Which English words to learn first. How to learn English words: the hard and easy ways

If you want to master the English language, you will have to learn English words one way or another. The more words you know, the broader your ability to understand what you have read or heard and express your own thoughts. The question is where to get the words in the much needed volume, and how to learn them quickly and reliably? After carefully studying this section, you will receive answers to these questions: we share with you not only specific English vocabulary (i.e. words), but also provide effective technologies for memorizing it (i.e. we teach you to learn English words).

Golden rules for learning words

Before you start learning specific words, you need to understand a few rules that will make the whole process easier and allow you to learn words easily and painlessly. By knowing these rules, you will avoid serious mistakes and failures.

Learn the most common words first.

For a long time, lexicologists have done a lot of work on assessing the use of words, compiling whole lists in which each word was assigned a degree of its frequency. For example, scientists have found that the most commonly used word in English is the definite article the; the second most frequently used was the verb to be (to be, to be), the third - the preposition to (to, in). If you are new to learning English then. Even if you are already very knowledgeable in English, we still advise you to look at the indicated page and make sure that all the words from the list are familiar to you. What if you know all the words from the suggested list? What words to learn next? Of course, you can go through the internet thoroughly and dig up something like the 150 most important words, the 1000 most important words, etc. However, our recommendation here is this: wherever you get the word (from a list, from a text, from a dictionary, etc.), first of all ask yourself a question - do I often use this word in my speech? If you use this word at least once a day, then add it to the list to be studied; otherwise, ignore it. Remember: your ability to memorize words is limited, so priority should be given only to those that you really need. So, for example, you use the word "bread" immeasurably more often than the word "orangutan". Or, for example, the verb "eat" in your speech occurs more often than "stall". So decide which words to learn first.

Learn words using associations

Words are much easier to learn if you associate them with sound associations. Let's say you need to remember the English word valley (pronounced veli and translated valley). Perhaps you will remember it the first time and you will remember it all your life. But the reality is much harsher - most will forget this word the next day. The word valley will by itself fall out of my head, because it has not yet acquired connections - attachments with what is already in my memory. It hasn't caught on for anything yet ...
So, our task is to associate the word valley with what will keep this word in memory. First, valley (we remind you once again that this word is pronounced veli and translated valley) consonant with the word wallow, a wallow it is possible in valley... So we created the first association - we tied the word valley through sound similarity to the concept wallow, which in turn is related to valley... By the way, teachers-methodologists even came up with a special term for this way of memorizing words - the method of phonetic association. Here is another example of this method: the word valley is consonant with ate (meaning conifers). Can you see ate in valley? Why not ... Here again we have attached valley through sound similarity to the concept valley.
... Learning words from such dictionaries is a pleasure.

Learn words in groups

Words are easier to learn if they are not scattered by themselves, but are combined into groups based on some feature. For example, words can be combined by:

  • topics:
    • shopping: shop, market, counter, goods ...
    • free time: cinema, theater, club, party, friends ...
    • travel: plane, tickets, flight, hotel, attractions ...
  • associative rows:
    • phone: call, buttons, expensive, applications, tariff, connection ...
  • communicative intentions or speech tasks:
    • rebuttal: wrong; not true; not at all …
    • greeting: hello; good day; Hi; Greetings …
  • phrases:
    • computer: buy, turn on, turn off, clean from viruses ...
    • party: successful, canceled, postponed, failed ...
  • "Chains" of actions connected by logic or temporal links:
    • every day: go to work, communicate with loved ones, read the news ...
    • plane: landing, pilot, economy class, stewardess, take off, turbulence ...
  • natural word groups:
    • i have everything: good, bad, very bad, super ...
  • classifications:
    • transport: water (ship, steamer, boat ...), rail (electric train, express train, metro ...), air (plane, helicopter, balloon ...)
  • groups of cognate words:
    • write, rewrite, note, writer ...
  • antonyms:
    • strong - weak; big small …
  • synonyms:
    • big, huge, large ...
  • word-formative feature:
    • relive, rewrite, rewrite, transfer, call back ...

Get to know the rules of word formation

Word formation - its importance cannot be overestimated! English word formation includes, first of all, the use of prefixes and suffixes. For example, the -ment suffix is \u200b\u200bknown to form nouns from verbs. Knowing that in English “develop” is develop, then “development” is development. If you know that in English “attach” is attach, then what is “attachment”? Attachment, of course. As soon as you understand at least basic word formation, the words will crawl into your head much faster. By the way, there is one on our website.

