How to quickly learn English words and expand your vocabulary. The best English textbooks to improve your vocabulary Effectively improve your English vocabulary

You will need

• dictionaries - English-Russian and Russian-English, small sheets of paper, pen, tape, video and audio materials in English.

Instructions

If you feel that you need to expand your vocabulary while studying, there are many techniques you can use, but there is an easy way to get rid of gaps in your knowledge. Work with a dictionary. Write down the words that you would like to remember. It is best to use vocabulary on a specific topic: “Family”, “Political structure”, “Summer holidays”, etc. Firstly, you will come across words with the same root, and secondly, words of the same area of ​​use are logically connected, so it will be easier for you to find the right word in memory when you need it (in any case, you will find an explanatory expression).

Take notes. A technique that is often used by students of language departments when they need to learn several dozen words in a short period of time is this: you should write down all the words on small pieces of paper, with the translation on the back. The ink should not show through, so you should use thick paper and avoid applying pressure when writing.

Attach the notes in a visible place. Using tape, place notes with the English side facing out everywhere: on the refrigerator, on the toilet door, on the mirror, on the wardrobe. The main thing is that they should catch the eye. Each time you see them, you will read the word, then look at the translation (on the back). In a couple of days, the words will settle in your memory, you will not need to remind you of the Russian explanation.

Update new vocabulary. The most important stage in memorizing new words is the stage of actualization, that is, the inclusion of these words in living speech. To do this, you need to speak or correspond with native speakers, listen to songs and watch movies without translation. When you can choose the exact word quite quickly, use it with the right meaning in the right situation, you can consider that you have appropriated this lexical unit, it has become part of your vocabulary.

Learning English and memorizing words are not the same thing. Yes, any language consists of individual words, and they interact with each other in accordance with the rules of grammar.

Reading, oral, written speech and listening comprehension is exactly what will allow you to “tighten up” your grammar and “revive” your vocabulary. There are many ways to memorize new words: from traditional to innovative. And using several of them at once is not forbidden, but on the contrary, is only encouraged.

How many words do you need to know to communicate fluently in English?

A person's vocabulary depends on his age and level of education. According to linguists, a high school graduate knows 20-30 thousand words, and a university graduate knows 30-40 thousand. There are people who get by with 5-7 thousand, and 2.5-3 thousand are among the most used.

How many English words do you need to know to carry on a conversation or read text content? On average, we can say that this figure should be around two thousand words.

Beginner level means that a person knows 500-700 English words. Proficiency is the highest level of proficiency in the English language, and to achieve it, you need to learn, remember and regularly use at least 4.5 thousand words in your speech.

Where to begin?

Unsystematicity is the worst enemy of the educational process. Consequently, it makes no sense to compile a solid list of words that need to be memorized anyhow.

All lexical units must be systematized and optimized, and this is done in accordance with personal preferences and, more importantly, with the personal goals and objectives of the student.

Traditional methods of improving vocabulary

1. Cards. To make such a teaching aid, you need to buy blocks of paper for notes (most often they are presented in the shape of a cube) or cut cards of the same size yourself. On one side of the card the word is written in English, and on the other - its Russian translation. All the student has to do is work with the textbook. Cards with already well-studied words are put aside, but periodically you need to return to them to refresh your memory. If the cards have pictures in addition to inscriptions, then this can be considered an excellent option for children.
2. Repeated spelling of one word. A simple but quite effective technique, ideal for visual learners. The downside of the technique is the excessive monotony of the process; because of this, the technique is not suitable for everyone.
3. Yartsev's method. The tools used are a pen and a notebook in which new words are written. Under each of them are written: translation, synonyms and antonyms. For clarity and to facilitate the educational process, the English word should be highlighted with a colored marker. Over time, the notebook will be filled with useful material that you can use at any time. No cramming! Just relaxing reading!
4. Stickers. A method suitable not only for future interior designers. Its essence is as follows: a sticker with its name in English is attached to each item in the apartment. The technique is quite effective, although, first of all, the designations of objects and things that a person uses most often are remembered. Nobody limits your imagination and you can use whatever your heart desires to remember the names of objects - from a sofa, to a wardrobe (wardrobe) and a toothbrush (toothbrush).
5. Mnemonics. An excellent method if you can’t remember a word. All you need to do is come up with an associative image for it: absurd, bright and funny. If this does not help, due to the not yet very extensive vocabulary, then training can be carried out according to a proven scheme: writing in English - transcription - translation.

