How to learn foreign words in 5 minutes. How to remember English words? How to quickly learn English words? Learn English words

Knowing English in the 21st century is not just a way to broaden your horizons and once again prove your erudition, but also a real necessity. Without the ability to communicate and express yourself freely, the doors to the world outside the post-Soviet space are actually closed. And even more so, there can be no talk of any career advancement either. But if the logical basics (rules for constructing sentences, questions, punctuation) can be learned without any problems, then the question of how to memorize English words remains one of the most difficult for most people.

Say NO to cramming!

The root of the problem lies in the education system itself - at school and university we are forced to memorize new expressions. I retold the text, translated the passage, roughly speaking, “shot back” - and you can safely forget. But you won’t be able to expand your vocabulary this way. Therefore, it is worth listening to the opinions of experienced teachers and psychologists and finding out how to learn English words correctly.

Do you know why it's difficult for you?

In fact, when we learn English words (or try to do so), we often simply do not realize why we need all the information we receive and what exact function it will perform for us in the future. In fact, it is enough to overcome this barrier - and the process of memorization will become absolutely natural and enjoyable.

To achieve results and understand how easy it is to memorize English words, you just need to transfer new foreign expressions from the “foreign” category to the “your own” category. The process of filtering all information occurs uncontrollably in a person - the subconscious itself decides which part of it to skip, which part to retain, and which part to pass in an altered, distorted form. And the first thing we have to do is “hack” this filter.

How to do it?

To make this possible, you first need to reduce as much as possible the stress component, which inevitably makes itself felt in the process of memorizing new information.

You may not realize it or even feel it, but you are subconsciously afraid of that fear of vulnerability and insecurity - fearing not to give up something, forgetting, disgracing yourself, you put yourself in the position of a victim, not a predator. Change your perception of the situation and go hunting! For what? Of course, for new knowledge and a great vocabulary!

Ready to get to practice? Then we present to your attention the most effective ways to memorize English words!

Method number 1. Classical

Perhaps, of all the methods, this is the easiest, although it is inferior to others in terms of effectiveness. You will need a special notebook to write down new words. Write down about twenty words and other units of speech in a column so that the foreign expressions themselves are on the left, and their translation is on the right. Immediately prepare yourself for the fact that you need to learn all these words, and not for a couple of days, but for the rest of your life.

How to quickly learn English words this way? How easy it will be for you to learn new knowledge largely depends on you. The main secret to success is to concentrate 100% on studying. Although at first it will be very difficult, it is really worth striving for.

1. Read all the written English words.
2. Read the translation.
3. Repeat the described steps again.
4. Take a break for 8-10 minutes - during this time you can do what you want.
5. Cover the column where the translation is written and try to remember the meaning of each word yourself. Don’t suffer from excessive perfectionism - it’s impossible to learn everything at once. If the translation of a word stubbornly refuses to emerge from the dark depths of your memory, just move on to the next one.
6. Take another break of 3-5 minutes, relax.
7. Read the list of all the words and their translations again, paying special attention to those expressions with which you have difficulty.
8. Take a break again for 8-10 minutes.
9. Repeat the exercise, covering alternately English and Russian words.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about how to memorize English words using this method. And one more little tip: after working through one batch of material, you don’t need to immediately move on to the next one - this way you will forget what you learned earlier. It's better to take a break and give your brain time to unconsciously repeat.

Another common mistake beginners make is constantly repeating newly learned words. This should not be done, since you will not contribute to better consolidation of the material in memory and will not speed it up, but, on the contrary, will interfere with the natural process of memorization. It is worth repeating the learned expressions after 7-10 hours, and then every 24 hours. It is generally accepted that after memorizing words you need to repeat them 4-5 times.

Method number 2. Subconscious

As in the previous case, you first need to make a list of 20 words that you plan to learn. We learn English words using this method exclusively before bed. Your task is to focus all your attention on the process of memorization and abstract from the rest of the world.

Try to exert all your willpower. After this, choose a new word and try to imagine it in your mind as vividly and vividly as possible. When this happens, repeat it in a whisper, and then to yourself, without opening your eyes. Then you should relax and work through all the remaining words on the list in the same way.

All information received is stored in the subconscious. When falling asleep, it is important not to think that you want to remember new expressions, take your mind off such thoughts and sleep peacefully. In the morning you will need to repeat everything you learned in the evening. The words that you have learned will remain in your memory for a long time.

