Words to learn in English. Consider your type of information perception

Why is remembering English words difficult? And how to learn to memorize English words quickly and easily? – many people ask these questions, so we will answer each of them in detail.

Why is remembering English words difficult?

Firstly, new english word is accurate information, i.e. information that you need to know exactly, 100%.

Try "approximately" or "partially" pronouncing an English word! Foreigners will not understand you. Therefore, it is very important to memorize English words accurately. A any precise information is poorly remembered, even after grueling “cramming” only 20% remains in memory.

Knowing this feature of memory, our ancestors 2 thousand years ago created mnemonics - the art of memorization. Nowadays, mnemonics has been enriched with new techniques, methods, techniques and is one of the components of the “Memory Development Systems”.

Secondly, remembering English words is difficult due to the incorrect organization of words. Please note that most books and dictionaries aimed at developing vocabulary are compiled in alphabetical order, i.e. English words are listed in alphabetical order. And this order is convenient only for finding words, but not for memorizing.

Memorizing words in alphabetical order leads to the following negative consequences.

• It is difficult to remember a memorized word, to “get it out of memory”, because an English word was remembered without a block of words related to it in meaning and “stored on the same shelf.”

  A word memorized in alphabetical order can be compared to a book that you want to find in a bookcase, but you don’t remember which shelf it’s on or what topic it belongs to. And in order to find the book you need, you will need to “rummage” through the entire closet. But if you put this book on a shelf with books on the same topic, you would find it very quickly.

• When words are presented in alphabetical order, adjacent English words begin with the same letter and are not much different. And, as is known, homogeneous information is subject to forgetting, i.e. When memorized sequentially, words displace each other from memory.

  Therefore, it is very important that neighboring English words begin with different letters.

Thirdly, remembering English words is difficult if you remember the word without context. In addition, difficulties with memorization are associated with the polysemy of English words.

Let’s quote the famous psychologist A.N. Leontiev (“Lectures on general psychology” 2001): “The difficulty is that if you learn vocabulary words this way (foreign - Russian, foreign - Russian), then you won’t know the language for a very simple reason: words, including foreign ones, have multiple meanings. There is no value match. And one more big problem. Do you know what a statistical dictionary is, a frequency dictionary, where the frequency of use of words in a language is indicated simply next to the word as a frequency coefficient?

You see, high-frequency words are especially polysemantic, and low-frequency words, that is, rarely found in the language, have a much smaller number of meanings; scientific terms ideally should not have many meanings at all (alas, ideally, because in practice they are also polysemantic). If we take a very common word and internalize it in this way, nothing will come of it. Because if you open a dictionary, not a very small one, but a larger one, 20-30 thousand, then you will see that against a German, English, French word, the first, second, third meanings of the word and so on, I’m not even talking about changes in meanings in idioms."

Fourthly, remembering English words is difficult due to the incorrect memorization sequence. By “memorization sequence” we mean the sequence of memorizing the components of an English word. What are the components of an English word?

Take, for example, wedding ["wedIN] - wedding

1. wedding is writing English word
2. ["wedIN] is pronunciation English word
3. wedding is translation English word

So, An English word consists of three components: 1) spelling, 2) pronunciation, 3) translation. And most often, in this sequence you wrote down a new English word in the dictionary, and it is in this sequence that English words are presented in numerous books and dictionaries.

Where did you start memorizing?
“Of course, from writing,” you say and remember how many times you wrote down an English word on paper.
- What did you do then?
- Then he said it out loud many times, i.e. “crammed”: “["wedIN] – wedding, ["wedIN] – wedding...”

The following memorization sequence is obtained:

writing - pronunciation - translation.

Memorizing in this order is called "recognition" those. you need to see the English word written or heard to remember the translation. That's why we all read and translate English texts well. That’s why we all understand foreigners when we travel abroad, but we can’t say anything. We can’t say because we can’t quickly and easily remember the translation of the word, i.e. “reproduce” it from memory. This process is called “reproduction” and is the following sequence:

translation - pronunciation - spelling.

Memorizing an English word in this sequence guarantees high quality of memorization and high speed of recall, but using a certain method, which we will discuss below.

How to learn to memorize English words quickly and easily?

