The fastest way to learn a new word is to write a sentence using that word in an appropriate context after looking for its definition in a dictionary. Reading a quality literature, or poetry is one of the most effective ways to learn word definitions quickly. Indeed, words are used in an interesting and imaginative way, which makes them easier to memorize.
You will need:
- Pen and paper
- Dictionary
- Books
Make a list
This list should contain 15 to 25 words that are unknown to you. Find the definitions of each word in a dictionary and write them down. Write sentences that contain more than six words each and contain an unknown word in its context. For example, if the list contains the word “infamous,” which means disgust by its vile character, write a sentence like, “This infamous bandit had a bad reputation, even in that remote region. Then write a story, an article or a postcard containing all the words on your list. This will make the words immediately accessible and help you memorize them.
Form a study group
Interactive learning is more enjoyable than individual learning. You can, for example, organize a study session that focuses on adjectives in a book that everyone has read or on a well-known television program. Ask each person to describe a character or event using as many unknown adjectives as possible. Keep a dictionary nearby and offer a box of chocolates to the person who uses the most ingenious and imaginative adjectives.
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Make associations of words
Creating mental images and making associations allows you to memorize words. For example, you might remember what the word “parsimony” means if you associate it with someone you know, like the person who does not tip you when you pack his Christmas gifts. You will remember the word “melodious” better if you think of the pretty girl of your university who has the sweet voice of Marlene Dietrich. Try to cut the words out. The word “exorbitant”, ie excessive, for example, can be divided into orbit and inhabitant. Visualize an inhabitant entering orbit around the Earth, which is extremely difficult, to remember the meaning of this word.
Read books and poems
Reading is one of the most effective ways to learn new words so that they become fascinating and make sense when you are absorbed by a book or poem. Students memorize a word quickly and effortlessly if they associate it with a sequence of actions related to everyday life. Poets and writers use words in several ways that help readers understand the subtlety and power of language. A text can integrate words that can be interpreted literally and metaphorically. If a poet writes about shadows casting shadows on the landscape, for example, the word “shadows” could also suggest a feeling of sadness and melancholy, especially if the rest of the poem conveys a feeling of sadness.
