Words for learning English. Remember English words easily

You need to remember quickly a large number of English words. And as you have been told or read online yourself, they are very easy to learn. But no matter how hard you tried to quickly memorize at least the necessary minimum, nothing worked for you? Perhaps you chose the wrong methods or memory techniques? We'll deal with this today.

First, let's try to figure out why memorizing English words is so difficult? The fact is that a new concept is accurate information, the translation and pronunciation of which you need to know 100%. Try to pronounce a foreign word. Native speakers will not understand you, so it is important to remember the word as accurately as possible.

Any new information is poorly remembered. As a rule, even with grueling “cramming”, only 20% is absorbed. But if you choose correct technique, which will allow you to quickly learn words, then this indicator will increase significantly. Start learning basic English words right now!

Let's take a look at best methods memorizing new English words:

Memorization of English words is a convenient and interesting style presentation educational material in small poems or songs. Memorizing words by heart will be effective if they themselves rhyme or are included in rhyme structures. This technique also contains elements of artistic association:

• A plum here and a plum there
  Plum in English plam
• I prefer watermelon to plums
  Watermelon - otherwise watermelon
• The price of melons is written in chalk
  Melon in English melon
• A fairy told me in a dream:
  Pear in English pear

These are such meaningless, but very effective lines.

Mnemonics

The very method of artistic association that allows you to remember concepts through creation in your head bright images. Moreover, the more ridiculous the image is created, the better the word or phrase will be remembered.

Let's try?!

• "Spoon" (spoon), imagine that funny little gnome Spoon is sleeping sweetly in a spoon
• “chess” (chess) - chess pieces come to life on the chessboard, run up to each other and start scratching each other’s backs
• “turnip” (turnip) - having grabbed the horizontal bar with its leaves, the turnip spins on it like a gymnast
• "ship" (ship), imagine a ship with huge spikes sticking out

Thanks to this technique, words are remembered very easily.

Cards

A popular simple technique for memorizing new vocabulary. Cut thin cardboard into small rectangles. Take a stack of these cards and write a word or phrase in English on one side and its translation on the other. Carry these cheat sheets with you at all times and repeat them at every opportunity.

Cards can be divided according to the topic of phrases or according to the phonetic sound of words. After examining one stack, you can move on to the next stack. After some time, you return to the material you covered and repeat it. You will be able to transform your passive vocabulary and phrases into active ones, that is, remember and freely use speech structures.

Marking

The technique involves the following: take a pack of adhesive stickers, and write words from your home or work environment or everyday life on them. Then you glue these tags to the corresponding items, thus tagging a huge number of things. For example, put a “Salt” tag on a salt shaker, “Dining table” on a dining table, “Journal table” on a coffee table, “Door in a bathroom” on a bathroom door, etc.

The disadvantage of this technique is that you can only label specific concepts, but sticking a sticker on such abstract concepts as Love, Pleasure, Happiness will not work. Therefore, it is better to memorize this lexical composition by other known methods.

Polyglot

This technique will allow you to easily and quickly memorize 100-150 new words every day. The method represents sequential mental operations and actions that form memorization skills.

Memorization scheme using the “Polyglot” system:

• A translation of a word
• Find the consonant Russian word to pronunciation
• Connect the image of translation with the image of a consonant word
• “Photograph” foreign word
• Write a word
• Check the quality of memorization
• Write to card

• look
• “I can’t watch when they cut onions”
• Highlight the word on all sides with yellow cards, so that only “look” is in the center. Try to mentally photograph the word and remember the graphic image, read aloud several times
• Write the word
• To check the quality of memorization means writing the word from right to left... k .ok .ook look
• Write the word on a card for repetition

Synonymous series

This technique allows you to quickly memorize words, thanks to the expansion of the synonymous range. It is better to keep a special notebook in which you need to write new words as you learn the language. Select new synonyms as often as possible and repeat those you have already learned.

Memorizing vocabulary, thus, allows the student to express his thoughts accurately and richly in English, and increases the speed of speech.

• Energy - force - power
• little - small - tiny
• pretty - handsome - beautiful

Regardless of which method you choose, it is better to memorize words according to this scheme: “ Writing - pronunciation - translation" Memorizing in this sequence is called “recognition.”

And finally, classes should be regular. It’s better to learn 10 words every day than 100 words once a week.

Do you know any other effective techniques? Subscribe in the comments.

This method of memorizing new words has found dense numbers of admirers, but also the same number of opponents. The thing is that the latter express doubts about the effectiveness of the speed of memorizing the associative pair. Let's take a closer look.

Let's start with how our brain works when we see a written word. In its depths, ideas, images, pictures and even feelings are formed, a stable connection is formed between what the eyes saw and what the brain formed. Long-familiar material is connected with new material.

Close your eyes and imagine a tree, let it be a spreading oak or a slender birch tree. Now let's learn the word "tree", add three leaves to your tree. So, in your head there is an image - a tree with three leaves, which is now forever imprinted in your head as a tree.

