Strategies for Building Vocabulary

Every person wants his or her presentation, speech, talk, etc. to be different and meaningful. In order to fulfill these needs, one has to have great vocabulary. Vocabulary is a set of words in a language that an individual is familiar with. To have good vocabulary, one has to have plethora of words. This can be achieved only if you keep on working on this area. It is a tough task but you can succeed; if you try hard. Building vocabulary is a continuous process, which starts right from the day a toddler starts to speak. 

Lets us have a look at some of the strategies for building vocabulary:

·         Voracious Reading- Reading is the easiest way of building vocabulary. You can read newspapers, magazines, books, etc. Once you get a hang of reading, you will be interested in it and you will not understand how effectively you have learnt words unknowingly. Reading helps us to understand meaning of words in that context, so that you can use it later in a situation that demands it. Start reading with simple things and then progress to complex, once you are sure of your level of understanding vocabulary.

·         Learning a new word everyday- Learning a new word daily can be one of the strategies to strengthen your vocabulary. You can find a new word daily in various situations like while watching television, listening to radio, reading a bill-board, searching for information on internet, etc. There are some websites that provide you a new word on a daily basis. If you take up this then in no time you will have enough new words without even realizing it. This is an easy method to learn new words

·         Optimal Use of Dictionary- A person who is learning a new language has to get a good dictionary. He or she has to use dictionary optimally. Dictionary gives you meaning of the word that is new for you. It also helps you in root word, parts of speech, how to use the word in a context, spelling, pronunciation and so on. You should know how to use dictionary effectively to build vocabulary. You should have a good dictionary and thesaurus in your personal collection of books.

·         Understanding the meaning of words- One should not just memorize the word but he or she has to understand the true meaning of the word. The use of that word of in different context, its synonyms and antonyms, how to use it in various context, prefixes-suffixes and do on has to be considered. This will help you in effectively building your vocabulary in no time. The logic behind using a particular word helps in learning and understanding the word.