- You are here:
- Home »
- Blog »
- Prepare for your IELTS Exam »
- 5 Strategies for Improving Your IELTS Vocabulary
5 Strategies for Improving Your IELTS Vocabulary
As you may already know, there are four modules in the IELTS exam: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Each of these modules has one essential factor in common — the need for a strong vocabulary. Although it is necessary to establish a strong foundation in grammar and pronunciation when learning a new language, you will quickly find that the broader your vocabulary, the easier it is to communicate. Whether you are speaking, listening, reading, or even writing, you find yourself extremely limited if you have not taken the time to expand your lexicon. While there are certain common words and phrases that you will use on a daily basis, the more words you can understand, the better your communication skills will be. Here are a few tips to help expand your vocabulary skills.
- Dictionaries: The oldest and most time-tested way of learning new words is by reading the dictionary. Ones such as the Oxford English Dictionary tend to be updated at least once a year and will even contain words that were created through trends in pop culture. Dictionaries provide multiple definitions, pronunciations, and even examples of sentence usage. You can even find dictionary apps which can be downloaded on to smartphones and tablets, and that provide speech capabilities for proper pronunciation to aid in speaking and listening comprehension.
- Reading: Not only does reading allow you the opportunity to come across new words, but it also provides context for how it should be used. Keeping a dictionary nearby also helps so that you can immediately look up the meaning.
- Repetition: Repeat! Repeat! Repeat! Studies have supported the idea that it takes at least 10 to 20 times of repetition before a word becomes a part of your vocabulary. Most people can learn around 15 new words a day if they practice at least five days a week. Do this for a few months and you will have hundreds of new words in your vocabulary in no time.
- Write: Get a notebook and use it to record new vocabulary words. The process of writing helps your brain to memorize words more effectively than simply relying on listening and reading alone. Record every new word you hear and review it regularly. Write it more than once or write it in a sentence—figure out what works best for you! The purpose is to accumulate as many words as possible and commit them to memory.
- Talk: Try to engage in as many conversations with native speakers as possible. This could be a bit of a challenge, but if you find yourself crossing paths with a tourist stop and talk. Many visitors are eager to engage the locals of a different country and will gladly accept the opportunity to learn about a new culture. If you have access to the internet, then you have even more exposure to English speakers from various countries—take the chance to strike up a conversation and expand your vocabulary!
Need some extra help in this department? I’ve got you covered! Look into the online courses I offer to assist you in your IELTS needs. You can find the information here.
Popular posts
Translate »