Method No. 3. Background

Another interesting method for those who want to know how to remember English words well. On its own it will not be very effective, but in combination with other methods it can bring fantastic results.

Record about 40 new words and expressions or simple text on a tape recorder. Adjust the volume to a medium level and simply listen to the recording many times in a row. At the same time, you don’t need to constantly sit next to each other and listen to the pronunciation of every word and translation. Do what you want - after repeated listening, you will unconsciously remember new information.

Method number 4. Relaxation

How to remember a lot of English words? We offer you another interesting option in which you can use your memory. As in the previous case, new words need to be recorded on a tape recorder. However, the amount of information should be increased - to approximately 80-100 expressions.

It is important that quiet, calm, melodic music be played in the background of the recording. Sit down, try to relax and free your head from unnecessary thoughts, dream a little. Having turned on the recording, you don’t need to concentrate your attention on it and listen closely - let it just sound. You need to repeat this little ritual before going to bed and in the morning, immediately after waking up.

The secret of success is simple: when a person is in a state between sleep and wakefulness, the barriers of internal resistance are almost completely weakened, as a result of which we learn English words much faster and more effectively than usual. This exercise should take no more than 1/6 of the total time you devote to mastering a foreign language.

Method No. 5. Hypnotic

So, let's move on to the next method. How to quickly memorize English words without putting in almost any effort? Probably every person who reads this article has asked himself this question. This option is ideal for those who just can’t bring themselves to study the language seriously - in a word, a real salvation for the lazy.

Again, you need a tape recorder. This time we write down up to 35-40 words and expressions with translation. Before going to bed, re-read the material from the sheet twice, turn on the tape recorder and listen to the recording twice. You shouldn't focus too much on it - just repeat the words after the player. After that, go to bed. For 40 minutes, your assistant (yes, you can’t do this on your own) must play the recording, gradually reducing the sound. Fortunately, in our age of high technology, a computer program can also cope with this task.

In the morning, about 30-40 minutes before you wake up, the “assistant” should turn on the recording again. Now, on the contrary, you need to start with the minimum volume and gradually increase it. When you wake up, don't rush to get out of bed - wait until the recording ends. In just 20 sessions you can replenish your vocabulary by 100-120 words and expressions.

Method number 6. Motor-muscular

Most likely, you have already heard about him. The idea is simple - every new English word is compared with some real object and then learned. Naturally, you won’t be able to use this method with all expressions, but you can still use it with many.

How to quickly learn English words this way? It's simple - combine them with objects from your environment that represent a particular word. Let's say you need to remember the word “pen”. Take a pen in your hands, feel it, even write something while pronouncing a foreign term.

An important point: it is not enough to simply imagine the actions; you must perform them yourself. In this case, the entire memorization process is based on movements. To better consolidate words, you need to perform as many actions as possible. In this case, you should focus not on the term, but on the movement you are making.

Method No. 7. Figurative

Again, in order to learn the material, you do not need to make any effort - all information is remembered involuntarily. Just use your imagination and draw interesting pictures in motion. How to learn many English words in a figurative way? First, match the English word with a Russian word that sounds similar (for example, “snack” and “snow”). Now imagine how the snow and the snack come together. Logic is not important - the main thing is that the picture is suitable.

You can memorize up to 25 words at a time. When you get a little used to creating pictures for individual expressions, you can complicate the task. For example, you can take any dynamic picture or photograph from a magazine, memorize it and write down on a piece of paper the names of all the objects depicted on it, both in English and in Russian, and write down a consonant Russian word next to it.

Method No. 8. Composite

Regardless of the number of syllables, any foreign word can be divided into three parts. For each part it is necessary to select a Russian word that sounds similar to the beginning. The meaning of what you get as a result of such linguistic manipulations, in fact, does not matter at all. Having done this with each syllable, we move on to the next stage. All Russian words should be combined into one meaningful phrase, at the end of which there should be a translation of the word that you want to remember. Let's consider this using the example of the word “sinister” (sinister): A BLUE fog spread over the clearing.

1. It is very useful to combine 5-6 new words into one short text, and then learn it in its entirety.
2. Try not to learn all the words in a row, but only those that you really might need.
3. Memorize not only individual terms and definitions, but also the features of their use in various set expressions.
4. After your vocabulary exceeds the 1000 word mark, try to remember special formative statements and plug-in constructions that will help you make your speech smoother and more natural (“rather”, “probably”, “really”, “it should be said that.” ." etc.).
5. Use synonyms: even if you cannot say exactly what you wanted, it is better than remaining silent for a long time.