How to create an analogy in the context of a whole sentence? Write the expression or sentence in the center of the paper. Have you recorded it? From offer to different sides direct the rays, each of which will end with a word, or better yet, a picture. Do not think at the moment about how accurate and correct the associations are, the main thing is to write them down.

Now, every time you hear one of the words, a whole association and visual image of the sentence will be restored in your head.

Advice! To make the method even more effective, speak out what you have written, especially if you consider yourself to be a person who perceives information better by ear.

Working “in pairs” - remembering phrases

It's great if you can remember quickly individual words. But it is important to understand that English, like other languages, is not separate, disparate concepts, it is a system of connections for expressing thoughts. Therefore, examples of words should be looked for in context.

If you have already created a personal dictionary, and we believe that you have one, write down the words in the form of phrases. To remember the word “ugly,” write down “ugly duckling” and immediately remember Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling.” Next step- this is the compilation of at least 3–4 sentences with a learned phrase.

Memorize new words with pictures

According to statistics, more than 70% of people on earth are visual learners, which is why the learning process should be associated with the visual perception of an image. In your dictionary, next to each word, especially those that are difficult to remember, draw small pictures. Well, well, don’t grumble about the fact that you don’t know how to draw, it’s even better.

Every day our brain receives a huge amount of monotonous information, such unusual and funny pictures will become a kind of “surprise”, and surprises are very well remembered.

Write for your health

A large number of words are difficult to remember and we will not deny this fact. If you have to memorize a large array of words, make up a story with them; even an absurd story will become your reliable assistant.

Let's give an example. Words needed to remember: piano, shoes, tree, boy, bird, pencil, bus.

Look! There is a piano, it is sitting under the tree and wearing shoes. As for me, the tree is so strange, little boy has stuck pencil through it. A small bird is sitting on the pencil and looking for a bus.

In translation, the text is very bizarre and could pass for a bad joke, but our goal is new words, and for this it is quite suitable.

This method is suitable for learning adjectives, of which there are a huge number in the English language. To form pairs, you can choose antonyms or synonyms (words that are close and opposite in meaning).

The simplest example is the well-known adjectives: good/bad and bad/bum. Our brain is designed in such a way that we quickly remember opposite and similar things rather than isolated single concepts.

Word by composition

To parse a word according to its composition, you will have to remember school curriculum, but briefly recalling concepts such as suffix, prefix and root in memory will greatly facilitate the process of learning new words.

Let's take the word “microbiology” as an example; you don’t have to be a polyglot to understand that the prefix “micro” means something small, and the suffix “-logy” in Latin means science. And now a chain is emerging - a science that studies something small, “bio” - living beings, which means we have before us a word denoting the science of microscopic organisms.

You can guess the translation of new words by studying the meaning of the most common prefixes and suffixes. The former include ir-, im-, micro-, dis-, con-, un-, il- (usually have a negative or opposite meaning), the latter -ly, -able, -ive, -tion, -ent.

• Il-- used with words starting with the consonant l:

  Logical - illogical (logical - illogical); legible - illegible (legible about handwriting - illegible).

• Ir-- used with words starting with the consonant r:

  Responsible - irresponsible (responsible - irresponsible); replaceable - irreplaceable (replaceable - irreplaceable).

• Im-- usually used before adjectives starting with the consonant r:

  Polite - impolite (polite - impolite); personal - impersonal (personal - impersonal).

Choose the right time

Psychologists who work on the study of memorization processes have long developed the most optimal scheme for learning new material.

It is necessary to use a new word immediately after becoming familiar with it, then after 10 minutes, after an hour, after a day, and always after a week. After this, the likelihood of forgetting the word is reduced to a minimum.

Stickers and cards are a great solution for learning words

You may not like this next idea, but it will definitely make your learning fun and entertaining. Put stickers on everything in your apartment with English names. This way you will learn not only a huge array of vocabulary, but also learn how to quickly reproduce a graphic image.

The method has one, but very significant drawback - it is limited to the “Home” theme.

If you don't want to limit yourself, replace stickers with cards, with reverse side which words will be written down. At your discretion, words can be divided into topics or according to another principle convenient for you.

The undoubted advantage is that your training material will always be at hand and you can plunge into the learning process even on a long journey.

Folklore to improve vocabulary

If you want to learn new words not only quickly, but also in a fun way, use sayings, proverbs, short rhymes and tongue twisters. All this is a great way to expand your vocabulary and form correct pronunciation. In addition, you have a great opportunity get acquainted with the culture of the people whose language you are studying with such diligence.

Remember the game “Snowball”, where a new word was added to each line; the English language is also full of such poems, for example, the well-known “The house that Jack built”. This method of memorizing words not only expands your vocabulary, but also trains your memory.

Listen and read

And of course, do not forget about the lexical load that comes with reading and listening to texts. The advantage of reading is that expanding your vocabulary becomes a necessity, and memorization occurs through repeated repetition of words in the text. So choose for yourself interesting books, which you would read with pleasure.