Obviously, you need to eliminate the above difficulties and learn:

• correctly prepare material for memorization, i.e. a) group English words by topics and situations of use; b) arrange English words so that adjacent words begin with different letters;
• remember an English word in context according to the principle one English word - one context containing one translation;
• remember in the correct sequence, i.e. translation - pronunciation - writing, using a certain method, an integral part of which is mnemonics.

Everything is clear, except for the third point, you say, What is this “certain method”?

This is a method of memorizing words of any foreign language, called “Polyglot”. With this method you will learn to memorize 100 - 200 new English words a day quickly and easily!

The “Polyglot” method is a sequence of mental actions and operations that form the skill of memorization.

It is enough to memorize just 500 English words on your own using this method to develop memorization skills. You will not think about how you memorize, your brain will use this method itself, and English words will “memorize themselves.” If you are interested in the theoretical part and details, then you can familiarize yourself with them in another book, “Secrets of Memorizing Irregular Verbs of the English Language” by E.E. Vasilyeva, V.Yu. Vasilyev, where the “Polyglot” method is described in more detail.

"POLYGLOT" METHOD
(for independent memorization of English words)

1. Provide a translation of the word.
2. “Photograph” is a foreign word.
3. Write a foreign word.

Let's remember the English word using the Polyglot method:

beard
bIed

1. “beard” is a translation
2. and bIed is the pronunciation of the word (the second option is “Russian transcription”)
3. beard is the spelling of an English word

1. Provide a translation of the English word.

1) “Imagine a translation of an English word” means to imagine a “beard.”
Some may “see in their imagination” a beard hanging in the air, while others may see the face of a grandfather with a beard.

It is advisable, at first, to help yourself with questions:
- What does this word remind me of?
- What does this word look like?
- What does this word mean to me?

2) And then we form a “picture” based on beard image according to the principle: "Place. Hero. Situation", i.e. we ask ourselves questions:
- Where?
- Who? What?
- What is the situation?

Important! When forming a “picture”, place the translation of the English word in the desired context.

In this case, the word is unambiguous and the word “beard” conjures up the face of a grandfather with a beard. Next, we form a “picture”, i.e. we remember a familiar grandfather in a familiar place (Place. Hero), connect as many sensations and feelings as possible.

Let's imagine a familiar grandfather with beard sitting on a bench in the park, we will hear cheerful children's voices, smell flowers, feel the warm rays of the sun...

Please note that the situation is some kind of interaction between heroes, and we only have one hero. Let’s leave the “unfinished picture” alone for now and move on to another point.

1. Choose a consonant Russian word for pronunciation.

Pronunciation is
bIed

Let’s select a consonant Russian word for pronunciation, i.e. a word whose first sounds are the same. In this case, the sound of the word “BIDON” is suitable. Please note that we highlight the matching consonant part in capital letters. It is desirable that the Russian consonant word denotes an object or person.

1. Connect the image of the translation with the image of the consonant word.

The translation image is a familiar grandfather with beard, sitting on a bench in the park.
“To combine the image of a translation with the image of a consonant Russian word” means

- “complete the translation picture” by including the BIDON in it, the result will be a “key - phrase” connecting the words “beard” and “BIDON”, for example: “Grandfather accidentally dipped beard in a can with milk";

Holding the “key phrase” in your imagination simultaneously say out loud 2-3 times: bIed

1. "Photograph" is an English word.

The English word is the word "beard" ».
“Taking a picture of an English word” means highlighting the word on all sides with yellow cards (size 6 x 7 cm) so that in the “window” there is only the word “beard” ». Now we give ourselves the mindset to remember the graphic image of the word (Remember the spelling!) and read the word out loud 2-3 times.

1. Write an English word.

Write an English word, i.e. write the word "beard" » on the draft, without looking anywhere. You wrote it once and checked it, then write it a second time, but without peeking. We recorded it a second time and checked it. And write it down one more time and check it. It is important that you remember the spelling of the word from memory and do not peek anywhere! It is enough to write down the word 3-5 times.

1. Check the quality of visual memorization.

“Checking the quality of visual memorization” means writing the word backwards, from right to left, so that the word is read correctly.
For example: ....d
...rd
..ard
.eard
beard

If you spelled the word backwards correctly, then congratulations, you remember the spelling of the English word 100%!

