How to quickly learn English vocabulary. How to learn English words: simple and modern tricks

Why is it difficult to memorize English words? And how to learn to remember English words quick and easy? - These questions are asked by many, so we will answer each of them in detail.

Why is it difficult to memorize English words?

Firstly, new english word is accurate information, i.e. information that you need to know exactly, 100%.

Try to "approximately" or "partially" pronounce the English word! Foreigners will not understand you. Therefore, it is very important to memorize English words accurately. BUT any exact information is poorly remembered, even after exhausting "cramming" only 20% remain in memory.

Knowing this feature of memory, our ancestors 2 thousand years ago created mnemonics - the art of memorization. Today, mnemonics has been enriched with new techniques, methods, techniques and is one of the components of the “Memory Development Systems”.

Secondly, remembering English words is difficult due to the incorrect organization of words. Please note that most books and dictionaries aimed at the formation vocabulary, compiled in alphabetical order, i.e. English words follow in alphabetical order. And this order is convenient only for word search but not for memorization.

Memorizing words in alphabetical order leads to the following negative consequences.

• The memorized word is difficult to remember, “get it out of memory”, because the English word was memorized without a block of words related to it in meaning, and “stored on the same shelf”.

  A word memorized in alphabetical order can be compared to a book that you want to find in a bookcase, but you don’t remember which shelf it is on and what topic it belongs to. And in order to find the right book, you will need to "dig through" the entire closet. But if you put this book on a shelf with books on the same subject, you would find it very quickly.

• When words are presented in alphabetical order, adjacent English words start with the same letter and differ little. And, as you know, homogeneous information is prone to forgetting, i.e. being memorized sequentially, words displace each other from memory.

  Therefore, it is very important that neighboring English words begin with different letters.

Thirdly, memorizing English words is difficult if you memorize a word without context. In addition, difficulties with memorization are associated with the ambiguity of English words.

Let us quote the famous psychologist A.N. Leontiev (“Lectures on general psychology 2001): “The difficulty is that if you teach like this dictionary words(foreign - Russian, foreign - Russian), then you will not know the language for a very simple reason: words, including foreign ones, are polysemantic. No value match. And another big annoyance. Do you know what a statistical dictionary is, a frequency one, where the frequency of using words in a language is indicated just next to the word as a frequency coefficient?

You see, high-frequency words are especially polysemantic, and low-frequency ones, that is, rarely found in the language, have a much smaller number of meanings, scientific terms should ideally not have many meanings at all (alas, ideally, because they are also polysemantic in practice). If we take a very common word and learn it in this way, nothing will come of it. Because if you open a dictionary, not quite small, but larger, 20-30 thousand, then you will see that against German, English, French words the first, second, third meanings of the word and so on, I'm not talking about changes in meanings in idioms.

Fourth, memorizing English words is difficult due to the wrong memorization sequence. By "sequence of memorization" is meant the sequence of memorization of the constituents of an English word. What are the components of an English word?

Take, for example, wedding ["wedIN] - a wedding

1. wedding is writing English word
2. ["wedIN] is pronunciation English word
3. wedding is translation English word

So, English word consists of three components: 1) spelling, 2) pronunciation, 3) translation. And most often, in this sequence you wrote down a new English word in a dictionary, and it is in this sequence that English words are presented in numerous books and dictionaries.

How did you start memorization?
- Of course, from writing, - you say and remember how many times you wrote down an English word on paper.
- And what did you do then?
- Then he said it out loud many times, i.e. "crammed": "["wedIN] is a wedding, ["wedIN] is a wedding..."

It turns out the following sequence of memorization:

writing - pronunciation - translation.

Memorization in this order is called "recognition" those. you need to see the English word written or heard to remember the translation. That is why we all read and translate English texts well. That is why we all, when traveling abroad, understand foreigners, but we cannot say anything. We can’t say, because we can’t quickly and easily remember the translation of the word, i.e. "reproduce" it from memory. This process is called "reproduction" and is the following sequence:

translation - pronunciation - spelling.

Memorizing an English word in this sequence guarantees a high quality of memorization and high speed recall, but using a specific method, which we will discuss below.

How to learn to memorize English words quickly and easily?

Obviously, you need to eliminate the above difficulties and learn:

• correctly prepare the material for memorization, i.e. a) group English words according to topics and situations of use; b) arrange English words so that adjacent words begin with different letters;
• memorize an English word in context according to the principle one English word - one context containing one translation;
• memorize in the correct sequence, i.e. translation - pronunciation - writing, using a certain method, of which mnemonics is an integral part.

Everything is clear, except for the third point, - you say, - What is this "certain method"?

This is a method of memorizing the words of any foreign language, called "Polyglot". With this method, you will learn to memorize 100 - 200 new English words a day quickly and easily!

The "Polyglot" method is a sequence of mental actions and operations that form the skill of memorization.

It is enough to memorize only 500 English words using this method to form a memorization skill. You will not think about how you memorize, your brain will use this method itself, and English words will “memorize themselves”. If you are interested theoretical part and details, you can familiarize yourself with them in another book “Secrets of memorizing irregular verbs of the English language” by E.E. Vasilyeva, V.Yu. Vasilyeva, where the “Polyglot” method is described in more detail.

