vocabullary

How to Build Your Vocabulary

 Learning New Words

1. Read voraciously. Once you leave school, you won't get word drills and homework assignments that force you to learn new words. It can be easy to stop reading. If you want to build your vocabulary, establish a reading regimen and stick to it.
   • You might try reading one new book a week, or reading the newspaper every morning. Pick a frequency and pace that works for you, and develop a reading routine that fits into your schedule.
   • Try to read at least one book and several magazines every week. Be consistent. As well as improving your vocabulary, you'll also keep updated and backdated, your general knowledge  will increase, and you'll be an intelligent, well-rounded person   
2. Consider keeping a small notebook with you and quickly jot down unknown words as you come across them for checking later. If you hear or see a word you don't know, be sure to look it up.
3. read the dictionary. Dive in. Read entries for words you aren't yet familiar with. This requires the ownership of a quality dictionary to make it more interesting, so look for a dictionary that has lengthy explanations on the origins and uses of words, as these will go a long way to helping you remember the word and enjoy using your dictionary. 
4. Look up any words you don't recognize. When you see an unfamiliar word, do not skip over it impatiently. Try to puzzle out its possible meaning in the context of the sentence, then look it up in the dictionary and confirm its definition.
5. Read high literature. Challenge yourself by reading as many books as you have the time and inclination for. Read classics. Read new fiction and read old fiction. Read poetry. Read Melville, read Faulkner, read Woolf. Try reading nonfiction and technical books: these will rapidly teach you not only new ways to speak, but also new ways to think. Read about a variety of subjects, like philosophy, religion, and science. If you usually read the local paper, consider trying the long, difficult stories in national, international and business newspapers and magazines, like The New Yorker or the Economist.There are many classics available for your perusal at Project Gutenberg and LibriVox.