How to remember a whole text?

Now that you already know how to memorize English words individually, you need to say a few words about the secrets of memorizing coherent texts. First of all, read the entire article and understand it 100% - without this, nothing further will work at all. Having finished reading, divide the text into several parts and title each of them. You also need to learn it in parts, restoring logical chains in memory. At first, you shouldn’t mock yourself, trying to “drive” articles longer than a page into your memory; you need to increase the volume gradually - this is the only way the learning process will be easy and enjoyable.

The main problem when learning any foreign language is memorizing words. To solve this problem quickly and remember many constructions, the student takes up to 80% of the time and effort to master the active minimum. At this stage, the task of establishing competent pronunciation, fast and correct reading, and developing the skill of listening to foreign speech is solved. learning English words When starting to learn English, a person, first of all, asks a series of questions: how to make learning easier and more effective, how to memorize English words quickly, how to learn many words? Of course, modern linguists and polyglots have created a lot of ways to learn hundreds and thousands of lexemes, many phrases, and figures of speech quickly.

I'll tell you about the most popular ways to learn something:

• Associations
• Learning by heart

The association technique is very simple. For each English word or concept, a similar-sounding Russian word is selected: lemon - lemon, nose - nose, tangerine - tangerine or mandarin. Our language even has words borrowed from foreign speech, and they have long been familiar to you: airport - airport, recruit - recruit, recruit, autobus - bus, aviation - aviation. Some neologisms also took English terms as their basis: browser, Internet, monitor, office, printer.

Therefore, you will always find something to associate with the concepts that you have to learn. In addition, a large number of English signs, like in Russian, consist of two bases:

• Overall - everywhere: over - above, above, excessively all - all, entirely
• Thunderstorm - thunderstorm: thunder - thunder storm - storm, storm (storm with thunder)
• Exchange - exchange: ex - former change - replacement, change
• Watermelon - watermelon: water - water melon - melon (water melon)

You can also associate situations. For example, to remember the word "fist" (fist), imagine a large pistachio that you smash with your fist.
learning words in English As for learning by heart, it is effective in two cases - if words are classified by consonance, when a group of words is similar in the first or last words. Or teach constructions in the second way - according to thematic classification, which is closer to me personally. This group also includes the most commonly used words and phrases. However, it is better to quickly fix words that are difficult to remember in memory by choosing a consonant analogue.

How to learn 100 words a day?

It is better to divide the process into 2 stages.

• Divide all the concepts that you are going to learn into one of the classifications: theme, consonance, associations
• Take the first hundred with translation in Russian
• Divide this portion into 5 equal parts
• Several times, before memorizing, read the first 20 in order, trying to remember the translation at the same time
• Don't spend more than 2 seconds learning one word
• Cover the transfer with a piece of paper
• Test yourself

• By tapping a rhythm to yourself with a pencil or using a metronome (1 sec), achieve recognition of each word in time with a rhythmic beat
• Immediately move on to the next portion - learn the next 20
• Repeat the steps and so on until the end of 100
• The clock should be in front of your eyes. Record the time you spent learning each twenty.
• Perform an easy check of the entire hundred
• Just read the words you've been taught
• Use a template: close the translation, leaving the original

learning English words Notes:

• Don't look back, repeat the words all the time and increase your daily portion
• The serving size should be increased gradually - from 100 to 500, from 500 to 1000. However, first make sure that the method is suitable for you and really helps you
• You need to learn only in one direction - that is, when you see an English word, remember Russian, and not vice versa
• The first 20 may take longer than the other group due to the newness
• Quickly memorizing a large number of words does not mean learning a language, you need to learn how to use them correctly in conversation
• But knowledge of English phrases is the basis for further study of the English language.

Quick learning of English words should also be parallel to the development of skills and abilities in constructing sentences, listening to English speech and establishing correct pronunciation. So have a good start!

Today, self-development in the form of learning languages ​​and going to the gym is literally considered a trend that everyone is trying to keep up with.

All you can hear from everywhere is “Don’t give up!”, “Be better than yesterday!”, “Work on yourself!”. If you don’t have a perfect figure, everything is clear here - you need to maintain proper nutrition and build muscles. However, is everything so simple in learning English? Let's see.

If you have gaps in English, you should improve your grammar and expand your vocabulary. What to do if your memory is bad and all these words can’t fit in your head? Is it possible to upgrade memory? The answer will pleasantly surprise you - you can.

