The most unusual ways to learn English words. English words to learn every day: useful vocabulary and tips for memorization

Everyone at least once in their life faced with the need to learn a foreign language. At what to do it quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, for 11 years of school cramming, a person on average learns 1.5-2 thousand English words. This reserve is not enough even to understand the news.

Top Ways to Learn English Words Fast

Consider the most popular ways to quickly learn a language. 1. Cards This is an old, economical and effective trick to quickly learn English words. Cards in the form of small sheets of paper can be created in several ways. On one side, write down a new word in a foreign language, and on the second - a Russian translation. People with associative thinking can use the pictures on the back. Those who already have a certain vocabulary can use foreign dictionaries when creating flashcards. In this case, on the reverse side, you need to write an explanation of the foreign word. So synonyms and antonyms are absorbed faster. And what about grammar? Foreign words are better remembered in the context of a sentence. To study vocabulary, you can create another version of the cards. The new word is written in a sentence with the Russian text, and the translation of only this word is indicated on the reverse side. For example: "I love to read books" - "Read". Cards need to be reviewed, vocabulary repeated and after a while returning to old words. 2. Textbooks Modern textbooks are different from the old ones. They not only provide beautiful illustrations for words, but also examples of their use. Phrases in context are easier to remember. 3. Training on sites People who spend all their time at the computer can learn a foreign language without leaving the cash register. Today, a lot of sites have been developed for this. In them, information is immediately structured into sections (words, phrases, cartoons, films, grammar). An explanation is given for each word using pictures, frames from the film. After watching the videos, a task is given to repeat the studied material. The words are pre-divided into topics, so they are easier to learn. To consolidate the result, you can use the Restorff effect: enter “foreigner” into a group of words. For example, in words meaning seasons, insert the day of the week. This will make the brain focus on the terms faster. The learning process is built in the form of a game. Therefore, information is absorbed faster and easier. 4. Make up stories The association method described earlier can be applied in another way. A person remembers words better if he recreates them in his imagination. Having studied even 20 words from one group, you should come up with an incredible story in which all of them will be used.

The best way to learn English with translation

Whatever method of studying speech is chosen, the main thing is that the student repeats the material covered as often as possible. If you are learning from a textbook or program, then this process is already set up. As you complete tasks, the program will automatically suggest which words you need to repeat. But what about those who study on their own? According to linguists, to understand simple speech, it is enough to master 2.5-3 thousand words. Those who have been studying foreign words for a long time need a living vocabulary with associations and content. Therefore, after reading the chapter of the book, do not write out all the new words, but only the most memorable ones. With their help, you can quickly repeat the material covered. Another way is to create a dictionary notebook. This method is similar to using cards. The only difference is that you can always carry a notebook with you and not worry about the safety of the sheets in it. Each day, one page of the notebook should be filled out. It specifies new words and repetition interval. On the day of learning words, they should be repeated after three to five hours, and then the interval increases exponentially.

If you use the capabilities of the brain correctly, the learning process will become simple and exciting. How to do it? Consider the main strategies. The power of emotions Each word must be associated with something important. For example, the word milk can easily crash into the brain of any person who loves Milka chocolate. An association can come from a story, movie, advertisement, etc. that you like. Positive emotions activate the ability to learn. They signal that the new word means something to the person. Therefore, this strategy works. Embedding words in experience When a child learns his native language, he uses each new word in different situations. Hearing "white", he will repeat it when he sees a white sheet of paper and white sugar. So a new word is fixed with what a person already knows, and it becomes more familiar. To use this method in the study of foreign words, it is necessary to use a new word in retelling the text, performing a written task and in a conversation with a native speaker. Believe in yourself Often a person in the study is hindered by past experience. At school, I had poor grades in language subjects, and at the institute, I failed the exam. In fact, the reason for the failures was lack of time, poor health, or the realization that the knowledge gained would not be useful. People who learned the language believed they could do it. This belief turned into a prophecy for them. How long the information will be stored in the head also depends on internal beliefs. If a person has an image of a rapid loss of knowledge, then it will take a long time to learn. Instead, focus on the image of a quick recovery of skills.

The best method to learn the spelling of English words

Linguists recommend learning at least 100 words a day to quickly master a new language, 10% of them should be action verbs. It will take a long time to write down all the words on the cards. Therefore, it is better to use the "Clean" application for gadgets. It contains all the previously described techniques. To quickly learn English words, a card mechanism is used. Words are written and reproduced in English, and then in Russian. If the word is remembered in an hour, then it is set aside by clicking on the "Learned" button, if not, then it is updated in the list. All studied terms fall into the "Repeat after ..." section, in which the user himself sets a convenient time. The repetition of material contributes to the fact that words are transferred from short-term memory to long-term memory. Here you can also use the association method: reading a word - checking pronunciation - translation - making an association - repeating the word 5 times and scrolling in the head of the association. After that, you can transfer the word to the “Learned” section. There are more than a million words in English speech. Of these, only a few thousand are used in everyday life. To understand information from each area, it is enough to know 100 commonly used words. It is on this principle that the "Clean" dictionaries are compiled. First of all, the user selects 3 dictionaries to assess their knowledge. As he masters the topics, he can acquire other dictionaries. To visually monitor the learning process, the program presents a progress scale. With its help, you can track the process of vocabulary replenishment daily: 100 words per day = 3 thousand words per month - the minimum required for speaking! The application provides an excellent platform to start learning English. To consolidate knowledge and develop other skills, you should take lessons with a native speaker. If you know other ways to quickly learn English words, share with us in the comments.

