words can be both verbs and nouns. Also, both can have other meanings, depending on the context, but these meanings are the most important.
The difference in spelling between these words is that the word compl e ment has an e in the middle, and compl i ment- i. For those who are fluent in Russian spelling, there will not be much difficulty here, since we also write the word compliment through and. But what if you get confused with the Russian language too? How then to remember how each of the words is spelled correctly.
Here's a mnemonic for you: antonym compl i ment- i nsult (insult). Stroke starts with i, so compl i ment in the middle is also a letter i .
When one thing complements another (one thing complements another), it improves it in some way (enhances). Enhance starts with the letter e, so just remember the phrase: if one thing enhances another, it complements it- and you will remember the letter e in the middle of the word.
A barefoot bear drinks beer
Another way to memorize words that have the same sound and pronunciation is to create a mnemonic sentence that includes all the words you are trying to remember.
This sentence should make some sense and be simple enough to visualize and remember. For example: A barefoot bear drinks beer . The sentence is a little silly, but it is well remembered and helps to learn the difference between homophones.
Idioms and slang expressions
A picture expressing a literal interpretation of an idiom can be an excellent mnemonic.
For example, in order for the value of the expression " to be all ears” stuck in your memory, imagine a person with large elephant ears facing you. Such an image will help you remember the meaning and the main idea of this idiom.
What do people use to hear? Ears, of course. So, if a person has big ears, it means that he listens carefully to what you say.
By the way, how do you like such a literal image of the phrase to be all ears?
Now you may remember this expression forever. I hope you are not reading this article at night, as there may be some trouble.
What about grammar?
If the grammar structure of English differs from your native language, it can be difficult to understand the logic behind the "alien" grammatical concepts.
Learning grammar rules can take a lot of time and effort before you really master them.
Mastery means that you feel completely confident in this and use the grammar rules 100% correctly.
Look at 4 rules that will help you understand these very “alien” grammar rules. Perhaps they will remind you of your own experience.
- I read the rules and read/see/hear examples of their use. I understand the meaning (or at least I think I do). The rule makes sense. More or less…
- I begin to do the exercises, and now I realize that I do not quite understand them. I need to see/hear/read a few more examples before I start applying them myself.
- Now I understand the idea, but there are so many expressions! I hear native speakers misuse this concept. Are they just wrong, or is there something that neither my textbook nor my teacher has told me yet?
- Now I know (I hope) how to use this part of the grammar. I can use it correctly and I know several different occasions when it needs to be applied. Now I own these rules.
A very important question arises: is it possible to skip one or two steps in this process?
Answer: Yes. It's difficult, but possible.
How to use mnemonics for grammar
It is important to be able to visualize new concept; mental image will help you understand and remember it.
Here is an example. Slavic languages do not have auxiliary verbs for the perfect tense (I have read the book) or for a long time (I am reading the book).
If we draw an analogy with English, in Russian, for example, there is no difference in the sentences "I read" and " I am reading"(in both cases -" I read "), since we understand the difference from the context. But there are no differences in the forms of the verb.
To comprehend for us, Russians, the difference between the simple present and the simple perfect tense in English language, you need to try to present two pictures.
For repetitive actions (for example, present simple: "I read every day » [I read every day]) imagine a kangaroo jumping up and down the calendar: I read Monday (jump), Tuesday (jump), Wednesday (jump) and so on.
Well, or such a mnemonic for the phrase "I read every day"
For actions that are happening right now (for example, Present Continuous: “I am reading”), you can imagine a river in front of you, filled with words and phrases. You are sitting on the bank of a river, the text floats past from left to right, illustrating that the reading process is happening right now.
At first, the difference between these two activities can seem like a lot of confusion - one is repetitive and generic, while the other is unfolding right now in front of you.
But the pictures definitely help visualize the difference and eventually internalize it as well.
And another grammatical example
Let's look at another example of a complex grammatical concept: stative verbs.
These are verbs that are usually not used in continuous forms, even when we are talking about temporary situations or states. Have you ever been confused by the logic of state verbs? How can one and the same verb designate both a phenomenon and an action in the same situation?
Example: compare “The girl is smelling the rose” and "The rose smells good" .