Of course, some people will be able to quickly learn a number of new English words just by looking at them, while others will have to make an effort. It all depends on your desire.

In order to understand how you can pump up your memory, it’s worth taking into account several of your own characteristics - everything is individual. As you know, there are two types of memory - someone perceives new things auditorily, and others visually. There is one secret technique that we intuitively know at school, but over time we forget.

Remember how during recess, repeating a verse, you walked from corner to corner with a textbook. Indeed, movement helps to remember new things. And of course, memorization is significantly influenced not only by speed, but also by the quality of memorization or the level of attention. It is important to concentrate on what you are learning here and now, and not fly in the clouds.

Understanding what memory is, it becomes obvious that by working on yourself, adding more self-discipline, you can develop your memory and easily learn the required number of new memorizations of English words. All the excuses you've used so far aside, it's time to get your act together and take the leap to learn English.

How to quickly learn English words

1. Learn words from context.

It is quite difficult to learn words if they are listed in the dictionary. This method can only be used if you are studying with a teacher who will help you use these words in context, build a dialogue with you using these new words, and transfer the list of new words from your passive vocabulary to your active one.

If you are at the stage of learning English on your own, then it is best to memorize words in the context of a topic that interests you.

In this method of learning new words, two types of memory work - visual and auditory. Subtitles are important because they will help you be 100% sure what the word was just said and how it is spelled. Agree, it is difficult to remember something that you are not confident enough in.

If you study English with a teacher, then he will definitely include podcasts in your classes, which are also a magic wand for expanding your vocabulary.

3. Don't grab every new word.

When learning words, you shouldn’t grab every new word and run to write it down in the dictionary. If only because the number of words in the English language is incredible!

To begin with, it is best to memorize the base of words that you need, depending on your age and lifestyle. Of course, an experienced English teacher will be able to point you in the right direction and tell you what to focus on.

However, you can try and independently determine what you should concentrate on and what words you can omit.

4. Read.

You may be surprised, but now we are not even talking about reading in English, but about reading in our native language. It doesn’t matter whether it’s fiction or quality articles.

Reading helps make your thinking more flexible and develops your memory, thereby improving your memorization of new words in English.

5. Learn words in combination with grammar.

Many people believe that the main basis of English is words, and you don’t have to work much on grammar. Perhaps someday in a parallel universe this myth will be dispelled, however, now it still exists.

Just imagine, if you know the conjugation of verbs, how many new words you will immediately recognize. For example, if you do not perceive that all these new words in the text are just the first or second form of an irregular verb, they all seem new to you and confusion arises.

6. Learn English with the help of modern technologies, away with old-fashioned flashcards!

Fortunately, the world of modern technology is conducive to learning new words. For example, on our website there is a dictionary in a completely free format that will help you learn new words, memorizing them auditorily and visually. Learning takes place rather in a playful way, which helps make the process of memorizing new words much more enjoyable.

In order to remember an English word faster, you can draw a certain parallel with it in your mind. It doesn’t matter whether it will make sense to someone else, the main thing is that it carries a certain message for you and, remembering this association, you could remember a new word.

For example, the word "sing" is somewhat similar to the word Singapore. A parallel can be drawn with the phrase “singing in Singapore”. In this method, only your fantasy and imagination are important, add creativity.

8. Pay attention to words of common origin.

Words of common origin in different languages, cognates, seem to have been created to instill the belief that learning a new language is not as unattainable as it might seem at first glance. When learning new words, you will personally see that many English words are similar to Russian ones.

9. Communicate with native speakers.

It's no secret that the easiest way to learn a language is in an environment where it is spoken. However, you don’t have to go to another country to do this. You can find yourself a pen pal or call him on Skype. Communication with a native speaker will be very useful when learning new words.

There are even many websites where people from different countries offer to improve your English for free, in exchange for learning something from your native language. However, it is better to use this technique when you already have fairly confident English. At the initial stage, it is better to contact a professional teacher so that he can guide you in the right direction.

10. Use the S.M.A.R.T goal system.

Set goals when learning new words in English and you will see progress. It's much more enjoyable to learn English by noticing your progress. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Bound - i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

Promise yourself that in the next month you will learn 70 new words that are most in demand in the English language.

11. Speak and think like a native speaker.

When learning new words, pay attention to the accent and intonation with which the word is usually pronounced. Try to imitate these elements at the very beginning of learning the language. In the future, this will greatly help you overcome the barrier of communication with native speakers.

