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The fastest way to learn English words. How to quickly learn a lot of English words: effective memorization techniques

Mastering a foreign language is impossible without memorizing a large number of unfamiliar words and, preferably, daily. What are the ways to remember? I share my experience.


I learned English words, writing them down and the translation on separate small pieces of paper, pulling them out at random, repeating like this, and they were remembered.

With the advent of smartphones and various applications in it, it has become easier and faster to memorize new words. You can score in some application, such as "My Dictionary", requiring memorization of a word and repeat it anywhere in your free minute, and also listen to the pronunciation of a foreign word, which was impossible when memorizing words in the old-fashioned way!
Unfortunately, all these ways of reproducing learned words occur in the dictionary mode: the word is a translation, and they have nothing in common with real situations of communication. In real communication, context will also appear: the word will acquire other words that will affect its meaning, giving the necessary shades, all together turning into a sentence or a whole text. People will become listeners and speakers: understanding and production of speech will be hindered by so-called interference. Perhaps an accent, a fast pace of speech - may affect the correct understanding of what was said, and when formulating a thought, the speaker may be affected, for example, by excitement and he will not remember the right word. Therefore, you need to learn new words to recognize and apply in speech, this is exactly what to study, because it seems that he has learned the word, but when faced with a stream of speech, the word can simply not be recognized, and in a conversation one cannot remember the necessary word, which, as it turns out, he once learned ...

What are the tricks for faster and more efficient memorization of foreign words?

Effective memorization of a word is facilitated by the reproduction and perception of all its sides, that is: an unfamiliar word needs to be seen, heard, pronounced and written. It is advisable not to be lazy and perform these manipulations with each new word.

As I said, memorizing a new word will forever ensure it active use in speech. Having learned a word, you need to try to practice it in colloquial speech. Do not be shy to speak up in class, do not be afraid to say something wrong or wrong - everyone makes mistakes. If you are learning a language on your own and there is no one to practice with, find a pen pal, you can register on any site you like, where people from all over the world are looking for foreign friends, and chat!

The indicator of successful memorization of a new word, in my opinion, is recognizing it in speech. Or, on the other hand, in order to assimilate a word forever, it is very important to learn to recognize it in speech. Therefore, you need to listen to oral speech and read some literature in a foreign language. Podcasts and regular books will help you with this.

It is very important, when studying a foreign language in a group under the supervision of a teacher, to learn new words using technical means or paper media (as described at the beginning of the article), and then practice them, do not hesitate to speak in class. When learning a language on your own, it is important learning words, bringing them togetherby topic, for example, first we learn the vocabulary of the topic “house”, then, “appearance”, then “food”, etc. At the same time, we must learn to recognize and use new words in speech.

That's all, success in learning foreign languages!

The human brain tends to save effort (some will call it laziness): if there is a chance to somehow simplify the process, it will definitely take advantage of this chance. Our cunning "processor" admits new foreign words to the hall of long-term memory far from immediately; first they have to serve their time in a kind of waiting room - in short-term memory. If a new word is not used, not repeated, it will be forgotten rather quickly: the brain mercilessly gets rid of unnecessary information. If you repeat the memorized word - and you need to do this at strictly defined moments - you will remember it forever. What is the secret of correct memorization of new information?

How we remember information: types of memory and the Ebbinghaus curve

So, human memory is divided into two types:

  1. short term or operational
  2. long-term

The information that enters the brain is first stored in the working memory. Over time, depending on the frequency of use, this information becomes a long-term, long-term memory. Back at the end of the 19th century, the German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus experimentally proved the well-known postulate of a direct family relationship between learning and repetition. During the experiment, Ebbinghaus determined exactly when to repeat new words in order to remember them for a long time, if not forever.

The sad fact is that the most valuable discovery of Hermann Ebbinghaus is hardly used today. School analysts and developersSkyeng hopes to change this situation: a mobile app for learning new words using the Ebbinghaus discovery is currently under development. The release of the application is planned soon - follow the news of the company.