1. Write it down on a card for later review.

On one side of the card write down the translation of the word, i.e. "beard » , and on the other side write down the English word “beard ».

It is important to do two repetitions:
- repetition No. 1: according to translation, i.e. for the Russian word, we remember the English word, having first shuffled all the cards,
- repetition No. 2: using the English word, we recall the Russian translation.

It is important that you first complete steps 1, 2 and 3 on a prepared list of words (50 - 200 English words), and then complete steps 4, 5, 6 with the same list of words.

Remember! English words need to be memorized not one at a time, but in lists grouped by topic!

In order to independently memorize English words using the “Polyglot” method, you first need to develop certain abilities and develop some skills using simpler technology. Such a technology that allows you to memorize 200 - 500 English words in 1 lesson is the “ENGLISH - memory” technology. This technology contains “easy to learn” material in the form of “key phrases”, and all you have to do is read the “key phrase” and imagine!

In this article we will talk about how to memorize English words and make new vocabulary easy to learn. When our brain receives new information, it perceives it and then stores it. We may access the stored information in the future. If we cannot restore something, then something from the previous phases went wrong. There are several types of memory - short-term, long-term, perceptual memory, etc. The latter receives information through the work of the senses - when we see, touch, smell something. Short-term, also called working, stores small pieces of information for short periods of time. When we need to remember a word, we must use the long-term one. How to do this most effectively?

Memory is like a muscle; it can atrophy if it doesn't work. Every ability that is neglected becomes weaker. And then it disappears completely. Memory training is very important in how to learn English words quickly. The best way to do this is through constant repetition. If you want your memory to work well, then make it work a little every day. The main purpose of repetition is to make new information take root in our heads for a long time without making incredible efforts.

Please note: one of the most important rules for turning a passive vocabulary into an active one is to introduce new words into your conversational speech and use them as often as possible.

Method 1: Repeat Constantly

From all of the above, it follows that constant repetition is the key to effective vocabulary acquisition. This doesn't mean you have to spend days re-reading your dictionary. Dedicate time to new vocabulary every day; you will always have 15 minutes to look into the dictionary and make sentences with the vocabulary you need. If you have the opportunity to communicate in English, then the question “how to learn English words” should not be a problem - without delay, introduce new words (of course, when it is relevant) into your speech.

Method 2. Turn on your emotions

Emotional connection and imagination are very important in remembering new words. Emotions can even double the amount of information we remember. Be interested in what you are learning. Choose films and books in English that are interesting and exciting for you, read jokes and short funny stories. Look at the translation of your favorite songs, and then try to distinguish the words in the stream of speech. Learning doesn't have to be boring - develop your own path, following which you will be primarily interested in learning the language.

If you are just at the initial stage of learning the language, then choose films in Russian with English subtitles; instead of books, try to choose short stories that you can easily read.

Method 3: Say the words

Here is another example of how to learn English words. It is no secret that it is easier for every person to remember, guided by different senses. For example, for some it is better to see a word and remember it visually, while for others it is very important to recognize its sound form. Pronounce the words, try to imitate the sound form that you hear in the speech of an English-speaking person. If you are watching a movie or listening to a song, do not be lazy to repeat the words or phrases you like.

Method 4: Learn words in context

Memorizing English words will become much easier if you “select” them from the text. Learning a large number of words without reference to context is a pointless exercise, because they will not be remembered well, and you will not be able to use them effectively in speech. Try to learn the thematic vocabulary you need in groups from relevant texts.

Why is context so important when learning words? The meaning of a word may change depending on the context. For example, when studying the verb get, you will come across the fact that this verb has a very large number of meanings. Which one should you remember first? When you encounter a word in a text, you remember those meanings that are more popular and most used. Let's look at example sentences with the same verbs.

Verb to get

I got out of the car and saw her walking down the street. “I got out of the car and saw her walking down the street.

I don't get what you mean. - I don't understand what you mean.

I got the parcel yesterday, but forgot to unpack it. – I received the parcel yesterday, but forgot to unpack it.

I got in the bed and started reading the book. – I climbed into bed and started reading a book.

Get ready – we will arrive in 5 minutes. - Get ready - we will arrive in 5 minutes.