12. Don't be afraid to make a mistake.

In order to speak competently, it is not necessary to remember all the words that exist in English. It is enough, for starters, to master the basic base of words, of which there are about 300. Having studied the base, you will be able to express an idea even without knowing any word using the paraphrasing technique.

Learning a language no longer seems so out of reach. Is not it?

By the way! We recommend reading our article on how to quickly learn English. Not everything is so simple :)

How to help your child remember English words easily

What can you do to help your child learn new words?

There are many memory poems that will greatly simplify the process of learning English for children. Can methods for memorizing new words developed for children be used by adults?

Yes! Both children and adults can learn language through nursery rhymes.

For example:

We were given red tomatoes for lunch!(red)
And a lemon, when it is ripe, has a yellow skin!(Yellow)
I love running around the city in blue jeans!(Blue)
Orange means orange, the color is the same, we will eat it.(orange)
Let's call the mouse gray, he will be the gray mouse.(Gray color)
Black - our black master, as always, came alone.(Black)
Green - green grass, it grew on its own.(Green)
Brown is a new chocolate, I'm happy with brown.(Brown)
White color - white and snow.(White)

You can help children learn new words by studying the rhyme and demonstrating the objects discussed in the poem. This technique will be useful when working on the following poems:

This is a bear, this is a hare,
This is a dog and this is a frog.
This is a car, this is a star,
This is a ball and this is a doll.

One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive,
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
The little finger on the right.

With the help of poems, you can learn not only new words, but also remember temporary structures. For example:

To have
I have a father,
I have a mother,
I have a sister,
I have a brother.
Father, mother, sister, brother -
Hand in hand with one another.

Using this rhyme, you can work out the construction of the question:

How to learn English words for business

Don't be afraid, everything here is the same as in learning general English. The main thing is to select the necessary sources of study. It is worth focusing on videos on a topic that is relevant to you.

When choosing a textbook, you should also consider the business area you need. By studying business English with a teacher, he will help you place all the accents correctly and focus on the topics that you need, be it business, aviation or agriculture.

Do you need a mentor? Of course no one can say, for example, how to learn English words in 5 minutes;) But m We will select the best teacher who will lead you to results. Set goals and achieve them! Nothing is unattainable, the main thing is to set your priorities correctly and understand what to work on.

Good luck on your way to perfection!

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

Do you want to know how to learn English words quickly and easily? We'll tell you how many words you need to know, where to get them, what tools to use, and how to learn it all. Use at least a few tips and you can expand your vocabulary.

All students are interested in the question: “How to learn English words?” The more vocabulary we know, the better we understand what the heroes of our favorite English films are talking about, what is written on the Tate Modern museum plaques, and how favorable the terms of the deal are offered by our partners from the USA. Today we will give some recommendations that will help you effectively learn new vocabulary.

How many English words do you need to know?

To test your vocabulary, we recommend that you take the Online English Vocabulary Size Test (immediately click on the Start button) or Test Your Vocab. It will show you your estimated vocabulary, which you can compare with the average scores of native speakers and English learners. On average, 3,000 - 4,000 words will be enough to communicate on most topics.

However, we want to warn you: you should not rely entirely on the test results. It can only give a rough estimate of your vocabulary.

2. Special textbooks

Textbooks to increase your vocabulary will help you learn new words and common expressions in which they are used. The good thing about the manuals is that they provide lists of words along with examples of their use, so the words are learned in context. We have presented a detailed one, follow it to choose the best guide.

3. Lists or dictionaries of high-frequency words

How do you know whether it’s worth remembering the next new English word you come across? It may have fallen out of use or is rarely used. You can refer to lists of words that are most often used by native speakers. We recommend you lists from the Oxford Dictionary - The Oxford 3000 British Dictionary and The Oxford 3000 American Dictionary. These are the 3,000 most important words any English learner should know. They have been carefully selected by linguists and experienced teachers. You can recognize these words in the Oxford dictionary itself by the key icon.

Tools for learning new words

1. Cards with words

This technique may seem old-fashioned, but it is still effective. All students at least once in their lives started flashcards and tried to learn new vocabulary from them. It's convenient and affordable: you don't need to spend money, because you write them yourself, and you can take the cards with you anywhere.

Before making cards, you need help:

• select a translation;
• become familiar with typical phrases in which the word is used;
• study examples.

Then you need to decide whether you will make paper vocabulary cards or electronic ones.