Many methods suggest learning 100 words in an hour or 1000 words in 3 days - and this is possible. But the problem is that, once in short-term memory, new words do not pass into long-term memory: easy come - easy go (what comes easy, goes easy).

7 + 1 effective way to memorize foreign words

So, the very first, even zero advice: to remember a new word forever, stick to the following repetition schedule:

The traditional approach to learning new words, tested by generations of schoolchildren, is as follows: foreign words are given in lists by topic, for example, “Acquaintance”, “Letter to a friend”, “My day”. The set of topics is standard and universal, which is not always effective: if the topic does not arouse interest, it is much more difficult to learn new vocabulary. The experience of our school shows that if the choice of the studied words is approached in strict accordance with the specific goals and interests of each student, at the intersection of useful and pleasant, the result is optimal!

For example, if you like the Game of Thrones series, it will be much more interesting for you to learn words, generate images and concepts that are related to the plot of the film, for example: queen - queen, northern - northern, wall - wall, castle - castle.

The law of comprehension: according to Ebbinghaus, meaningful material is remembered 9 times faster. It is not so much the words and sentences that make up the text that are imprinted in the memory, but the thoughts contained in them. They are the first to come to mind when you need to remember the content of the text.

However, learning how to properly organize information at the time of memorization is not an easy task. You can use key words, diagrams, charts and tables. The forecasting technique is also effective: after starting to read a paragraph, try to draw a conclusion on your own after putting forward several arguments by the author, explain to yourself what you have read, even if it seems obvious to you. Having formulated the information in your own words, you will remember it for a long time.

To better remember a new word, connect 5 senses plus imagination: feel the situation, imagine a picture, try to smell and taste, say the word - or sing it.

Visualize, imagine: in a distant northern (northern) country, behind a high fortress wall (wall), a majestic castle (castle) rises, in which a powerful queen (queen) lives ... How high is the wall, how gloomy and impregnable is the castle, how beautiful is the ruler sitting on the throne ! Create a picture in your imagination, live the situation and the new vocabulary will be remembered easily and for a long time.

Law of Context: Information is easier to remember and reproduce when it is correlated with other simultaneous impressions. The context in which an event occurs is sometimes more important to remember than the event itself.

Our memory is associative. Therefore, try to change the place of preparation, for example, learn different topics in different rooms (kitchen, bedroom), on the road (metro, car) and even at work (office, "negotiation"). Information is associated with the situation, the recollection of which will help to remember the content of the topic.

In learning - as in nutrition: it is better to absorb information in small parts, taking short breaks. It is better to learn a maximum of 10 objects (words or rule components) in one session. After that, you need to take a 15-minute break, otherwise the subsequent training will not be complete. Learn words in line, on the subway - impulse learning is much more effective than continuous learning.

The law of the region, known to us from the film "Seventeen Moments of Spring": the information presented at the beginning and at the end is best remembered. It is more effective to learn especially difficult and intractable words at the beginning and at the end of a ten-minute session - this way they are better deposited in memory.

When studying a word, it is useful to choose an associative anchor image, for example: clever (smart) - a smart cow eats clover. The image should be bright, understandable, perhaps absurd - unexpected associations fix the word well in memory.

There are many ready-made mnemonic dictionaries, for example, //www.englspace.com/mnemo/search.php . Effective and loved by many is the technique of memorizing words with the help of cards, when an English word is written on one side, and its translation on the other.

But whatever the method of memorization, alas, there is no methodology that allows you to learn a foreign language overnight. This is a big and complex job, and it is important to choose the best approach in order to achieve more results with less effort. What we sincerely wish you!

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

Of course, you easily calculated: you can learn about a thousand English words in a month and, accordingly, 12,000 words in a year. Interesting, but what does 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 vocabulary shrinks, so does the number of feelings you can express, the number of events you can describe, the number of things you can name. Not only understanding is limited, but also experience. Man grows through language. Whenever he restricts language, he goes into decline.