Innovative approach

There are people who do not accept “old-fashioned” methods and believe that innovation should be in everything.

To study English words, you can now use various Internet resources and computer programs, for example, Memrise. Here you can create your own lists of words or use ready-made ones.

If the words “don’t want to be remembered,” then it is recommended to use pictures uploaded yourself or created by other users. Also, the developers took care of introducing a new option - “voice acting”.

Owners of smartphones and tablets can download the Spaced Repetition application, which promotes learning.

The educational process is built on the principle of repetition: the program shows words in a certain order and with the required frequency, thanks to which they are literally etched into memory. There are several other software products that work on a similar principle.

What should auditory learners do?

There are people who perceive information by ear, and writing words in their own hands does not help them much in the educational process, because words are remembered only when they are spoken out loud and not written.

This does not mean that auditory learners should engage exclusively in listening to words and repeating them after the speaker (for which it is recommended to use high-quality podcasts with a detailed analysis of texts).

A person who trusts his ears more than his eyes can and should write words on his own. And his task comes down to pronouncing each letter during the writing process.

General rules for building vocabulary

Perhaps for some the recommendations listed below will become obvious, but still, we cannot help but list these simple tips:

• Constant work with the dictionary helps to expand the vocabulary, and it does not matter in what format the dictionary is presented - electronic or paper;
• You cannot learn words only “from a list”, because they are best remembered in combination with other parts of speech;
• memorizing small texts is a good habit that allows you to determine during a dialogue: which word can be used in a given context and which should not be used;
• no need to study rare words that are not often found in “live” speech and text content;
• Each student should have his own dictionary, filling it at his own discretion;
• there are words and parts of speech that are required to be studied, because, for example, it is impossible to do without pronouns, numerals, adjectives denoting colors, and a number of verbs;
• in the process of studying, it is important not only to repeat and consolidate the material covered, but also to regularly check (dictations, “running through” a list, etc.), for which you can involve someone close to you;
• If you are interested in any English word, you should immediately open a dictionary (for example, Google translator) and look up its meaning;
• if the chosen methods are ineffective or do not work at all, then it makes sense to use another option, for example, reading English texts and writing out unfamiliar words;
• to expand your vocabulary quickly, you need to set a specific goal, for example: “today I will learn 20 new words.”

Conclusion

Replenishing your vocabulary is not an easy task, requiring persistence, time and effort.

But if you are serious about qualitatively improving your English, then nothing is impossible for you - arm yourself with any technique you like and go ahead and conquer new heights.

For our part, we remind you that you can increase the number of English words and phrases together with your personal tutor on or any other messenger convenient for you.

We wish you great success in learning foreign languages.

One of the problems that English language learners face is insufficient vocabulary or, more simply put, ignorance of many English words. If you often find yourself in situations where you want to say something, but hesitate because you don’t know how this or that word is translated, then there is only one way out - you need to actively expand your vocabulary. Below I will tell you about several effective ways that will help you learn new vocabulary and express yourself in English without difficulty.

1. What words do you think should be learned first? Of course, those that we encounter every day. To fill this gap, you can use this simple method: set aside 15-20 minutes every day, during which try to name the objects that surround you in English. Write down those words that you could not name, find their translation in the dictionary and remember. For example, if you conduct such a lesson in the kitchen, then if you want and try, you will quickly learn general vocabulary on the topic of food/kitchen. This method is especially suitable for beginners who have not yet learned common vocabulary.