• On one side of the piece of paper we write the word in English, on the second - in Russian. We test our knowledge: translate a word from Russian into English and vice versa.

  

• On one side we write the word in English and paste a picture, on the other - the translation into Russian. This method is well suited for people with associative thinking. In your mind you associate a new English-language concept and the object that it refers to.

  

• On the one hand, we write a word in English with a Russian context, on the other hand, a word in Russian without context. When repeating vocabulary, try to translate the concept from Russian into English. And the second side of the card with the Russian context will help you with translation in the opposite direction.

  

• More experienced students are advised to use English-English dictionaries, such as Macmillan Dictionary. On one side we write the word in English, on the other - its definition in English. You can also write synonyms and antonyms of the concept being studied.

  

• How to learn vocabulary correctly? The best way to memorize English words is in context. Therefore, you can write on a card not just a word, but a sentence in which it is used. Examples of sentences can be found in electronic dictionaries, for example ABBYY Lingvo.

  

Electronic cards

If you find it difficult to tear yourself away from your computer, use your affection for good: create virtual stickers with words on your desktop and in a few days you will remember them well.

To create electronic vocabulary cards, we recommend you the Quizlet service, which allows you to learn words in different ways: choose the correct translation from four proposed ones, fill in the gaps in sentences and play games with words. Here you can track your progress: which words are harder for you than others, how quickly you learn new vocabulary. There is an application for iOS as well. An alternative resource is Memrise. Its free version has limited functionality, but it will be enough to create cards.

You need to constantly work with cards: review and repeat the learned vocabulary. Periodically change the cards for new ones, and after 1-2 weeks return the old ones again to repeat the words.

2. Notepad-dictionary

This method is good for those who constantly lose something: your cards are unlikely to last long :-)

You can structure your notebook the way you want. Let's give our version. Each page must correspond to a specific day. Write the dates on which the words are repeated at the top. To ensure that the vocabulary you are studying is well fixed in your memory, do not forget to train it. To do this, use the techniques we described in the article “”.

3. Mind map

You can easily learn English words of the same topic if you draw a mind map. This diagram clearly shows what topic the words relate to. And while you are drawing it, the vocabulary will be stored in your memory. A mind map might look like this:

4. Educational sites and applications

On the way to work on the subway or in line at the clinic, use every free moment to learn new words. You will find useful programs for your gadget in the article “”.

It is enough to practice 10-20 minutes daily to feel progress.

1. Combine words by topic

How to easily remember English words? Groups of words related to the same topic are usually well remembered. Therefore, try to divide words into groups of 5-10 pieces and learn them.

There is the so-called Restorff effect, according to which the human brain remembers the most prominent one from a group of objects. Use this effect to your advantage: in the group of words on the same topic “introduce a stranger” - enter a word from a completely different topic. For example, when studying words on the topic “Fruits”, add one word from the topic “Transport” to them, in this way your studies will become even more effective.

2. Use associations and personalization

Many students love this method: to learn a word, you need to come up with an association in Russian. For example, you need to remember the word obstinacy. Break it down into three syllables: ob-stin-acy, which means “stubborn, like a donkey against a wall.” The word shoot can be remembered as “the jester shoots.” You can make up convenient associations yourself, the main thing is that they are understandable to you and easy to remember. This will make it easier for you to increase your English vocabulary.

Training will be effective if you not only make a verbal association, but also visualize it: when pronouncing the word shoot, imagine this shooting jester, let the image turn out to be as funny and memorable as possible. Even better is a dynamic picture with your personal presence: you imagine how the jester next to you shoots someone (with a water pistol, so that the spectacle comes out comical, not tragic). The more vivid the picture, the easier it will be to remember the word.

3. Use the learned vocabulary in speech

How to learn English words correctly and not forget them? Are you familiar with the principle of use it or lose it? In order for knowledge to remain in memory, you need to actively “use” it. It is good practice to write short stories using new words. The vocabulary that is best remembered is expressed in a short, funny text written about yourself or about things dear to your heart.

If you take courses or study with an English teacher, try to insert new words into your conversation as often as possible: the more times you say a word, the better you remember it. Don't forget about spelling: try to use new words in writing.

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

Tell me and I'll forget. Teach me and I will remember. Make me do it and I'll learn.

Learn new words and immediately use them in your speech with the help.

4. Test your knowledge regularly

It is useful to take various tests to determine your vocabulary level from time to time. For example, some excellent picture tests (a joy for visual learners and children) are provided on the Vocabulary for learners of English page. After passing such a test, you will immediately see what is stored in your memory and which topics or words need to be repeated.

