My oldest child has engaged in the college quest: meditating on what profession she might want to pursue then reverse-engineering that to an associated major and ideal college to support that vision, visiting schools, and, most importantly, studying for and taking the standardized tests–ACT and SAT.
On more than one occasion, she’s complained about the English and/or writing portions of the tests, bemoaning the fact that these sections make use of advanced vocabulary than she’s unused to. For many years, I’ve tried to press on her the importance of expanding her vocabulary; yet, she continues to ignore my appeals (as seems to be our standard father/daughter dynamic). If she would ever listen to me, here are ten practical tips I would encourage her to employ to increase her command of the English language.
1. Go looking for great words on the Internet
As you’d expect, the Internet is a great resource for improving your vocabulary. There are word-of-the-day sites that you might visit daily for new material, but there are also plenty of “themed” lists to work your way through, as well. Here are a few that I’ve found educational:
- 100 funniest words
- 100 most beautiful words
- Top 10 words with bizarre meanings
- Top 10 funny sounding words
- Top 10 rare and amusing insults (Vol 1)
- Top 10 rare and amusing insults (Vol 2)
2. Install a word-of-the-day application on your phone
Why go to the words when they can come to you? There are a number of free word-of-the-day mobile applications out there. Currently, I’m using Dictionary.com’s app. One nice feature of this app is its notifications: at 8:00am every day, the app sends me a notification with the new word. If I like the new word (or any other word I might look up in the app), I can add it to my “favorites”–so, I always have a list handy of some of my favorite words.
3. Get a word-of-the-day calendar
There are a variety of calendar and planner-type products out there aiming to help grow your vocabulary! If you prefer more of a traditional interface from which to learn, this just might be your ticket.
4. Get a dictionary and/or thesaurus
Maybe this is my pre-Internet brain talking, but a dictionary and thesaurus should definitely be part of your library. Probably your kids’, too!
5. Read challenging books
Words only work when they’re uttered in proper context–and reveal your ignorance when used otherwise. What better way to learn a new word than through the pen of the professionals? Read the likes of Umberto Eco, Gore Vidal, and David Stockman, among others, to deepen your communication options.
6. Listen to challenging podcasts
There are podcasts, like the Grammar Girl podcast, dedicated to improving your communication skills. After that, merely listening to intelligent people discussing challenging topics can be quite beneficial. For example, just the other day, Tom Woods reintroduced me to the wonderful word, “vicissitudes“. Podcasts, then, can be an excellent way to both learn more about a particular topic and extend your vocabulary.
7. Listen to word-of-the-day apps on your Amazon Echo or Google Home devices
To my Amazon daily briefing, I’ve included the Peppercorn Media word of the day skill. Every school morning, just before venturing out to the bus stop with one of my children, we listen to the daily briefing and acquire a new word of the day. Thus, we get our word-of-the-day in a quick and entertaining way.
8. Watch challenging movies or television
Personally, I find movies and television predominantly a waste of time, but if you must imbibe, try to make it media that positively augments your intellect. I find science fiction and historical works occasionally useful for this purpose. Star Trek, The Martian, and Amistad are a few creations that seem to work in this regard. However, I did learn the word “flibbertigibbet” from the highly underrated Joe Versus the Volcano.
9. Force yourself to use your new words in conversation
Stephen Covey wrote, “to learn and not to do is really not to learn. To know and not to do is really not to know.” It’s not enough to learn new and interesting words, but to actually incorporate them into your regular dialog. Similar to martial arts where you repeat a punch or kick hundreds of times until it becomes part of your muscle memory, you must also invoke your new words multiple times so they become easy go-to options in your conversations and writings.
10. Write more, forcing yourself to use your new words
As with enhancing your conversations, littering your writing with your new words can help ingrain those new options into your writing toolbox. Also, look for additional writing opportunities like the school newspaper and yearbook (and even blogging) to help further hone your craft.
Recent Comments