POLYGLOT METHOD
(for independent memorization of English words)

1. Provide a translation of the word.
2. "Take a picture" is a foreign word.
3. Write a foreign word.

Let's use the "Polyglot" method to remember the English word:

beard
bied

1. "beard" is a translation
2. and bied is the pronunciation of the word (the second option is “Russian transcription”)
3. beard is the spelling of an English word

1. Provide a translation of the English word.

1) “Present a translation of the English word” means to present a “beard”.
Some may "see in their imagination" a beard hanging in the air, others - the face of a grandfather with a beard.

It is advisable, at first, to help yourself with questions:
What does this word remind me of?
- What does this word look like?
- What does this word have to do with me?

2) And then we form a “picture” based on beard image according to principle: "Place. Hero. Situation", i.e. we ask ourselves questions:
- Where?
- Who? What?
- What situation?

Important! When forming the “picture”, place the translation of the English word in the right context.

In this case, the word is unambiguous and the word "beard" conjures up the face of a grandfather with a beard. Next, we form a “picture”, i.e. we remember a familiar grandfather in a familiar place (Place. Hero), we connect as many sensations and feelings as possible.

Let's imagine a familiar grandfather with beard sitting on a bench in the park, we will hear cheerful children's voices, we will smell the flowers, we will feel the warm rays of the sun ...

Please note that the situation is some kind of interaction of heroes, and we have only one hero. Let's leave the “unfinished picture” alone for now and move on to another point.

1. Choose a consonant pronunciation Russian word.

Pronunciation is
bied

Let's choose a consonant Russian word for pronunciation, i.e. a word that has the same first sounds. In this case, the sound of the word "BIDON" is suitable. Please note that we highlight the matching consonant part in capital letters. It is desirable that the Russian consonant word designate an object or person.

1. Connect the image of the translation with the image of the consonant word.

The image of the translation is a familiar grandfather with beard, sitting on a bench in the park.
“Combine the image of the translation with the image of a consonant Russian word” means

- “complete the translation picture” by including a BIDON in it, as a result you will get a “key-phrase” connecting the words “beard” and “BIDON”, for example: “Grandfather accidentally dipped beard in a can with milk";

Holding in the imagination the "key - phrase" simultaneously say aloud 2-3 times: bIed

1. "Photograph" is an English word.

The English word is the word "beard ».
“Take a picture of an English word” means to highlight the word from all sides with yellow cards (size 6 x 7 cm) so that in the “window” there is only the word “beard ». Now let's set ourselves up to remember graphic image words (Remember the spelling!) and read the word aloud 2-3 times.

1. Write an English word.

Write an English word, i.e. write the word "beard » on a draft, without looking anywhere. Wrote once - checked, then write a second time, but without peeping. Recorded a second time - checked. And once again write down and check. It is important that you remember the spelling of the word from memory and do not peep anywhere! It is enough to write the word 3-5 times.

1. Check the quality of visual memory.

“Check the quality of visual memorization” means to write the word backwards, from right to left, so that the word is read correctly.
For example: ....d
...rd
..ard
.eard
beard

If you correctly spelled the word the other way around, then you can be congratulated, you have memorized the spelling of the English word by 100%!

1. Write down on a card for further repetition.

On one side of the card, write down the translation of the word, i.e. "beard » , and on the other hand, write down the English word "beard ».

It is important to do two repetitions:
- repetition No. 1: according to the translation, i.e. remember the English word to the Russian word, having previously shuffled all the cards,
- repetition No. 2: according to the English word, we recall the Russian translation.

It is important that you first complete steps 1, 2 and 3 on a prepared list of words (50 - 200 English words), and then complete steps 4, 5, 6 with the same list of words.

Remember! English words need to be memorized not one at a time, but in lists grouped by topic!

To memorize English words on your own using the Polyglot method, you first need to develop certain abilities and form some skills using simpler technology. Such a technology that allows you to memorize 200-500 English words in 1 lesson is the “ENGLISH-memory” technology. This technology contains "easy-to-learn" material in the form of "keys - phrases", and you just have to read the "key - phrase" and submit!

“We forget words just like names. Vocabulary must be constantly fertilized, otherwise it will perish.” Evelyn Waugh, British writer

When starting to learn English, many people want to find the easiest and fastest way to achieve their goal. And since one of the most important goals is, the question arises: how to learn words easily and quickly? Words can really be learned easily, you can learn quickly, but you have to choose - either quickly, but with the sweat of your brow, or easily, but slowly.

I call these two ways of remembering words easy and difficult.

• the hard way- this is memorizing words with the help of cards, exercises, when you take a set of, say, 20 words and purposefully memorize them. I call this method difficult because it requires effort to memorize. In fact, after a little practice, memorizing words no longer seems difficult.
• easy way- this is a passing, latent memorization while reading, listening, communicating in English. I call this method easy because you don't make any effort to purposefully memorize, but just read, watch, etc.

Easy but slow way to learn English words

Let's start with an easy but slow way - practice. Surely you have heard that the best vocabulary, and knowledge of the language in general, develops in the process of practice: reading, listening, speaking and writing.

Indeed, when you read books, look, some of the words settle in your memory. Words that are often repeated or guessed from the context are remembered. If you come across difficult and at the same time important words for understanding the plot, you have to look for their meaning - such words can also be remembered. When you write or speak, you have to activate your vocabulary, fishing out words, expressions, integers from memory. The more often you use words in speech, the easier they are remembered next time.