The audiolinguistic method will appeal to those who consider themselves to be auditory learners and are good at remembering information perceived by ear. The advantage of watching films and listening to texts is that you will quickly get rid of the accent, but it would be unfair not to mention the disadvantage - the lack of a visual image of the word in memory.

Video with tips on how to remember new ones English words:

In the process of studying in English many of us have tried a huge number of ways to memorize words: from colorful cards to making lists of words, from marking phrases in the text to putting stickers over the desktop, etc.

Mnemonics, or mnemonics - these are specially developed methods and techniques for memorizing information without “cramming” and in the shortest possible time. Thanks to mnemonics, we can control the memorization of information, accumulate a large amount of data in memory and effortlessly recall it over time, without having a phenomenal memory or unique abilities.

Numerous studies have shown that the ability to memorize words using mnemonic methods is tens (!) times greater than the capabilities of conventional memory. There are a large number of mnemonic methods: Mark Twain’s method, Lincoln’s method, Napoleon’s method, etc. I will tell you only about the most effective ones that I have tested.

Logical patterns

There are two options: compose a text in your native language using transcription (a), or a monolingual text in English according to a list of words (b). In the first case (a) in the process of writing a mini-story, you remember how words are pronounced and translated, and in the second case (b) - how words are written and the context itself.

a) Words of various subjects:

handicrafts [handycrafts] - things self made
broken family [broukn] - incomplete family
countryside [countryside] - village
vehicle [vikl] - car
tasting [tastin] - tasting

Brothers Handy and Kraft were engaged in making handmade things. They were from a single-parent Brokene family and lived in the village of Countryside. In the summer they loved to travel in their Vickle car among the vineyards, where they tasted Taystin, the magical wine.

A fairly simple technique, suitable for both beginners and advanced levels. It is very convenient because you can come up with text or individual sentences from any words and parts of speech that you learn or repeat.

b) Words of the same topic:

rural poor - rural poor
to smuggle - engage in smuggling
to cross the border - to cross the border
to be deported - to be deported
immigration - immigration

The rural poor were very brave and smuggled day by day. Moreover, they crossed the border at nights and weren't afraid of being deported, because everything they dreamed of was immigration.

More complex technique. It is very effective because you can watch films, videos, listen to podcasts, read texts, etc., write down words on a certain topic (I gave an example from the documentary “Immigration”), then compose text or individual sentences. As a result, you memorize words in blocks, thematically, which is important. The method is also effective in that you can restore the plot of the text from which you copied words, as if retelling it with your own mini-story.

Phonetic associations

The method consists of selecting the most consonant word (or several words) from the native language for a foreign word. One of the most effective methods. When you remember one word, you automatically remember another. Another huge advantage of the method is the abundance of books and manuals on this method.

abyss [əˈbıs] - abyss
This biscuit fell into the abyss.

mascot [ˈmæskət] - talisman (person, thing, animal that brings happiness)
The local CAT was a mascot for everyone.

addict [əˈdıkt] - drug addict
EDIK-To is a drug addict.

Autobiographical associations

We select the most consonant word (or several words) from our native language for a foreign word, not imagining, but remembering our actually experienced events.

puddle ["pʌdl] - puddle

On a rainy day, I FALLED into a puddle more than once.

creak - creak
I screamed at the creaking of the door.

advice [əd’vais] - advice
DRESS warmly - that's my mom's advice.

Place method

You need to imagine that you are going around your room and hanging up sheets of paper with the words you are learning in different places. Then mentally walk around the room again and remember where each word is.

I practiced this method with adjectives:

• absent-minded - absent-minded (mentally hung a piece of paper near the switch [an absent-minded person forgets to turn off the light])
• passionate - passionate, hot (mentally hung a leaf near the radiator [passionate people have a warm heart])
• grimy - dirty, grimy (mentally hanging a leaf by the sink [washing dirty hands in the sink])

Aivazovsky method

The method is that we need to look at an object or landscape for a few seconds, then close our eyes and ask ourselves questions about the details (shape of the object, color, location, etc.), then open our eyes again, remember the details, and so on repeatedly.

I adjusted this method for myself as follows, and I find it very effective:

1) Decide on a topic that interests you (interior, exterior, colors, animals, etc.).

2) Open Google Images with a keyword (for example, bedroom).

3) Describe verbally what you see in the picture, what color and size the objects are, where they are located, etc. OR make a table or list.

For example:
bed:
- black brown
- double
- modern
- cozy

4) Close your eyes and say all the details.

The method is easy to use and very fun. Pictures on any topic can be found both on the Internet and in magazines; you can come up with your own exercises and alternate them using different parts of speech.

I also advise you to do this exercise in the subway: you need to look at a person for a few seconds, remember what he looks like, what he’s wearing, etc. When he gets out (or you get out) from the car, you can mentally say in detail how you like him remember what caught your attention. You can play the role of a physiognomist: fantasize about what his character is, what positive and negative traits, what profession he might be, etc.

