One of the most unproductive ways in which we are taught to memorize new words or any information is through rote and recitation. This might work for a short period, but if you want to permanently commit words to your memory, then rote is not the best way to go about it.
Learning new vocabulary can seem like a tedious task, but when you have a test like the GRE or SAT coming up, you have no other way to memorize words. Multiple studies have shown that you need to do more to remember a new word.
Some of the things that have proven to work are Mnemonics, Flashcards, and games. We tend to memorize better with these techniques because we have a natural tendency to retain information when we form association between words and objects or learn through contextual understanding.
Today, I will be going over the techniques above and some other useful tips that will make memorizing new words a lot easier and more fun.
In this Article
1. Use Mnemonics
A mnemonic device is a mental tool that lets you form associations between words and objects. It is effortless to use and also is fun. Let’s take the example of the word “abrogate,” which means to deny or cancel.
Now, here is where you get to use your creativity. Look at the word abrogate and see what worldly characteristics you can attribute to it. I see a “bro” and a “gate” in there. So what I can do is I can think of a silly little visual thought of a “bro” standing at my “gate,” and I deny him entrance.
This visual will play in your mind now every time you hear or read the word abrogate. Remember, not every word will be easy to make a mnemonic out of, but the harder you try to come up with one, the longer you will remember that word.
2. Form Word Associations
This technique is somewhat related to the previous one; however, here, you will form an association between two different words. You will already know the meaning of one word and the second one you are trying to memorize.
For example, let’s say you are trying to memorize the meaning of the word “curtail,” which means to cut short. You can now see that the letters “curt” also make up the word “curtain.” So you can associate the two by thinking of curtains that are cut too short. This way, every time you come across the word “curtail,” you will be reminded of “curtain,” and you will make the association.
3. Use New Words in Context
This may sound simple, but it does work. How many times have you come up with a sentence of your own when learning new words? We often just read the example sentence given in the dictionary but never put the word in context ourselves. This is what causes you to forget the word so quickly.
Every time you come across a new word that you want to remember, look up its meaning and then put it in a sentence. Moreover, similar to the mnemonic technique, the funnier or sillier sentence you come up with, the better your chances of memorizing the word.
4. Use Flashcards
Flashcards are a tried and tested way of memorizing words that have helped millions of students worldwide. Put merely, flashcards are pieces of paper that have the word written on one side and its corresponding meaning on the other. It’s a simple concept but works very well.
The way you use these is by either making your own or purchasing a proper set such as Manhattan’s GRE flashcards. Once you have them, you will take a bunch of them and carry them around with you in your pocket throughout the day, and every now and then, you will pull one out, read the word and the meaning and try to memorize it.
However, when I say memorize it, I don’t mean by rote. The best way to do it is to come up with example sentences on the spot. Try to use the place you are at or the people you are around in your sentences. Make it a bit more engaging and fun.
5. Vocabulary Games
All of us carry smartphones, so why not put them to fair use, eh? There are so many excellent vocabulary building games out there that make learning new words fun and easy. All you need to do is to download them and play them whenever you have free time. It is a great way to kill time while learning new words. These games work well for word memorization because they are highly visual and interactive in nature. The more involved you are in something, the quickly you will remember it.
To start you off, check out the following ones.
6. Interactive Environment
Write down words and their meanings on sticky paper and stick them to things in your house that you use the most. For example, your washroom door, the refrigerator door, your cupboard, etc. Keep adding new words to the paper as you go along. The more you contact words that you are trying to memorize, the better you will remember them.
7. Take Vocabulary Quizzes
No amount of learning will work if you don’t test yourself. How do you know which words you memorized successfully and which you didn’t? After all, you won’t be successful with every word that you remember. You are bound to forget now and then, and that’s perfectly fine. To help mitigate this, the best thing you can do is test yourself. Several free online resources will quiz your vocabulary skills.
For starters, check out the following quizzes.
8. Incorporate Newly Learnt Words into Daily Speech
Again, the idea is to use the words you learn in actual life with real people, so it gets ingrained in your memory. Ever heard of use it or lose it? When you learn a new word, think of exciting ways to use it in your daily life. Talk to your friends and have discussions; try to fit in the word into whatever you are talking about; however, be cautious and don’t force it lest you change the usage of the word. If you understand a word well enough, you won’t have a problem using it organically.
9. Write it down
This, too, sounds simple, but it works wonders. Just the mere act of writing down an unknown word that you come across will tremendously help with memorizing it. First, to make it better, say the word out loud and then write it down along with its meaning in a notebook. Try to keep this notebook exclusively for writing down words. I developed the habit of writing down words and their definitions when I was very young. I would write down whatever new word I would come across in books and magazines along with their meanings. It has helped me a lot.
10. Read, Read, Read
Lastly, nothing is as essential and reading. The very thing that introduces you to new words. Book reading has steadily declined over the years due to the internet and TV, but it is crucial to have a well-rounded vocabulary. Sure, you can look up word lists and use other aids to memorize various words one after another, but when you are reading, you get to learn words in context. You see how the word is used, and you understand it better. Novels, Magazines, Journal articles, Blog posts, and Newspapers are great mediums to learn new words from.