How can we know if it's an action verb (and then we can use the Present Continuous) or a state verb (then we can't use the Present Continuous)? Visualization will help us again.
Imagine every tiny step in this process: you are a girl, you take a flower in your hands, bring it to your nose and calmly inhale the refined scent of a rose. Where is the action here?
I hope you see the action and understand that, in fact, in this case, the action is associated with this whole process.
Now imagine that you are a rose.
What are you doing? What is your action? If you think about it for a couple of seconds, it becomes clear that the flower does not perform any action.
Let's look at a couple more examples:
The cook is tasting the soup. The soup tastes good. (The cook tries the soup. The soup is delicious.)
I'm feeling your forehead. Your forehead feels really hot. Are you sick? (I can feel your forehead. Your forehead is very hot. Are you sick?)
Can you imagine being a chef? What about soup? And can you imagine that you are a forehead?
How to create mnemonics
1. Not all words and expressions are equally important. Therefore, not every vocabulary item "deserves" to have a mnemonic created for it. Identify words and expressions that really have professional or social significance for you, and first create mnemonics for them. Don't worry about too rare and "mysterious" words that you can't remember.
2. Create mnemonics in English, not in your native language. If your mnemonic is a picture, then try to think of it only in English.
3. Don't overdo it: don't make too many mnemonics. If you do this, you will have to spend a lot more time memorizing mnemonics instead of reading, writing or speaking English. We all have limits on how much we can remember, so find your limit.
4. Not every mnemonic makes sense to other people. Mnemonics can be divided into two groups: private and public. Public - those that can be easily understood by other people. Personal, on the other hand, will only be understood by you. Your own mnemonics will be difficult to explain to other people, but don't worry about it: the only thing that matters is your own ability to quickly recall a word or concept from your memory.
Today, self-development in the form of learning languages and going to the gym is literally a trend that everyone wants to keep up with.
From everywhere you can only hear “Don’t give up!”, “Be better than yesterday!”, “Work on yourself!”. If your figure is not perfect, everything is clear here - you need to observe proper nutrition and pump muscles. However, is it really that simple in learning English? Let's see.
If you have gaps in English, it is worth pulling up grammar and expanding your vocabulary. What to do if a bad memory, and all these words do not fit in the head? Is it possible to upgrade memory? The answer will pleasantly surprise you - you can.
Of course, someone will be able to quickly learn a number of new English words just by looking at them, and someone will have to make an effort. Everything depends on your desire.
In order to understand how you can pump memory, it is worth considering a few of your own features - everything is individual. As you know, there are two types of memory - someone perceives new things by ear, and someone - visually. There is one secret technique that we intuitively know at school, but eventually forget.
Remember how at a break, repeating a verse, you went from corner to corner with a textbook. Indeed, the movement contributes to the memorization of the new. And of course, memorization is significantly affected not only by speed, but also by the quality of memorization or the level of attention. It is important to focus on what you are learning here and now, and not fly in the clouds.
Understanding what memory is, it becomes obvious that by working on yourself, adding more self-discipline, you can develop memory, and easily memorize the required number of new memorizations of English words. All the excuses you've been using so far aside, it's time to get together and take a leap in learning English.
How to quickly learn English words
1. Learn words from context.
It is quite difficult to learn words if they are written as a list in a dictionary. This method can only be used if you are working with a teacher who will help you use these words in context, build a dialogue with you using these new words, and move the list of new words from your passive to active vocabulary.
If you are at the stage of independent study of English, then it is best to memorize words in the context of topics that interest you.
In this way of learning new words, two types of memory work - visual and auditory. Subtitles are important because they will help you be 100% sure what the word just sounded and how it is spelled. Agree, it is difficult to remember what you are not sure enough about.
If you study English with a teacher, then he will definitely include podcasts in your classes, which are also a magic wand for expanding your vocabulary.
3. Don't grab onto every new word.
When learning words, you should not grab each new word and run to write it out in a dictionary. If only because the number of words in the English language is incredible!
To begin with, it is best to memorize the base of words that you need, depending on your age and lifestyle. Of course, an experienced English teacher will be able to point you in the right direction and tell you what to focus on.