Each person periodically faces the need to learn material of various content and volume. This is easy for some, but the vast majority of people face difficulties, not knowing how to quickly memorize a given amount of text.

The work of the human brain has not yet been 100% studied, we only know that we use a small part of the brain's abilities. The psychological processes that take place in the human mind are amenable to daily training. Memory and other mechanisms of consciousness can be developed to unprecedented heights. A strong memory will make it possible to achieve success in any area of human life, it will be needed in "everyday" life, study, and it will easily increase intellectual abilities.

To learn a text, artistic or scientific content, you will need constant memory training with exercises specially designed for this. Human memory is divided into visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory and tactile. It is the ability to memorize and store any amount of information.

Each type of memory develops differently in people. It is easier for someone to memorize the text by saying it out loud, and for someone, on the contrary, it is better absorbed after visualizing what has been read. Therefore, it is important to understand which type of memory is better developed in order to use it for memorization in the future.

The same information can be learned well in several ways. There are three ways to remember the necessary material in a short time.

Method of rational memorization;

It is based on the use of logical memory. In the process of rational memorization, the semantic and logical connection of the material with life experience is fixed in the mind. With rational memorization, there is an awareness of the read text and information is easier to perceive. This method helps to remember the material by heart, trains intellectual abilities and increases knowledge.

Method of mnemotechnical memorization;

This is the most interesting of the three. It helps to remember non-semantic information, due to processing into images and associative links. Mnemotechnical memorization is based on the life experience gained, translating the text into images familiar to the mind. This method helps to remember a large amount of material that does not carry a semantic load. It can be dates, phone numbers, names, addresses. It helps fight everyday forgetfulness by increasing the possibility of rote remembering what is happening.

mechanical memory method.

This method involves memorizing the material. It is considered ineffective and difficult to train, as it can fail at any moment, “falling out” of memory. With age, the ability to rote memorization deteriorates.

memorization techniques

To quickly assimilate the text, different memorization methods are used. One of the most effective methods of thoughtful reading. It is well suited for memorizing large and small volumes. This method is used by actors who, like no one else, need to know how to quickly memorize a text.

First, slowly and carefully read the text that needs to be remembered. Better to read it aloud. When reading, it is necessary to understand the main idea of the text, its main plot, so that you can remember it faster.
If the amount of material is large, we break it into semantic parts. Each part must be learned separately, finding in them the main words or phrases in meaning. This will help in the future, restore all the text in order.
After that, you need to rewrite the entire text, manually. This should be done slowly, delving into the essence of what is written.
After everything is rewritten, we retell what we remember. You need to remember the smallest details, based on keywords. If you can’t remember some moment, it’s better not to peep into the records, but try to do it yourself. You can only watch in case of emergency.
Further, we rewrite for the second time only what we remembered without prompting.
At the last stage, we carefully reread the text again and retell it. It's best to do this before bed.

This memorization method is suitable for learning text verbatim. It will help students, pupils of the school and everyone who needs to know how to learn a large amount of information in a short time. Theater and film actors use this method to remember their roles.

Tricks for quick memorization

There are some more simple but very effective tricks for memorizing the entire text, based on the nuances of how our brain works. For this you need:

Highlight the main points in the text with a bright marker;

This will allow you not to be distracted by the extra part of the text. Actors thus highlight their phrases in the script.

Sing words or text;

This is a non-standard memorization method. Having sung the material, he will better get into memory and it can be remembered faster.

You need to read until the meaning becomes completely clear;

It is very important to feel the feelings and emotions, if it is fiction, that the characters experience.

After reading, ask yourself questions about the content;
Read aloud with expression;
Write the text with the other hand;

If you are left-handed, write with your right, if you are right-handed, write with your left. This tricky way will make the brain spend more effort on analyzing all the written material.

Find a training partner;

Actors rehearse in pairs, it helps in the work. You can also ask a friend to test you on the knowledge of all the material. In a company, learning by heart is more interesting and much easier.

Record the text on the voice recorder;

Record the text on a recording device and listen to it during the day, while doing ordinary activities or during a trip. This will help you remember a voluminous text without being distracted from other things and without wasting extra time.

Memory needs to be constantly trained. Remembering information consists of encoding it and sending it to a special part of the brain for further storage. If information is needed, it is easy to remember. When it is not used for a long time, the brain will remove it as unnecessary. Forgetting is inherent in a person, it happens after a certain time. This is a natural mechanism of the brain and it helps not to overload the brain with unnecessary information, and if it is not used, it disappears from memory over time.

When learning a foreign language, it is very important to constantly replenish your vocabulary - to memorize new and new words in English. However, not everyone succeeds in doing this. We offer you seven tips to help you remember new words in English more effectively.

