Getting a grip on words:
1. Take a positive attitude towards building your vocabulary. - Remember that you have passive vocabulary of
words that you understand but rarely or never use. There are also a lot of
words that you have seen or heard more than once but feel rather hazy about. Make
a real effort to move words from these lists into list of words that you feel
comfortable about using.
2. Use a good dictionary and thesaurus.- If you need to
find out or check the meanings of words. Use a good dictionary. Work at it to
make sure that you can use it efficiently and confidently. When writing, make
use of a good thesaurus to find all the possible words and then to choose the
best for your purpose.
3. Remember that there is
always a choice of words. - Especially when writing, don’t just settle for the first word
the comes into your head. Think of other words that might be more accurate or
more suitable. Whenever possible use a thesaurus to widen the choice of words
available to you.
4. Think about your audience’s skills and knowledge. - We use words to
communicate and communication is a two way process. Think about who will hear
or read your words. Make an assessment of their language skills and try to
avoid words they will find difficult or impossible to understand. Think also of
their knowledge of the subject you are talking or writing about. Use terms that
they may not be familiar with. Make sure that you explain it the first time you
use it.
5. Think about the social setting in which you are communicating. - Communication isn’t just
about using language accurately; it also involves thinking about your
relationship with your audience. Words that are fine in one social setting will
jar horribly in another. So think about formality and informality. By all means
use colloquial language and even slang in the right context, but if you are
unsure of your audience, avoid slang like the plague.
6. Avoid jargon.- Jargon is fun for insiders
but can be guaranteed to irritate everyone else. So unless you are in the
company of ‘consenting adults in private’. Don’t use it.
7. Tune n to new words but don’t be seduced by them. - Language is a living organism
and words grow old and die, just as new words are born. English is a world language.
It is par excellence the language of the internet. So new words come flooding
into it from all over the globe. Some of these will become a part of the
language and will be widely used. Most will soon fade and die. So be aware of
new words, cherish them. If you do, you will probably end up looking
ridiculous.
8. Learn more about how words are used in sentences.- You cannot develop your
vocabulary or use dictionaries and other word reference books effectively
unless you have a basic knowledge of how words work in sentences . This will
also benefit your use of the language as a whole. Especially your writing.
9. Understand word structure and use your knowledge to tackle
new words. –Many words are constructed from common parts. Work to understand this system:
learn the meaning of common prefixes and the uses of suffixes in the building
of new words. Use this knowledge to help with any long words that bother you.
10. Have fun with words. – The English language is a wonderful
thing: infinitely expressive, remarkably flexible, and growing in scope all the
time. So don’t let words master you- get a grip on them. And enjoy them.