1. The second method is called "Method of notes". There are two subtypes of this method. The first can be used as an addition to the method described above. To do this, you need to cover objects in the room with stickers with their names. You don’t need to cover the whole room at once, 20-30 words are enough. These words will always be in your sight, so you will remember them quickly enough. In addition to this, notes can be used in this way: on one side write words in English, on the back - their translation, and then several times a day, when you have a free minute, look through them and try to remember the translation, and so on until the words are completely memorized.

1. As you know, new lexical units are best learned in context, so vocabulary can be effectively expanded by reading books in English or bilingual books. You can even just download some magazine in English, for example Cosmopolitan or Forbes, it all depends on your interests. This way you can learn not only individual words, but also entire expressions.

1. Perhaps the most pleasant way, requiring virtually no effort, is learning words while watching movies. Only films need to be watched with subtitles. In this case, the translation of unfamiliar words will be clear from the context; you don’t even have to write out the words. In addition, you will immediately know the correct pronunciation of words.

1. Communication in English speaking the language is not only the best way, by communicating with native speakers you will also learn many useful colloquial phrases necessary for everyday communication.

1. To study specialized vocabulary, such as finance or medicine, it is best to find literature on the topic in English, or watch a documentary.

1. Actively use for learning English Internet. There are many possibilities here: you can simply search for the information you are interested in on English-language resources, you can become a reader of blogs or communities on social networks dedicated to learning English, such as

Although the textbooks are aimed at working on expanding vocabulary, it must be said that this is only auxiliary material necessary for learning truly useful words and phrases, phraseological units used in everyday life by native speakers. After completing the lesson in the textbook, the most important thing begins - the introduction of new lexical units into your spoken and written speech.

For this we offer several options:

• keeping a diary in English;
• viewing and analysis of videos, films and TV series;
• reading adapted and original literature;
• oral communication in English, correspondence with native speakers.

1. By using the best English language textbooks to learn vocabulary, you will be able to progress in your learning much more effectively. It’s not for nothing that they say that it is a poor vocabulary that slows a person down and does not give him the opportunity to advance in learning English.
2. Study materials designed to increase your vocabulary will help you work productively with lexical material, which will allow you to better perceive speech by ear. Of course, sometimes we isolate individual words from a rapid stream of speech, but basically the problem lies in a very limited vocabulary.
3. Of course, by constantly working on increasing your vocabulary, it will become much easier for you to express your thoughts in English during communication.

Well, now, let’s start reviewing the best textbooks in our opinion, which will gradually help you develop your vocabulary. Perhaps, let's start with the best series of textbooks for those who strive to speak like a native speaker - English collocation in use.

Download the text of the book English Collocations in Use Intermediate in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 8414) .

Download the text of the book English Collocations in Use Advanced in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 3725) .

We have repeatedly emphasized that words must be taught in context, and this textbook is just what you need. Each textbook (depending on the level) contains the most common, so to speak, established phrases.

The textbooks are divided into levels and each contains 60 lessons. These materials are ideal for self-study to develop vocabulary. At the end of each textbook there are keys (answers) to exercises and various tasks.

Download the text of the book English Vocabulary in Use Elementary in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 5374) .

Download the text of the book English Vocabulary in Use Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 5022) .

Download the text of the book English Vocabulary in Use Upper-Intermediate in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 4142) .

Download the text of the book English Vocabulary in Use Advanced in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 3272) .

These materials are suitable for both beginners and those who have been studying English for a long time, but without success.

Test Your Vocabulary textbook series.

The five books in this + Start series are units (lessons) that help you test your vocabulary knowledge by completing various tasks, solving crossword puzzles, and so on. While taking the tests, you will have the opportunity to significantly expand your vocabulary.

Download the text of the book Test Your Vocabulary Start in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 2980) .