Write words

It so happens that some words cannot be learned in any way. Then it's time to connect the motor memory. Take a piece of paper and force yourself to write the word dozens of times. The method is far from entertaining, but effective.

Use consonance

Most often the languages \u200b\u200bwe study, such as English, are our not very distant relatives, and there are much more consonant roots in them than we think.

Learn to find these consonant roots - there is no better way to root a word in memory. Take, for example, the English word tear and its Russian translation “to tear”, “to tear”. Take a closer look at the consonants: tr - others. Agree that they are consonant with each other.

In the end, I would like to say a few words about the physiological aspect of memorizing words. In fact, memory in general and memorization of words in particular are chemical processes, i.e. chemical reactions. Reactions in the body can be accelerated under certain conditions, such as exercise. Reactions are accelerated - the processes of memorizing information are accelerated. That is why many people love to listen to any information so much, say, during their morning runs. The benefits of light physical activity for memorization processes cannot be overestimated! If you are not eager to jog, then just walk around the room or rhythmically squeeze the expander.

Chemical reactions can also be stimulated by taking dietary supplements. One of the most common supplements is glycine, which is sold in any pharmacy. Before use, of course, read the instructions carefully.

And the very last thing: words are only means of expressing some ideas, i.e. some kind of content. If you are interested in the content, then the words expressing it will "stick" to you by themselves. Look for what you are interested in, be it detective stories, science fiction, memoirs of prominent personalities, handicrafts, etc. You will have no problem memorizing words if you are really interested in any of them.

As we promised you in the first lesson of ours, in this lesson we go directly to practical actions. Today we will deal with foreign vocabulary, namely: we will talk about what methods of memorizing foreign words exist.

We have broken the material for today's lesson into three parts. From the first part, you will learn about which words you need to memorize first. In the second part, you will get acquainted with special techniques for memorization. And the third part focuses on effective repetition techniques.

Considering that the volume of our lessons is limited, let's get down to business without unnecessary introductions.

What words do you need to memorize first?

Let us illustrate this with the example of the Italian football player and football coach Fabio Capello. This man was the coach of the England national team, and he held this position for 3.5 years. As you understand, in order to train football players and explain all the intricacies of the game, tactics and strategy, it is necessary, at first glance, ideally to know English. However, Capello performed his functions admirably, knowing only a superficial level of English.

What do experts say about this?

And a couple more tips:

  • To make it easier for you to memorize objects / objects, you can use so-called visual dictionaries in your training, in which an image of it - a drawing, photograph or picture is located next to the object / object. Thus, you also use visual memory along with associative memory.
  • Among the huge number of words found in foreign languages, there are words called internationalisms, that is, one might say, universal words that sound about the same in almost all languages, for example, the words "commercial" (commercial), "international" ( international), "association", "political", "financial", "forum", "company", etc. Just pay attention to them and correlate them with similar words in your native language, and it will not be difficult to remember them.

This concludes our conversation about the methods of memorizing foreign words, but there is another very important point: no matter what method of memorizing words you prefer to use, all these words can easily be forgotten if you do not use them regularly. If there is no suitable opportunity, then you must repeat the memorized words, because any information is quickly forgotten within a few days after studying. But repetition should be done not just anyhow, but according to a certain technology. We also want to introduce you to her.

Effective repetition technique

The technique we are going to talk about is a repetition program based on the technique of the German experimental psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, who investigated the patterns of memorization. In the course of his research, he discovered the forgetting curve, according to which, within an hour after memorizing the material, about 60% of the data is forgotten (the participants in the Ebbinghaus experiment memorized short syllables that did not make much sense), after 10 hours another 25% are forgotten. Then the forgetting process loses its intensity, but after 6 days the person remembers only 20% of what he memorized. This 20% remains in memory.

The Ebbinghouse forgetting curve looks like this:

The results obtained by Ebbinghaus and clearly displayed on the forgetting curve became the basis of a special regime that must be followed when repeating memorized data, in our case, foreign words.

Based on the fact that any associative series and relationships lose their relevance after only an hour after memorization, the first repetition of information should be carried out immediately after learning. In the future, you can use one of the two most popular modes of rational repetition, which, by the way, is also discussed by modern experts.

First repetition mode

The first repetition mode is designed in case you only have two days to memorize the material.

