How to Expand Your Vocabulary in Less Than a Month

The best way to expand your vocabulary is to read books and periodicals slightly above your level of comprehension--this meaning that upon your reading of a certain publication you will invariably come across a word every two or three paragraphs that although you believe you know what the word means your are not certain. Read on to learn how to expand your vocabulary in less than a month.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Dictionary
• Scholarly Periodicals
• Literature such as works by Henry David Thoreau (Walden), Thomas Wolfe (Look Homeward Angel)and William Makepeace Thackeray

1. The first thing you'll want to do is visit your local bookshop and find some good books written by authors of Western World literature. The reason for this selection is two-fold: Not only do you want to increase your vocabulary, you also want to benefit your overall well-being by becoming re-aquainted or introduced (whatever the case may be) to significant works of literature.
2. Read through the book. The book should be easy enough to comprehend where you understand the general point of the story. However, you should notice every so often you run across a word, that although you are reasonably sure what it means according to the context where it is represented, you are not altogether certain. In other words, you would not go on a game show and bet the bank on your definition of the word. Also, at this time, if you do not have a good dictionary now is the time to purchase one. You need to have a good hard back edition for your vocabulary building exercises.
3. Make this your exercise regimine each day just as you would with a physical exercise routine. For instance, if you daily perform a regular exercise routine, whether it be through a health club, trainer or by personal motivation, you should make this vocabulary building exercise just as significant within your schedule.
4. Set aside some time each day to perform your vocabulary building exercises. Schedule some time each day, preferably when you are most robust and awake to perform your "mental" exercises. This will put you in the position of creating a habit. If you are in a situation where certain individuals may 'mock' you for your new found activity make sure you perform your "mental" exercises when you are afforded some privacy. Just realize that even loving individuals sometimes feel uncomfortable with change--any change; therefore, it is best to be apply discretion to the situation.
5. Take a sheet of paper and at the top of the paper note the page number of the book. In fact, prepare up to 10 sheets of notebook paper listing your page numbers, sequentially. Allow enough room after each word to properly record definitions--up to half a page.
6. Start to read the book. When you come across a word you are not certain of the meaning take a yellow highlighter and highlight the word. Write down the word on the sheet of notebook paper that corresponds with the page number you are on in the book. Continue this process for 30 to 45 minutes.
7. Stop your reading. Mark your place at the page number wherein you stopped reading and go to your first notebook page where you recorded your first word. Go to your dictionary and look up the word. Read the meaning(s) and record the corresponding definitions next to your work. You are not practcing redundancy or engaging in futility here: by writing down your definition(s) you are much more likely to remember your new word. Continue this process until you have recorded definitions for all of your words.
8. Go back to your book and review the first word you highlighted. Read the context in which the word is presented. Decide for yourself what definition is most appropriate for the word within the content and underline the definition written on your notepad. Also note whether the word, in its context, is a noun, verb, adjective or adverb. Remember a noun is a person, place or thing; a verb is an action word; an adjective describes a noun and an adverb describes a verb. Write the book's content including the word along with your definition in your notebook. Repeat the process for each new word you were curious as to the definition.
9. After you have defined your "new" list go back and review the word definition and the example which is the content with the new word you recorded in your notebook. Re-read the content and definition several times. Take a separate sheet of paper and record the new word. Leave several lines of space after the new word which you've re-recorded on this new sheet of paper from your notepad. Continue this process: re-reading each new word; re-reading recorded definition several times, and recording each new word on the separate sheet of paper, once again leaving several lines to record a definition. After you have read all of your recorded definitions and corresponding examples (again, examples meaning the original content of where you found your new word of which you have been reading) your session is finished for the day. Set your second sheets of the newly re-recorded words aside. You will need the second sheets on the second day of the process.
10. Day two and your next "mental" exercise begins with reviewing your new words, corresponding definitions, and content you've recorded including the word. After you've reviewed each new word from the previous day's reading, take the second sheets you've set aside from the prior day wherein you recorded the new word(s) a second time, leaving several lines.
11. Close your notebook and take your second sheets, recording in your own words the definitions (correspondent to the context you are reading of the words you have just reviewed.) This is how you will measure your comprehension skills.
12. Resume your reading from your place mark and again read up to 45 minutes recording words wherein you are not certain of definition. Repeat the same steps, recording the word in your notebook according to page number of book and leaving several lines in your notepad to record the dictionary definition and the new word as shown in the content of your reading.
13. Once again, look up each new word in the dictionary, recording the definition(s) found therein and additionally recording the content where you found the word. Highlight the new word within the content. Underline the definition (if more than one definition) that most closely matches the definition of the word as used in the context.
14. Go back, as before, re-read the dictionary definition you've recorded and the content you've recorded from your reading. On a separate sheet of paper, once again, record the new words leaving several lines for the definition you will write later in your own words.
15. Review your new words from the prior day and again, after careful review, test your own comprehension by writing your own definitions after each new word. Compare these words to the dictionary definition and mark right or wrong, accordingly.
16. Re-test yourself and again in your own words write down your definitions as you comprehend the meaning of each word on the sheets you've previously set aside for your "weekly review."
17. Compare your meanings with the dictionary definitions which you previously recorded and determine if you have provided same definition; however, in your own words. If you have comprehended correctly, place a check mark next to the word; if not, place an 'X.'

Tips & Warnings

• You cannot expect overnight miracles. Just as in physical exercise, success requires a little time. The key is to stay consistent and your vocabulary will eventually improve.