CHOG method

FOCUS: Orientation, Reading, Review, Essentials. This method is suitable for memorizing the text as a whole, but in the process of memorizing the main idea of ​​the text, you simultaneously memorize individual words on a specific topic. The method is considered ineffective. However, I transformed it for my convenience in my own way, and for me it became another very simple and useful technique.

1. Read the text slowly, highlight the main idea.
2. In each paragraph, underline the main sentence or key words or phrases.
3. Read the text again, paying attention to the main details.
4. Retell the text first mentally and then out loud, looking at the underlined (or written out) key words.

For greater memorization efficiency, I combine this method with other methods.

Ritual method

You can learn a huge number of words only through daily training. You should have a kind of ritual: at a certain time you study English. For example, I know that every evening I, listening to relaxing music (which also facilitates the learning process), either read an article, or learn words, or watch documentaries or programs in English, etc. For greater incentive, it is better to make a lesson plan for the week and not be lazy to follow it.

Method of interaction of all sensations

When memorizing a certain word (for example, boots), you must mentally or out loud constantly pronounce this word (but without translation!), imagining in detail what the boots look like, how you put on your shoes, or how you imagine buying these boots, etc. The essence This approach is for you to learn to automatically speak a foreign language, understand the interlocutor, and at the same time not constantly translate the phrases you hear in your mind. There should be vivid associations in your mind with any word you study.

Repetition

To remember the information effectively and for a long time, you need to repeat the material you have covered in 4 stages:

1. immediately after studying;
2. after 20-30 minutes;
3. in a day;
4. in 2-3 weeks.

Believe me, these methods really work, so spare no effort and time, experiment - the results will not keep you waiting. Try to alternate the above methods of mnemonics, taking into account your personal characteristics, for example, if you are visual, practice the method of phonetic associations more often.

The main thing is not to be lazy and try different ways all the time, broaden your horizons. As for mnemonics, I advise you to read various literature; there are very interesting and effective methods that really help people remember large amounts of information with ease and for a long time. It will also be informative to get acquainted with the stories (and learn from the experience) of famous people (such as Cicero, Caesar, Bonaparte, Mozart, Roosevelt, Reagan, etc.), who, by practicing various mnemonics, developed unique abilities your memory.

Expanding your vocabulary is a prerequisite for improving the English language. The more vocabulary you have, the better you will understand and speak the language, the more literate your speech will become.

Englex has collected tips on how to quickly learn English words.

What words to learn in English

• Basic vocabulary needed to understand foreign speech. There are eternal topics like “Greeting”, “Family”, “Food”, every person needs to know them.
• The words you need.Are you going to work in a large company? Learn business English. Are you a programmer? Take up computer terms. Do you like to travel? Learn English for travel, etc.
• If you already read books or watch films in English, you should take the vocabulary from there. The main thing is to watch and read MODERN masterpieces; there is no point in studying archaisms.
• Consult an experienced English teacher, he will tell you what to study. Teachers know exactly what vocabulary you will need and what topics you can spend less time on.

You should not waste time learning specific vocabulary if you do not intend to change your field of activity. For example, if you work for a large financial institution, it is not necessary to learn medical or legal terms.

How to learn English words effectively

1. Make cards with words

Old as time, but effective technique. All students at least once in their lives started flashcards and tried to learn new vocabulary from them. It's convenient and affordable: you don't need to spend money, because you write them yourself, and you can take the cards with you anywhere.

Let us remind you that there are several ways to compile such cards. For newbies:

• On one side of the piece of paper we write the word in English, on the second - in Russian. We test our knowledge: translate a word from Russian into English and back.
• On one side we write the word in English and paste a picture, on the other - the translation into Russian. This method works well for people with associative thinking. In your mind you associate a new English-language concept and the object that it refers to. We translate in the same way as described above.
• On the one hand, we write a word in English, BUT with a Russian context, on the other hand, we write a word in Russian without context. When repeating vocabulary, try to translate the concept from Russian into English, and if you can’t remember the translation, open the side with the Russian context, you will quickly guess/remember the meaning of the word.

Infographic: Englex

For more experienced students, we recommend using English-English dictionaries. Then on one side we write the word in English, on the other - the definition in ENGLISH. You can also write synonyms and antonyms of the concept being studied.

How to learn vocabulary correctly? The best way to memorize English words is in context. Therefore, you can write on a card not just a word, but a sentence in which it is used. Where to get such an offer? You can enter the concept being studied into an electronic dictionary, for example Lingvo: It will give you the most popular usages of the vocabulary.

You need to constantly work with cards: review and repeat the learned vocabulary. Periodically change the cards for new ones, and after 1-2 weeks return the old ones again to repeat the words.

2. Use special textbooks

Textbooks to increase your vocabulary will help you not only learn new words, but also find out what words they are used with. The good thing about the manuals is that they provide not just lists of words, but also examples of their use. Words are learned in context, so it will be even easier to remember them than with flashcards.