Build Associative Networks

Our brains take what we read and convert it into images, ideas, and feelings, and then form connections between the new information and what we already know. This is how memorization happens - the new is combined with the old.

Imagine a tree. Isn't it easier to see a large spreading tree with many branches and leaves than a small tree with a few branches? The same is true for the brain. When you connect a new word or concept with something you already know, it's easier for your brain to find it and remember it at the right moment.

How to do it? Very simple. Draw a network of concepts. Take what you want to remember (word, idea, sentence) and write it in the center of the paper. Then draw lines from it in all directions, like a web.

At the end of each line, write down any English words or even draw pictures that come to mind when you think of the word in the center. It doesn't matter what the associations are, just write down whatever you come up with.

It will only take a couple of minutes, and now all the words or concepts will be interconnected in your brain. If you see or hear one of them, it will be easier for you to remember the others.

To make it work even better, say how this or that word in English is related to others. The more often you do this, the more connections are formed. And the more connections, the easier it is for your brain to “see” the word you want to remember.

Memorize phrases (phrases)

Remembering a word is important, but English, like any other language, is not just a set of concepts, it is a tool that people use to communicate and express their thoughts. Find examples of how a particular word is used in the text.

Write down not only the word itself, but also neighboring ones. For example, if you need to remember the English word "arrogant" (arrogant), you can write: "the tall, arrogant man" (tall arrogant man).

This will help you remember that "arrogant" is an adjective used to describe people. Then try three complete sentences to practice using it.

Use Pictures

Draw small pictures to remember the meaning of the word. Can't draw? Don't worry, it's even better. Our brain receives so much monotonous information that a strange picture is a kind of surprise, and we always remember surprises.

Our brain is better at reading visual information. Draw a funny picture illustrating the meaning of a word and you will remember it much faster.

Make up stories

English learners often complain that there are too many new words and they are hard to remember. There is one trick that you can use to quickly learn words. Make up any, even a ridiculous story, in which all the words in English are involved. Imagine it in detail.

We easily remember stories, especially strange ones, if we can recreate them in our imagination. Feel free to combine words in fun and awkward ways. Let's say you need to memorize the following 20 English words:

shoes, piano, tree, pencil, bird, bus, books, driver, dog, pizza, flower, door, TV set, spoons, chair, jump, dance, throw, computer, stone

(shoes, piano, wood, pencil, bird, bus, books, driver, dog, pizza, flower, door, TV, spoons, chair, jump, dance, throw, computer, stone)

You can make up such an incredible story from them:

There is a piano wearing shoes and sitting in a tree. The tree is strange because someone has stuck a giant pencil through it. On the pencil a bird is sitting and watching a bus full of people reading books.

Even the driver is reading a book which is bad because he isn't paying attention to driving. So, he hits a dog that is eating a pizza in the middle of the road and kills it. The driver digs a hole and buries the dog in it and then puts a flower on it.

He notices that there is a door in the dog's grave and opens it. Inside he can see a TV set with 2 spoons for antennas on top of it. No-one is watching the TV set because they are all watching the chair. Why? - Because the chair is jumping and dancing and throwing stones at the computer.

The piano sits on a tree in shoes. The tree looks strange because someone pierced it with a huge pencil. A bird sits on a pencil and looks at a bus full of people reading books.

Even the driver reads the book, which is bad because he doesn't pay attention to the road. So he hits a dog that was eating pizza in the middle of the road to death. The driver digs a hole and buries the dog, then places a flower on top.

He notices that there is a door in the dog's grave and opens it. Inside, he sees a TV with two spoons on top that act as antennas. Nobody watches TV because everyone is looking at the armchair. Why? Because the chair is jumping and dancing and throwing rocks at the computer.

Try it. You will be surprised!

Remember opposites

Remember in pairs words with opposite meanings (antonyms) and words with similar meanings (synonyms). For example, remember the pairs angry/happy and angry/cross at the same time. We remember similar and opposite things faster, as the brain creates connections between them.

Parse the word by composition

Use roots, prefixes and suffixes to guess what a word means.

For example: even if you are unfamiliar with the word "microbiology", you can guess what it means. First, take a look at the "micro" prefix. "Micro" means something very small. You may know that the "-logy" part means science, the study of something.

So, we can already say that it is about learning something small. Also, you may remember that "bio" means life, living beings. Thus, we can conclude that "microbiology" is the science of microscopic living organisms.

Has it ever happened that you learn a set of new words in English, repeat them several times, listen to the transcription and look at examples of use, but when you need to remember this word after some time, it does not pop up in your head instantly? It seems to be “spinning on the tongue”, but it’s impossible to remember for sure.

Regular vocabulary replenishment and the study of thematic vocabulary is the key to a rich English language. But here's how to make sure that new words are deposited in memory for a long time?

Today we will share the secrets of how to learn and easily memorize English words.

How many words do you need to know

Before talking about techniques and techniques for memorization, I would like to say that learning English words and learning English is not the same thing. After all, the language is alive, it uses the rules of grammar, and the translation of the same word may vary depending on the context.

