How to Have a Bigger Vocabulary

There are a plethora of advantages to increasing your vocabulary. Being erudite and eloquent is known to earn respect, recognition and higher grade point averages, lead to more promotions, higher pay and even elevated IQ scores. Those who can utilize words concisely and appropriately soon earn the confidence of those to whom they speak or write. In fact, people who make an obvious improvement in their vocabularies often experience dynamic vicissitude in their lives. Although many may ascertain that a better vocabulary is extremely efficacious, few know the steps to achieve it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small notebook
• Handheld digital dictionary/thesaurus
• Dictionary/thesaurus
• Online word games
• Vocabulary quizzes
• Books

1. Buy a small notebook to carry in your pocket or purse, or plan on using a digital handheld device.

2. 
    

   Write down every word you hear or read that is not part of your everyday vocabulary. (How about the ones in the introduction to this article?) Leave space for the pronunciation, the definition and a sentence using the word. Eventually, your little notebook will be full of words that have become part of your regular usage.

3. Find the new word in your dictionary right away if possible, or plan a time later to do so.

4. Begin using the word. Even if it feels awkward, commit to using the word five times that day, in speech or writing. "You have a plethora of projects to work on, Mrs. Jones." "There are a plethora of fish in your bucket, Mr. Fisherman." "I can list a plethora of reasons to improve my vocabulary."

5. Find word games and word quizzes online and in magazines. Take a quiz at least once a week and make a note of any words you miss, repeating Steps 2 through 4.

6. 
    

   Learn the Greek and Latin roots of words, then make a list of all the words you know containing that root. For example, "bene" is the Latin root for "well" or "good." From that, we get beneficial, benevolent, beneficent and others. Other roots to learn: "phil" for love: philosophy, philanthropy, philatelist. "Vita" is for life, and is used in vitamin, vitality and others. Go online and find lists of root words. Soon, you'll be an etymologist--one who studies the roots and history of words--as opposed to an entomologist, who studies insects.

7. Become a voracious reader. Whatever your taste in literature may be, you will no doubt come upon words that are not familiar. Write them in your notebook, and make them yours as you repeat the steps above.

Tips & Warnings

• It is equally effective to use new vocabulary words in written sentences as in spoken ones. Even if you only write notes to yourself using the words you learn, it will help you retain them.
• Remember, you do not have to use a $5 word when a 50-cent word will do as well. The danger in doing so is becoming thought of as a showoff. Use the $5 word when it has the perfect shade of meaning you need.

Resources

• Building a Better Vocabulary
• WordEmpire.com

Who Can Help Sponsored

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[blabbergirl]

on 12/25/2008 Yes, I too abhor anaphylaxis, which I looked up, wrote down, used 5 times in sentences,and then, as ashamed as I am to admit it, forgot.

[Rosalene]

on 12/7/2008 Inordinately prodigious piece of advice. Encouraging to those whose diffidence might tend to prohibit expanding their etymological boundries. How fortuitous that I stumbled across this well-constructed article. Unlike the plethora of superfluous how-to pieces pertaining to the repair and maintainance of sporty thingamajiggits, this exemplary work did not create a sense of anaphylaxis from which I'd need to retreat! Congratulations, Ms. Johnson. (This was fun!)