3. Create your own dictionary notebook

The method is similar to cards, only you constantly carry a notepad with you and add new words. This method is good for those who constantly lose something: your cards are unlikely to last long. And finding a notepad in a woman’s purse is much easier than finding small pieces of paper. It is convenient to organize your notebook as follows. Each page will correspond to a specific day. Write the repeat dates at the top. By checking your notepad every day, you won’t miss the next review date.

The page might look like this:

Infographic: Englex

4. Study on training sites

If it’s difficult to tear you away from your computer, then learn English words “without leaving the cash register.” Study using educational resources, it’s even more interesting than classic flashcards or a notebook with words.

5. Combine words by topic

How to easily remember English words? Groups of words related to the same topic are usually well remembered. Therefore, try to divide words into groups of 5-10 pieces and learn them. There is such a thing as the Restorff effect: the human brain, from a group of objects, best remembers the one that stands out in some way. Use this position to your advantage: in the group of words of the same topic “introduce a stranger” - enter a word of an unrelated topic. For example, learn words on the topic “Fruits”, add to them one word on the topic “Transport”, your lessons will become even more effective.

6. Draw a mind map

You can easily learn English words of the same topic if you draw a mind map or mind map. This diagram clearly shows what topic the words relate to. And while you are drawing it, the vocabulary will be stored in your memory. Mind map might look like this:

Infographic: Englex

7. Install special applications

Not everyone has time to write word cards or draw mind maps. But application developers for mobile devices have already solved this problem: now you can install a special program on your smartphone or tablet and learn English words. We recommend using Lingualeo or Anki, they are free, and classes with them are effective.

8. Use associations

This method is loved by many students: to learn a word, you need to come up with an association in Russian. For example: you need to remember the word show- show. We all know the word show, so make it up short sentence: they show us a show. Or a word shoot(shoot) can be remembered like this: the jester shoots. You can make up convenient associations yourself, the main thing is that they are understandable to you and easy to remember. This will make it easier for you to increase your English vocabulary. Learning will be effective if you not only make a verbal association, but also visualize it: by pronouncing the word shoot imagine this shooting jester, let the image turn out to be as funny and memorable as possible. Even better is a dynamic picture with your personal presence: you imagine how the jester next to you shoots someone (with a water pistol, so that the spectacle comes out comical, not tragic). The more vivid the picture, the easier it will be to remember the word.

9. Surround yourself with the words you are learning.

You can use the same cards: stick them around the house so that they are constantly visible. Let's remember where we spend a lot of time? Of course, on the computer! Use technology to your advantage: write 5-10 words on the screen saver, in a few days you will remember them well. It’s even more effective to use a special program that will work in the background, that is, words will pop up while working on the computer at specified intervals. Examples of such programs: Words, Sensei, LMBomber etc. You can install similar applications on your smartphone or tablet. It is enough to practice 10-20 minutes daily to feel progress.

10. Read texts in English

The more you read, the more often you encounter new words and the more likely you are to remember them. Don't look up the meaning of every unfamiliar word in the dictionary; choose only those that appear frequently in the text.

11. Use the learned vocabulary as often as possible

How to learn English words correctly and not forget them? Are you familiar with the principle use it or lose it? In order for knowledge to remain in memory, you need to actively “use” it. Good to compose short stories using new words, and the vocabulary presented in a short funny text will be wonderfully remembered. If you take courses or study with an English teacher, try to “incorporate” new words into your conversation as often as possible: the more times you say a word, the better you will remember it. Don’t forget about spelling: to spell a word correctly, try to use it in writing. You can make up sentences or stories with new vocabulary and write them down, and then tell them to someone.

12. Use your favorite learning methods

The more often you see the word in “ natural environment habitats,” the easier it will be to remember, so don’t forget to read the texts, watch videos, listen to podcasts in English. Do what interests you. This way you will see in what context this or that concept is used. For example, on the site engvid.com Native speakers will present you with new knowledge in an easy and funny way, thanks to which the words will be well remembered. On the site newsinlevels.com An excellent tactic is used: you not only learn new vocabulary, but also involuntarily repeat it from time to time. All words are periodically repeated in new videos, so by constantly watching the news you can significantly expand your vocabulary. You can expand your English vocabulary through fun activities, for example: solving crossword puzzles, playing Hangman, Memory games.

13. Test your knowledge

It's good to go through from time to time various tests to the level of vocabulary. After passing such a test, you will immediately see what is stored in your memory and which topics or words need to be repeated.

14. Develop your memory

It is impossible to remember anything unless you have a good memory. Learning a language in itself trains our brain well and helps improve memory, but it is also worth using other methods of memory development.

15. Follow your daily plan

For the average person, it is best to learn 5-10 words per day. Follow your plan for learning new vocabulary exactly to see progress.

It would seem a simple math problem from the fourth grade: if you learn 30-35 English words a day every day, How many words of English can you learn in a month and a year?

Of course, you can easily calculate: you can learn about a thousand English words in a month and, accordingly, 12,000 words in a year. I wonder what experience and practice say?