As you can see, the same verb surrounded by different text has different meanings.

Get up - get up

Method 5. Read, read and read again

This is a good way to quickly memorize English words. Select literature according to your level of language proficiency. If you are learning English to communicate on a certain topic, then choose appropriate texts. For example, people who are learning English for business communication should definitely read newspapers. The more texts you master, the better the repeated words will be remembered, which you can then freely use in your speech, because You have already seen their use in various texts.

Don’t write out all the words in a row, try to understand the text. Keep a dictionary, however, do not “overload” it with a huge mass of words that you will not only remember, but will find quite difficult to re-read.

Method 6. Use intuition and knowledge of grammar

Often in different languages ​​there are words that are very similar in both sound and spelling. If, for example, you are reading a book, then do not pay attention to them, because... your intuition will tell you their meaning. Let's look at examples of such words:

• Computer - computer.
• Organization – organization.
• Number – number.
• Identical - identical.
• Minute - minute.
• Second – second.
• Motorcycle - motorcycle.
• Program – program.
• Telephone - telephone.
• Grammar - grammar.
• Nose - nose.

Knowing the meaning of prefixes and suffixes will also help you determine the meaning of a word if the meaning of the root is clear to you.

Prefixes

For example, the prefix dis means separation, the negative meaning of the word.

• Disconnect - disconnect (connect - connect).
• Divide - to divide.
• Distant - distant.
• Distribute - distribute.
• Divorce - divorce.
• Dishonest - dishonest (honest - honest).
• Disrespect - disrespect (respect - respect).
• Disbelief - disbelief (belief - faith).
• Disgrace - shame (grace - grace, decency).

In denotes movement towards an object, inward.

• Inside - inside.
• Income - arrival.
• Inflow - inflow.
• Inbound - arriving.
• Internal - internal.
• Inward - internal.
• Intake - reception.
• Inland is the inner part of the country.

The prefix re often carries the connotation of a repetitive action.

• Repeat - repeat.
• Renew – update.
• Retell - retell.
• Review - revise.
• Revolve - rotate.
• Rename – rename.
• Remind - remind.
• Remember - remember.
• Replace - replace.

The prefix un denotes the opposite meaning.

• Undo - redo (do - do).
• Unhappy - unhappy (happy - happy).
• Unsatisfied - dissatisfied (satisfied - satisfied).
• Unlock - unlock (lock - lock).
• Unpack - unpack (pack - pack).
• Unemployed - unemployed (employed - hired to work).

Suffixes

The suffix –er is often used in comparisons.

• Big - bigger (big - more).
• Small - smaller (small - smaller).
• Kind – kinder (kind – kinder).
• Bright – brighter (bright – brighter).
• Funny - funnier (funny - funnier).
• Red – redder (red – redder).
• Clean – cleaner (clean – cleaner).

The suffix less has the meaning “without” or “not under the influence.”

• Friendless - having no friends.
• Tireless - tireless.
• Clueless - no idea.
• Priceless - priceless.

We often use the suffix –est to show the superlative degree of an adjective, to indicate the meaning “most”.

• The coldest - the coldest.
• The hottest - the hottest.
• The greatest - the greatest, greatest.
• The busiest - the busiest.
• The longest - the longest.

Method 7. Make Mind maps

A mind map is a diagram in which we associate certain vocabulary with a concept or event. Moreover, new words may belong to different parts of speech. Words will be remembered more easily thanks to associations, as well as division into groups.

Let's look at an example of a small similar diagram that will demonstrate how to quickly memorize English words. For example, you want to learn office-related vocabulary. The main word in this scheme will be office. From this word there will be another one, let's call it a word of the second rank, it will include all the actions that people usually perform day after day while in the office. This word is work - to work. We will assign the following lexical group to it:

• To call - to call.
• To wait - wait.
• To argue - to argue.
• To discuss - discuss.
• To write - to write.
• To type – print.
• To sign - to sign.

Mind map - associative map

We can also make a group of words that describe all the main objects that can be seen in the office. This group may be called furniture and equipment.

• Desk - table.
• Task chair – office chair.
• Telephone - telephone.
• Computer - computer.
• Keyboard - keyboard.
• Monitor – monitor.
• Printer – printer.
• Calendar – calendar.
• Noticeboard – a board for notes.