However, you can try and determine for yourself what to focus on and what words can be omitted.
4. Read.
You may be surprised, but now we are not even talking about reading in English, but about reading in our native language. It doesn't matter if it's fiction or quality articles.
Reading helps to make your thinking more flexible and develops your memory, thereby improving the memorization of new words in English.
5. Learn words in combination with grammar.
Many people think that the main base of English is words, and you don’t have to work much on grammar. Perhaps sometime in a parallel universe this myth will be dispelled, however, now it still exists.
Just imagine, if you know the conjugation of verbs, how many new words you will immediately learn. For example, if you do not perceive that all these new words in the text are just the first or second form irregular verb, they all seem new to you and confusion arises.
6. Learn English with modern technology, no more old-fashioned flashcards!
Fortunately the world modern technologies and encourages learning new words. For example, on our site there is a dictionary in a completely free format that will help you learn new words by memorizing them by ear and visually. The study takes place rather in a playful way, which helps to make the process of memorizing new words much more enjoyable.
In order to remember the English word faster, you can draw a certain parallel with it in your mind. It doesn't matter if it makes sense to someone else, the main thing is that it carries a certain message for you and, remembering this association, you could remember a new word.
For example, the word "sing" is somewhat similar to the word Singapore. You can draw a parallel with the phrase "singing in Singapore." In this method, only your imagination and imagination are important, add creativity.
8. Pay attention to words of common origin.
Words of common origin in various languages, cognates, seem to have been created in order to instill confidence that learning a new language is not as unattainable as it might seem at first glance. When learning new words, you will see for yourself that many English words are similar to Russian ones.
9. Communicate with native speakers.
It's no secret that a language is easiest to learn in an environment where it is spoken. However, it is not necessary to go to another country for this. You can find a pen pal or call him on Skype. Communication with a native speaker will be very helpful when learning new words.
There are even many sites where people from different countries offer to brush up on your English for free, in exchange for learning something from your native language. However, this technique is best used when you already have a fairly confident English. At the initial stage, it is better to contact a professional teacher so that he directs you in the right direction.
10. Use the S.M.A.R.T.
Set goals when learning new English words and you will see progress. It is much more pleasant to study English, noticing your progress. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Bound - i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound.
Make a promise to yourself that over the next month you will learn 70 new words that are most in demand in the English language.
11. Speak and think like a native speaker.
When learning new words, pay attention to the accent and intonation with which it is customary to pronounce a given word. Try to imitate these elements at the very beginning of learning the language. In the future, this will greatly help you overcome the barrier of communication with native speakers.
12. Don't be afraid to make a mistake.
In order to speak correctly, it is not necessary to remember all the words that exist in English. It is enough, for starters, to master the basic base of words, of which there are about 300. Having studied the base, you will be able to express an idea without even knowing any word using the paraphrase technique.
Learning a language no longer seems so out of reach. Is not it?
By the way! We advise you to read our article how to learn English quickly. Not everything is so clear :)
How to help your child memorize English words easily
What can you do to help your child learn new words?
There are many memory poems that will greatly simplify the process of learning English for children. Can adults use methods for memorizing new words designed for children?
Yes! Both children and adults can learn a language through nursery rhymes.
For instance:
We were given red tomatoes for lunch!(Red - red)
And a lemon, when it's ripe, has a yellow skin!(Yellow - yellow)
I like to run around the city in blue jeans!(Blue - blue)
Orange means orange, the color is the same, we will eat.(Orange - orange)
Let's call the gray mouse, he will be the gray mouse.(Grey color - gray)
Black is our black master, as always he came alone.(Black - black)
Green - green grass, she grew herself.(Green - green)
Brown is the new chocolate, I'm happy with brown.(Brown - brown)
White color - white and snow.(White - white)
You can help children learn new words by studying the rhyme and demonstrating the objects that the rhyme talks about. This technique will come in handy when working out the following rhymes:
This is a bear, this is a hare
This is a dog and this is a frog.
This is a car, this is a star
This is a ball and this is a doll.
One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
The little finger on the right.
With the help of poems, you can learn not only new words, but also remember temporary constructions. For instance:
To have
I have a father
I have a mother
I have a sister
I have a brother.