So even if you memorize ten thousand words from the Oxford Dictionary, there will be no sense if you cannot use them in live speech.

Naturally, the norms for knowledge of words for a native speaker and for a student of English as a foreign language are very different.

The average active vocabulary of an English speaker, which he regularly uses in everyday life, is from 10,000 to 20,000 words. But the passive stock can be from 50,000 to 100,000 words.

For those who study English as a foreign language, the numbers are quite different. So, for a general understanding of oral speech and superficial communication, knowledge of about 1000 high-frequency words will be enough. 3,000-4,000 words are enough to keep a conversation going on general topics and watching simple movies and series. But if you want to understand up to 100% of speech, you will need a supply of about 20,000 words.

You can check your vocabulary with a special test:. His results are pretty accurate, especially if you answered honestly.

The number of words learned does not guarantee that you will communicate freely. It is important to approach vocabulary replenishment wisely: not to cram everything in a row, but to concentrate on the most frequently used words and thematic vocabulary.

Start by learning basic topics such as: family, home, work, city, weather, animals, food, travel, and so on.

The most frequently used words in English are called high frequency. You can take new vocabulary from ready-made lists of such words - then you will quickly master colloquial speech and be able to start applying new knowledge as early as possible.

Learning all the available sets of words is simply pointless. It is unlikely that you will need advanced medical terminology, unless you are going to build a career in the field of medicine. Similarly, if you need special words on a narrow topic, learn them. It is not necessary to know by heart all the terms and special vocabulary if you do not apply it in life.

Where to get new English words

The main source is thematic vocabulary. On the Internet and in teaching aids, you will find enough sets of words for different levels.

There are also special textbooks for increasing vocabulary and dictionaries of the most high-frequency words.

Progress does not stand still: many new words and slang expressions have appeared lately, and some have fallen into disuse. Keep your finger on the pulse and write down new words as you encounter them in TV series, movies, articles, podcasts and the media.

By the way, movies, series, articles and books are a great source of new words. Regular viewing of videos with subtitles is good because unfamiliar words are used in an interesting context for you, which means they are remembered faster. The same rule applies to printed materials: find articles on the topic of your profession or area of interest, and also read your favorite books in the original.

How to quickly learn and memorize English words

Cards

The method of memorizing new words using cards has been used for a long time, but it does not lose its relevance. It is convenient and accessible to everyone. The meaning is simple: on one side of the card you write the word in English, and on the other - the translation. You can make cards yourself with only the vocabulary that you need, or use ready-made thematic sets.

For the best effect, choose cards with pictures. Visually, we remember information much easier, and in the future, the word will quickly come to mind if you just remember the picture.

Today, instead of ordinary paper cards, there are many mobile applications and web-based memorization simulators. It is enough to download the application to your smartphone. So the necessary virtual cards will always be at hand. The application itself will remind you which words you have already learned and which are worth looking at again, and will offer material for repetition.

Notebook

The old-fashioned way, which is still popular. Write down new words in special notebooks in two columns: word-translation.

The trick is that when you write, you remember not only the translation of the word, but also its correct spelling. Write down frequently used phrases with this word or set expressions here. In the future, with repetition, these phrases will be deposited in your head and will be easily remembered as soon as you imagine the word written in the notebook.

mind map

This method is suitable for those who love diagrams and drawing.

Highlight a few words on the topic. For example, house (house). Draw it in the center and make arrows to related words (in our case, rooms in the house). In different parts of the sheet, write: bathroom (bathroom), living room (living room), bedroom (bedroom), dining room (dining room). After, for each of the rooms, write a few words that apply to it. For example, bed (bed), pillow (pillow), sheets (sheets) - to the bedroom, and shower (shower), towel (towel), mirror (mirror) - to the bathroom.

Mentally walking along such a visual scheme, it will be easier for you to remember the words that belong to a particular category.

Rules for easy memorization of new words

Here are some useful tips and principles for those who want to quickly learn English words and not forget anything in a day.

Explore interesting topics

After learning a basic set of words, it is often tempting to learn something "that" in order to shine in a conversation with a foreigner. Yes, there are beautiful words, the use of which in speech can amaze the interlocutor. But, say, why do you need to know the word "lightning" in English if you do not know the word "speed"?

It has been proven that interesting information is better absorbed and remembered much faster. Therefore, learn those words that are in your area of \u200b\u200binterest. Everyone needs a solid vocabulary base, but each of us has our own passions and hobbies, so collect more information on your favorite topic. Do you like sports? Then watch matches, listen to commentators and read articles on this topic. Do you like to photograph nature and travel? Then subscribe to popular bloggers or watch the National Geographic series of programs. Look for new interesting words where they are used.

You should not waste time memorizing those words that you rarely use even in your native language.

Learn words in context

It is not enough just to learn a new word - you also need to be able to apply it. Therefore, immediately look at the examples where it was used, in what context, for what purpose, and so on. Try to make up your sample sentences with a new word and find its use in speech. Imagine when and how you might need to use this word: come up with a situation and play it several times.