~ Sheri S. Tepper

As practice shows, it is possible to learn something, but it will not work to keep it in an active reserve and use it regularly in speech. Words without practice and associative links are quickly forgotten, which the creators are silent about.

True, you always have a chance memorize 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 remembering.

Want to learn a lot of English words in a short time? The German scientist Ebinghaus 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 memory, and after a week - less than 25%. Fortunately, with conscious memorization, information is forgotten much more slowly.

First of all, it is necessary to determine how it is easier for you to absorb new information: by ear, by sight or by writing down?

This will not take much time, but will greatly facilitate the learning and selection of effective techniques for you in the future. One of the tests that will help you determine how easy 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.

In short, we recall that visuals easily memorize new words by seeing or reading, audials - by ear, and kinesthetics need to be in motion, for example, write down information on paper.

In the modern world, most people are dominated by a visual type of perception of new information. Remember how long annoying commercials seen on TV, or posters and banners that are full of city streets, are stored in our memory.

You also need to know that there are no 100% visuals or audials. But some channel is still dominant, and it is this channel that should be used if your goal is learn a lot of english words fast.

Visual method of memorizing English words

Characteristics and scheme of perception of information by visuals.

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

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

Purchase from the store or make your own cards with new words, translation, transcription, and even an example of use. It is convenient to take such cards with you if you have a long commute to work or constantly disappear in lines. They can be classically made on paper or downloaded to your phone.

On a note:

On the Internet you can find download apps for mobile phones which use a visual way to expand vocabulary. The most popular are Words, Easy Ten and Duolingo: Learn Languages ​​for Free.

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

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

English audio tutorials and podcasts

Characteristics and scheme of perception of information by auditory people.

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

The main conditions for vocabulary expansion- constantly listen to English speech, whether at home in the kitchen or in a 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 listen to speech, and your listening skills will improve.

TPR method for expanding vocabulary

Characteristics and scheme of perception of information by kinesthetics.

The third type of perception of information, 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 constructions using gestures, command execution, pantomime and games. For example, on the word ball (ball) you need to perform an action associated with this subject, for example, a ball game.

Simple and effective ways to memorize English words

Mnemonics and memorization of English words

A good example of how mnemonics works.

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

First you need to understand that the brain does not remember the images themselves that arise in the head, but links between multiple images. This is very important to remember, because right at the time of 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 in various ways. The images must be colored, large and detailed.

Learning English words with the help of mnemonics is incredibly easy! We select the most consonant word (or several words) from the native language to the foreign word.

How mnemonics works when memorizing English words, let's look at an example:

puddle ["pʌdl] puddle

Approximate pronunciation (phonetic association) - "bad"

Mnemonic model: "I kept falling and falling into a puddle" .

Examples of using mnemonics in teaching English:

If you are using mnemonics to expand vocabulary, it is important to remember that it is necessary not only to link words together and express them as a sentence, but also to present a specific situation in which this happens or is said.

For example, do not just say: "A nervous person is walking along a narrow alley," but imagine a nervous person, you can know your friend, who walks, looking around and shuddering at every sound, along a narrow dark alley. In this case, you will definitely not forget this foreign word.

On a note:

An association or a bunch 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 behind uselessness, so you don’t have to worry that any nonsense will be stored in your memory.

Undoubtedly, in order to quickly and efficiently memorize foreign words, you need to practice, find your own approach, learn how to create your own associations, and even quickly. The process of creating associations will be slow at first, but be patient and keep practicing. As a rule, the speed and quality of association creation improves after the first thousands of memorized words.

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

Mind halls for expanding vocabulary in English

Many people use flashcards to help memorize new words, but these flashcards are not always at hand, especially at the right time.