  • Repeat the second time after 20 minutes after repeating the first time
  • Repeat the third time after 8 hours after repeating the second time
  • Repeat the fourth time 24 hours after repeating the third time

Second repetition mode

The second repetition mode is suitable when your time for repetition is not limited by anything, and you want to remember the words for the longest possible period.

The repetition is carried out like this:

  • Repeat the first time immediately after the end of the lesson (the stage of learning words)
  • Repeat the second time after 20-30 minutes after repeating the first time
  • Repeat the third time after one day has passed after repeating the second time
  • Repeat the fourth time after 2-3 weeks after repeating the third time
  • Repeat the fifth time after 2-3 months after repeating the fourth time

Undoubtedly, the appropriate time periods for you also depend on the nature of the information. For example, when perceiving speech and text information, it is recommended to repeat it 15 minutes after the first repetition, repeat it a third time - 8 hours after the second, the fourth time - the next day, 24 hours after the third. And accurate information requires that it be repeated a second time - after an hour, the third - after 3 hours, the fourth - after 8 hours, and the next day - every 3-4 hours.

It is also important to note that it is by no means necessary to be intimidated by the huge numbers of repetitions that the Ebbinghaus technique suggests. The repetitions that you will make from memory will be much more interesting and easier than the usual study of words. In addition, you can repeat the words to yourself at any suitable moment, anywhere and in any setting, for example, while commuting to work or school, while waiting in line, while walking or even shopping. In other words, you can repeat foreign words at least all day long, but, of course,.

Now, with a calm soul and a clear conscience, we can sum up the second lesson. And in conclusion, let's say that, naturally, three hundred, five hundred and even a thousand words will never be enough to master a foreign language to the fullest, so to speak, professionally. After all, a person who is a native speaker has, as a rule, a vocabulary of fifty and one hundred thousand words (think at least about how many words you know in your native language). But in any case, at the very beginning of mastering a foreign language, you should not "raise the bar" to fifty thousand words. It will be much more effective to learn at least three hundred, because they will already open up horizons for you that seemed previously inaccessible.

In the next lesson, we will talk about phonetics - we will talk about the methods of setting pronunciation and correct transcription.

Basic English (basic English) is already worth falling in love with, if only for the fact that it is enough to learn only 850 words to learn it. Oddly enough, this amount is quite enough to communicate easily and naturally with a resident of any English-speaking country. Of course, if you need English for the profession of a translator or for reading Wilkie Collins in the original, then welcome to the philology or very serious courses. However, if your goal is simply to speak an international language, then welcome to this article!

For the sake of simplicity, 850 words are divided into major groups:

1) objects and phenomena (600 words, of which 400 are general, and 200 are designations of objects);

2) action or movement (100 words);

3) expression of quality (150 words, of which 100 are common and 50 with the opposite meaning).

Particularly encouraging is the fact that out of 850 basic words, 514 have only one syllable! This is not a conservationalist or anything worse. Already rubbing your palms in anticipation of the Basic Dictionary? You are welcome.


1. OBJECTS AND PHENOMENA

If you act according to the method "from simple to complex", then the minimum vocabulary can be learned from picture words. There are 200 of them. You can stick stickers all over the apartment (if the household does not go crazy, taking an apple from the refrigerator with a piece of paper "apple"). Or cut pictures from books. Or download images on the Internet and print them with signatures (by the way, you can flip through them in queues or traffic jams). And here is a ready-made list with pictures on Wikipedia.

1.1. 200 picture words:

It is most convenient and quickest to divide these basic words into 6 groups according to meaning: body parts, food, animals, vehicles, objects, etc. If you study at least 2 groups every day, then in three days you can master the basic vocabulary. The main thing is not to lose your knowledge and consolidate it in practice. Any acquaintance who agrees to become an evil examiner or pretends to be a dunno, who is interested in everything, is suitable for this.

