Learn Vocabulary

1. Context and Exposure

• See or hear the vocabulary used in context
• Sample contexts: reading material, audio, video, conversation
• Sometimes you can guess meaning from the situation.
• What type of word is it (noun, verb, adjective)?
• Look at the words around it.
• Try to read or listen to as much English as possible

Choose from a variety of sources

2. Pictures and associations

• Sometimes seeing groups of related words can help
• See our picture dictionary.

3. Understand Word Parts (prefixes, suffixes, roots)

• See our word parts lists here.

4. Recognize collocations (words that go together)

• Some words are commonly used with other words
• See our lists of collocations: with verbs, with prepositions.

5. Consider connotations and multiple meanings of words

• Some words carry special or emotional meanings
• Example:  house vs. home
• Some words can have many different meanings
• Example:  play, set, run