There is a great way to memorize new words and expressions - this is the power of your mind. It is called Method of loci (locus method).

You can also see names such as “mind halls”, “memory palaces”, “method of loci”, “spatial mnemonics”, “method of Cicero”.

When Sherlock Holmes, the world-famous detective, wanted to remember something important, he closed his eyes and plunged into the halls of the mind ( ‘mind palace’). Like Sherlock Holmes, you can also use this Method of loci to memorize new words and phrases. How it looks visually you can see in the video.

Video “The Hound of the Baskervilles” - “mind palaces” by Sherlock Holmes.

How does the locus method work?

We're building an imaginary place imaginary place) in our mind and put things and people there that will help us remember new words. You can store images both on the shelves and randomly. 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. It's even better to mix and match.

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

  • Represent images large(even if the items to be remembered are of different sizes, make them the same: be it a ship, a coconut or a bee. Small images should not be presented. Connections between such images will be recorded very poorly.
  • The images must be voluminous. For example, holographic images or images created on 3D graphics programs. Such images can be rotated and viewed from different angles.
  • Images must be submitted colored. If these are the leaves of trees, then they must be green, the tree itself - brown, etc.
  • The images presented must be detailed. If you imagine the image of a “phone”, you need to mentally consider it and clearly see what parts the phone you represent consists of. If it is a cell phone, then you can identify the following images in it: antenna, display, buttons, cover, strap, leather case, battery.

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

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

This is just a small example of how to memorize english words, connected with run, and its forms. Of course, you 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:

Any imaginary place can be, even a room in your house, and you 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, such as “food”, “kitchen”, “clothing”, etc. Arrange the items however you like, and then it will be easier for you to remember the name of the item by its location in your "memory" palace.

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

Another tip 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 "passed - forgot" mode), you will have to periodically "walk" around the "palace".

Audiolingual Method in English

Automation of skills occurs in the process of training by repeated repetition of speech samples.

Audiolingual method- this is one of the methods of teaching a language, 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 will suit mainly auditory speakers, 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 without hesitation in the future.

Training in this case is based on the development of some 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 memorizing this material by the student.

The very system of presenting new information and repeated repetitions lead to the inevitable memorization of the past. In the process of repetition, not only the memorization of the material takes place, but also the pronunciation is worked out, as well as the removal of the language barrier.

Memorizing set expressions leads to the fact that, if necessary, they come to mind automatically, as when communicating in their native language.

The main disadvantage of the audiolingual method (not unreasonably) is that it does not pay due attention to the independent study of grammar.

Pupils, especially at the initial stage of learning, are deprived of the opportunity to understand why the phrase is built this way and not otherwise, or why the word is used in one form and not in another. As they learn, students have to independently, on the basis of the material covered, build for themselves certain grammatical constructions.

This undoubtedly contributes to a more solid assimilation of such constructions, 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?

By knowing many words, you will be able to express yourself in many different ways.

To replenish vocabulary, first of all, you need to 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 improve your English vocabulary. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Expand your English vocabulary with lists

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

Important!

Regardless of whether you do it or not, we recommend that you write down what part of speech this or that word is (verb, noun, adjective), as well as the 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 the notepad on 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 you have free time, write down its meaning or translation, and possibly the context in which it can be used.

Learn English words by practice

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

Reread 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, it is likely that you will meet them in the future. Therefore, add them again to new lists and over time you will remember them.

Games will help memorize 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 that your friend was laughing at.

We also want to draw your attention to the 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 harder.

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

Increase English vocabulary with context

As mentioned earlier, it's better (and easier) memorize new words in context. One way is to write a sentence with this word. You will not only memorize this word, but you can easily use it in a conversation.

Another way - memorize 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. It also makes it possible to memorize more words at a 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! Especially since modern online dictionaries offer many additional options.

Many online dictionaries have interesting articles, games, and also a word of the day section.

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

Sites for learning English words

Below you will find best sites to increase and practice vocabulary which can be of maximum benefit to you.