U:
umbrella - umbrella

1.2. 400 common words:

To make this sequence easier to learn, let's not reinvent the wheel. You can, of course, torment yourself and divide all words into semantic groups, but there will be so many of them that some will contain only one or two terms. It's easier to learn alphabetically. There are about ten words for each letter. If you lean over a piece of paper for 10 minutes at least three times a day, then you can learn at least 3 letters a day. The maximum depends on your goals and desires.

page - page
pain - pain, to hurt
paint - paint, draw, paint
paper - paper
part - part, to separate, to split
paste - paste, paste
payment - payment
peace - peace
person - person
place - place, place, take place, place
plant - plant, plant, graft, sow
play - to play
pleasure - pleasure
point - point, point, indicate
poison - poison, to poison
polish - to polish
porter - doorman, porter
position - to place, position
powder - powder
power - strength, power
price - price
print - print
process - process, process
produce - product, to produce
profit - profit, get profit
property - properties
prose - prose
protest - to object, protest
pull - tension, pull
punishment - punishment
purpose - intend, purpose
push - push, push
quality - quality, high quality question - question
salt - salt, salt
sand - sand
scale - measure, scale
science - science
sea \u200b\u200b- sea
seat - seat, to sit down, place
secretary - secretary
selection - selection
self - self
sense - feeling, meanings, meaning, to feel
servant - servant
sex - sex, gender
shade - shade, shadow, to shade
shake - shake, shake, shake, shake
shame - shame, shame
shock - shock, shock
side - side, to adjoin
sign - sign, sign, sign
silk - silk
silver - silver
sister - sister
size - size
sky - sky
sleep - to sleep
slip - slip, blank, slip, slide
slope - slope, slope
smash - hit, break
smell - smell, smell
smile - smile, smile
smoke - smoke, smoking
sneeze - sneeze, sneeze
snow - snow
soap - soap, soap
society - society
son - son
song - song
sort - kind, sort
sound - sound
soup - soup
space - space, space
stage - stage, stage, organize
start - start
statement - statement
steam - steam, steam, move
steel - steel
step - step, step
stitch - stitch, sew
stone - stone
stop - stop, stop
story - history
stretch - stretch, stretch, stretch
structure - structure
substance - substance, essence
sugar - sugar
suggestion - suggestion, guess
summer - summer
support - support, support
surprise - surprise
swim - swimming, swim
system - system

Y:
year - year

2. ACTION AND MOTION (100 words)

Miraculously, this list includes words that do not seem to fit the concept of "action" at all: pronouns, polite phrases. Well, what did you want? Try asking someone to move without "please let him go northeast for the star."

You can learn alphabetically. And it can be divided into parts of speech: verbs, pronouns, prepositions, etc. Prepositions are easy to remember if you use a schema. Draw a square in the very center on a piece of paper and indicate movement with dots or arrows. For example, the preposition in translates as "in" - put a dot in the square and sign it in. And, for example, out is translated as "from" - put an arrow from the square.

come - come, come
get - get, force
give - to give
go - walk, go
keep - to continue, to keep, to leave, not to allow
let - allow
make - do / do, force
put - put
seem - to seem, to appear
take - take / take
be - to be
do - to do
have - to have, to eat, to know
say - to speak
see - to see
send - send
may - can
will - to want to
about - about
across - through
after - after
against - against
among - among
at - in
before - before
between - between
by - to, in accordance with, for, on
down - down
from - from
in - in
off - away from
on - on
over - by
through - through
to - to, to, to
under - under
up - up
with - with
as - because, as
for - for
of - from, oh, from
till - bye, until
than - than
a - any, one, each, some
the
all - everything, all
any - any, nobody
every - everyone
no - no, no
other - other
some - some, a little
such - this way
that - what
this is this
i - i
he - he
you - you, you
who - who
and - and
because - because
but - but
or - or
if - if
though - although
while - while
how - how
when - when
where - where, where, from where
why - why
again - again
ever - ever, never
far - the farthest
forward - send, forward
here - here, here
near - near, near
now - now, now
out - outside, outside
still - still
then - then
there - there, there
together - together
well - well, much
almost - almost
enough - enough
even - still, even
little - small
much - a lot
not - not
only - only
quite - quite
so - so
very - very
tomorrow - tomorrow
yesterday - yesterday
north - north
south - south
east - east
west - west
please - please
yes - yes

3. EXPRESSION OF QUALITY (150 WORDS)

3.1. General (100 words)

This is probably the nicest part of the vocabulary. Without adjectives, the language would be too bland and official. You can learn alphabetically. Or you can find images of objects or photographs of people and write on the back of what you think of them. Feel free to express yourself. The more adjectives you use from the list, the faster you will learn.

important - important

3.2. Opposite (50 words)

The easiest way to quickly master words is to find antonyms. Have you already said everything about the different people in the photos? Change your look and use opposite adjectives. Or just write down first the designation of quality from paragraph 3.1., And through a hyphen - the opposite in meaning from paragraph 3.2.

