Seven Suggestions on How to Enlarge English Vocabulary

【Abstract】English vocabulary plays a vital role in our English study. Many Chinese students often feel frustrated in an attempt to memorize English words. This paper gives readers seven suggestions on how to enlarge their vocabularies effectively in hope that they can be greatly enlightened.

【Key words】suggestions； enlarge； vocabulary

English vocabulary plays a vital role in our English study. Many Chinese students often feel frustrated in an attempt to memorize English words. This paper gives readers seven suggestions on how to enlarge their vocabularies effectively in hope that they can be greatly enlightened.

1. Process the new words thoroughly.

You should attach importance to the first stimulus of new words to the cortex of brain. In order to make your first stimulus impress your brain strongly， please process the new words thoroughly. Firstly， I suggest you to use dictionary wisely. You should choose one suitable dictionary from various kinds of dictionaries. Soon you will enjoy its convenience when you come across new words. Secondly， you should try to find out the breath after the contrast and the comparison of the new words with the words already within your vocabulary. Here， by using breath， I mean the point on which you can establish some relations between the new words and the old words phonetically， semantically and morphologically. For instance， you can use sense relationships：synonymy， antonymy， complementarity and hyponymy to establish certain relations to strengthen your memory.

2. Depend on sense memory rather than mechanical memory.

Mechanical repetition will easily make us exhausted， thus lessen the memorizing efficiency. So we should depend on sense memory which is based on understanding. In sense memory， the functions of sentence and context of the words cant be underestimated. Because from the concrete sentences and contexts we can understand better the words and then grasp their practical usage. To memorize words in sentences and contexts can enlarge our vocabularies effectively.

3. Over-learning can strengthen the long term memory.

Over-learning is another effective way to memorize new words. Over-learning means to learn more times about the materials than you think is necessary. Researchers have found that people remember most if they repeat 150 percent of times to make the information solid in their memory. So you should not stop learning. However， the problem is that it is hard for you to know exactly how many times are the most appropriate. Different individuals have their own conditions. But you may consciously take notice of your repetition and sum up experience now and then. Later on you will find out the appropriate times.endprint

4. Make good use of revisions.

Ebbinghaus“forgetting Curve” shows that most forgetting takes place immediately after learning. He finds that a large proportion of information is lost comparatively quickly within the first hour and therefore stabilizes to a much slower rate of loss. So I suggest you to review newly remembered words shortly after your memorizing process regularly， that is， review in time. If you are not in time， what you will do is not to review at all， instead， it will just equal to memorize some completely new words. So keep in mind to review in time.

5. You should have proper attitudes.

Firstly， you should be confident. Do not doubt your memory just because it seems that you keep forgetting. You are assured that you have the same powerful memory just as all the others. What you lack are the knowledge of laws and techniques of the memory. Then try to foster an interest in memorizing the new words. List several reasons why memorizing new words is interesting in your minds and say to yourselves that it is really interesting .In order to obtain a large vocabulary， many efforts have to made and many difficulties from the world within and without have to be conquered. All these need perseverance. At last， you should divide you time scientifically and try to strike a proper balance between work and rest.

6. Use the new words as frequently as possible.

Without the applications， the new words are easily forgotten. So try to use the new words as frequently as possible. Get rid of the fear that you might make some mistakes. It is the application that can test your mastery of the new words and then assist you to absorb the new words effectively and promptly.

7. Stimulate all the sense organs to work

As we have discussed that the cooperation of the different sense organs will produce better effects than the use of only one organ. Please get all the sense organs involved when you try to memorize the new words. Make gestures while reading the new words aloud. Visualize the concepts. You can circle out the new words with a color pen， make marks and write examples on the margin.

作者簡介：賈敏，山東工藝美術學院公共課教學部，副教授。endprint