The golden rule here is to learn to ignore the words you don't need. When learning new vocabulary, there is a great temptation to learn it “in a crowd”, and this is not quite the right approach. When you encounter a new word, look through all the options for its use, but remember only the most frequently used ones.

Learn set phrases

Many beginners to learn English make the same mistake: first they build a sentence in Russian in their head, and then translate it. But the norms of our languages are very different, and a foreigner may simply not understand what you mean.

Therefore, along with new words, memorize common collocations and their use in speech. So, “take a photo” in English will be “take a picture”, and not “do a photo”, as many would translate, and “break a record” - “break a record”, and not “beat a record”.

Remember opposites

Opposites not only attract, but are also better remembered. This technique is good to use when memorizing adjectives. For example, it is better to learn words in pairs along with antonyms: good-bad (good-bad), big-small (big-small), happy-angry (happy-evil) and so on.

Thanks to this technique, you will be able to remember not only the desired word, but also its antonym, which will immediately pop up in your memory.

Understand difficult words

Many foreign words consist of several simpler ones. Having met a difficult word, take it apart and see how they are translated separately. This will help you build associative links and make it easier to remember the word.

For example, the word microbiology (microbiology) consists of two words - micro (small) and biology (biology). It turns out that having analyzed this word, you will learn not one, but three new concepts at once.

Often, by analogy, you can guess how similar words will sound in English. To do this, make a list of common prefixes (un-, dis-, con-, micro-, etc.) and suffixes (-able, -ly, -ent, -tion, -ive, etc.) and remember what they mean. In the future, when you meet a new word, you can easily guess its meaning.

Don't Forget Grammar

As soon as you come across a new word, you need to not only parse it thoroughly, but also learn the grammatical rules that correspond to it. So, a new word may be just a different form of a word you already know.

Also, learn more verbs and memorize their situational use. For example, having learned the forms of irregular verbs according to the table of tenses, you will no longer know one word, but three.

Use Associations

Associative memory is a good thing. It helps to “pull out” the right word from the bins of consciousness without much difficulty. Therefore, when studying, it is good to use flashcards with pictures.

This is especially important for abstract concepts, which are abundant in the language. If you learn words without pictures, imagine them in your head. You can mentally draw a word in the air, give it a color or some form.

By the way, the funnier the association, the faster the new word will be remembered. For example, the word clever is translated from English as “smart”, and in Russian it sounds like the name of a clover plant. Building a sentence: You’re so clever! (You are so smart!), and for a funny association in Russian, imagine it as “Well, you are a clover!”.

You can even make up a funny story or phrase with a new word. Choose the most unexpected combinations, and you will be surprised how easy they are to remember.

Use new words in speech

As Benjamin Franklin said: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn ”(Tell me - and I will forget. Teach me - and I will remember. Involve me - and I will learn).

One of the surest ways to quickly remember a new word is to find its use in everyday speech. If you attend courses or study with a teacher individually, use the words you just learned as often as possible. Specially build sentences with new words and do not forget about spelling: use the studied vocabulary in written English.

Make the process fun

Above, we have already talked about mobile applications and games for memorizing new words. Install this on your smartphone, make a selection of words that interest you and complete tasks regularly. These can be quick games with cards with translation in both directions, composing phrases with words, and so on.

Programs will help you identify words that are particularly difficult for you and will focus on learning them.

Do not forget about funny songs or rhymes to remember. Basically, they are used in children's education, but sometimes they help adults. In addition, you can always come up with your own funny rhyme to the word, which activates associative memory.

Consider your type of perception of information

Not everyone is equally well suited for the same ways of memorizing new English words. Choose an approach depending on your type of perception. There are three of them: auditory, visual and kinesthetic.

Audiobooks, music or podcasts are suitable for auditory. In order to memorize new words, auditory learners need to read them aloud, repeat and analyze them several times.

Visuals are best suited for the method with cards, as well as other pictures, tables and visual materials. They are better off watching movies and series with subtitles, and also follow the accompanying text when listening to podcasts.

It is easier for kinesthetic learners to memorize new words by writing them down on paper. Active gestures come to the aid of this type: imagine a situation when you use a new word and repeat the accompanying hand gestures. For example, remembering the word cup (cup) - pretend that you pick up a cup and pour tea into it. Later, the reproduction of these gestures will help to remember the situation and the word itself.

Whatever type of perception you have, during memorization and repetition, try to fully concentrate on the word being studied. This means that at the time of its repetition, you must clearly imagine it in your head, how it sounds and what it means. If you begin to repeat the learned words mechanically, then the likelihood that they will be deposited in memory for a long time is noticeably reduced.

Spaced repetition technique

In order for a new word to forever settle in the head, it is important not so much how to repeat it, but when to repeat it. It's best to do this when you feel like you're about to forget a new word.

Effective memorization and timing of repetition of new information was developed by the German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus. According to his research, you need to repeat a new word at least 9 times in order to remember it. And it's better to do it like this:

15 minutes after introduction
One hour after the last repetition
Three hours after the last repetition
The next day
Two days after the last repetition
Four days after the last repetition
One week after the last repetition
Two weeks after the last repetition
One month after the last repetition

When repeating new words, it is also important to use them in context: to compose a phrase or phrase with them.