Practice is an easy way to learn words. You do not study, do not study in the usual sense of the word - with a notebook, a textbook, but simply read for your own pleasure, watch a series or communicate. But, unfortunately, it cannot be said that reading or listening is fast way learn words. Yes, words are remembered qualitatively, with reference to the context, but in a small amount.

A quick but difficult way to memorize English words

On the other hand, there is a quick way with which you can learn about 20, 50, 100 or even more words in one go - this is memorizing words using double-sided cards.

Why flashcards are an effective way to learn words on your own?

Cards are effective because they use the principle of active recall.

Active recall- This is the principle of effective memorization of information, based on the active stimulation of memory during the memorization process. Its opposite is passive review, when information is not retrieved from memory, but simply read.

For example, if you are reading a history textbook, this is passive repetition. If you answer the question "What were the prerequisites for the Decembrist uprising?" is active recall.

Information is remembered better, better, if it is not just read from the carrier (read the chapter of the textbook), but also “pumped” with the help of active recall (retell the chapter and answer the teacher’s questions). It is the poet who often in the textbooks at the end of the paragraph gives questions for self-examination - by answering them, you will avoid the effect of “it flew in one ear, flew out of the other”.

The easiest way to apply this principle to memorizing words is to use ordinary double-sided flashcards with an English word (expression) on one side and Russian on the other.

The easiest way to learn words from flashcards is this:

• We make cardboard cards of a convenient size,
• We write the English word on one side, and the translation on the other - at this stage, the initial acquaintance with the “questions” and “answers” ​​takes place.
• We look at one side, guess the other.
• We turn over the card and check the guess.

It turns out that by looking at the card, you got question, then goes active recall- an attempt to remember the meaning of the word. Turning over the card, you check answer. The key point is recall, it is at this stage that memory is actively working, and information is remembered.

If you did not make a set of cards yourself, but took a ready-made one, you first need to look through them so that an initial acquaintance occurs, that is, so that there is something to remember later.

Cardboard and electronic cards

Cards can be used cardboard and electronic. I used both of them a lot, and I will tell you about both options.

Cardboard cards

Flashcards are a simple yet extremely useful language learning tool.

Above I gave simplest way learn words using cardboard cards: look at one side, remember the other. To help memorize words more effectively, I recommend:

• Words need to be driven in both directions: from English to Russian (easier) and from Russian to English (harder). If you remember that "birch" is "birch", this does not mean that you will remember that "birch" is "birch".
• Read the words and say the answer aloud - it helps to remember the word, and the correct pronunciation, and the answer.
• On the first try, you can guess only a few words from the deck, on the second - more. Put the guessed and unguessed words in different piles and run the deck until you can guess all the words without hesitation.
• Ideally, words should be remembered instantly, automatically.
• Equate the slightest hesitation in the answer with the wrong answer.
• If you have memorized words, but they are not remembered well, there is a way to bring recognition to instantaneous: work through the deck several times with a stopwatch, each time trying to beat the previous time.

You can read more about how to learn words from cardboard cards in the article:

There is a significant drawback in working with cardboard cards: they need to be made and stored. I myself did a lot of work with cards, and I remember that it took longer to cut cardboard into eight pieces and sign them than to learn words.

Electronic cards

With electronic cards, the basic principle is the same: look at the word, remember the translation, check the answer. But the electronic format provides many conveniences and opportunities:

• It's easier to make cards, no need to store them.
• Cards can be made with pictures, automatic voice acting.
• There are modes, exercises that are impossible with cardboard cards (for example, typing a word from dictation).
• With the help of the word, you can always take it with you and repeat it anywhere.
• Big choice programs for memorizing words.

The last point is not only a plus, but also a problem. There are so many programs with flash cards that it is difficult to choose one. My favorites are Quizlet and Lingualeo.

• - service for working with cards. If you're looking for an electronic alternative to paper cards, Quizlet is a great choice. The program has six modes of learning words, including two games. It is very convenient to create sets of words - both by one card, as well as by copying / pasting a list from a file. Words are automatically voiced.
• . Vocabulary learning is just one of the functions of this versatile service. It is inconvenient to add words manually, but in Lingualeo it is very convenient to save and then learn the words added while reading or watching a video (words can be saved to the dictionary directly from the subtitles). Using the LeoTranslator browser plugin (only works in the Chrome browser), words can be saved to the Lingvaleo dictionary and other sites. Voice, transcription, picture are automatically added to the words.

If you want to compose word sets yourself, it's more convenient to use Quizlet. To memorize words while reading texts on the Internet (on English-language sites), Lingualeo is very convenient - you will need to install the LeoTranslator plugin for the browser.

In what cases does it make sense to learn words from cards?

With the help of flashcards, you can learn a lot of words in a short time, but this is not always necessary. Cards are relevant in the following cases:

• You need to quickly gain a minimum of vocabulary, at least the first 500 words. Without this minimum, it will not be possible to read, listen, talk.
• You have a basic vocabulary, but you need to learn vocabulary on a specific topic, for example, or words written out while reading a book, watching a movie.
• You are preparing for an exam.

Basically, cards are useful for beginners, but if you have a level that allows you to read and listen at least, look, understand at least the general meaning, talk with mistakes and actively gesticulate, then it is better to focus on practice: read more, listen, communicate.