As vocabulary is reduced, so are the number of feelings you can express, the number of events you can describe, the number of the things you can identify! Not only understanding is limited, but also experience. Man grows by language. Whenever he limits language he retrogresses!

As your vocabulary decreases, the number of feelings you can express, the number of events you can describe, the number of objects you can name, decreases. Not only is understanding limited, but also experience. Man grows through language. Whenever he restricts language, it declines.

~ Sheri S. Tepper

As practice shows, you can learn something, but keep it in active stock and it won’t work to be used regularly in speech. Words without practice and associative connections are quickly forgotten, which is something the creators are silent about.

The truth is you always have a chance remember a large number of English words- it all depends on the characteristics of memory and techniques for memorizing English words, which we will talk about today.

How to learn a lot of English words quickly

Learning English words is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Signing the names of unfamiliar words is one of the effective methods for memorizing.

Want to learn a lot of English words in a short time? The German scientist Ebinhaus found that with mechanical memorization, that is, when a person does not understand the meaning of the material and does not use mnemonics, after an hour only 44% of the information remains in the memory, and after a week - less than 25%. Fortunately, with conscious memorization, information is forgotten much more slowly.

First of all, you need to determine how it is easier for you to assimilate new information: by hearing, seeing or writing it down?

This will not take much time, but will greatly facilitate training and selection. effective techniques for you in the future. One test that will help you determine how easier it is for you to remember new information is presented on this site. By answering 30 questions, you can know exactly what type you are.

Let us briefly recall that visual learners easily remember new words by seeing or reading, auditory learners by hearing, and kinesthetic learners need to be on the move, for example, writing down information on paper.

IN modern world Most people have a predominant visual type of perception new information. Remember how long the annoying commercials seen on TV, or the posters and banners that litter the streets of the city are stored in our memory for a long time.

You also need to know that there is no such thing as 100% visual or auditory. But some channel is still dominant, and it is this one that should be used if your goal is learn a lot of English words quickly.

Visual method for memorizing English words

Characteristics and scheme of information perception by visual people.

If you have read the novel “Martin Eden” by Jack London, then most likely you remember that main character I learned a huge number of academic words, posting leaflets with new words in my home.

Visual method to remember English words is to paste stickers with new words on all the objects that surround you. How does the visual method work? You constantly come across an abundance of English words, read, memorize and, of course, use English words.

Buy cards in the store or make them yourself with new words, translations, transcriptions, and even examples of use. These cards are convenient to take with you if you have a long commute to work or constantly get lost in queues. They can be classically made on paper or downloaded to your phone.

On a note:

On the Internet you can find download applications for mobile phones who use visual method to expand your vocabulary. The most popular are Words, Easy Ten and Duolingo: Learn languages ​​for free.

Bright pictures with captions, memorization simulators, screening tests that use these mobile applications will help you learn a lot of English words in short term . And most importantly, they are always at hand!

If your level is not beginner (Pre-Intermediate and above), you can watch films, shows and videos with and without subtitles, writing down not only new words, but also useful colloquial phrases.

Educational audio materials in English and podcasts

Characteristics and scheme of information perception by auditory learners.

If you belong to the rare category of people (about 10%) who love and remember with their ears, then this is the method for you.

The main conditions for vocabulary expansion- listen constantly English speech, be it at home in the kitchen or in the car in a traffic jam. New words and expressions can be written down and repeated periodically.

With this method, you will not be afraid to perceive speech by ear, and your listening skills will improve.

TPR Method for Vocabulary Expansion

Characteristics and scheme of information perception by kinesthetics.

The third type of information perception, which includes kinesthetics, prefers movement to static learning. If you are a kinesthetic learner, don't forget to write down new words on paper. It is better if you have a diary dictionary that you can refer to from time to time.

Often used in teaching children TPR (Total Physical Response) method. But, believe me, if you are a kinesthetic learner, this method is also for you: with its help you can easily learn English words and phrases.

The essence of the method is to memorize new words, phrases and lexical structures using gestures, commands, pantomime and games. For example, in response to the word ball, you need to perform an action associated with this object, for example, playing with a ball.

Simple and effective ways to memorize English words

Mnemonics and memorization of English words

A clear example of how mnemonics works.

One of the most effective ways to memorize English, and foreign words in general, is mnemonics. The method of mnemonics (or mnemonics) is based on creating images in your mind. You take information that needs to be remembered and turn it into an image through association.

First you need to understand that the brain remembers not the images themselves that arise in the head, but connections between several images. This is very important to remember, because immediately during memorization you need to focus on this.

Mnemonics actively develops memory and thinking. The main task is to create images that are connected in the imagination different ways. The images must be colored, large And detailed.

Learning English words using mnemonics is incredibly easy! We select the most consonant word (or several words) from the native language for a foreign word.

Let's look at how mnemonics work when memorizing English words with an example:

puddle ["pʌdl] puddle

Approximate pronunciation (phonetic association) - "badl"

Mnemonic model: “I kept falling and falling into a puddle” .

Examples of using mnemonics in teaching English:

If you are using mnemonics for expanding vocabulary, it is important to remember that you need not just to connect words with each other and express them in the form of a sentence, but also to imagine a specific situation in which this happens or is said.

For example, don’t just say: “A nervous man is walking down a narrow alley,” but imagine nervous man, maybe your friend who is walking, looking around and flinching at every sound, along a narrow dark alley. In this case, you will definitely not forget this foreign word.

On a note:

The association or combination of words that has arisen is necessary only for 2-3 repetitions from memory in order to remember a foreign word and its translation. Then it disappears as unnecessary, so you don’t have to worry about all sorts of nonsense being stored in your memory.

There is no doubt that in order to memorize foreign words quickly and efficiently, you need to practice, find your own approach, learn to create your own associations, and quickly at that. At first, the process of creating associations will be slow, but be patient and continue training. As a rule, the speed and quality of creating associations improves after the first thousands of memorized words.

It remains to add that with the help of this technique it is possible memorize words of any foreign language .

Mind Palace for Expanding English Vocabulary

Many people use cards with text and pictures (flashcards) to remember new words, but these cards are not always at hand, especially at the right time.

There is a great way to remember new words and expressions - the power of your mind. It is called Method of location (geometric location method).

You may also come across names such as “mind palaces”, “memory palaces”, “method of loci”, “spatial mnemonics”, “Cicero’s method”.

When Sherlock Holmes, the world-famous detective, wanted to remember something important, he closed his eyes and plunged into the palace of his mind ( 'mind palace'). Just like Sherlock Holmes, you can also use this Method of loci to memorize new words and expressions. You can clearly see how this looks in the video.

Video “The Hound of the Baskervilles” - “Palaces of the Mind” of Sherlock Holmes.

How does the locus method work?

We are building an imaginary place ( imaginary place) in our mind and place objects and people there that will help us remember new words. You can store images both on shelves and chaotically. The main thing is that you yourself know where everything is and can quickly remember. The best activators are either completely ridiculous or very logical. And it’s even better to combine them correctly.

Remember simple rules, which in no case should be violated in the process of creating a connection:

• Imagine images large(even if the objects you need to remember are of different sizes, make them one: be it a ship, a coconut or a bee. Small images should not be imagined. The connections between such images will be recorded very poorly.
• The images must be voluminous. For example, holographic images or images created using three-dimensional graphics programs. Such images can be rotated and viewed from different angles.
• Images must be presented colored. If these are tree leaves, then they must be green, the tree itself must be brown, etc.
• The images presented must be detailed. If you imagine the image of a “phone,” you need to mentally examine it and clearly see what parts the phone you are imagining consists of. If this cellular telephone, then you can highlight the following images in it: antenna, display, buttons, cover, strap, leather case, battery.

Then we apply the main mental operation in mnemonics - this "connection of images". Let's look at how this is applied in practice in learning English words.

Let's say we need to remember the words associated with the word run, as well as its forms, so we will come up with the following story in our minds: the imaginary setting of the city is the imaginary place is a city .

This is just a small example of how to memorize english words, Related run, and its forms. Of course, I can add other phrases with this word, of which there are actually many, and as my imaginary city grows, I can use more and more words, and thereby expand my vocabulary.

More details about memorization technique “memory palace” you can learn more from the video:

The imaginary place can be anywhere, even a room in your house, but try to come up with a situation that will be close to you, and the words will be remembered much easier.

In this manner easy to learn words on different topics, for example “food”, “kitchen”, “clothing”, etc. Arrange the items as you like, and then it will be easier for you to remember the name of the item based on its location in your “memory” palace.

And of course, develop deduction, attention to detail and creativity. Develop associative thinking.

Another piece of advice applies to all “memory palaces,” regardless of the purpose of their “construction.” If you want to remember something for a long time (and not in the “pass and forget” mode), you will have to periodically “walk” around the “palace”.

Audiolingual method in English

Automation of skills occurs during training through repeated repetition of speech patterns.

Audiolingual method is one of the methods of language teaching in which it is necessary to repeatedly listen and pronounce words, phrases and sentences, which leads to their automation.

This method has its pros and cons, but is suitable mainly for auditory learners, since there is no visual support. The main focus here is on oral speech.

When using the audiolingual method, no explanations are given, since all the proposed material is simply practiced and memorized in the form of set expressions so that students can use them in the future without thinking.

In this case, training is based on practicing certain static models that students cannot change at all or almost at all. In this respect, this teaching method is the direct opposite of the communicative method.

let's consider positive and negative sides audiolingual method.

Positive sides

Negative sides

When developing this method, attention was focused not only on the content of the material offered to the student, but also on the very process of the student memorizing this material. The very system of presenting new information and repeated repetitions lead to inevitable memorization of what has been learned. In the process of repetition, not only the material is memorized, but also pronunciation is practiced, as well as the language barrier is removed. Memorizing stable expressions leads to the fact that, if necessary, they come to mind automatically, as when communicating in your native language.

