s i l v i a . h o m e (by Silvia Agatello)

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Tops tips for acquiring vocabulary mastery

Building an adequate college-level vocabulary bank is painful for most of us. It requires a strong desire to build word power, wide reading, practice in mastering words and using the words in oral and written communication. Most important, it requires a systematic, deliberate attempt to develop word power on a daily basis. Below are 10 Tips for improving vocabulary. Following these time-tested steps should set you on the road to learning 300 words each and every month from now on.

Read, Read, Read! You need to be reading widely--a minimum of 5 newspapers and 5 magazines cover to cover every week (See below: Cultivating college smarts: the 'Survive-and-Thrive-recommended' Reading Resources). Vocabulary needs to be learned in context. The more words you expose yourself to, the better vocabulary you will have. First and foremost, use the context method explained below to figure out an encountered word's meaning. Don't forget that when you have finished the chapter or the article, look up all new words.

Invest money--and time--in a personal vocabulary notebook. Following on from tip number one, write down new words in your own vocabulary notebook. Also write the definition and a sentence using the word. The front of this book use as a vocabulary log so that you can record new words day by day; At the back of the book, use one page for each letter of the alphabet and record the word again on its own page. Both systems facilitate ongoing consolidation and review.

Practice, practice, practice. Learning new words is no use unless you practice them. Research shows that it takes at least 5 encounters to make a word part of your "owned" knowledge. As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Review your vocabulary notebook--front and back--weekly. Say the words out loud to activate auditory memory. In addition, put the words into action when doing oral presentations and writing assignments.

Think connotations and connections. The first important fact about any word is its connotation. Is this word good or bad? (Note this in your vocabulary notebook if relevant for a particular word.) Then relate the word to words you already know--for example, synonyms. For example, the word "Gargantuan" (a positive word meaning very large) has a similar meaning to the words gigantic, huge, large, etc. You could make an order relationship: microscopic, small, regular, large, GARGANTUAN. Think of as many things as you can that could be considered GARGANTUAN: an elephant, a space meteor, etc. Imagine pictures of the word's meaning that involve strong emotions. For example, "the GARGANTUAN creature was going to rip me apart and eat me piecemeal!"

Develop mnemonics (memory tricks). For example, consider the word "ubiquitous". A visual mnemonic for example could features two extremely heavyset people who exclaim: When you're "as big as us" you feel "ubiquitous". (Ubiquitous, by the way, refers to the quality of being everywhere at once.) Such funny little word pictures help you remember what words mean, AND they are fun to make up.

Own--and use--at least two dictionaries. Carry a portable one (electronic or paper) around with you every where you go. The other should be at your side when you study at home--preferably a reference or an unabridged dictionary. Use websites like Miriam-Webster Online. They have a toolbar there that you can attach to your browser and when you highlight any word and click, the meaning is given. How much easier can it get? In addition, smart students make extensive use of a thesaurus as part of their regular studying toolbox. As well as helping you when writing to find a word that fits best, a thesaurus is invaluable for looking up synonyms and antonyms of newly acquired words.

Play word games. Play Scrabble, Boggle, and try crossword puzzles (note: the subliminal background message!). These and other word games are available on the computer, so you are not always dependent on a partner. If anyone has invested in the excellent Franklin Electronic Dictionary (which is ideal for your carry-around dictionary), that device features built-in word games.

Use vocabulary lists. There are many worthwhile books with word lists that can give you increased word power especially if you are going to need to take tests, such as the GMAT and the GRE. The advantage of word lists is that they bring to your attention 1000 say important words that otherwise you would have had no opportunity to learn. There are also many interesting word sites on the Internet--such as 'www.awad.org' (which stands for 'a word a day')--which will send you a word every day by email. As a starting point, be sure to know the 14 words that make "all the difference" and the common college-confusables (which are both discussed below).

Look for rich word sources around you. For example, the Reader's Digest Word Power and William Saphire's New York Times Sunday Magazine "On Language" column.

Cultivate passion for words! "Words maketh the man!" and, of course, the woman too. Come to appreciate the intricacies and the subtleties of words. Are you aware of the difference between something that denotes and something that connotes? If not, go look it up. Learn to speak that which you really mean and discover the joys of being able to express yourself in writing. Your future can ride on how rich your vocabulary is. Word power is also central to the quality of your communication in both your professional and personal lives. So be in it for the long haul. Let building your vocabulary be a lifelong proposition. Remember: "In the beginning was the word." Until you have a word for something, it does not exist for you. Name it, and you have made your reality that much richer. "Carpe Diem", folks! (If you don't know that that phrase means "Seize the Day", you should go rent the classic movie "Dead Poet's Society").

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