That's all. Congratulations! You have a basic vocabulary. And it will be quite enough for communication. It remains only to learn how to put these most necessary words into sentences. Welcome to grammar!

“We forget words as well as names. Vocabulary needs to be constantly fertilized or it will die. ”Evelyn Waugh, British writer

When starting to learn English, many people want to find the easiest and fastest way to achieve their goals. And since one of the most important goals is, the question arises: how easy and fast to learn words? You can really learn words easily, you can learn quickly, but you have to choose - either quickly, but by the sweat of your brow, or easily, but slowly.

I call these two ways of memorizing words easy and difficult.

  • The hard way - this is memorizing words with the help of flashcards, exercises, when you take a set of, say, 20 words and purposefully memorize them. I call this the hard way because it takes effort to remember. In fact, after a little practice, memorizing words no longer seems difficult.
  • Easy way - this is a passing, latent memorization while reading, listening, communicating in English. I call this the easy way because you don't make the effort to purposefully memorize, you just read, watch, etc.

An easy but slow way to learn English words

Let's start with an easy but slow way - practice. You've probably heard that the best vocabulary, and knowledge of the language in general, develops in the process of practice: reading, listening, speaking and writing.

Indeed, when you read books, look, some of the words settle in your memory. Words are remembered that are often repeated or guessed from the context. If you come across words that are difficult and at the same time important for understanding the plot, you have to look for their meaning - such words can also be remembered. When you write or speak, you have to activate your vocabulary, fetching words, expressions, whole from memory. The more often you use words in speech, the easier they will be remembered next time.

Practice is an easy way to learn words... You do not study, do not study in the usual sense of the word - with a notebook, a textbook, but simply read for your pleasure, watch a TV series or communicate. Unfortunately, it cannot be said that reading or listening is a quick way to learn words. Yes, words are memorized efficiently, with reference to the context, but in small quantities.

Fast but difficult way to memorize English words

On the other hand, there is a quick way that you can learn about 20, 50, 100 or even more words in one go - this is memorization of words using double-sided flashcards.

Why are flashcards an effective way to learn words yourself?

Cards are effective because they use the principle of active recall.

Active recall Is the principle of effective memorization of information based on active stimulation of memory during the memorization process. Its opposite is passive review, when information is not retrieved from memory, but simply read.

For example, if you are reading a history textbook, this is passive repetition. If you answer the question "What were the preconditions for the Decembrist uprising?" Is active recall.

Information is remembered better, better quality, if it is not just read from the carrier (read the chapter of the textbook), but also "pumped over" with the help of active recall (retell the chapter and answer the teacher's questions). It is the poet in the textbooks that often at the end of the paragraph there are questions for self-examination - by answering them, you will avoid the effect "flew into one ear, flew out of the other."

The easiest way to apply this principle to memorize words is with ordinary double-sided flashcards with an English word (expression) on one side and Russian on the other.

The easiest way to learn words from flashcards is:

  • We make cardboard cards of a convenient size,
  • On one side we write the English word, on the other the translation - at this stage, the initial acquaintance with the "questions" and "answers" takes place.
  • We look at one side, guess the other.
  • We turn the card over and check the guess.

It turns out that by looking at the card, you received questionthen goes active recall - an attempt to remember the meaning of the word. Flip the card over, you check answer... The key point is remembering, it is at this stage that memory is actively working, and information is remembered.

If you did not compose a set of cards yourself, but took a ready-made one, you first need to look at them in order for the initial acquaintance to occur, that is, so that there is something to remember later.

Cardboard and electronic cards

Cards can be used cardboard and electronic. I used both of them a lot, I'll tell you about both options.

Cardboard cards

Flashcards are a simple but extremely useful language learning tool

Above, I gave the simplest way to learn words using cardboard cards: look at one side, remember the other. To help you memorize words more effectively, I recommend:

  • Words need to be driven in both directions: from English to Russian (easier) and from Russian to English (more difficult). If you remember that “birch” is “birch”, this does not mean that you will remember that “birch” is “birch”.
  • Read words and say the answer aloud - it helps to remember the word, and the correct pronunciation, and the answer.
  • On the first try, you will be able to guess only a few words from the deck, on the second, more. Set aside guessed and unpredictable words in separate piles and run the deck until you can guess all the words without hesitation.
  • Ideally, words should be remembered instantly, automatically.
  • The slightest hesitation in an answer equate to a wrong answer.
  • If you memorize the words, but they are difficult to remember, there is a way to bring recognition to the instant: work the deck several times with a stopwatch, each time trying to beat the previous time.