Father, mother, sister, brother -
Hand in hand with one another.
With the help of this rhyme, you can work out the construction of the question:
How to learn English words for business
Do not be afraid, everything is the same here as in the study of general English. The main thing is to choose the necessary sources of study. It is worth focusing on a video on a topic that is relevant to you.
When choosing a textbook, it is also worth considering the business area that you need. Studying business English with a teacher, he will help you to place all the accents correctly and focus on the topics that you need, whether it is business, aviation or agriculture.
Do you need a mentor? Of course no one can say, for example, how to learn English words in 5 minutes;) But m We will select the best teacher who will lead you to the result. Set goals and achieve them! There is nothing unattainable, the main thing is to correctly prioritize and understand what to work on.
Good luck on your way to perfection!
Big and friendly family EnglishDom
NB! don't try to learn everything if you're doing it on your own! Study only what you will really use, what you will talk about. Of course, the topics “home”, “family”, “food”, “work” are mandatory, everyone should know the vocabulary on these topics. However, if you want to learn something that is far from your life and almost never occurs (you are a lawyer, and you learn huge lists of words on the topic “medicine” for the sake of interest), you will only waste your time - the brain is unlikely to let the information in which he doesn't need. And now to business!
How to learn new English words quickly and effectively.
Let's just say one important thing: always learn words in phrases and expressions, and never - just one word! Having learned one word out of context, then you will not clearly understand how to use this word.
Make cards with words and expressions.
This is a very old method, but proven by generations: you take thick small pieces of paper (so that they do not shine through), write an expression in the language you are learning with pronunciation notes on one side, and a translation on the other, better with different pens. Try to write single words only if they are a pair of antonyms easy— difficult, in other cases, write out word combinations on the cards go home or even whole steady sentences and questions Have you been to…? You need to learn them like this: look at the Russian translation and pronounce the expression aloud, turn the card and check yourself, take the next one. Such cards will not cost you anything, they can be stored in an envelope and always carried with you. They are very convenient: repeat them while commuting to work on the subway or standing in traffic, and be sure - before you go to bed. Double benefit: and the cards will be better absorbed, and you will have a dream in English or Spanish)
Combine words by topic.
To quickly memorize new English words, try to combine them into semantic groups on some topic. For example, your favorite food:cheese, salads, fish, dry red wine, milk chocolate. The brain remembers well what is close to you.
Say words and expressions out loud.
It is better, of course, to pronounce them in a secluded place - at home or in the office, while no one but you hears, in order to avoid unnecessary questions and puzzled looks. This method is really effective, by pronouncing words and expressions you train your auditory memory, and it is very important in memorization. Pronounce the words, try to imitate the manner that you hear in the speech of native speakers of the language you are learning. If you are watching a movie or listening to a song, do not be too lazy to repeat the words or phrases you like.
“Build” the new word into your experience.
When young children learn their native language, they begin to notice a new word in a variety of situations, environments, and contexts. For example, when you hear the word "white" for the first time, Small child begins to repeat it when he sees white snow, white paper, white sugar. And this is what helps him remember the word quickly and easily. Use the new word more often in different situations - try to use it by retelling the text, doing homework, or by study mates with native speakers.
Make up examples with new expressions.
Taking a new word or expression, try to write it in a sentence. Firstly, you will remember its spelling, and this is important, and secondly, check whether you correctly understand and use its meaning in context. Read the compiled examples to your teacher or a native speaker you know and check together.
Compose funny stories and absurd dialogues.
If you need to learn a lot of new English words right away, make up a little story or dialogue from them that is funny and absurd. We often use this method with our students. A student at home writes a story or a dialogue with new vocabulary and then reads it out in class. We do this at the very beginning of the lesson to relax, tune the brain to the language being studied and laugh heartily.
Stick labels.
Take a pack of sticky notes and write down words from your home or work environment on them. Then glue these leaves to the appropriate items: “ a bathroom door” - on the bathroom door, "Salt"- on the salt shaker « a dining table"- on the dining table “ a laptop” - on a laptop.