• Pen - pen.
• Pencil - pencil.
• Marker – marker.
• Scissors - scissors.
• Paper clips - paper clips.
• Stapler - stapler.
• Paper - paper.

Office supplies – office supplies

Review the basic principles for memorizing words:

Learning English words is much easier than it seems. If you don’t agree with this, it’s probably because at school you were forced to cram columns of words that were difficult to remember and forgotten the next day. Fortunately, with the help of simple techniques, tutorials and easily accessible materials in English, learning words is now a pleasure.

Learning English words and learning a language are not the same thing.

First of all, we note that learning a language is not just about memorizing words. Yes, you cannot remove words from the language, but their interaction in speech occurs according to the rules of grammar. Moreover, grammar will not be “brought to life” without practice in reading, listening, speaking and writing. Some of the techniques listed below involve memorizing words specifically in the context of live speech.

Cards with words

Ordinary cards made of cardboard are a powerful tool for memorizing words. Cut out cards of a convenient size from thick cardboard, write English words or phrases on one side, Russian on the other, and repeat.

For greater efficiency, take sets of 15–30 cards and learn words in two directions - English-Russian and Russian-English - in four stages:

1. Getting to know words. Look through the cards, saying the words out loud, trying to imagine the objects, actions, and even abstractions they represent. Don't try to memorize the words thoroughly, just get to know them, hook them on your memory hook. Some words will be remembered at this stage, but unreliably.
2. Repetition English - Russian. Looking at the English side, remember the Russian translation. Go through the deck until you can guess all the words (usually 2-4 passes). Be sure to shuffle the cards! Learning words with a list is ineffective largely due to the fact that words are memorized in a certain order. The cards do not have this drawback.
3. Repetition Russian - English. The same thing, but from Russian to English. This task is a little more difficult, but 2-4 passes will be enough.
4. Consolidation. At this stage, note the time with a stopwatch. Run the deck as quickly as possible, achieving instant recognition of the word without thinking. Do 2-4 rounds, trying to get the stopwatch to show a shorter time with each round. Don't forget to shuffle the cards. Words can be run in both directions or optionally in one (preferably in Russian-English, as it is more difficult). At this stage, you will achieve instant recognition of the word, without mental translation.

It is not necessary to make cards from cardboard; there are convenient programs for creating electronic cards, for example Quizlet. Using this service, you can make voiced cards, add pictures to them, and teach them in different modes, including games.

Spaced repetition method

The method is to repeat words using cards, but at certain intervals. It is believed that by following a certain repetition algorithm, the student consolidates information in long-term memory. If information is not repeated, it will be forgotten as unnecessary.

The most popular program for memorizing words using spaced repetition is Anki. Create a deck of words, and the application itself will select forgotten material and offer to repeat it at a certain frequency.

The convenience is that you only need to load the words, and the program itself will tell you when and what to repeat. But sometimes there is simply no need for the interval method. If you are learning a selection of common words such as days of the week and months, verbs of motion, vehicles, then there is no need to repeat them according to a special algorithm: they will already appear very often in the textbook, when reading, in speech.

Remembering words when reading in English

It makes sense to learn words with the help of cards when the vocabulary is still insufficient even to understand the simplest texts. If you do not yet know such basic vocabulary as days of the week, colors, verbs of motion, politeness formulas, then it is convenient to lay the foundation of your vocabulary by memorizing words using cards. According to linguists, the minimum vocabulary for understanding simple texts and speech is about 2–3 thousand words.

But, if you can already, try to write down words from the text while reading. This will not just be vocabulary taken from the dictionary, but living words, surrounded by context, associatively tied to the plot and content of the text.

Do not write down all unfamiliar words in a row. Write down useful words and phrases, as well as words without understanding which it is impossible to understand even the basic meaning. Write down only a few words per page to reduce distractions while reading. After finishing an article or chapter of a book, you can quickly repeat the words.

They can significantly simplify and speed up the memorization of words. For example, when reading texts online, you can save words with translation with one click and then repeat them using the Leo Translator browser extension.

Memorizing words from video and audio recordings

If while reading it is not difficult to underline or write out a word, then with a film or audio recording it is more difficult. But listening (listening) for learning vocabulary is no less interesting than books. In the live speech of native speakers there are fewer bookish, rarely used words and more popular colloquial expressions. In addition, listening develops not only vocabulary, but also the skill of understanding speech by ear.