You can read more about how to learn words using cardboard cards in the article:

There is a significant drawback in working with cardboard cards: they need to be made and stored. I myself did a lot with cards, and I remember that it took longer to cut the cardboard into eight pieces and sign them than it was to learn words.

Electronic cards

With electronic cards, the basic principle is the same: we look at the word, remember the translation, check the answer. But the electronic format provides many conveniences and possibilities:

  • It's easier to make cards, you don't need to store them.
  • Cards can be made with pictures, automatic voice acting.
  • There are modes, exercises that are impossible with cardboard cards (for example, typing a word under dictation).
  • With the help of the word, you can always take with you and repeat it anywhere.
  • Large selection of programs for memorizing words.

The last point is not only a plus, but also a problem. There are so many programs with flash cards that it is difficult to choose one. I like Quizlet and Lingualeo the most.

  • - service for working with cards. If you are looking for an electronic counterpart to paper cards, Quizlet is a great choice. The program has six modes of learning words, including two games. It is very convenient to create sets of words - like one card at a time, as well as by copying / pasting a list from a file. Words are automatically read out.
  • ... Learning vocabulary is just one of the features of this versatile service. It is inconvenient to add words manually, but in Lingualeo it is very convenient to save and then learn the words added during reading or watching a video (words can be saved to the dictionary directly from the subtitles). With the help of the browser plugin "LeoTranslator" (works only in the Chrome browser), words can be saved in the Lingvaleo dictionary and on other sites. Voiceover, transcription, picture is automatically added to words.

If you want to compose your own word sets, Quizlet is more convenient. To memorize words while reading texts on the Internet (on English-language sites), Lingualeo is very convenient - you will need to install the LeoTranslator plug-in for the browser.

When does it make sense to learn words from flashcards?

Flashcards can be used to learn many words in a short time, but this is not always necessary. Cards are relevant in the following cases:

  • You need to quickly get at least a vocabulary, at least the first 500 words. Without this minimum, it will not yet be possible to read, listen, talk.
  • You have a basic vocabulary, but you need to learn vocabulary on a specific topic, for example, or words written out while reading a book, watching a movie.
  • You are preparing for the exam.

Basically, the cards are useful for beginners, but if you have a level that allows you to read and listen at least, look, understanding at least the general meaning, talk with mistakes and actively gesticulate, then it is better to focus on practice: read more, listen, communicate.

How not to forget learned words?

Learned information is quickly and inevitably forgotten if not used. Even almost clean.

However, forgetting can be minimized:

  • Learn the right words... If you are learning uncommon words, they are likely to catch your eye very rarely. First of all, you need to learn.
  • Learn words well... With the help of cards, it is better to learn words so that they are recognized instantly, without any movements of the convolutions. If the word is "underestimated", then you may not recognize it.
  • Repeat words. Before starting a new set of words, repeat the previous one - this simple rule will greatly increase the efficiency of your learning.
  • Practice, practice, practice! When you have learned a word, it enters your memory, but it is thoroughly fixed when you meet it when reading, listening or using it in communication. Without practice in reading, listening, writing and speaking, all your efforts are not only futile, but meaningless. Why learn a language if you don't use it?

Don't learn too many words a day by raising the bar too high. Many people memorize 10-20 words in one go without problems. I managed to learn about 50 words in one sitting, and over 200 words during the day. But I noticed that if you move too fast, more words are forgotten, and in general it is difficult to hold out at this pace for a long time.

How, combining the two ways, can you learn words quickly and easily?

  • Read the text in English,
  • Write out unfamiliar words
  • Make up sets of flashcards with these words and memorize them.

A few tips:

  • Read only what you are really interested in,
  • Write out not all unfamiliar words in a row (so you will quickly lose interest in reading), but only words that are important for understanding the text or words that seem useful.
  • Write out not only words, but also phrases that are especially useful, like formulas for courtesy, greetings, etc.

Personally, I did this: if I read a paper book or on my phone, wrote out words with a pen in a notebook or saved them to notes on my phone, then I created sets of cards and repeated the words. Sometimes it was lazy, and I didn't make cards, but just looked through the notes, repeating the written words - even this way helps to remember them. If I read it in a browser, I saved the words with the help of "LeoTranslator" and then repeated them with the help of cards on Lingvaleo or just looking through the list.