How not to forget the learned words?

Learned information is quickly and inevitably forgotten if it is not used. Even almost clean.

However, forgetting can be minimized:

• Learn the right words. If you are learning words that are not commonly used, they will most likely come across very rarely. First of all, you need to learn.
• Learn words well. With the help of cards, it is better to learn words so that they are recognized instantly, without any movement of the convolutions. If the word is “under-educated”, then you may not recognize it.
• Repeat words. Before you start new set words, repeat the previous one - this simple rule will significantly increase the efficiency of your study.
• Practice, practice, practice! Once you've learned a word, it gets into your memory, but it's solidified when you encounter it while reading, listening, or using it in conversation. Without practice in reading, listening, writing and speaking, all your efforts are not only futile, but meaningless. Why learn a language if you don't use it?

Do not learn too many words a day, raising the bar too high. Many without problems memorize 10-20 words in one go. I was able to learn about 50 words in one sitting, and over 200 words during the day. But I noticed that if you move too fast, more words are forgotten, and in general it is difficult to hold out at such a pace for a long time.

How, by combining two methods, to learn words quickly and easily?

• Read the text on English language,
• Write down unfamiliar words
• Make up sets of cards with these words and memorize them.

A few tips:

• Read only what you are really interested in
• Write down not all unfamiliar words in a row (this way you will quickly lose interest in reading), but only words that are important for understanding the text or words that seem useful.
• Write out not only words, but also phrases, especially useful ones, such as politeness formulas, greetings, etc.

Personally, I did this: if I read a paper book or on the phone, wrote out the words with a pen in a notebook or saved them in notes on the phone, then I created sets of cards and repeated the words. Sometimes I was too lazy, and I didn’t make flashcards, but simply looked through the notes, repeating the written words - even this way helps me remember them. If I read in the browser, I saved the words with the help of “LeoTranslator” and then repeated it with the help of flashcards in Lingvaleo or simply by looking at the list.

You can also combine the two methods with the help of films, series, TV shows in English: watch a movie, writing out interesting words along the way, and then learn them. The big inconvenience is that the film will often have to be paused. In this regard, the service is convenient. It is enough to hover over the subtitles and the film is paused, click on the word - the translation pops up, and the word is saved to the dictionary. There is a minimum of distraction.

Conclusion

Words can be learned quickly, in large numbers, using the “hard way” - with the help of cards and various exercises. This makes sense if you need, for example, to learn words on a specific topic or gain a starting minimum vocabulary. It is important to understand that if you do not read, listen, communicate in English, that is, use a foreign language for its intended purpose, over time, even firmly memorized words will fade from memory.

On the other hand, words can be learned through practice: by reading, listening, speaking in English. Some of the words will settle in the memory simply due to repetition, understanding their meaning from the context. The nuance is that constant and very extensive practice is needed in order to actively replenish vocabulary using this method.

Methods can be combined - many do. Read in English, watch films without translation, and if useful words come across in the process, write them down to clarify the meaning, repeat, learn. Actually, this applies to the native language as well.

photo tumblr.com

THREE SCIENCE-BASED METHODS THAT WORK

You learn, you learn these words, but there is no sense! After a couple of days everything is forgotten.

Use a scientific approach to memorization! We present you three scientifically based methods that will allow you to quickly and permanently memorize foreign words.

HOW MANY WORDS SHOULD YOU KNOW?

First, let's figure out how many words you need to learn in order to begin to understand most foreign speech, and express your thoughts yourself. A five-year-old child living in an English-speaking country uses 4,000-5,000 words, and a university graduate uses about 20,000 words. However, a person who learns English as a foreign language has a vocabulary of only 5,000 words, despite several years of study.

But there is also good news : a vocabulary of 2,000 words is enough to understand 80% of foreign speech. To this conclusion researchers came based on the analysis of the Brown Corpus (Brown Corpus). A linguistic corpus is a collection of texts on various topics.

Interestingly, after you have learned 2,000 words, replenishing your vocabulary for each subsequent 1,000 words allows you to increase the volume of understood text by only 3-4%.

HOW TO REMEMBER A WORD QUICKLY?

The first question that interests everyone is how to quickly memorize foreign words?

Scientists have come to the conclusion that information is remembered faster, which has an emotional connotation. Accordingly, it is a good idea to learn words through games, riddles, movies. I liked the song - do not be too lazy to look at the translation of incomprehensible words. These words will forever be associated with the song you like, which means they will leave an emotional trace in your memory.

An excellent technique is a mnemonic. Create colorful associations - this will allow you to remember even hard-to-pronounce words. Usage example: the word weather is similar to the Russian word wind, we build a wind-weather pair in our head, remember forever that weather translates to weather. There are special reference books where you can find various mnemonic techniques for memorizing English words. However, it is better to come up with such associations on your own, since our associations and emotions are strictly individual.

HOW CAN YOU NOT FORGET A WORD AS QUICKLY?