The disadvantage of this technique is that you can only stick stickers on accessible physical objects around you; abstract concepts, as well as actions, cannot be signed - they will have to be taught in other ways we have proposed.
Make Mind Maps - mind maps.
mind map- this is a kind of scheme in which we attach certain vocabulary to a concept or event. Moreover, new words can belong to different parts of speech. Words will be remembered more easily thanks to associations, as well as division into groups. 
Let's look at an example mind map to understand how it works. For example, you want to learn vocabulary related to work (the activities you perform at work). The main word in this scheme will be work. We will refer to it the following lexical group:
- Get to work - get to work
- To make a call - call
- Chat with colleagues - chat with colleagues
- Check email - check mail
- Reply to letters - reply to letters
- Sign documents - sign documents
Surround yourself with learning words.
Do you know what the apartment of one of our students looks like? On one made of paper! When she, behind her on the walls, furniture, almost on the ceiling, leaves are glued with words and expressions that she is studying. We suspect that this is the case throughout the apartment! Every morning she brushes her teeth and repeats the words. Prepares breakfast - repeats the words. Painted for work - repeats the words. After some time, she removes the old remembered leaves and replaces them with new ones. The point is that the cards catch the eye and come across where we spend a lot of time, for example, at our favorite computer. Use technology to your advantage: write 5-10 words on the screen saver, in a couple of days you will remember them well.
Connect emotions.
Emotional attachment and imagination are very important in memorizing new words. Emotions can even double the amount of information we remember. You must be interested in what you teach! Choose films and books that are fascinating for you in the language you are learning, read jokes and short funny stories. Watch the translation of your favorite songs, and then sing along. Watch news, travel and animal channels, solve crossword puzzles, play Gallows.
You have to love the language you are learning, without that nothing will work. Our teachers will do everything possible so that the “need” with which you came to us turns into a “want” after the first lesson!
How to learn even more new English words? You need to put them in a certain associative array. Let's take, for example, ride a bike(to ride a bike), imagine that you decided to teach your son or daughter to ride, taught, and now ride together. Using this expression, remember how much enthusiasm the child had when he went on his own without your support ...
Using this method, you will always be able to quickly find the desired expression in your vocabulary - it is enough to be in a situation where you have the same emotional associations that were used when memorizing it.
Check out learning websites.
If you can't imagine learning without a computer, then learn new English words with it. Study on learning resources if you are more interested in it than classic flashcards or notepads with words. We recommend the site lang-8.com where you can practice the language by writing and sending texts to native speakers who will correct your mistakes and give you recommendations.
Read texts aloud.
The more you read, the more you come across new words and the more likely you are to remember them. Do not look up the meaning of every unfamiliar word in the dictionary, this will turn reading from pleasure into torture. Choose only those that are often found in the text or without which it is impossible to understand the meaning of the sentence at all.
Install useful applications.
If you don't have time to make flashcards or draw mind maps, you can install special program on your smartphone or tablet and learn new English or Spanish or whatever words you want. We recommend using Lingualeo, Busuu or Duolingo - they are free and effective.
Test your knowledge.
It is useful from time to time to take various tests on the level of vocabulary. For example, you can find excellent tests for practicing speaking and writing at puzzle-english.com or englishteststore.net After passing such a test, you will immediately see what is stored in memory, and which topics or words need to be repeated.
Stick to your daily plan.
The average person is able to learn 5-10 new words a day. Be sure to follow your plan for learning new vocabulary to see progress. Regardless of which method you choose, it is better to memorize new English words according to this scheme: Writing - pronunciation - translation". Remember that classes should be regular. It is better to learn 10 words every day than 100 once a week.
Memory is like a muscle, it can atrophy if it doesn't work. Most The best way train memory - do constant repetitions. If you want your memory to work well, then make it work a little every day.
If it seems to you that self-study using cards and diagrams is not your method, we suggest you try them. They will teach you to memorize words in context, immediately use them in conversation and put them into practice in everyday situations. Learning new English words in Skype classes with a personal teacher - isn't it a pleasant and effective pastime?
LF school warns: language learning is addictive!
