Vocabulary

What is vocabulary?

A vocabulary list is simply a list of words. Reading new material will become easier as you increase the number of words you can recognize, understand, say, and spell. Reading, writing, and talking are activities which you can use on a daily basis to help you learn new words and learn new ways of using them. Try to increase your personal vocabulary list by reading about a variety of topics.

In this section you will learn some strategies for learning new words. The most basic strategy is to use a dictionary. In addition to giving the meaning for a word, a dictionary contains information about how to say a word, how to spell a word, how to use a word and, how to divide a word into its parts. Learning basic reading strategies will reduce the amount of time you will need to use a dictionary.

The general sequence of steps for learning a new word is the following. Study the process carefully.

• Guess the meaning and use
  
  
• Check a dictionary
  
  
• Say the word aloud
  
  
• Check for multiple meanings
  
  
• Write the word
  
  
• Keep a list of new words/phrases
  
  
• Practice using the word/phrase in reading, writing, or speaking

When basic strategies do not help you discover the meaning of a new word or phrase, as with idioms or homonyms, the best strategy is to consult a good dictionary.