Words are the key to language. And if you want to improve your ability to speak, listen and write in English, you have to learn lots of words. Here are some ideas to help you to learn words.

Important words

Some words are more important than other words. For example, the high frequency word (高频词) “rain” is very common and can be found in a number of important expressions. For example, rainbow, raincoat, rainforest, rainy, pour with rain... Where possible, pay special attention to the high frequency words and all their associated (有关联的) forms.

Sentences

When you want to record a new word or expression, remember to write it out in an example sentence. This will give you useful information about the way the word is used, and the other words often associated with it. For example, a) Rain — It’s been pouring with rain. b) Raincoat — I put on my raincoat.

Some words are easy to learn. For example, the English word “sofa” is similar in Chinese (sha fa). Other words are more difficult, but these ideas might help you.

Word sounds

Used the power of the similar sounds between words! For example, imagine you want to learn the word “whale”. Simply think of a word that sounds like “whale” in English or in your own language. Then make a sentence with this word. For example, “The example, “The whale has a long tail.”

Funny sentences

Use the power of humor! Simply make a funny sentence with the word. This will help you remember the word more easily. For example, “William, the whale was using his tail to sail the boat.”

Pictures

If you’re really having problems learning your words, draw a picture of your funny sentence. This will really help you remember it. And the funnier the picture is, the better you will remember it!

Repetition(重复)

Finally, repeat the sentence many times to get it engraved (铭记) in your heart. Repetition is a fantastic way of memorizing things.

Try these methods and find your own ways to learn words and expressions.

Many students have problems with vocabulary when preparing for tests. Here is some advice on how to memorize (记忆) new words. You can build up your English vocabulary with these methods.

Repeated encounters (反复遇见)

The usual way of “memorizing” new words is through repeating them while they’re still in your mind. However, simply repeating a word doesn’t seem to be useful. But the following way is helpful: repeated encounters. Words can be memorized more easily if they’ve been met at least seven times in your reading. So, read English magazines and newspapers from time to time.

Spacing and review

It’s necessary to make a plan of your memory work over a period of time. You’d better memorize words day by day instead of doing it in a single day. That’s why new vocabulary introduced in one lesson is reviewed in the next, and then in later lessons.

Use it or lose it

Putting words to use in interesting ways helps add them to your long-term memory. In a study of vocabulary learning, students who made up their own sentences with new words and read them aloud memorized them better than those who learned the words separately and silently. Besides, you can imagine a picture when memorizing a new word. That can help a lot.

Mix it up

Let’s face it — learning words can be really boring, but it doesn’t have to be. Thanks to the Internet, there are more interesting ways to get the job done. Try watching videos from English-speaking countries and copying the way they speak. You can even upload (上传) your own videos and try becoming a star yourself.

Do you think English is a difficult language to learn? Well, here are some good ways to learn English.

Most school libraries have a centre for English learners. If your school library has the centre, and you are learning English as a second language, you can often go there.

There are lots of books about English for the learners in it. And you can read them for free. Talk with someone in English.

If you don’t have a friend to talk with, you can find a partner（搭档）in your local newspaper. It can help you practise your English pronunciation.

Popular books are very good. Pick easy books to read. If you pick something too difficult, you will feel bored with learning English. Reading English stories can help you learn words easily.

This helps practise your listening skills（技巧）. You can also learn how people speak English in their everyday lives.