Veronicaabout the author
Veronica
Teaching languages is my life, I can't do anything else, and I don't want to do anything else. in 2016, I decided to create the LF School in order to assemble a wonderful team of professional teachers and share experience and effective secrets in teaching with each other so that classes in our school become necessary for you and bring the desired result. I will be very glad to see you among the students of our school, or among my personal students!
Why memorize English words?
Learning English has become a necessity for many people. For schoolchildren, it is dictated by the requirement to pass exams. For traveling people, this is an opportunity to communicate with representatives of other nations. Learning a language involves mastering several skills. The basis on which these skills are based is the study of words. Having studied several times and having practiced a couple of weeks in their use, you can already express yourself quite clearly. But then another difficulty arises, the study of words. If you approach this, at first glance, tedious process creatively, you can speed it up many times. You can even learn to enjoy it. Let's look at a few well-known ways to learn English words.
1. Write words in a notebook
This is the easiest way to accumulate new words. It is usually offered in schools. Maria Ivanovna gives the task to write out all the new words in a notebook and learn them by heart.Then she asks for their translation from Russian into English and from English into Russian. This method of memorizing words is not bad, but it has its drawbacks. The position of the words in the list is remembered. Difficulty concentrating on words that are hard to remember. In the future, words learned in this way are poorly recognized.
2. Write words on cards
This method is much more efficient than the previous one. You write words on cards on both sides. An English word and its transcription are written on one side. On the other side are written synonyms
(if they are), example
words in a sentence and translation into Russian. Such memorization of words allows you to divide words into " I know», « do not know"And then focus on words that are difficult to learn, that is -" do not know". Here is a more detailed description of the process of learning English words from flashcards. You can make the cards themselves from cardboard or thick paper, or you can purchase ready-made ones in the online store.
3. We select synonyms and antonyms
If possible, it is necessary to think and find synonyms and antonyms for the word being studied. In this form, words are remembered faster. For example, do you know the word fast
- fast. Then you met the wordswift
- fast, but you don’t know this word yet. You associate it with the word fast, swift = fast. So it will be remembered much faster. And if you still find the antonym slow for it - slow, then the connection will be stronger.
4. Surprised by the new
If possible, create some unrealistic association in your mind. For example, remembering the word fast
– fast you along with fast food
represent the title slow food
. Such associations usually cause a smile. They are unusual - so they are remembered much faster. This ability to change, design and wonder is very important. You are not just assigning one value to another, but looking at it from different sides, from different angles. You wonder, admire and laugh at what you made up. Any information undergoing such processing will be kept in memory much longer.
5. Looking for associations
Sometimes it is difficult to remember a new English word. Well, it is not remembered and that's it! In this case, it is necessary to find associations to it. For example, the words are often confused blackberry
- blackberry, bilberry
- blueberries and strawberries
- Strawberry. If we break them down into components, for example, black
- black, berry
- berry. Bill
similar to bill
- account and straw
- straw. It is quite easy to remember these words.blackberry
remembered as "black berry". And if you also remember the once very popular phone, then remember the meaning of the word even better.
Blueberries are remembered as "the berry that lies on the bill."
Strawberries are remembered as "a straw that is stuck in strawberries."
For associations, it is better to use words that can be easily imagined, that can be seen, endowed with taste, color, touch, etc.
The more words you know, the easier it will be for you to find associations to new words. Therefore, many are surprised how 80-year-old professors sometimes remember words or other information better than teenagers. The secret lies in the right habit of remembering and a huge vocabulary.
6. Remember words in context
Unprepared students memorize words as "word" = "translation". In this form, they are remembered very poorly. Too loose connections. Our memory works with images, emotions, rhythms, and therefore information should be presented to it in this form. Don't forget to look at how a particular word is used. We have a tendency to use words that we use in Russian in English without specifying the context. For example, when we ask in a cafe “whether a chair is occupied or not”, in Russian, we use the word busy -busy
. Unfortunately, we cannot say Is this chair busy
? Is this chair occupied? It would be correct to say " Is this chair occupied?
Is this chair occupied? Word busy
implies the absence of time, which cannot be applied to an inanimate object, in our case, a chair. Therefore, check the context of each word according to the examples given in dictionaries.