Business English Site

BusinessEnglishSite - site for learning business vocabulary

This is one of the best and most popular sites to study. Here you can fill up the vocabulary with 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 exercises to consolidate, which 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 over 190 free interactive exercises on various topics such as IT-technology, Business, Communication and many others.

Also on the site there is a database of exercises to improve listening and pronunciation skills.

Lingualeo

Lingualeo - word practice resource

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

To feed the lion cub and get a new portion of words, registration is required.

british council

British Council - The most British way to learn words

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

Words filtered out 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 kind of vocabulary you have and what you need to improve.

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

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

Instead of a conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of methods and resources to enrich your vocabulary in various areas. The most important thing is to constantly work on it, and here everything depends on you. The daily work will then pay off in full when you communicate with English speakers without any problems.

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Why is it difficult to memorize English words? And how to learn to memorize English words quickly and easily? - These questions are asked by many, so we will answer each of them in detail.

Why is it difficult to memorize English words?

First of all, new english word is accurate information, i.e. information that you need to know exactly, 100%.

Try to "approximately" or "partially" pronounce the English word! Foreigners will not understand you. Therefore, it is very important to memorize English words accurately. BUT any exact information is poorly remembered, even after exhausting "cramming" only 20% remain in memory.

Knowing this feature of memory, our ancestors 2 thousand years ago created mnemonics - the art of memorization. Today, mnemonics has been enriched with new techniques, methods, techniques and is one of the components of the “Memory Development Systems”.

Secondly, remembering English words is difficult due to the incorrect organization of words. Please note that most books and dictionaries aimed at the formation of vocabulary are compiled in alphabetical order, i.e. English words follow in alphabetical order. And this order is convenient only for searching for words, but not for memorizing.

Memorizing words in alphabetical order leads to the following negative consequences.

  • The memorized word is difficult to remember, “get it out of memory”, because the English word was memorized without a block of words related to it in meaning, and “stored on the same shelf”.

    A word memorized in alphabetical order can be compared to a book that you want to find in a bookcase, but you don’t remember which shelf it is on and what topic it belongs to. And in order to find the right book, you will need to "dig through" the entire closet. But if you put this book on a shelf with books on the same subject, you would find it very quickly.

  • When words are presented in alphabetical order, adjacent English words start with the same letter and differ little. And, as you know, homogeneous information is prone to forgetting, i.e. being memorized sequentially, words displace each other from memory.

    Therefore, it is very important that neighboring English words begin with different letters.

Thirdly, memorizing English words is difficult if you memorize a word without context. In addition, difficulties with memorization are associated with the ambiguity of English words.

Let us quote the well-known psychologist A.N. Leontiev (“Lectures on General Psychology”, 2001): “The difficulty lies in the fact that if you learn vocabulary words like this (foreign - Russian, foreign - Russian), then you will not know the language for a very simple reason: words, including foreign ones, are polysemantic. No value match. And another big annoyance. Do you know what a statistical dictionary is, a frequency one, where the frequency of using words in a language is indicated just next to the word as a frequency coefficient?

You see, high-frequency words are especially polysemantic, and low-frequency ones, that is, rarely found in the language, have a much smaller number of meanings, scientific terms should ideally not have many meanings at all (alas, ideally, because they are also polysemantic in practice). If we take a very common word and learn it in this way, nothing will come of it. Because if you open a dictionary, not quite small, but larger, 20-30 thousand, then you will see that against German, English, French words the first, second, third meanings of the word and so on, I'm not talking about changes in meanings in idioms.

Fourth, memorizing English words is difficult due to the wrong memorization sequence. By "sequence of memorization" is meant the sequence of memorization of the constituents of an English word. What are the components of an English word?