5. Follow your daily plan

7. Develop your memory

It is impossible to remember anything unless you have a good memory. Learning a language in itself trains our brain well and helps improve memory. But to make memorization easier, you can use the tips from our article “”.

8. Consider your type of information perception

Not all methods are equally good for you. Don't try to apply everything at once. Try text, video or audio formats and choose those that help you learn new words faster. This is how you will arrive at your own signature mix of techniques.

The main thing is to remember to move from theory to practice. Not only read useful tips on how to memorize English words quickly and easily, but also actively use them in everyday life, then you won’t have to rack your brains about how to improve your level of knowledge.

Do you consider cards and notepads with the words “yesterday”? Then try learning words using current British textbooks in online English courses at our school. Our students learn words and phrases in context, use them in a live dialogue with the teacher, and memorize new vocabulary easily and quickly. !

Learning foreign languages ​​includes processes such as listening, reading, pronunciation and familiarization with vocabulary. And most of the time is taken up by the seemingly simplest of them - vocabulary knowledge. At the same time, this is the most important aspect, because all other processes are tied to it. Therefore, our material today is entirely devoted to tips and techniques for learning vocabulary. In this article we will tell you what vocabulary is optimal for spoken English, how to quickly learn English words and where to get new lexical material from. With the tips presented, your classes will certainly become much easier and more effective. Let's get to work!

Before we learn how to correctly memorize English words, let’s determine how many of them are required for fluent conversation.

Let us 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 of ​​communication they are intended. Therefore, we propose, in search of an answer to the question “ how many words in English do you need to know?”, build on the general level of 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.

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

Level	Approximate number of significant words	Themes
Beginner	500-700	Acquaintance, family, profession, hobbies. Food, drinks, objects, colors, numbers up to 20.
Elementary	1000-1500	Travel, recreation, entertainment. Phrases for communicating in a store, restaurant or hotel. Visit to the airport and train station. A story about events in different times.
Intermediate	2000-2500	Phrasal verbs. Minimal business vocabulary. Ability to maintain a detailed conversation on everyday topics.
Upper Intermediate	3000-3500	General + special professional vocabulary. Aphorisms, slang, quotes from books.
Advanced	3500-4000	Ability to elaborate on complex, abstract, and philosophical topics. Full knowledge of business and partly scientific vocabulary.
Proficiency	from 4500	Perfect knowledge of the language and all speech patterns.

Approximately this number of words and expressions in English need to 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 to study. Problems often arise with this teaching point, especially for beginning students. So, first we’ll tell you how NOT to work with foreign language vocabulary.

1. Don't learn random words – for example, they opened the dictionary on any page and started learning everything. Yes, you will remember a certain number of words this way, but it is unlikely that you will ever actually use them in speech.
2. Don’t try to get acquainted with specific vocabulary – at an initial level of knowledge, you still won’t be able to use slang or professional jargon in your speech. And without active use, knowledge is gradually forgotten.
3. Don't overload yourself with large volumes - all these 50 or 100 new English words every day sound very attractive, but they bring little benefit. Firstly, 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 the other side of the coin, and tell you how to learn English words correctly. Here, in fact, everything is simple and just one piece of advice is enough - studying should be useful and exciting. In order not to get bored, select topics that interest you, and benefit from the construction of phrases and dialogues for your language. Even if you don’t have anyone to communicate with yet, play the dialogues in roles alone. This way you will quickly start speaking and automatically thinking in English.

For classes, try to choose words that are either related to a specific topic, or are very popular and are used everywhere. In this case, having memorized a few words, you will be able to link them into a meaningful dialogue, that is, turn the memorized material into a full-fledged conversation in English. Where can I 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;
• study guides and phrasebooks.

So, if you take English words on the topic “Food” to study, then having memorized several verbs and nouns, you will already be able to construct the phrase: I eat an apple ( I am eating an apple); she eats rice with vegetables ( She eats rice with vegetables) and so on. This is the essence of effective learning: not just memorizing translation and spelling, but being able to use the word.

Now, having mastered the main principles of working with vocabulary, we set out to select the most effective method of memorizing 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 universal way to learn 100 English words in 5 minutes and not forget a single one of them. However, it is quite possible to learn to quickly memorize vocabulary and be able to retain it in memory for a long time. To do this, you just need to be able to choose the appropriate 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 memorizing foreign words was invented, based on the peculiarities of memory.

