Recently, I have to remember a myriad of new English words. So I have to think about some ideas to remember more new English words in a short time.
In 2019, when I first published this article, I was remembering English words using only the words and their Chinese definitions, but I have found that this was ineffective.
So, I have made some improvements to my methodology from 2020 to 2022 to speed up my vocabulary memorisation process.
Today, I am going to share my methodology to remember the English words effectively. Here we go!
1. Choose your Vocabulary Flashcards
The first step you need to do is to choose your vocabulary flashcards.
There are several options for your flashcards, which can be paper-based or app-based.
Flashcards Apps
If you are able to use electronic devices, whether it is at school or after school, you can use some flashcards apps like Quizlet.
They have apps for Android and iOS as well as the web-based version on computers.
You just need to sign up for an account, create and name some study sets, and then put your words and meanings.
Paper-based Flashcards
If you are using a paper-based flashcards, you need to prepare for some papers.
You can use your pens to write your terms and definitions or print them with a printer.
For example, I use an A4 paper to make my flashcards, so I cut the papers into 8 equal parts.
2. Collect new Vocabulary
The next step is to collect some new vocabulary from various resources.
There are many resources you can use to obtain English words, including books, articles, audios, Podcasts, videos and vlogs.
For example, while you are reading English articles on my website, you can collect some unfamiliar words such as "deadline" and then record them in your notebook or notes app.
Then, you can check its definitions in a dictionary.
3. Write your Flashcards
After checking the definitions, you can record them on your apps or write them down on your flashcards.
I usually write the word on one side, and then its English meaning, an original or example sentence, Chinese meaning, and synonyms on the other side.
I used to remember English words with paper flashcards when I was in junior high school where electronic devices were not allowed in the campus. So I also wrote down the phonetic symbols since the audio was unavailable.
4. Look at your Flashcards in your Free Time
After making your vocabulary flashcards, you will need to look at your flashcards in your free time or they will not be useful.
In the weekends, I usually take out my iPhone and open the Quizlet app to remember the words with various study modes.
So, how about studying at school?
When I was in junior high school, I put my vocabulary flashcards in my pocket so that I can take them out while waiting for lunch and dinner at school canteen.
My senior high school now allows laptops, so I open quizlet.com on my laptop in my free time at the classroom.
5. Recall and Use Recent Words in Real Life
Finally, after memorising words, you also need to recall and use the words in real life.
I found that all words I have memorised are useful for day-to-day conversations as well as IELTS exams. So it is essential to apply words like discovering and applying knowledge in real life.
For example, I can think about some sentences while walking.
Using the example above for the word "deadline", I can make a sentence "I have 3 homework that are close to deadline, so I will finish them later on.".
In order to ensure that I can use the recent words, it has now become part of my daily goals.
Explore More Study Tips
These are my methods to remember new English words faster, you can study from me and I hope my methodology can be helpful for you.
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