The easiest way to learn English from films and audio recordings is to simply watch or listen, without being distracted by writing out words. This is the easiest approach, but this way you are unlikely to learn anything new, just reinforce the words you already know (which is also important).

If you write out and then repeat new words, you will not only enjoy the film, but also expand your vocabulary. Of course, while watching, it is very inconvenient to be distracted by pressing pause and writing down words, but you can take short notes, and then return to them and analyze the material in more detail. As with reading, you don’t need to write down all the words you don’t understand in a row.

It is much easier to study audio and video using special sites. The most suitable for this are the popular online services LinguaLeo and Puzzle English, which use a special interface for convenient viewing of videos with the ability to quickly (by clicking on a word in the subtitles) translate and save words.

Remembering words while writing and speaking

Reading and listening are passive speech activities, speech perception. Written and spoken language is the active use of language. When you write or speak, vocabulary develops differently: you have to practice using words you already know, moving them from passive (at the level of understanding) to active.

When writing, be it an essay or informal correspondence in a chat, you have to constantly select words and try to express your thoughts more clearly and accurately. Often a situation arises when you want to say something, but do not know the appropriate word or expression. It’s not difficult to find it with the help of a dictionary, but don’t let this valuable find be immediately forgotten - write down such small discoveries and repeat them in your free time. Practicing active speech activity is a great way to identify such gaps.

During an oral conversation, of course, you won’t be able to look into the dictionary, but conversational practice forces you to practice already familiar words and constructions. You have to strain your memory, remember everything that is stored even in its most distant corners, in order to express a thought. Conversation practice for learning a language is like training for the body: you strengthen and develop your “language form”, transferring words from passive to active.

Conclusion

The first two methods - cards and spaced repetition - are suitable for memorizing collections of words, for example, “In the city,” “Clothing,” and so on. Methods three to five are designed to memorize words during speech practice.

If you want to ensure that words are not only remembered, but also not forgotten, regularly practice reading and listening. Having encountered a familiar word several times in a living context, you will remember it forever. If you want not only to have a passive vocabulary, but also to express your thoughts freely - . This way you will turn dry knowledge into confident skills. After all, we learn languages ​​not in order to know them, but in order to use them.

International specialist in Human Design and Gene Key systems, author of the book “Design of a Cloudless Life”, meditation teacher. Lives between Russia and India, consults, conducts sessions, seminars and retreats, works with clients from all over the world. Writes healing fairy tales in English and Russian. Sometimes consults at the Osho International Meditation Resort in Pune (India).

I didn’t start learning English from the cradle. Since my sister studied German and was very successful in it, I decided back in kindergarten that this was my path. I wanted to imitate my sister in everything: thanks to her, I learned to read at the age of 4, so choosing German was also easy. So, my sister and I studied Deutsch on our own for several years, and it was fun. And then fifth grade came, and they didn’t ask me what I wanted, baby, and they enrolled me in the English group. After all, I felt that this was my destiny :)

Today I would like to talk about ways to learn foreign words. They went through many tests, were tried on me and my students, some methods were improved, others were discarded as unnecessary. So, I’m sharing what worked for me personally and my favorite students.

1. Mnemonics or simply associations.

To be honest, I didn’t even know that this method was called such a tricky word. I used it on my own back in school, and over time I began to get more sophisticated :) Now I’ll explain.

Everything is very simple: we take a word, attach an image to the word. The method works well for visual learners. I also often imagine, together with a word and an image, how this word is spelled side by side. This technique is especially useful for abstract words. For example: heat- desert, Love- Cupid with an arrow, open- hand opening a bottle of lemonade or beer. We all have our own associations, and even if they seem very strange to someone, but it works for you, let's be strange :)

The next stage is to consolidate this image, word and the connection between them in the brain, that is, repeat it over and over again until it is postponed. You should not treat this as hard and tedious work. I am for any process to be easy and playful. I use mnemonics with particularly complex words that don’t want to be remembered right away.

