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Building Powerful Vocabulary

1. What is Vocabulary?
Vocabulary is all the words of a language, or the words used by a
particular person or group. Vocabulary is the knowledge of words and
word meanings in both oral and print language and in expressive and
receptive forms. Wilkins (1972) wrote that . . . while without grammar
very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed
(pp. 111112). This point reflects the experience with different languages;
even without grammar, with some useful words and expressions, we can
often manage to communicate.
2. Easy Ways to Improve and Expand Your Vocabulary
Read. One of the best vocabulary builders is reading and you will
certainly do a lot of reading in college. Make it a habit to write down
unfamiliar words you come across while researching your paper and

learn their definitions and usage.


Keep a dictionary and thesaurus handy. When youre writing
something, use a dictionary and thesaurus handy. That will help you
express yourself better. Every time you do that, youll learn a new word

and youll use that new word.


Learn word roots. One of the most powerful tools for learning new
words is studying Latin and Greek roots. Latin and Greek elements
(prefixes, roots, and suffixes) are a significant part of the English
language and a great tool for learning new words. An example for word
parts can been seen with the word uncommunicative, where the prefix
un- means negative or opposite, communicate is the root word, and -ive
is a suffix denoting that someone or something is able to do something.
Here, they all go together to refer to someone or something that is not

able to communicate, uncommunicative.


Make a new word list. You can make a word list with more than just
definitions, such as its part of speech (noun, verb, etc.), its
pronunciation, synonyms for the word, its antonyms, and its derivation.

Get in the habit of looking up words you don't know. If you have a
dictionary program on your gadget or computer, keep it open and

handy.
Learn a new word each day. Lots of tools are available to help you

learn a new word every day, including print calendars and Web sites.
Practice your vocabulary to conversation with the other people.
Simply talking with other people can help you learn discover new
words. As with reading, once you hear a new word, remember to write
down so that you can study it later and then slowly add the new word to
your vocabulary.

3. The Benefits of Building Your Vocabulary

Gives you the ability to say what you mean.

Helps you understand other people. Building your


vocabulary involves more than just memorizing lists of
the kinds of words you had to know. Increasing your
working vocabulary allows you to understand people
from other countries.

Helps you understand what you read. Vocabulary


not only aids you in understanding other people, its also
essential in comprehending the books and articles you
read.

Allows you to communicate effectively. A masterful


command of words, and the ability to select just the right
ones to express a specific idea. The repetition of the
same words over and over again quickly bores people.
This is why an expansive vocabulary is one of the keys

for great leaders words allow you to grab the interest,


and then allegiance, of others.

Boosts your powers of persuasion. Its hard to get


people interested in an idea. Repeating the same word
over and over again is going to have the eyes of your
audience quickly glazing over. It certainly wont help you
sell them on something, or on yourself.

Helps you make a good impression on others.


Based on the vocabulary you use, people will make
judgments

about

your

socioeconomic

background,

education, occupation, and the stimulation and demands


of your everyday life.

4. Conclusion
The more you read, the more words youll see, and the
more youll understand. The key to a better vocabulary is
regular practice and progress. Maybe you cant learn a
hundred new words a day, but you can learn one or two a
day, totaling thousands of new words over the years.

Refrences

Michael. (2007). How to Improve Your Vocabulary Steadily.


Retrieved

from

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-to-

improve-your-vocabulary-steadily/. Accessed on Oktober 11th,


2015

Hansen, K. (2006). 10 Ways to Build and Use Your Vocabulary.


Retrieved

from

http://www.mycollegesuccessstory.com/academic-successtools/build-vocabulary.html. accessed on Oktober 11th, 2015

Schroeder, B. (2013). Importance of Building Your Vocabulary


(And 5 Easy Steps to Doing It). Retrieved from
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/10/03/the-importanceof-building-your-vocabulary-and-5-easy-steps-to-doing-it/.
Accessed on Oktober 11th, 2015

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