So, you learned a couple of hundred words, but after a week, about ten of them remained in your memory. What is the problem? This is due to the existence of short-term and long-term memory. The mechanisms of short-term memory allow you to store information for 15-30 minutes, then, noticing that this information finds no use, the brain gets rid of it as something unnecessary. How can we make it clear to the brain that we really need these words? The answer is repetition. It's like with Pavlov's dog: the light bulb lights up - saliva is released. However, it is released only after 5-10 repetitions of the food + light chain. If food is not served when the light is turned on, the association of the light bulb with food in the dog's brain will be destroyed, and saliva will cease to be produced.

So how many times does a word need to be repeated in order for it to stably move from short-term to long-term memory?

German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus developed the Forgetting Curve, which characterizes the amount of information lost over time in the absence of repetition. During the first 20 minutes after learning the words, we will already remember 60%, and within 1 hour we will lose more than 50% of the information. Then, over time, more and more information will be erased, and by day 3, only 20% of the information will remain in memory. Thus, if you miss at least one day in repetition, you will not return the forgotten words.

The conclusion is obvious: without repetition, nowhere. Use words in speech, make up stories using new words, play flashcards on your smartphone for at least a couple of minutes a day - all this will help you save the learned words. Otherwise, the time spent on their initial study will simply be wasted.

We suggest using the following repetition schedule:

• 10-15 minutes after learning the words;
• After 50-60 minutes;
• The next day;
• After 1 day;
• After 2 days.

After that, most of the information will be fixed for life.

HOW TO EXPRESS THOUGHTS FASTER?

I really want foreign words to flow from my mouth without requiring excessive brain tension and several minutes to formulate a phrase. There is an opportunity to accelerate the formation of foreign speech - this is the development of muscle memory. By muscles here we mean the muscles of our articulatory apparatus. These muscles, like the muscles of the legs when riding a bicycle or the muscles of the fingers of a pianist, have a memory that allows you to perform automated movements almost unconsciously.

In order for muscle memory to form, it is important when learning words to pronounce them out loud, making movements with the tongue and lips. It is also useful to simultaneously present an image of the subject being studied. Over time, you will no longer think about what word to say - the muscles will do it automatically.

Thus, the correct organization of the work of the brain in the formation of short-term, long-term and muscle memory will allow you to quickly and permanently replenish your vocabulary.

Good luck with your learning!

Boring English for children and adults!

The study foreign languages includes such processes as: listening, reading, pronunciation and familiarity with vocabulary. And most of the time it takes at first glance the simplest of them - knowledge of vocabulary. At the same time, it is also the most important aspect, because all other processes are tied to it. Therefore, our today's material is entirely devoted to tips and techniques for learning vocabulary. In the article we will tell you what vocabulary is optimal for spoken English, how to quickly learn English words and where to draw a new one. lexical material. With the tips presented, your classes will surely become much easier and more effective. Let's get to work!

Before we learn how to memorize English words correctly, let's decide how many of them are required for free colloquial speech.

Immediately make a reservation that it is difficult to give an exact figure. Various sources most often mention an interval of 2,500 - 4,000 words, but there are a number of questions about this figure. At the very least, it is unclear what exactly these words are, and in what area they are intended for communication. Therefore, we propose in search of an answer to the question " how many words in english do you need to know", repel from general level knowledge and potential topics of communication. To do this, we introduce the term "meaningful words".

Meaningful words - these are the words, expressions and phrases that you can actively use in conversations.

Speaking in more detail, this is not all the material that you have learned and almost forgotten safely, but the part that is successfully used in speech. As a rule, this is an active vocabulary that is found in the speech of the English every day. And it is very important that you not only understand what the conversation is about in English, but also use these phrases in it yourself. So, here are some stats.

Approximately this number of words and expressions in English must be memorized to achieve a certain level of knowledge.

Where and how to look for words and expressions in English

And another important aspect is the correct selection of topics for study. There are often problems with this learning moment, especially for beginner students. So, first we will tell you how NOT to work with the vocabulary of a foreign language.

1. Don't memorize random words - for example, they opened a dictionary on any page and began to learn everything in a row. Yes, you will remember a certain number of words in this way, but it is unlikely that you will ever really use them in speech.
2. Do not seek to get acquainted with specific vocabulary - at the initial level of knowledge, you still cannot use slang or professional jargon in speech. And without active use, knowledge is gradually forgotten.
3. Don't overload yourself - all these 50 or 100 new English words every day sound very attractive, but bring little benefit. First, when there are a lot of words, they all settle in short-term memory, and the next morning more than half of the list is forgotten. Secondly, it is impossible to work through such a number of words every day in a speech context, therefore, they will soon be forgotten again.

These are three global mistakes that prevent you from quickly memorizing words in English and using them in your speech.

Now let's move on to reverse side medals, and tell you how to learn English words correctly. Here, in fact, everything is simple and just one piece of advice is enough - study should be useful and exciting. In order not to get bored, choose topics that are interesting to you, and take advantage of the language from the construction of phrases and dialogues. Even if you have no one to communicate with yet, play the dialogues by roles alone. So you will start speaking and automatically thinking in English faster.

For classes, try to choose words that are either related in terms of a particular topic, or are very popular and are used everywhere. In this case, having memorized a few words, you can already link them into a meaningful dialogue, that is, turn the memorized material into a full-fledged conversation in English. Where to get such vocabulary? There are many sources, for example:

• thematic collections;
• lists and tops of popular English words;
• vocabulary from books, songs, films and radio programs;
• teaching aids and phrasebooks.