You can also combine the two methods with the help of films, TV series, TV shows in English: watch a movie, writing interesting words along the way, and then learn them. The big disadvantage is that the movie will have to be paused frequently. In this regard, the service is convenient. It is enough to move the cursor over the subtitles and the film is paused, click on the word - the translation pops up, and the word is saved into the dictionary. Distractions have to be minimized.

Conclusion

Words can be learned quickly, in large quantities, using the “hard way” of flashcards and exercises. This makes sense if you need, for example, to learn words on a certain topic or to type a starting minimum vocabulary. It is important to understand that if you do not read, listen, communicate in English, that is, use a foreign language for its intended purpose, over time, even firmly memorized words will fade from memory.

On the other hand, words can be learned through practice: reading, listening, communicating in English. Some words will settle in memory simply due to repetition, understanding their meaning from the context. The nuance is that you need constant and very extensive practice in order to actively replenish the vocabulary with this method.

The methods can be combined - many do so. Read in English, watch films without translation, and if you come across useful words in the process, write them down to clarify the meaning, repeat, learn. Actually, this also applies to the native language.

Friends! I am not currently tutoring, but if you need a teacher, I recommend this wonderful site - there are native (and non-native) language teachers for all occasions and for any pocket 🙂 I myself went through more than 80 lessons with the teachers I found there!

Today, self-development in the form of learning languages \u200b\u200band going to the gym is literally a trend that everyone is trying to keep up with.

From everywhere you can only hear “Don't give up!”, “Be better than yesterday!”, “Work on yourself!”. If your figure is not perfect, everything is clear here - you need to observe proper nutrition and pump muscles. However, is learning English really that easy? Let "s see.

If you have gaps in English, it is worth tightening up your grammar and expanding your vocabulary. What if you have a bad memory and all these words do not fit in your head? Is it possible to pump memory? The answer will pleasantly surprise you - you can.

Of course, someone will be able to quickly learn a number of new English words just by looking at them, while someone will have to make an effort. It all depends on your desire.

In order to understand how you can pump memory, it is worth considering a few of your own characteristics - all individually. As you know, there are two types of memory - someone perceives new by ear, and someone visually. There is one secret technique that we intuitively master at school, and eventually forget.

Remember how at break, repeating a verse, you walked from corner to corner with a textbook. Indeed, movement helps to remember new things. And of course, memorization is significantly influenced not only by speed, but also by the quality of memorization or the level of attention. It is important to focus on what you are learning here and now, rather than flying in the clouds.

Understanding what memory is, it becomes obvious that by working on yourself, adding more self-discipline, you can develop your memory and easily memorize the required amount of new memorization of English words. All the excuses you used before, it's time to get together and make a breakthrough in learning English.

How to quickly learn English words

1. Learn words from context.

It is difficult enough to learn words if they are written in a list in a dictionary. This method can only be used if you are working with a teacher who will help you use these words in context, build a dialogue with you using these new words, and translate the list of new words from your passive vocabulary to active vocabulary.

If you are at the stage of independent study of English, then it is best to memorize the words in the context of the topics that interest you.

In this method of learning new words, two types of memory work - visual and auditory. Subtitles are important because they will help you be 100% sure what the word was just spoken and how it is spelled. Agree, it is difficult to remember what you are not sure enough about.

If you are studying English with a teacher, then he will definitely include podcasts in your classes, which are also a magic wand for expanding your vocabulary.

3. Don't grab onto every new word.

When learning words, do not grab onto every new word and run to write it out in the dictionary. If only because the number of words in the English language is incredible!

For starters, it’s best to memorize the base of words that you need, depending on your age and lifestyle. Of course, an experienced English teacher will be able to guide you in the right direction and tell you what to focus on.

However, you can try and independently determine what to concentrate on and which words you can omit.

4. Read.

You may be surprised, but now we are not even talking about reading in English, but about reading in your native language. It doesn't matter if it's fiction or quality articles.

Reading helps make your thinking more flexible and develops your memory, thereby improving your memorization of new words in English.

5. Learn words in conjunction with grammar.

Many people think that the main base of English is words, and you don't have to work on grammar much. Perhaps, once in a parallel universe, this myth will dispel, however, now it still exists.

Just imagine, if you know the conjugation of verbs, how many new words you will recognize at once. For example, if you do not perceive that all these new words in the text are just the first or second form of an irregular verb, they all seem new to you and confusion arises.