Take, for example, wedding ["wedIN] - a wedding

1. wedding is writing English word
2. ["wedIN] is pronunciation English word
3. wedding is translation English word

So, English word consists of three components: 1) spelling, 2) pronunciation, 3) translation. And most often, in this sequence you wrote down a new English word in a dictionary, and it is in this sequence that English words are presented in numerous books and dictionaries.

How did you start memorization?
- Of course, from writing, - you say and remember how many times you wrote down an English word on paper.
- And what did you do then?
- Then he said it out loud many times, i.e. "crammed": "["wedIN] is a wedding, ["wedIN] is a wedding..."

It turns out the following sequence of memorization:

writing - pronunciation - translation.

Memorization in this order is called "recognition" those. you need to see the English word written or heard to remember the translation. That is why we all read and translate English texts well. That is why we all, when traveling abroad, understand foreigners, but we cannot say anything. We can’t say, because we can’t quickly and easily remember the translation of the word, i.e. "reproduce" it from memory. This process is called "reproduction" and is the following sequence:

translation - pronunciation - spelling.

Memorizing an English word in this sequence guarantees a high quality of memorization and a high speed of recall, but using a certain method, which we will discuss below.

How to learn to memorize English words quickly and easily?

Obviously, you need to eliminate the above difficulties and learn:

  • correctly prepare the material for memorization, i.e. a) group English words according to topics and situations of use; b) arrange English words so that adjacent words begin with different letters;
  • memorize an English word in context according to the principle one English word - one context containing one translation;
  • memorize in the correct sequence, i.e. translation - pronunciation - writing, using a certain method, of which mnemonics is an integral part.

Everything is clear, except for the third point, - you say, - What is this "certain method"?

This is a method of memorizing the words of any foreign language, called "Polyglot". With this method, you will learn to memorize 100 - 200 new English words a day quickly and easily!

The "Polyglot" method is a sequence of mental actions and operations that form the skill of memorization.

It is enough to memorize only 500 English words using this method to form a memorization skill. You will not think about how you memorize, your brain will use this method itself, and English words will “memorize themselves”. If you are interested in the theoretical part and details, then you can familiarize yourself with them in another book “Secrets of memorizing irregular English verbs” by E.E. Vasilyeva, V.Yu. Vasilyeva, where the “Polyglot” method is described in more detail.

POLYGLOT METHOD
(for independent memorization of English words)

  1. Provide a translation of the word.
  2. "Take a picture" is a foreign word.
  3. Write a foreign word.

Let's use the "Polyglot" method to remember the English word:

beard
bied

1. "beard" is a translation
2. and bied is the pronunciation of the word (the second option is “Russian transcription”)
3. beard is the spelling of an English word

  1. Provide a translation of the English word.

1) “Present a translation of the English word” means to present a “beard”.
Some may "see in their imagination" a beard hanging in the air, others - the face of a grandfather with a beard.

It is advisable, at first, to help yourself with questions:
What does this word remind me of?
- What does this word look like?
- What does this word have to do with me?

2) And then we form a “picture” based on beard image according to principle: "Place. Hero. Situation", i.e. we ask ourselves questions:
- Where?
- Who? What?
- What situation?

Important! When forming the “picture”, place the translation of the English word in the right context.

In this case, the word is unambiguous and the word "beard" conjures up the face of a grandfather with a beard. Next, we form a “picture”, i.e. we remember a familiar grandfather in a familiar place (Place. Hero), we connect as many sensations and feelings as possible.

Let's imagine a familiar grandfather with beard sitting on a bench in the park, we will hear cheerful children's voices, we will smell the flowers, we will feel the warm rays of the sun ...

Please note that the situation is some kind of interaction of heroes, and we have only one hero. Let's leave the “unfinished picture” alone for now and move on to another point.

  1. Choose a consonant Russian word for pronunciation.

Pronunciation is
bied

Let's choose a consonant Russian word for pronunciation, i.e. a word that has the same first sounds. In this case, the sound of the word "BIDON" is suitable. Please note that we highlight the matching consonant part in capital letters. It is desirable that the Russian consonant word designate an object or person.