In conclusion, we will briefly repeat the main points that are necessary for easy and quick memorization of new English words:

Learn only the necessary and useful words.
These are basic sets of high-frequency words and vocabulary from your area of interest. Don't forget about verbs, set phrases and colloquial phrases.
Learn words in context
If you find a new word in an article, song, movie, memorize it right away with the context. If you learn a “lonely” word, then come up with a context for it yourself. Do not try to learn all the meanings of a multi-valued word, take into service only the most used ones. And again, don't forget about context.
Use the word in conversation
If there is no opportunity for conversational practice yet, come up with your own examples and situations when you would need to use this word. For effective memorization, it is desirable to meet the word in 7-9 different situations.
Use bright associations
It doesn't matter what association comes to your mind when you meet a new word. The main thing is that it should be bright and memorable. And also to match your type of thinking and “work” for you.
Memorize words using the interval method
It is better to repeat the learned words after a certain period of time than to cram every day: this way the word will be deposited in long-term memory and will easily “pop up” in the right situation.

By memorizing 10 new words a day, you will expand your vocabulary by 300 words in a month, and by the end of the year - by more than 3000 words. This is enough to confidently speak English in everyday life.

And now you need to ask where the nearest pharmacy is, but this word - "pharmacy" completely slipped out of my head ... You find it in the dictionary and indignantly hit yourself on the forehead: Pharmacy! Exactly! How could I forget that?!"

Familiar? English words are forgotten or just settle into the PASSIVE vocabulary. The question arises: how to learn English words quickly, easily and most importantly - effectively? Get ready: you will find a huge, but the most complete and useful article on this topic.

To compile 8 rules for learning English words, we interviewed 6 experts. Two methodologists: Olga Sinitsyna(head of methodology and content department) and Olga Kozar(founder of the school English with Experts).

And four practitioners of the language: Alexander Belenky(traveler and famous blogger), Dmitry More(professional translator and author cool vlog), Marina Mogilko(co-founder of LinguaTrip and author of two videoblogs) and Xenia Niglas(A graduate of Cambridge, a Fulbright Scholar and also a popular video blogger). They will illustrate our rules with personal examples.

The table of contents of the article (it is really very large):

What English words to learn first

Our answer will be useful for both beginners and experienced students, because we often step on the same rake ...

Rule #1 – Learn only the words you need!

When you learn a new language, the temptation is so great to memorize something like this: "superficial", "wither", "piercing" etc. Perhaps it will be possible to shine if refined interlocutors come across.

But why do you need a word "savor" if you don't know 3 forms of the verb "eat"? What for "fulminant" if you don't know the words "speed"? Do you need sophistication if the basic vocabulary is not yet flying off the teeth?

In the later years of the university, we studied specific vocabulary on the topic "International Relations" (my specialty is "International Relations and American Studies").

At the end of the 4th year, we went to the states under the Work and Travel program. Once I see that my classmate is sitting thoughtful. I asked what happened, and he says: “We have been going through all sorts of complicated concepts like “a treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons” or “detente of international tension” for four years now. But today at work, I realized that I don’t know how to say “bucket” in English.

By the way, those complex terms did not come in handy for me. So not all English words and topics are really useful.

WE RECOMMEND: do not waste time and memory resources on words that you do not actively use in your native language. It is better to use the saved forces for practicing and repeating words that have already been studied and are really needed. Go through and remove the excess from there without a twinge of conscience.

What then to learn? Base + area of interest

The required vocabulary is compiled according to the formula: base(high-frequency words used by all people, regardless of profession, interests, religion, etc.) + words related to your interests and language learning goals(What do you need English for?).

At the same time, it is better to look for vocabulary in trusted sources, since sometimes something that in fact is not such is given as high-frequency.

I remember how at school we learned many different words related to the traditions of English-speaking countries. These words have never been useful to me in my life.

For example, the word "shamrock" stuck in my memory, but I never used it.

It’s easier to ask what a word means in the course of the situation than to try to prepare yourself for all kinds of traditions (and to ask, you just need frequency vocabulary - approx. author).

Where will we look for basic English vocabulary

1. Study lists with high-frequency English words. Why go far: there are lists on Lingualeo, and frequency words. If your language level is already higher, then take larger lists, for example, The Oxford 3000.

2. "Take out" the words from the adapted literature. That is why it is called adapted because rare and complex words are replaced by simple and high-frequency ones. You will find a selection of 16 cool books adapted by English-speaking experts.

3. Study the news in an adapted language. The principle is the same as with books: read the news (you can find them at learningenglish.voanews.com) and write out unfamiliar words. Use our to immediately translate them and add them to the dictionary.

Better to have news, literature, etc. adapted by English-speaking experts: you will be sure that this vocabulary is really used in life.

I remember a school course where we were taught that breakfast is breakfast, lunch is dinner, dinner is supper.

In practice, it turned out that not only no one speaks supper, but even no one understands.

It turned out to be quite a local British word.

In fact, lunch is lunch, and dinner is dinner.