The standard approach to learning vocabulary is carried out according to the following scheme: English writing – transcription – translation. With this method, the memorized word is recognized primarily by its 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 mnemonic method offers an inverse scheme: meaning – sound – spelling. At the same time, work with translation and pronunciation is carried out using associations of the native language.

For example, take the word monkey [monkey] - monkey. The student’s task is to imagine 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 MONKEY, or simply a MONKEY ate a MONKEY. And we imagine how a monkey eats semolina. A bright and consonant image will 100% stay in the memory for a long time, and when you need to talk about monkeys in English, the word “monkey” will automatically come to mind.

Mnemonics is the most popular method of memorizing new information. If you urgently need to learn English words for a dictation or exam, this technique will have no equal in effectiveness. But, if associative thinking is not your strong point, then it is better to choose another easy and quick way to remember English words.

Audio, video, writing, logic circuits and maps

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

• Do you perceive information better by hearing? Listen to special audio recordings or record your own audio lessons.
• Do you prefer visual design? Watch videos with popular vocabulary, study words with pictures, and independently create images for the expressions you are studying.
• Are you used to trusting your feelings more? Learn vocabulary in writing or on the move. Manually rewrite thematic selections of words, enliven words with gestures and movements, and tap out the rhythm of syllables.
• Are you all about logic and strict ordering of the material being studied? Create thematic diagrams or mind maps. For example, words on the topic “apartment” are studied. Logical nodes of the scheme: room-kitchen-bathroom-corridor. From these bases there are branches into typical interior items: bathroom - shower, washbasin, tiles; corridor - hanger, mirror, bedside table, etc..

Cards

A classic way to learn vocabulary that has been successfully tried by millions of people. Flashcards help beginners learn English and provide quick memorization of large amounts of vocabulary.

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

For example, first we learn words according to the traditional scheme: we look at an 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 rounds, we take a break again and consolidate the studied material by constructing sentences. In the first lessons, these are, naturally, Russian sentences with the insertion of an English word: I (I) I'm reading a book. And a little later we switch to completely English phrases: Ireada book (book).

Own dictionary

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

To effectively memorize information, you must be able to not only perceive it correctly, but also process it “for yourself.” 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 written page, take 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

Sticky colorful pieces of paper are used not only for office notes, but also as a language learning tool. Let’s say you are mastering the “Kitchen” topic, which includes words on the following topics:

• dishes;
• furniture;
• Appliances;
• plumbing;
• food and dishes.

How easy is it to learn such a volume of different English vocabulary? Yes, very simple. Go to your own kitchen and put stickers with English names on the objects you are studying. Your gaze will cling to the bright piece of paper and constantly remind you of the English word denoting this item. 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 a suitable item. For example, you study irregular verbs. Write down several forms that are difficult for you on a sticky note and stick it on the monitor. Now, when you decide to work on the computer, your gaze will also catch on the piece of paper, and you will once again pronounce the forms of irregular verbs. A couple of these mini-lessons and you won’t even notice how you remember the material.

Thus, stickers are an effective method for quickly and easily learning English words in a short period of time. It has virtually no disadvantages if you follow the above teaching method. Perhaps the household will object to the abundance of stickers.

Mobile applications and games

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

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

• spelling;
• listening comprehension;
• independent pronunciation.

And this is a big plus of this method of teaching. But it also has several significant disadvantages.

The most important disadvantages of mobile applications for learning foreign languages ​​are the small amount of vocabulary and the ease of guessing words. Often the expressions come in the same sequence or the desired word can be logically guessed from the picture. This method does not contribute to the brain working at full capacity, and accordingly, memory is not activated at full capacity. 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 rich 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 in a non-standard way. After all, it’s also no secret that you can’t teach the same lessons every day. Variety is the key to successful language acquisition. This is where interactive applications come in handy.

Spaced Repetition

This technique is incredibly effective, and even if you have chosen another method of learning words, 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 after an hour, a day, 3 days, a week, 10 days, 3 weeks, a month, 3 months, 6 months, etc. The exact schedule of intervals 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 not remembered for long. 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. Constant memory recall will force the brain to 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, partly. 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. Thorough memorization requires the application of certain efforts and time. And for urgent memorization, we have already given above several effective methods.

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

That's all. Prepare your vocabulary, choose the technique you like, don’t be lazy with spaced repetition, and you will definitely achieve fluency in English. Successful classes and see you again!

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