  1. Connect the image of the translation with the image of the consonant word.

The image of the translation is a familiar grandfather with beard, sitting on a bench in the park.
“Combine the image of the translation with the image of a consonant Russian word” means

- “complete the translation picture” by including a BIDON in it, as a result you will get a “key-phrase” connecting the words “beard” and “BIDON”, for example: “Grandfather accidentally dipped beard in a can with milk";

Holding in the imagination the "key - phrase" simultaneously say aloud 2-3 times: bIed

  1. "Photograph" is an English word.

The English word is the word "beard ».
“Take a picture of an English word” means to highlight the word from all sides with yellow cards (size 6 x 7 cm) so that in the “window” there is only the word “beard ». And now we set ourselves to remember the graphic image of the word (Remember the spelling!) And read the word aloud 2-3 times.

  1. Write an English word.

Write an English word, i.e. write the word "beard » on a draft, without looking anywhere. Wrote once - checked, then write a second time, but without peeping. Recorded a second time - checked. And once again write down and check. It is important that you remember the spelling of the word from memory and do not peep anywhere! It is enough to write the word 3-5 times.

  1. Check the quality of visual memory.

“Check the quality of visual memorization” means to write the word backwards, from right to left, so that the word is read correctly.
For example: ....d
...rd
..ard
.eard
beard

If you correctly spelled the word the other way around, then you can be congratulated, you have memorized the spelling of the English word by 100%!

  1. Write down on a card for further repetition.

On one side of the card, write down the translation of the word, i.e. "beard » , and on the other hand, write down the English word "beard ».

It is important to do two repetitions:
- repetition No. 1: according to the translation, i.e. remember the English word to the Russian word, having previously shuffled all the cards,
- repetition No. 2: according to the English word, we recall the Russian translation.

It is important that you first complete steps 1, 2 and 3 on a prepared list of words (50 - 200 English words), and then complete steps 4, 5, 6 with the same list of words.

Remember! English words need to be memorized not one at a time, but in lists grouped by topic!

To memorize English words on your own using the Polyglot method, you first need to develop certain abilities and form some skills using simpler technology. Such a technology that allows you to memorize 200-500 English words in 1 lesson is the “ENGLISH-memory” technology. This technology contains "easy-to-learn" material in the form of "keys - phrases", and you just have to read the "key - phrase" and submit!

Decided to learn a language? What prevents you from just opening a dictionary and learning all the words in a row? That's right, without associations and repetition, you won't learn anything - there will be a hodgepodge of words in your head, and there won't be a trace of some of them.

There is one simple technique associated with the use of cards, associations and the correct selection of words, which allows you to learn 100 or more words a day, quickly learn the basics of the language and increase your vocabulary. This technique is presented in the free application for iOS and Android "Clean".

In it, you can easily learn words according to the proposed memorization method, and track your progress, and set reminders to repeat the material already studied. But first things first.

Paper card technique

With the help of paper cards, more than one generation of translators has been increasing their vocabulary in record time. This seemingly simple technique is based on the memorization mechanism itself, the use of short-term and long-term memory.

The student has a deck of cards, on one side of each of which a foreign word is written, and on the second - a translation. He leafs through these cards, pronouncing foreign words and memorizing the translation. If the word is remembered - puts the card aside, if not - removes the decks down to repeat again later.

After memorizing all the words, the cards are put aside, and after a certain period of time (a week or a month) they are repeated again.

Initially, the learned word enters short-term memory, and after the cards are put aside, it is quickly forgotten. However, later it turns out that the erased information came in handy and instead of short-term memory, the learned words fall into long-term memory. In other words, they are strongly remembered.

Like paper cards, only better

In the application "Uchisto" this technique of cards is fully implemented. You can turn them over, read a new word in English and its transcription, and on the back there is a translation.