Where to look for words for areas of interest

As an answer, I’ll tell you a case: in the summer of 2016, our communications director went as a volunteer to the Olympic Games in Rio. She was appointed as an interpreter for the beach volleyball section. Her English is excellent, but she did not speak sports terminology.

To prepare, Katya watched volleyball videos in English from the Games in London. So all the necessary vocabulary was at her disposal.

Dmitry More shared the same experience: to prepare for the wheelchair volleyball project, he watched recordings of the Paralympic Games, read articles in English, etc. Ksenia Niglas learned vocabulary for her bachelor's work in the same way. I think you understood our recommendation 🙂

Another cool tip from Marina Mogilko:

For children who are learning English for a specific area, I recommend according to its theme and watch-watch-watch in the original, because such a movie is filled with the necessary vocabulary.

There, these words are constantly repeated, and if you hear a word in context 3-4 times, it will stick in your memory.

So, while watching House, M.D., I picked up medical vocabulary, and with the series Suits, I unconsciously remembered the words of a legal subject.

Rule #2 – Learn More Verbs!

Especially at the beginning of language learning. Any noun can be described as a last resort with the words "such a thing that ..." - and then a description of the actions.

Gina Caro in the book "English for Ours" describes an exercise: look around and describe in English using verbs all the nouns that you meet:

the bed is the thing I sleep on, the chair I sit on, the table I eat at, and so on.

All the verbs that come across are good verbs, they are worth remembering. The only noun you need thing.

Rule number 3 - Learn set phrases!

These are natural combinations of words for a native speaker. For example, take a photo, but not do a photo, fast food, but not quick food and others. We have already devoted this rule, in which you will find a list of phrases + dictionaries, where there are even more of them.

Why this is important: a person who does not speak a foreign language well, first thinks in Russian, and then translates these thoughts into English. But the norms of word compatibility in these languages are different.

Imagine: you need to explain that the car has a flat tire. You go to Google Translate and type in a word "deflated" (or "deflated"), and the translator will give descended (or deflated). But there is a stable phrase for this situation.

Once, when I was traveling in America, I had a tire puncture. It took me a long time to figure out how to explain it.

And only then I heard from the specialist who advised me the expression “flat tire” (which translates as “flat tire”). Then I remembered him well.

Although before that the word “flat” was associated with the word “apartment”. But this is a British version, in America an apartment is only called an apartment.

WE RECOMMEND: learn more set phrases. Google collocations examples or common collocations and look at the result. Or just read. In addition to learning phrases, we recommend memorizing whole phrases. Teach them in the form you will use (1 literal unit). This is the advice of the polyglot Kato Lomb, which we are talking about.

How to learn English words quickly and easily

It can be seen from the previous part of the article that the sources of new words are English-language materials and word sets / dictionaries. And so you learn, for example, a phrasal verb to get down. At this stage, typical mistakes begin.

Rule #4 – Learn words only in context!

Suppose the verb to get down you first came across in a song by KC & The Sunshine Band. You wrote it out on a card and noticed that in addition to the meaning used in the song "let's break away, ignite" the verb has others: make someone unhappy, write someone down, leave the table after eating and etc.

"How cool! In one word I will cover so many necessary meanings!- you think and start memorizing all the meanings en masse.

And the wonderful musical context with disco rhythms has already been forgotten, and the word has become a set of letters with a dozen unrelated meanings ... Alas, most likely, you will not remember this word when you need it.

WE RECOMMEND: learn to ignore that this or that word has some other meanings besides the only one that you need right now. Let this word exist only in the context in which you met it. If in another place you see to get down with a different meaning - well, you will go to the dictionary again. But even then, don't get stuck thinking it's the same word. Let them exist in your mind separately, each in its own context.

If we found a word in English-language materials?

Then keep this context in mind. Parse the text of your favorite song, add a word to your study, and the context will always be with you.

I added This is a word from a Rolling Stones song. .The line at the bottom of the vocabulary card will always remind me of the context.

If we take a word from a list like "Top 100 frequency words"?

Then immediately put the word back into context. According to scientists, we need to see each word 7-9 times in different situations in order to remember it. There are many sources for these situations. For example, English explanatory dictionaries always provide words with good examples. These are Cambridge Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary, Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, etc.

By the way, in them (explanatory dictionaries) it is best to look at the meaning of a new word for you (namely VALUE, not TRANSLATION), because this way you will be insured against all sorts of uncomfortable situations.

Once one of my students came to the lesson after training and the question “How are you?” replied "My press hurts".

Indeed, if you go, say, to Google Translate and type in the word “press” there, it will give the answer “press”. But the problem is that "press" is a hydraulic press. And the one that hurts is abdominal.

And in the English-English explanatory dictionary, you will immediately see that “press” is not what you need.

Another source of context is search engines in English-speaking countries, such as google.co.uk or google.com.au. You type a word into a search engine and see in what situations it is used.

The third source is English corpora (specially prepared databases of texts with reference English). The most popular are the British English Corps and the American English Corps. You need to work with them in the same way as with search engines: you drive in a word and study examples.

After you have found a suitable example (context) for yourself, you can add it to your word.