Download the text of the book Test Your Vocabulary 1 in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 2235) .

Download the text of the book Test Your Vocabulary 2 in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 1720) .

Download the text of the book Test Your Vocabulary 3 in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 1747) .

Download the text of the book Test Your Vocabulary 4 in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 1776) .

Download the text of the book Test Your Vocabulary 5 in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 1736) .

Key Words for Fluency- an interesting series of manuals that will help expand your passive vocabulary. Each textbook contains 22 thematic lessons. For each word, the authors of the textbook selected about 10 words, in conjunction with which they are regularly used in real life. Learning basic collocations will help you learn to use English prepositions at the right time and in the right place.

Download the text of the book Key Words for Fluency Pre-Intermediate in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 3878) .

Download the text of the book Key Words for Fluency Intermediate in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 2624) .

Download the text of the book Key Words for Fluency Upper-Intermediate in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 2554) .

4000 Essential English Words– a series of textbooks that is ideal for students with an elementary level of knowledge. With each book the words will become more complex. But the most important thing is that there are no archaisms or rarely used words here. 4000 is not an unfounded statement. Each textbook has 30 lessons, and in each of them, the compilers of the textbook offer 20 new words to English language learners. By completing all the textbooks in this series, you will have learned 3,600 thousand words, plus an additional 400 words from the appendices provided at the end of the textbook.

Download the text of the book 4000 Essential English Words 1 in .pdf format via a direct link (downloads: 4776) .

Download the text of the book 4000 Essential English Words 2 in .pdf format via a direct link (downloads: 2264) .

Download the text of the book 4000 Essential English Words 3 in .pdf format via a direct link (downloads: 2123) .

Download the text of the book 4000 Essential English Words 4 in .pdf format via a direct link (downloads: 2062) .

Download the text of the book 4000 Essential English Words 5 in .pdf format via a direct link (downloads: 2067) .

Download the text of the book 4000 Essential English Words 6 in .pdf format via a direct link (downloads: 2142) .

Among the teaching aids that deserve your attention, it is necessary to include a series of textbooks - English Vocabulary Organizer. You can also study on your own using these manuals. Although there are exercises here that involve oral dialogues with the teacher, this block of tasks can be completed independently. The manual comes with a disk on which various types of exercises are also collected. The textbook itself contains texts with new words and exercises for better memorization.

Download the text of the book English Vocabulary Organizer with key in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 2951) .

For all beginners who want to master English idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs, we advise you to take a closer look at the textbooks in the series Can you believe it. Here you will find real stories with full explanations and exercises to reinforce the material.

Download the text of the book Can You Believe It? 1: Stories and Idioms from Real Life: 1 Book in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 3418) .

Download the text of the book Can You Believe It? 2: Stories and Idioms from Real Life: 2 Book in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 2080) .

Download the text of the book Can You Believe It? 3: Stories and Idioms from Real Life: 3 Book in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 1953) .

Since beginners learning English may encounter basic misunderstandings when reading authentic textbooks, we decided to give them several examples of textbooks to expand their vocabulary, written in Russian.

1.Karavanova – 250 phrasal verbs.

The study guide contains 250 of the most common English verbs. The textbook gives 5-7 main verbs and phrasal verbs with them. Then you need to perform many exercises to consolidate the acquired knowledge.

Download the text of the book 250 of the most common English phrasal verbs. Karavanova N.B. in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 2394) .

2.Ilchenko. Phrasal verbs in English.

This manual can be called a fully-fledged textbook for both beginners and advanced students who are faced with the need to study phrasal verbs. The most important thing is that new phrasal verbs are given in context, which will help you use them correctly in everyday communication or writing essays. And it’s very difficult not to remember them. All information in the manual is divided into thematic blocks and contains the most necessary phrasal verbs for real life.

Download the text of the book Phrasal Verbs in English. Ilchenko V.V. in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 2157) .