7. Learn to Express Emotions with Synonyms
We have already written that it is very desirable to find synonyms with antonyms for the words you want to remember. New words connect more easily with words you already know. Another aspect of such memorization is finding words to express certain emotions. We live in a world of emotions and logic. Depending on the temperament of a person, one or another component predominates in it. Therefore, it is good to have ready-made blanks in stock. For example, let's take joy. How can we admire this or that event? Let's find a few words that make it possible to do this.
It's cool!
It's wonderful!
It's beautiful!
It's amazing!
It's thrilling!
It's exiting!
It's breathtaking!
It's far out!
By forming words into groups according to their purpose, it will be easier for you to use them.
8. Ridiculous stories
We have already written that words similar to each other are remembered worse, so you should not learn words alphabetically. If the word is clothed in a story, or rather in an absurd story, the effect will be even stronger. For example, you need to remember the wordceiling - ceiling. You imagine that you have entered your room, and there the entire ceiling is made of silicone. It may be difficult for some to imagine silicone. Silicone is a material with elastic properties. The story is ridiculous, because ceilings are not made of silicone, so your memory will remember this image much better.
9. Chat with friends
In every difficult case, a person needs helpers. It is necessary to maintain your enthusiasm and one of the most effective methods is communication.Try to find friends with whom you will communicate in English. Now there are many different applications that allow you to find friends of interest from English-speaking countries and discuss some interesting topics for you in the language of your interest. There are apps where you can exchange help with those who are learning your native language, in exchange for getting advice on the language you're interested in. In this case, the language ceases to be an end, but becomes a means. This is well described in the book Passed By.
10. Watching movies in English
Watching movies is one of the most effective ways learning languages. You immerse yourself in the situation and struggle to understand what is at stake. In this state of “special interest,” you remember words much better. We recommend that you do screenshots(screenshots) with the words you want to learn if you are a beginner and watch movies on your computer. After taking a screenshot and looking up the word in the dictionary, leave it without writing down the translation. This will force your memory to be active. If you are watching a movie in a company and it is inconvenient to constantly stop it, then you can read the script in advance and learn all the unfamiliar words. In this case, it will look much more productive.
11. Repetition is the mother of learning
In this old proverb lies the key to success in the study of any subject. Memory cuts off unnecessary information, and its necessity or uselessness is determined by the frequency of its occurrence in your memory, and the relationship to it. We must really remember it. Having hung all the rooms, the bathroom and the toilet with stickers with English words, we will not force our memory to remember them. She will find a way to let them pass.
It is necessary to develop the habit of repeating the material covered in each next lesson. Move on to the study of new material only with a good mastery of the old. Proverb " to bounce off teeth” will help to understand the meaning of what was said. Unfortunately, this principle is not taken into account in many training programs. Such large intervals are made between repetitions that when the time comes to the test on the material covered, the student looks at the material already studied once as if it were completely new. Therefore, do not forget to bring what you have learned to perfection.
And how often do you need to repeat the learned words so as not to forget them?
There are many tips and tables showing memory cycles and effective repetition rates. It should be noted that they are designed for the average student or adult, while memorization performance in a very highly dependent on individual abilities, which, in turn, develop rapidly with regular training.
Start learning words proven 3 by 3 memorization technique with an interval between sets 2 hours and then see how it works for you. With a good result, you can increase the time interval between repetitions. If bad, it should be reduced.
12. We plan our training
Write down on a piece of paper the skills you are working on and the skills you want to develop in the future. Put them in a table, setting the tasks and the time allotted to them. Track your progress by working on these tasks every day. You don't have to be able to work on every skill every day. In our case over speaking, by reading, by letter and listening. Just systematically devote time to them, recording the results. If you don’t have the time or desire to practice a skill, then it doesn’t matter. Fixing your inability to do it now, sooner or later you will have a desire to do it. Well, you do not want to read something now. Okay, watch movies. Well, you do not want to write an essay today. Okay - chat with John about music.
Use your mood to learn more effectively. Learning should be fun, not torture. And most importantly, focus on your accomplishments, not on what you haven't done yet. You need to feel progress and planning with accountability will help you with this. You can register and study words on-line, then in your personal account you can see how many words you have already learned, and how much you have learned them in time.