Learning English words online

WE RECOMMEND: never learn a "lonely" word! When you start learning a new word, first of all, find good examples for it, the right context. In order, firstly, to remember it better; secondly, it is correct to use and combine with other words.

Rule number 5 - Use intralingual links!

Some English words may have distant relatives in other languages - French, German and even Russian. Also, the word probably has close relatives in its own language - these are words with the same root, like ours: table, dining room, feast etc. You can look for such “connections” in special etymological dictionaries, for example etymonline.com.

Also look for synonyms (similar in meaning) and antonyms (opposite). The explanatory dictionaries that were above will help you with this. And catch another one: dictionary.com.

WE RECOMMEND: for new words, especially rather complex, abstract ones, look for context within the language itself: cognate words, synonyms, antonyms. All this will help create strong neural connections and associations.

Rule #6 - Come up with your own word examples!

You did everything according to the rules: you found an example, together with it you "placed" the word in your head, but it is still forgotten ... Why? Because it is better to remember what is related to you, your personal experience.

When you have learned a word, immediately come up with your own examples for it, or better, act out a whole dialogue. Let's remember our to get down(in meaning "break away, ignite").

- Let's come off This Friday! - Can you free yourself? After all, if we want a long time break away so you need to start early. - Yes. I want to start break away at 8, and finish only in the morning! etc.

So, along with memorizing a new word, you will repeat the grammar.

When you yourself have used a word several times, it is remembered forever.

I remember the story with the word oatmeal (porridge). During my first trip to Britain, I did not know this word. In the meaning of "porridge" she used the word porridge all the time, as we were taught at school. But no one understood me, because porridge is a very formal, bookish word (no one uses it).

I was corrected once, corrected twice. Then I repeated this word several times myself - and that's it. I have not forgotten him.

WE RECOMMEND: after you have seen examples of how the word is used, come up with your own context. Starting from it, come up with several examples (coherent dialogue or separate sentences) and say them loudly and clearly. If it’s hard to come up with a situation, then remember the last time you used this word in real life, and reproduce this situation in English.

How to learn English words online: simulator

How not to forget a new word?

If you learned a word in accordance with these rules, then it will settle in your head for permanent residence. But! If you do not use it in speech for a long time, over time the English word will move from an active vocabulary to a passive one. How to avoid it?

Rule number 7 - Come up with a bright association for yourself!

This will especially help with abstract concepts, long and difficult words to write, etc.

For example, our service has a special field for entering an association. For owners of associative thinking and developed visual memory, this is just a godsend: close your eyes and remember this phrase.

Here is my stupid example of the word admiration (admiration). "Admirate" is a fiction based on the word "to die". Silly, but works for me.

Rule #8 - Use the Spaced Repetition Technique!

In repetition, the main thing is not the character (HOW to repeat), but the timing of the workout (WHEN to repeat). It is better to do this when you are about ready to forget what you have learned. These moments of forgetting were established by the German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, who developed the so-called "forgetting curve".

Suppose you have learned a word. Repeat it a few minutes after that, then after a couple of hours, then after a day, then after 2 days, then after 5 days, then after 10 days, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 8 months, etc. .d. After a while, the word will firmly sit in your head.

Let's summarize. How to learn English words every day - program

Learn only the words you need! This is the base + specific vocabulary for your area of interest. Also learn more verbs, stable combinations and whole phrases. You can find all this in special sets, dictionaries and materials in English (adapted - for the base, thematic - for special vocabulary).
Learn words only in context! If you "get" a word from an article, song, etc. - then keep it in your head with this context. You take a "lonely" word - look for a context for it. And in no case do not try to immediately learn all the meanings of a polysemantic word! You will only get confused and lose touch with the main thing - with the context.
Immediately try to apply the word in life! If there are no situations of communication in English yet, then invent your own examples: play a scene with this word, remember the real life situation associated with it. Remember that for strong memorization you need to meet the word 7-9 times in different situations, and preferably in those that are related to your close experience.
So that the word is not forgotten, come up with a bright association for it: graphic, auditory, funny, stupid - it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that it matches the type of your thinking (are you auditory? visual? kinesthetic?) and work for you.
Keep your repetition rate to a minimum by using the spaced repetition method.

Did you even notice how many pages you dashed off?!

You may think that this is too long. Which is easier, just memorize cards and hope for their “magic” effect.

You promised to tell how to learn words in English fast!

But the same Lingualeo is TOOL, which gives you the opportunity to add an example (context), your picture and association. The ability to take a word from that very context () and drive it away from all sides.

But you can use this tool in different ways. You can thoughtlessly drive away word cards in the hope that they will be remembered if necessary. Or you can take responsibility for learning and take it seriously.

Then you will not only recognize the word in the picture (passive vocabulary), but you will be able to use it in speech (active vocabulary).

P.S. As you can see, this article does not give "magic tricks" and "easy methods" (by the way, those do not exist). In return, she talks about the seemingly obvious rules for how our memory works, which many have forgotten about in the pursuit of speed. If the article turned out to be really valuable and useful, share it with your friends and make their English learning more effective.