So, if you take English words on the topic “Food” for study, then by memorizing a few verbs and nouns, you can already build a phrase: I eat an apple ( I am eating an apple); she eats rice with vegetables She eats rice with vegetables) etc. This is the point effective learning: not just memorize translation and spelling, but be able to use the word.

Now, having mastered the main principles of working with vocabulary, we set off to select the most effective method memorization of English words.

How to quickly learn English words - techniques and tips

All learners want to memorize English words quickly and easily. But of course there is no such universal way, which allows you to learn 100 English words in 5 minutes and not forget any of them. However, it is quite possible to learn to quickly memorize vocabulary and be able to hold it in memory for a long time. To do this, you just need to be able to choose the right technique. In this section, we will introduce you to the best of them.

mnemonics

The question of how to quickly learn a lot of English words has been considered by many linguists and scientists. Thanks to their searches and efforts, a unique method of memorization was invented. foreign words based on how memory works.

The standard approach to the study of vocabulary is carried out according to the following scheme: English writing - transcription - translation. With this method, the memorized word is recognized first of all by spelling, i.e. clearly. Therefore, we read and translate texts well, but in conversation we often get lost and cannot remember the appropriate expression.

The mnemonics method proposes an inverse scheme: meaning - sound - spelling. At the same time, work with translation and pronunciation is carried out with the help of native language associations.

For example, take the word monkey [monkey] - a monkey. The student's task is to present a vivid image of a monkey and associate it with a phrase consonant with the English word. For example, a MONKEY ate a plate of MONEY, or just a MONKEY ate a MONKEY. And imagine how a monkey eats semolina. A bright and consonant image of 100% will remain in your memory for a long time, and when you need to talk about monkeys in English, the word "manki" will automatically be remembered.

Mnemonics is the most popular method of memorizing new information. If you urgently need to learn English words for a dictation or an exam, this technique will not be equal in efficiency. But, if associative thinking is not at all your forte, then it is better to choose another easy and quick way to remember English words.

Audio, video, writing, logic diagrams and maps

This is not really a technique, but rather advice: if you want to learn words in English as quickly as possible, include your individual qualities in the work.

• Are you better at hearing information? Listen to special audio recordings or record your own audio lessons.
• Prefer visual design? Watch videos with popular vocabulary, study words with pictures, make up images for the studied expressions on your own.
• Accustomed to more trust feelings? Learn vocabulary in writing or on the move. Rewrite thematic collections of words manually, enliven words with gestures and movements, tap out the rhythm of syllables.
• Your all logic and strict ordering of the studied material? Make thematic diagrams or mind maps (smart maps). For example, words on the topic "apartment" are studied. Logical nodes of the scheme: room-kitchen-bathroom-corridor. From these bases there are ramifications into typical interior items: bathroom - shower, washbasin, tiles; corridor - hanger, mirror, bedside table, etc..

Cards

The classic way of learning vocabulary, which has been successfully tested by millions of people. Flashcards help beginners learn English, and provide a quick memorization of large volumes of vocabulary.

The point is simple. A thematic selection of cards is taken. Each card contains the translation and transcription on one side, and the English spelling of the word and sometimes a picture on the other. The task of the student is to work alternately with one of the parties, reproducing information from the back in memory.

For example, at first we learn words according to the traditional scheme: we look at the English word and remember the Russian translation. This is the first stage of the lesson. Then we take a break for 10 minutes, and carry out the reverse process: we look at the Russian translation, remember the English spelling and pronunciation.

After two circles, we again take a break, and we consolidate the studied material by building sentences. In the first lessons, these are, of course, Russian sentences with an insertion of an English word: I (I) reading a book. And a little later we will switch to the full English phrases: Ireada book (book).

Own dictionary

Almost all people who have learned English remember their notebook with written words. You may ask why in the modern world such a relic of the past, when you can take any list of words from the Internet. Well, we will answer: just to make it easier and better to memorize English words.

For effective memorization of information, one must be able not only to perceive it correctly, but also to process it “for oneself”. This is the law of any activity. Our own thoughts, ideas and actions are processed by our brain much better than copying, and even more so memorizing, other people's ideas.

Therefore, get used to keeping your own dictionary of words in English. Write down the most difficult expressions to remember in it and repeat them when you have a free minute. For even greater efficiency, after each scribbled page, conduct a test dictation in English.

After a few lessons, you will feel your progress and see for yourself that a seemingly simple “notebook” is a necessary and irreplaceable thing when learning a foreign language.

Stickers

Adhesive multi-colored pieces of paper are used not only for office notes, but also as a language learning tool. Let's say you master the topic "Kitchen", which includes words on the topics:

• tableware;
• furniture;
• Appliances;
• plumbing;
• food and meals.

How easy it is to memorize such a volume of different English vocabulary? Yes, very simple. Go to your own kitchen and put stickers on the objects you study with English titles. Your gaze will cling to a bright piece of paper and constantly resemble the English word for this subject. The main thing is to look into the kitchen more often.

The same can be done with almost any topic. It is not even necessary that you have an object of suitable value. For example, you are learning irregular verbs. Write out some forms that are difficult for you on a sticker and stick it on the monitor. Now, when you decide to work on the computer, your eyes will also cling to the paper, and you will say the forms again irregular verbs. A couple of such mini-lessons - and you yourself will not notice how you remember the material.

