: Re: Tips for expanding my vocabulary? Looking back through my texts, I noticed that I often use a lot of the same words and resort to using quite a basic vocabulary. I was wondering if there

Learn enough about the word right away to own it.

I've picked up a large portion of my vocabulary from reading, but you're right-- that is best for developing a passive knowledge of those words rather than incorporating them into your vernacular. When I learn a new word these days I will look it up and learn the following things about it:

pronunciation and/or spelling, depending on how I learned it
proper pluralization/other forms
usual meaning, and what it means in the context in which I encountered it
etymology

Etymology is important to me as a mnemonic device. Once I know what the parts are and their language of origin I can start drawing connections between it and other words already in my vocabulary, or I can find parallels in English or other languages I know.

Together those details give me command over the word because I can recall it when I need it, and I know that I'll be using it correctly when I do.

Download a free dictionary app to your phone.

If you encounter a new word and don't make an effort to commit it to memory or learn more about it, chances are you won't be able to recall it when you need it. Dictionary apps are great for learning on the go. And they have bonuses: the Merriam-Webster app has a word of the day with a short, engaging essay about it, and a few games to help you challenge your vocab.

Load Full (0)

: How do I stop my characters falling in love? So I'm writing a short story based in a WW2 American military base camp stationed in Germany. It's about A Jewish Soviet soldier that, with the

@Si5022468

Load Full 11 Comments

: What would be an interesting good deed for a character In my fictional story, I want my MC to discover that her father did something nice in the past, that he took the blame for something

@Si5022468

Load Full 0 Comments

: What types of resources and primary sources are helpful for getting into historical character? When you are developing characters for fiction, and particularly historical fiction, what kinds of

@Si5022468

Load Full 0 Comments

: How could the disregard for both plot and dialogue tell the story? I want people to understand what I write, but I do not want to use conventions such as plot or dialogue to tell a story.

: Re: Tips for expanding my vocabulary? Looking back through my texts, I noticed that I often use a lot of the same words and resort to using quite a basic vocabulary. I was wondering if there

More posts by @Si5022468

: How do I stop my characters falling in love? So I'm writing a short story based in a WW2 American military base camp stationed in Germany. It's about A Jewish Soviet soldier that, with the

: What would be an interesting good deed for a character In my fictional story, I want my MC to discover that her father did something nice in the past, that he took the blame for something

: What types of resources and primary sources are helpful for getting into historical character? When you are developing characters for fiction, and particularly historical fiction, what kinds of

: How could the disregard for both plot and dialogue tell the story? I want people to understand what I write, but I do not want to use conventions such as plot or dialogue to tell a story.

Login to post a comment!

0 Comments

Back to top