Young Writers Society

Hi, in what ways can i build my vocabulary?

By building my vocabulary i mean to use the words i already understand, but which i don't use because they don't occur.

I've tried a couple of my own systems. I read a text, and if a see a certain phrase (usually verbal phrases)which i know the definitions of, but i am not able to use, i note it down. Also if a see certain nouns with suitable adjectives i note them down.

Are there more efficient and organised ways which can be helpful? Or any resources on the net which can help. I checked a wisuwords dictionary online. Its pretty good to see related words.

Any advice?

Read and look up words you don't know.

Seriously, that's about it.

The more you read, and the more genres you read (including non fiction), the more time periods you read, and the more volume you read, the better your vocabulary will get.

The more you read the more you see those phrases in context, meaning you learn how to use them while you learn the phrases themselves.

And I would say that even though I read the words -- not using them in daily life makes it difficult to actually improve vocab.

I mean, I want to be able to use words like punctilious, precipice, salubrious, etc., in nonchalant conversation (and to use it in Scarbble!) without having to try too hard. And this works, only if you consciously use it while speaking to another person. I takes time, but it's been the best for me, so far.

Do you mean learning a first or second language?

If you live in the United States, keep up http://thesaurus.com/. Seriously, it'll become your best friend. You can learn what a word means simply by clicking on it.

If you don't live in the United States, keep up http://www.wordhippo.com/. It's useful for locating synonyms, antonyms, rhymes, etc.

Rhymezone.com also helps if you're into poetry. And you can download an SAT vocabulary app, or pick up an SAT vocabulary book at the bookstore. If you want to build through reading, pick up some H.G. Wells, Edgar Allan Poe, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bram Stoker. If books are food, then dystopians are potato chips, and classics are delicious vegetable drinks. If there are such things as delicious vegetables...

Rosey Unicorn wrote:Read and look up words you don't know.

Seriously, that's about it.

The more you read, and the more genres you read (including non fiction), the more time periods you read, and the more volume you read, the better your vocabulary will get.

The more you read the more you see those phrases in context, meaning you learn how to use them while you learn the phrases themselves.

Thanks, i think ill just start reading more seriously.

Lava wrote:And I would say that even though I read the words -- not using them in daily life makes it difficult to actually improve vocab.

I mean, I want to be able to use words like punctilious, precipice, salubrious, etc., in nonchalant conversation (and to use it in Scarbble!) without having to try too hard. And this works, only if you consciously use it while speaking to another person. I takes time, but it's been the best for me, so far.

Thanks, but when i'm speaking to someone, new words learnt just don't pop up in my mind, they spark up later. By the way is Scrabble a game?

Tenyo wrote:Do you mean learning a first or second language?

Oh, i mean first language. But if there are techniques which can be used for second languages will be great too.

GoldFlame wrote:If you live in the United States, keep up http://thesaurus.com/. Seriously, it'll become your best friend. You can learn what a word means simply by clicking on it.

If you don't live in the United States, keep up http://www.wordhippo.com/. It's useful for locating synonyms, antonyms, rhymes, etc.

Rhymezone.com also helps if you're into poetry. And you can download an SAT vocabulary app, or pick up an SAT vocabulary book at the bookstore. If you want to build through reading, pick up some H.G. Wells, Edgar Allan Poe, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bram Stoker. If books are food, then dystopians are potato chips, and classics are delicious vegetable drinks. If there are such things as delicious vegetables...

Lol, thanks for the resources. Ill check them out.

Scrabble is indeed a game that relies on building words based on letters you're "dealt" out. Wikipedia has a good summary.

Do you think I should read he dictionary from back to front.? Would that help?

Maybe if I can read all the verbs, then the nouns, adjectives and adverbs. Because I have a list which has them all categorized. ?

For me, I'm actually signed up for "Word of the Day" on Dictionary.com who sends me email notifications daily for it. I always write down the unusual ones and make a habit of trying to use it once in a sentence. I also read them out loud to a friend/family member. And if I'm writing that day, I try to see if I can fit them into my writing of the day.

Ahh, the problem is that I don't use the internet everyday.

But I've installed the Cambridge dictionary software on my PC. I've saved all the words in PDFs, All categorized. For example all the words relating to communication are all in one file. Similarly words relating to nature, science, art, education etc

I think i'll read through the entire categorized dictionary and mark up words that i feel are regular, effective and appropriate in the field i wish to write about. What do you think?

You don't necessarily have to read a dictionary. This can actually alienate you from people you're trying to reach— you think the word is common, but in reality it's not.

Vocabulary building, for me, tends to happen unconsciously. I talk to people, I read, I look up random words that don't sound familiar, and I generally don't try to force it. Then I don't put any pressure on myself to have a larger vocabulary immediately; I let the company I keep determine how large a vocabulary I need.

I agree with Rosey, picking up a dictionary is actually a bad thing, the more a reader has to look up and study just to know what you are talking about in a story, the harder it is for them to get into it. For the most part its best to use simple words unless one of your characters is smart, and then maybe you can get away with a few rare ones.