You can put learned cards aside by pressing "Learned", or leave them for repetition by simply swiping. In addition, you can change the settings and learn words by translating from Russian to English.


After studying each dictionary, the “Check in 30 days” timer is automatically set so that you periodically take tests and do not forget the material you have covered.

As you can see, the card technique is fully implemented in the application, however, unlike real cardboard cards, learning words in Clean is much more convenient for several reasons.

Firstly, each card has not only a transcription, but also an audio icon, by clicking on which you listen to the correct pronunciation of the word in English. Thus, the application partially replaces your teacher.

Secondly, you can edit the translation of words by adding notes about your associations with the word. The association technique helps to memorize words even better and transfer them to long-term memory from the first time.

Associations and the complete methodology "Clean"

A word that is not associated with images familiar to you is quite easy to forget. The brain simply did not build a neural connection for this word, it is not associated with anything and instantly disappears from your memory.

To remember a word, you need to associate it with already familiar objects and concepts. For example, you come across the word challenge which means "problem".

You imagine NASA's Space Shuttle Challenger and the disaster that resulted in the death of the entire crew of the shuttle. It was a major blow to the US reputation, a huge loss of money and a real PROBLEM.

So, an unfamiliar word binds in your brain: challenge= shuttle Challenger disaster → serious problem. You have built an association for yourself, new neural connections have appeared in your brain, and now you can easily remember what this word means.


When you have come up with a vivid association by linking a word with a translation, do not rush to press the “Learned” button. First, repeat the word out loud five times while imagining your picture. By the way, for associations, it is advised to present something funny and ridiculous - it is remembered more vividly.

So, the complete “Clean” learning methodology, with which you will memorize the words in the application, is as follows:

Read an unfamiliar word → check your pronunciation → look at the translation of the word on the second side of the card → imagine an association with the word and its translation → repeat the word out loud five times and at the same time scroll through your association in your head → click “Learned” → fix the result by translating from Russian to English → set a reminder to repeat the words in 30 days.

If you do not remember the technique, you can always look at it again in the application itself. On the "Settings" tab, in addition to switching from Russian to English and sounds, there is a step-by-step description of the technique.


And now another equally important point: what kind of words you will learn. After all, all the words in the "Clean" dictionaries were not chosen by chance.

We remember only the necessary words

There are more than a million words in the English language, but in everyday speech, at best, several thousand are used. So if you need basic language skills to speak fluently with foreigners, read online publications in English, watch news and TV shows, then a few thousand are enough to start with.

In the "Uchisto" application, frequency dictionaries are presented - a selection of 100 words most often used in everyday life and literature.

Why exactly 100 words? It is known that taking small steps towards a goal is much easier than trying to learn a lot at once. A clear distribution into portions of 100 words helps to systematize your learning, start it with pleasure and monitor your progress with the same pleasure.

To get started, you are given three free dictionaries with which you can evaluate how much you like learning with the "Clean" method. And then you can buy separately for one dictionary or buy all at once with a 20% discount.

Follow the progress and do not forget to repeat

On the last tab of the “Clean” application, you can track your progress by day: how much you managed to learn on which day of the week, how many words your vocabulary has increased in general.

Of course, one application is not enough to learn English and speak it fluently. For example, to improve your spoken English, you can try lessons with native speakers via Skype, and to replenish your vocabulary, you can watch movies and TV shows in English.

However, the Uchisto application will provide you with a platform for a great start, help you believe in your abilities and strengths, even if you are starting from scratch.

You learn words in any convenient place and at any time: in traffic jams, transport, queues or in the evening, before going to bed, which is especially effective for long-term memory. The main thing is not to lower the bar.

100 words a day, 700 a week, 3,000 a month - and you will already be able to explain yourself in English quite tolerably and understand what they are talking about.

Well, then - there are no limits to improvement. New dictionaries are added to Clean with every update, so you'll always have a reason to practice again.