Thus, stickers are an effective method of how to quickly and easily learn English words in a short period of time. It has practically no drawbacks if you act according to the above methodology. Unless, households will object to the abundance of stickers.

Mobile apps and games

With modern gadgets and Internet access, you can quickly study any information.

So, for different mobile platforms, many applications for learning English words have been developed. They are small electronic collections on everyday and the most popular topics for communication. As a rule, the study of words is checked in several aspects at once:

• spelling;
• listening comprehension;
• independent pronunciation.

And that's a big plus. this method learning. But, it also has several significant disadvantages.

The most important disadvantages mobile applications for the study of foreign languages ​​- this is a small amount of vocabulary and ease of guessing words. Often the expressions come in the same sequence or right word logically guessed from the picture. This method does not contribute to the work of the brain at full capacity, respectively, and memory is not included in full force. And this is true, most likely just a game than a full-fledged training.

Somewhat more serious are specialized sites that help users learn words. Here the lesson has a similar format, but thematic selections are more saturated and control over the development of information is more strict. But, we would also recommend them only as an additional source of information or a way to conduct an English lesson outside the box. After all, it is also no secret to anyone that it is impossible to conduct the same lessons every day. Variety is the key to successful language acquisition. This is where interactive apps come in handy.

Spaced repetitions

This technique is incredibly effective, and even if you have chosen a different way of learning words for yourself, we recommend combining it with this method. Believe me positive results will not keep you waiting.

The essence of interval learning is to repeat all the learned material at strictly defined intervals. First, 15 minutes after the lesson, then an hour later, a day, 3 days, a week, 10 days, 3 weeks, a month, 3 months, 6 months, etc. The exact interval schedule can be adjusted to individual memory characteristics. The main thing is to strictly observe the regularity of classes.

Let's say you just learned the word invisible ( invisible). Now it is in short-term memory, i.e. this information was remembered for a short time. Rest for 15 minutes, and then try to make a sentence with this word. After an hour, come up with another phrase. The next day, repeat the memorized word again using the new context. And so on, according to the schedule. The constant reference to memory will make the brain understand that this information is very important and deserves to be in long-term memory.

You will probably say that this is not a fast way at all. Yes, in part. But we are talking about how to learn English words, and not memorize them for one day to write a dictation or pass an exam. A thorough memorization involves the application of certain efforts and time. And for urgent memorization, we have already given several effective methods above.

But, even if your task is only to learn 30 new words for tomorrow's English dictation, do not be lazy to repeat them in the evening after the exam and in a couple of days. And then the efforts made will bring not only a positive evaluation, but will also be a successful investment in general knowledge of the English language.

That's all. Prepare vocabulary, choose your favorite technique, do not be lazy to conduct spaced repetitions and you will definitely achieve fluency in English. Good luck and see you soon!

In this article, we will talk about how to memorize English words and make new vocabulary easy to learn. When our brain receives new information, it perceives and then stores it. We may refer to the stored information in the future. If we can't recover anything, then something from the previous phases went wrong. There are several types of memory - short-term, long-term, perceptual memory, etc. The latter receives information through the work of the senses - when we see something, touch it, smell it. Short-term, also called working, stores small pieces of information for short periods of time. When we need to remember a word, we must use the long-term. How to do it most effectively?

Memory is like a muscle, it can atrophy if it doesn't work. Every ability that is neglected weakens. And then it disappears altogether. Memory training is very important in how to learn English words quickly. The best way to do this is by constant repetition. If you want your memory to work well, then make it work a little every day. The main purpose of repetition is to make new information stay in our head for a long time without the application of incredible effort.

Please note: one of the most important rules on how to make an active vocabulary out of a passive one is to introduce new words into your vocabulary. colloquial speech and use them as often as possible.

Method 1. Constantly repeat

From the foregoing, it follows that constant repetition is the key to effective vocabulary acquisition. This does not mean that you have to re-read your dictionary all day long. Give new vocabulary time every day, you will always have 15 minutes to look into the dictionary and make sentences with the vocabulary you need. If you have the opportunity to communicate in English, then the question "how to learn English words" should not be a problem - immediately introduce new words (of course, when it is relevant) into your speech.

Method 2: Turn on your emotions

Emotional attachment and imagination are very important in memorizing new words. Emotions can even double the amount of information we remember. Be interested in what you are learning. Choose interesting and exciting films and books in English for you, read jokes and short funny stories. Look up translations of your favorite songs, and then try to distinguish the words in the flow of speech. Learning does not have to be boring - develop your own path, following which it will be interesting for you to learn the language in the first place.

If you are only on initial stage learning a language, then pick up films in Russian with English subtitles, instead of books, try to pick up short stories which you can easily read.

Method 3. Speak the words

Here is another example of how to learn English words. It is no secret that it is easier for each person to memorize, guided by different senses. For example, for some it is better to see a word and remember it visually, while for others it is very important to know its sound form. Pronounce the words, try to imitate the sound form that you hear in the speech of an English-speaking person. If you are watching a movie or listening to a song, do not be too lazy to repeat the words or phrases you like.

Method 4. Learn words in context

Remembering English words will become much easier if you "select" them from the text. Teach a large number of words without reference to the context is meaningless, because they will not be remembered well, and you will not be able to use them effectively in speech. Try to learn the thematic vocabulary you need in groups from the relevant texts.