2. Make cards for words.

The good old way with which I prepared for the terrible GRE exam, which is necessary for admission to an American university. We write the Russian version on one side, the English version on the other. Important: do not write all the meanings of this word, the first two are always enough to start with, unless you have a specific term in mind. Cards can be made on your phone or on paper. They are convenient to carry with you and test yourself in your free time.

3. Cover items with stickers.

We reserve this for creatives and beginners. A word is best remembered when, instead of translating it, you have a picture before your eyes.

4. Vision in context.

English is contextual. When people ask me how to say “go,” I always answer: “depending on where, depending on why, and depending on how long.” Until we see the new word in context, there is little we can do with it. So that the word does not remain a dead weight, we make written sentences with the word or expression, or better yet three, then read them out loud.

5. Dictate on audio.

It is important not only to recognize a word (expression) when we see it, but also to recognize it when we hear it. To do this, you need to pronounce it many times. A good way is to dictate yourself into a voice recorder and then listen to it. Of course, it is first important to find out how to pronounce this very word correctly, so as not to follow the sad example of Vitaly Mutko and his speech at FIFA under the killer title "From the Botom ov May Hart":) After 30 minutes the word should be repeated. They say that repetition before going to bed is the best time for memorization, as this is the best time to work with the subconscious mind.

6. Smart cards.

We take one topic and brainstorm. For example, fruits are melon, pear, apple, plum, grape, etc. This method can be combined with the “card” method. And remember that the more time we spend on one word, the faster it is put into the passive dictionary and the faster it will enter the active one.

About active and passive vocabulary. When we learn/see a new word, it is first stored in a passive internal dictionary. This is the first important stage. That is, you begin to recognize this word when you see it, especially in context. Only after this does this word have a chance to “go” into the active dictionary, that is, you will be able to retrieve it from memory and use it in speech.

7. Find an accomplice.

Surely there is someone in your life who would like to learn a foreign language with you. It's stimulating. It’s especially fun to make up an associative series together with a friend - it’s a lot of fun :). At one time, I didn’t have an accomplice, and I studied English on my own. But I use this rule in other cases, it always works! I'll tell you someday.

8. Use emotions.

When memorizing a word, the emotions that you put into a new word are very important. If you associate it with some living pictures that evoke emotions, preferably positive, but not necessarily :), the word will at least be stored in the passive dictionary. It can be tied to personal memories, which is also very effective. You can evoke smells, tastes, fill the picture with color, or combine it with your favorite music. This method is well suited for memorizing certain concepts that are difficult to attach to something specific.

9. Spelling.

You must not only know how to pronounce a word, but also be able to write it. To do this, take a sheet of paper and write it many times. The concept of "spelling" is very important in the English language. If you have a friend Ashley whose name is spelled Ashly and not Ashleigh, then God forbid you spell her name wrong. There will be no offense :)

10. A bunch of concepts.

When you learn individual words it's one thing, but when you link them together it becomes even more effective. You can, for example, select 10-20 words and write a coherent story consisting of these words. He can be stupid, funny, serious - it doesn’t matter, have fun with it! Personally, I find this method very entertaining.

11. Opposites.

We choose those words that have antonyms and remember them first separately, then in pairs. For example, good - bad, awful - awesome. You can do the same with synonyms (nice - fine - good), with professions (to teach - teacher, etc.), using word formations. More on this in the next paragraph.

12. Word formation.

Here you can study suffixes and prefixes with which new words are formed. For example, believe (believe) - believable (probable) - unbelievable (incredible) - believing (believing) - belief (faith) - disbelief (disbelief).

13. Combination of all methods.

This is the best way. All of the above methods complement each other and help.

Now all that’s left to do is get started :) Next time I’ll tell you about the resources with which learning and improving English can become a powerful tool for self-development!

The human brain tends to save effort (some would call it laziness): if there is a chance to somehow simplify the process, it will definitely take advantage of this chance. Our cunning “processor” does not immediately allow new foreign words into the palace of long-term memory; First, they have to serve out their sentence in a kind of waiting room - in short-term memory. If a new word is not used or repeated, it will be forgotten quite quickly: the brain mercilessly gets rid of unnecessary information. If you repeat a memorized word - and this must be done at strictly defined moments - you will remember it forever. What is the secret to correctly remembering new information?