3.Christ's Nativity "Phrasal verbs in spoken English.

A good guide for students studying such a broad topic as phrasal verbs. But without knowledge of grammar, there is no point in studying this textbook.

Download the text of the book Phrasal Verbs in Spoken English. Christorozhdestvenskaya L.P. in .pdf format via direct link (downloads: 1686) .

4.Another series of textbooks in Russian by Litvinov “Steps to Success.”

Download the text of the book My First 1000 English Words: Memorization Techniques in .pdf format via direct link

Views: 79,132 Title: The best English textbooks for expanding your vocabulary

Vocabulary plays a significant role in learning a new language.

But what is the best way to find and remember new words? Here are our top tips for building an active vocabulary.

• Read and listen!

The best way to learn new words is to do it naturally: by reading and listening to English as much as possible. And if you read and listen to what you are truly interested in, you will be able to expand your vocabulary without even realizing it, as you will “absorb” the language within the interesting content.

• Make guesses

Research shows that the more effort you put into finding what a word means, the easier it is to remember it. So instead of reaching for , try guessing the meaning of any difficult word.

• Concentrate

The English language has thousands of words and... Which ones exactly should you learn? The answer is simple: high-frequency words. You may find frequently used or high frequency words in dialogues or conversations. Interestingly, research carried out by Oxford Online suggests that the top 3000 words in English make up 70% of the words we use.

• Pay attention to context

Write down any words you want to learn as part of model sentences - and never as separate words. When language is in context, you see how words fit together and how they are used. Also, try to group words into groups or thematic categories: shopping words, marketing terms... Research has shown that we group words in our minds according to themes or themes. If you do this with the words you are trying to learn, it will be easier for you to remember them. Once you "target" certain groups of words, you will find that some are much easier to remember than others. Next we will give the main tips for studying the most.

• Write them down!

Research has shown that when we write down words, we form a visual representation of them in our minds, which helps our memory record them more clearly.

• Break them down into their component parts!

Break up long or complex words. For example, by removing the prefix un- and suffix - able in a word uncomfortable, you will be left with the word comfort, which is most likely a word you already know.

• Use them!

Use new words as often as you can. Research has shown that once you have used a new word three times, you will never forget it.

• Read and listen... again!

Keep reading and listening as much as possible. The more you read and listen, the more likely you are to encounter the word you are studying in different contexts, which will allow you to learn more about the word itself and its uses.

• Look at them!

Try to find the word you want to learn and look at it often, remembering the word along the way.

• Speak up!

Repeating the words you study out loud will help you remember them. Experience shows that verbalizing speech makes it easier to assimilate.

• Compare!

Find as many examples of the word you are studying in sentences as you can. This way you will see it in a large number of different contexts at the same time. Just enter the word you are learning into the Google search bar and add “+ in a sentence.” Then print the results.

• Take notes!

Use a voice recorder to record how you pronounce the words you are studying in sentences. Then use the player to listen to these sentences while waiting for the bus, relaxing on the couch, or walking outside. Research has shown that the more ways a language is placed into the mind (through vision, hearing, etc.), the easier it is to remember.

• Check yourself!

Use flashcards to visualize your progress. Write the word in the sentence on one side of the card and the definition on the other side. Then check in with yourself throughout the day. If you have a smartphone or tablet computer, you could use flash applications such as Anki or Quizlet for this.

• Translate!

Translate the sentence with the keyword in it. Then test yourself by closing the English version and trying to translate a sentence from your native language to English.

• Get creative!

Use for really difficult words. Mnemonics are memory aids, such as pictures, poems, rhymes and stories, that you can use to help you remember things. For example, one Spanish-speaking student had difficulty with the word “hill.” So, he painted a picture in which he depicted Jesus Gil (a famous politician) on a hill (the surname “Gil” has a similar pronunciation to the word “hill”). After that he never forgot this word. Try to draw parallels between English words and words in your native language. And have fun learning new words!