Why is context still so important when learning words? The meaning of a word can change depending on the context. For example, when studying the verb get, you will come across the fact that this verb has a very large number of meanings. Which one should be remembered first? When you meet a word in a text, you memorize those meanings that are more popular and most used. Let's look at examples of sentences with the same verbs.

verb to get

I got out of the car and saw her walking down the street. I got out of the car and saw her walking down the street.

I don't get what you mean. “I don't understand what you mean.

I got the parcel yesterday, but forgot to unpack it. I received the parcel yesterday, but I forgot to unpack it.

I got in the bed and started reading the book. I climbed into bed and started reading a book.

Get ready - we will arrive in 5 minutes. Get ready - we'll arrive in 5 minutes.

As you can see, the same verb surrounded by different text has different meanings.

Get up - get up

Method 5. Read, read and read again

it good way how to quickly memorize English words. Select literature according to your level of knowledge of the language. If you are learning English to communicate on a specific topic, then choose the appropriate texts. For example, people who learn English for business communication should definitely read newspapers. The more texts you master, the better repeated words will be remembered, which then you can freely use in your speech, because. you have already seen their use in various texts.

Do not write out all the words in a row, achieve understanding of the text. Keep a dictionary, however, "do not overload" it with a huge mass of words that you will not only remember, but will be quite difficult to reread.

Method 6. Connect intuition and knowledge of grammar

Often in different languages There are words that are very similar in both sound and spelling. If, for example, you are reading a book, then do not pay attention to them, because. your intuition will tell you their meaning. Let's look at examples of such words:

• Computer - computer.
• Organization - organization.
• Number - number.
• Identical - identical.
• Minute - minute.
• Second - second.
• Motorcycle - a motorcycle.
• Program - program.
• Telephone - telephone.
• Grammar - grammar.
• Nose - nose.

Knowing the meaning of prefixes and suffixes will also help you determine the meaning of a word if you understand the meaning of the root.

Prefixes

For example, the prefix dis means separation, the negative meaning of the word.

• Disconnect - disconnect (connect - connect).
• Divide - to divide.
• Distant - remote.
• Distribute - distribute.
• Divorce - divorce.
• Dishonest - dishonest (honest - honest).
• Disrespect - disrespect (respect - respect).
• Disbelief - disbelief (belief - faith).
• Disgrace - shame (grace - grace, decency).

In denotes movement towards the object, inside.

• Inside - inside.
• Income - arrival.
• Inflow - inflow.
• Inbound - arriving.
• Internal - internal.
• Inward - internal.
• Intake - reception.
• inland- inner part countries.

The re prefix often carries the connotation of repetitive action.

• Repeat - repeat.
• Renew - update.
• Retell - retell.
• Review - review.
• Revolve - rotate.
• Rename - rename.
• Remind - remind.
• Remember - remember.
• Replace - replace.

The un prefix denotes the opposite meaning.

• Undo - redo (do - do).
• Unhappy - unhappy (happy - happy).
• Unsatisfied - dissatisfied (satisfied - satisfied).
• Unlock - unlock (lock - lock).
• Unpack - unpack (pack - pack).
• Unemployed - unemployed (employed - hired).

Suffixes

The suffix -er is often used in comparisons.

• Big - bigger (big - more).
• Small - smaller (small - smaller).
• Kind - kinder (kind - kinder).
• Bright - brighter (bright - brighter).
• Funny - funnier (funny - funnier).
• Red - redder (red - redder).
• Clean - cleaner (clean - cleaner).

The suffix less has the meaning "without" or "not under the influence".

• Friendly - not having friends.
• Tireless - tireless.
• Clueless - no idea.
• Priceless - priceless.

We often use the -est suffix to indicate superlatives adjective, denote the meaning of "most".

• The coldest - the coldest.
• The hottest - the hottest.
• The greatest - the greatest, greatest.
• The busiest - the busiest.
• The longest - the longest.

Method 7. Make Mind Maps

Mind map is a scheme in which we associate certain vocabulary with some concept or event. In this case, new words may belong to different parts speech. Words will be remembered more easily thanks to associations, as well as division into groups.

Let's look at an example of a small similar scheme that will demonstrate how to quickly memorize English words. For example, you want to learn vocabulary related to the office. The main word in this scheme will be office. Another word will depart from this word, let's call it a word of the second rank, it will include all the actions that people usually perform from day to day while in the office. This word work - to work. We will refer to it the following lexical group:

• To call - call.
• To wait - wait.
• To argue - to argue.
• To discuss - discuss.
• To write - write.
• To type - print.
• To sign - to sign.

Mind map - associative map

We can also make a group of words that describe all the main objects that can be seen in the office. This group can be called furniture and equipment (furniture and equipment).

• Desk - a table.
• Task chair - office chair.
• Telephone - telephone.
• Computer - computer.
• keyboard - keyboard.
• Monitor - monitor.
• Printer - printer.
• Calendar - calendar.
• Noticeboard - notice board.

• Pen - pen.
• Pencil - a pencil.
• Marker - marker.
• Scissors - scissors.
• Paper clips - paper clips.
• Stapler - stapler.
• Paper - paper.

Office supplies - office supplies

Repeat the basic principles for memorizing words: