7 Powerful Tools to Build a Superior Vocabulary

Many times, while talking or writing you must have struggled to find the exact word to describe the situation, feelings, or emotion. This can be because of your poor vocabulary or incapability to remember words. If you notice a small kid who has just started talking and understanding words, he goes through a lot of words and tries to remember them, and in a short period, he can use correct words in a given situation. He can form lengthy sentences. What drives him to do that? Curiosity. As time pass by, we lack curiosity and the habit of learning.

Let’s ignite that curiosity and start learning.

1.         Root words

The basis of English vocabulary is its root word. If you understand that root word you will be able to crack down most of the English vocabulary. One root word has the key that will unlock the meaning of up to 10-20 words. Sanskrit is the basis of Hindi language and root for its words, the same way English words come mostly from Latin and Greek.

Here let’s understand with an example.

Root word- Alter

Meaning- other

Origin- Latin

A.   Altruism- the philosophy practiced by altruists.

B.   Altruistic-action taken towards the benefit of others.

C.   Alternate-you skip one and take the other. e.g. Alternate days. (alter=other)

D.   Alternative-other choice.

See how easy it is, just remember the root word, Alter.

E.   Alteration-a making into something other. A change.

F.   Altercation- a verbal dispute. Because you have other ideas, plans, or opinions.

G.  Alter ego-someone with whom you are so close that you both do the same things, think alike, react similarly.

# I will suggest you buy this book.

       

 

2. Word tree

There are many words in the English language with the same meaning but different usage. You can form a word tree with common meaning to understand the application of the word used in the sentence. This makes difficult words relatable and easy to understand.

Here let’s understand with an example.

Word tree for words Difficult to understand

1.  Enigma-hidden meaning
2. Labyrinth-complicated
3. Byzantine-complex
4.  Abstruse-difficult to understand
5. Tenebrous-hard to understand
6. Turbid-confuse/disturbed
7.  Esoteric-understood by selected few
8.  Inscrutable-not easily understood
9.    Occult-beyond range of ordinary knowledge
10.   Arcane-known by few
11. Cryptic-puzzling
12.  Furphy-rumour

 

 

 

   # make more such word trees. 😊

3.  Reading

It is the most important tool for enhancing your vocabulary, no matter how many words you learn from dictionary or thesauruses, till the time you don’t know how to use them practically it’s of no use. That’s why I don’t suggest you cram 10 words for each day. It has no practical use. Read newspapers, magazines, novel, fiction, short stories. It will not only boost your vocabulary but will also let you know the practical usage of the word. Hence, when you will again cross that word you will be able you recognize it, which helps you understand the word through your conscious memory.

 

#Subscribe to piyushrumi.blogspot.com for weekly short stories, updated every Wednesday.

Newspaper- The Hindu 

Magazine- Down to Earth

Novel-  Harry Potter Series                         

Fiction- God of Small Things                        

Books by Author Amish

    Shiva Trilogy

• The Immortals of Meluha (2010)                     

• The Secret of the Nagas (2011)                     

• The Oath of the Vayuputras (2013)   

                     BUY            

   Ram Chandra Series

• Ram: Scion of Ikshvaku (2015)                      
• Sita: Warrior of Mithila (2017)                         
• Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta (2019) 

                     BUY

•  Latest

• Legend of Suheldev: The King Who Saved India (2020) 

   Short stories- Khushwant Singh    BUY

Follow my blog piyushrumi.blogspot.com

# Subscribe to Amazon kindle for unlimited reading Click Here

4 British/American shows

It is a known fact we learn faster through visual modes of communication. Here we not only learn the usage of the word, but we also get to know the pronunciation and the accent. Turn on the subtitles if it gets difficult to understand and with the time you will get used to the accent and wouldn’t require subtitles at all.

Few suggestions

F.R.I.E.N.D.S Netflix.com

  

 Brooklynn 99 Netflix.com

Young Sheldon on Amazon Prime

 Games of Thrones on Hotstar

Movies

Harry Potter series, Pirates of the Caribbean series.

#Preference is yours according to the liking of the genre.

 

5 Diary writing

This will not only improve your vocabulary but will also give you the chance to talk to yourself. It will enhance your personality by giving you time to realize your mistakes, your strengths, things that make you happy/sad. The list is endless and varies from person to person but solves the purpose.

  

6 Listen to English songs

Groove into the music and learn the rhythm of the words. Words which are poem, passion, feelings, emotions.   

 

7 Use your smartphone

Make effective use of your phone just Google the words you don’t know, bookmark them, keep going through them in your free time.

 Play games like Hangman.

 

English is just a language treat it like one. The way you learned your mother tongue the same way you can learn this language by SPEAKING.

THANK YOU. 

#vocabulary #reading #english #grammar