How to Expand Your Vocabulary

There are a number of very compelling reasons for why people wish to expand their vocabulary. Perhaps they have an upcoming business presentation to make, or like to sound like they are intelligent, or even just enjoy the thought of always being wiser than they were the previous day. No matter what your reason for wanting to expand your vocabulary, it can be easy as well as rewarding, and is something that is within anyone’s grasp. Here are a few simple tips that will help you expand your vocabulary.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Reading materials
• Word-a-day calendar
• Word games

1. Purchase a Word-a-day calendar for your desk or night table. These great little calendars will teach you a new word each day, and are a great way to start the day. Try to say the word out loud at least three times during the day, and find a way to use it in a sentence at least once. Some words will stay with you and others will not, but this is a fun way to expand your vocabulary.
2. Read. As simple as that may sound, reading is the number one method for expanding your vocabulary. Reading anything, whether it is a comic book or a literary classic, exposes the mind to more and more words, and the law of large numbers mandates that this will eventually expand your vocabulary via absorbed knowledge. Obviously, the more you read the better off you will be. Try to strive for at least an hour of reading per day, but if your schedule is too busy for that then at least find 15 minutes a day to read the newspaper or a good book.
3. Play vocabulary building games. Scrabble and other games that are centered around words are very good ways to build your vocabulary. This form of learning can be particularly engaging for boosting a child’s vocabulary, since it is fun and not as daunting of a task as doing extra homework.
4. Engage in conversation. That’s right. Practicing the fine art of verbal communication helps to sharpen your vocabulary, so don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and contact all of those people you have lost touch with. As you catch up on the latest events of your life, try to find new and challenging ways to convey your message. This will force you to dig deep into your vocabulary to find new words that you do not normally use.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not get discouraged if you can not remember every single word. This is quite normal. As long as you manage to pick up a few new words on occasion, then your vocabulary has expanded and your mission is a success.