6. Learn English with modern technology, down with old-fashioned flashcards!

Fortunately, the world of modern technology is conducive to learning new words. For example, on our site there is a dictionary in a completely free format that will help you learn new words by memorizing them by ear and visually. The study takes place rather in a playful way, which helps to make the process of memorizing new words much more enjoyable.

In order for the English word to be remembered faster, you can draw a certain parallel with it in your mind. It doesn't matter if it makes sense for someone else, the main thing is that it carries a certain message for you and, remembering this association, you could remember a new word.

For example, the word "sing" is somewhat similar to the word Singapore. A parallel can be drawn with the phrase "singing in Singapore". In this method, only your imagination and imagination are important, add creativity.

8. Pay attention to words of common origin.

Words of common origin in different languages \u200b\u200b- cognates seem to have been created in order to instill the belief that learning a new language is not as unattainable as it might seem at first glance. When learning new words, you will personally make sure that many English words are similar to Russian ones.

9. Chat with native speakers.

It's no secret that the easiest way to learn a language is in the environment where it is spoken. However, it is not necessary to travel to another country for this. You can find yourself a penpal or call him on Skype. Communication with a native speaker will be very helpful when learning new words.

There are even many sites where people from different countries offer to improve your English for free, instead of learning something from your native language. However, this technique is best used when you already have a fairly confident English. At the initial stage, it is better to turn to a professional teacher so that he can guide you on the right track.

10. Use the S.M.A.R.T. Goal System.

Set goals for learning new English words and you will see progress. It's much more enjoyable to learn English by noticing your progress. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Bound - i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-limited.

Promise yourself that over the next month you will learn 70 new words that are most in demand in the English language.

11. Speak and think like a native speaker.

When learning new words, pay attention to the accent and intonation with which it is customary to pronounce the given word. Try to imitate these elements at the very beginning of your language learning. In the future, this will greatly help you overcome the barrier of communication with native speakers.

12. Don't be afraid to make a mistake.

In order to speak correctly, it is not necessary to remember all the words that exist in English. It is enough, for a start, to master the basic base of words, of which there are about 300. Having studied the base, you will be able to express a thought even without knowing any word using the paraphrasing technique.

Learning a language no longer seems so out of reach. Is not it?

By the way! We advise you to read our article on how to quickly learn English. Not everything is so simple :)

How to help your child remember English words easily

What can you do to help your child learn new words?

There are many memory poems that will greatly simplify the process of learning English for children. Is it possible to use the methods of memorizing new words developed for children, adults?

Yes! Both children and adults can learn the language with nursery rhymes.

For example:

We were given red tomatoes for lunch!(Red - red)
And the lemon, when ripe, wears a yellow skin!(Yellow - yellow)
I love to run around the city in blue jeans!(Blue - blue)
Orange means orange, the color is the same, we will eat.(Orange - orange)
Let's call the gray mouse, the gray mouse will be it.(Gray color - gray)
Black - our black master, as always came alone.(Black - black)
Green - green grass, it grew itself.(Green - green)
Brown is the new chocolate, I'm glad for brown.(Brown - brown)
White is white and snow. (White - white)

You can help children learn new words by studying the rhyme and demonstrating the items the poem is talking about. This technique will come in handy when working out the following rhymes:

This is a bear, this is a hare,
This is a dog and this is a frog.
This is a car, this is a star,
This is a ball and this is a doll.
One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive,
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
The little finger on the right.

With the help of poems, you can learn not only new words, but also memorize temporary structures. For example:

To have
I have a father,
I have a mother,
I have a sister,
I have a brother.
Father, mother, sister, brother -
Hand in hand with one another.

With this rhyme, you can work out the structure of the question:

How to learn English words for business

Do not be alarmed, everything is the same here as in the study of General English. The main thing is to select the necessary sources of study. It is worth focusing on videos on a topic that is relevant to you.

When choosing a textbook, it is also worth considering the business area that you need. By studying Business English with a teacher, he will help you place all the accents correctly and focus on the topic that you need, be it business, aviation or agriculture.

Do you need a mentor? Of course no one can say, for example, how to learn English words in 5 minutes;) But mwe will select the best teacher who will lead you to the result. Set goals and achieve them! There is nothing unattainable, the main thing is to correctly prioritize and understand what to work on.

Good luck on your way to perfection!

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

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