The main disadvantage of the audiolingual method (not without reason) is considered to be that it does not pay due attention self-study grammars. Students, especially at the initial stage of learning, are deprived of the opportunity to understand why a phrase is constructed in one way and not another, or why a word is used in one form and not another. As they learn, students have to independently construct certain grammatical structures for themselves based on the material they have learned. This undoubtedly contributes to a more solid assimilation of such structures, but only if the student is able to construct them. And this is not always possible, since there are exceptions to the rules that can confuse a person who is not familiar with the basics of the grammar of the language being studied.

Tips on how to improve your English vocabulary?

Knowing many words will allow you to express yourself in many different ways.

First of all, you need to replenish your vocabulary systematically and regularly, preferably every day. There are many ways and they all work.

Choose the one that suits you best and you can easily expand your English vocabulary. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Expand your English vocabulary with lists

Words surround us. Simply looking up words in a dictionary may not be as interesting or exciting. Pay attention to English words around you - during TV series and programs in English, reading the news - everywhere, at any time.

Important!

Regardless of whether you do this or not, we recommend writing down what part of speech a particular word is (verb, noun, adjective), as well as derivatives of this word. For example, “fish” - fishing, fishy, ​​fisherman, etc. It will also be helpful if you add sentences with examples of these words.

You can also use notepad in your mobile phone. As soon as you hear an unfamiliar word, write it down. Make sure you have enough free space around it to make appropriate notes.

When will you have free time, add its meaning or translation and perhaps the context in which it can be used.

Learn English words in practice

As you make lists of words, it is very easy to forget the words that were there at the very beginning. All words are required use in your speech. The more we use them, the better we remember them.

Re-read your lists, for example, at the end of each week. How well do you remember old words?

If any words are hard to remember, but they are very common, then there is a high probability that you will encounter them in the future. So add them again to new lists and over time you will remember them.

Games will help you remember English words

Scrabble is an effective way to learn English words and have fun with family and friends.

Who said learning new words is not fun?! Games like Scrabble or Vocabador offer great ways to learn new words .

Games are a great way to learn, not only because they're fun, but also because they give you context for new words. Believe me, you will very quickly remember the word your friend laughed at.

We would also like to draw your attention free game Free Rice. This game gives you a word, and you need to find the right definition for it. If you answer incorrectly, the next word will become easier. If it's correct, it's more complicated.

By playing this game, you not only improve your vocabulary, but also help the world in the fight against hunger. How? Try playing it!

Increase your English vocabulary with context

As mentioned earlier, it's better (and easier) remember new words in context. One way is to write a sentence with this word. Not only will you remember this word, but you will also be able to easily use it in conversation.

Another way - remember words in groups. If you want to remember a word humongous (very large), it will be easier for you to remember it from a chain of words: getting bigger and bigger-large, huge, humongous. This also makes it possible to memorize more words at one time.

For example, large, humongous, gargantuan. What do you think the word means? gargantuan?

Dictionaries and social networks for memorizing words

Of course, you can look up an unfamiliar word in the dictionary! Moreover, modern online dictionaries offer many additional features.

In many online dictionaries There are interesting articles, games, as well as a “word of the day” section.

And if you feel confident that you can read literature in the original language, read the article.

Websites for learning English words

Below you will find the best sites to increase and practice vocabulary, which can be most useful for you.

BusinessEnglishSite

BusinessEnglishSite - site for learning business vocabulary

This is one of the best and most popular sites to study. Here you can fill up your vocabulary useful phrases, expressions and even business jargon.

All words are divided into topics, for example, "Accounting", "Project Management", "IT" etc.

For each topic there are consolidation exercises that train not only vocabulary, but also grammar.

Blair English

With Blair English you can learn English words from scratch

All exercises and lessons on this site have been specially designed to increase and enrich your English vocabulary .

Here you will find more than 190 free interactive exercises on various topics, such as IT technology, Business, Communication and many others.

The site also has a base of exercises to improve listening and pronunciation skills.

Lingualeo

Lingualeo - a resource for practicing words

A very famous interactive resource that is interesting not only for children. It helps make language learning fun and visual, and also contains unlimited words for different levels.

To feed the lion cub and get a new portion of words, you will need to register.

British Council

British Council - the most British way to learn words

The British Council website has not left us without practicing truly British phrases, idioms and expressions. You can also learn several new words a day there.

Words filtered by topic and level, which makes navigation extremely convenient, and the process of cramming English words an exciting experience.

For teachers, there are lesson plans for various levels with handouts.

Test Your Vocabulary

On this site you can, not with 100% probability, but at least approximately understand what vocabulary you have and what you need to improve.

The test interface in English is simple. The site is designed for users who are learning English or even native speakers.

By ticking the words whose translation you know and answering a few questions about yourself, you will very likely find out exactly how many english words is in your active supply.

Instead of a conclusion

As you can see, techniques and resources for enriching your vocabulary in various fields- plenty. The most important thing is to constantly work on it, and here everything depends on you. Your daily work will then pay off in full when you can communicate with English speakers without any problems.

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