How we remember information: types of memory and the Ebbinghaus curve

So, human memory is divided into two types:

1. Short-term or operational
2. Long-term

Information entering the brain is first stored in working memory. Over time, depending on the frequency of use, this information passes into long-term, long-term memory. At the end of the 19th century, the German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus experimentally proved the well-known postulate about the direct relationship between learning and repetition. During the experiment, Ebbinghaus determined exactly when it is necessary to repeat new words in order to remember them for a long time, if not forever.

The sad fact is that the most valuable discovery of Hermann Ebbinghaus is almost never used these days. School analysts and developersSkyeng hopes to change this: a mobile app for learning new words using Ebbinghaus's discovery is currently in development. The application is planned to be released soon - stay tuned for company news.

Many methods suggest learning 100 words in an hour or 1000 words in 3 days - and this is possible. But the problem is that, once in short-term memory, new words do not transfer to long-term memory: easy come - easy go (what comes easily, goes easily).

7 + 1 effective way to memorize foreign words

So, the very first, even zero tip: to remember a new word forever, adhere to the following repetition schedule:

The traditional approach to learning new words, tested by generations of schoolchildren, is as follows: foreign words are given in lists by topic, for example, “Getting to know each other,” “Letter to a friend,” “My day.” The set of topics is standard and universal, which is not always effective: if the topic does not arouse interest, it is much more difficult to learn new vocabulary. The experience of our school shows: if the choice of words to be studied is approached in strict accordance with the specific goals and interests of each student, at the intersection of useful and pleasant, the result is optimal!

For example, if you like the series “Game of Thrones,” you will be much more interested in learning words, generating images and concepts that are related to the plot of the film, for example: queen, northern, wall, castle.

Law of Comprehension: According to Ebbinghaus, meaningful material is remembered 9 times faster. What is imprinted in memory is not so much the words and sentences themselves that make up the text, but rather the thoughts contained in them. They are the first to come to mind when you need to remember the content of a text.

However, learning to properly organize information at the time of memorization is not an easy task. You can use reference words, diagrams, diagrams and tables. The technique of forecasting is also effective: when you start reading a paragraph, try, after the author puts forward several arguments, to independently draw a conclusion and explain to yourself what you read, even if it seems obvious to you. By formulating information in your own words, you will remember it for a long time.

To better remember a new word, use 5 senses plus imagination: feel the situation, imagine a picture, try to smell and taste, say the word - or sing.

Visualize, imagine: in a distant northern country, behind a high fortress wall, rises a majestic castle, in which a powerful queen lives... How high the wall is, how gloomy and impregnable the castle is, how beautiful the ruler sitting on the throne is ! Create a picture in your imagination, live the situation and the new vocabulary will be remembered easily and for a long time.

Law of context: information is more easily remembered and reproduced if it is correlated with other simultaneous impressions. The context in which an event occurs is sometimes more important for remembering than the event itself.

Our memory is associative. Therefore, try to change the place of preparation, for example, teach different topics in different rooms (kitchen, bedroom), on the road (subway, car) and even at work (office, “meeting room”). Information is associatively associated with the situation, the recollection of which will help to remember the content of the topic.

In learning, it’s like in nutrition: it’s better to absorb information in small parts, taking short breaks. It is better to learn a maximum of 10 objects (words or components of a rule) in one session. After this, you must take a 15-minute break, otherwise subsequent training will not be complete. Learn words in line, on the subway - impulse learning is much more effective than continuous learning.

The law of edge, known to us from the film “Seventeen Moments of Spring”: information presented at the beginning and at the end is best remembered. It is more effective to learn especially difficult and intractable words at the beginning and end of a ten-minute session - this way they are better stored in memory.

When studying a word, it is useful to choose an associative image-anchor, for example: clever (smart) - a smart cow eats clover. The image should be bright, understandable, perhaps absurd - unexpected associations fix the word well in memory.

There are many ready-made mnemonic dictionaries, for example, //www.englspace.com/mnemo/search.php. An effective and favorite technique for many is memorizing words using cards, when an English word is written on one side and its translation on the other.

But whatever the method of memorization, alas, there is no method yet that allows you to learn a foreign language overnight. This is a big and complex job, and it is important to choose the optimal approach in order to achieve greater results with less effort. What we sincerely wish for you!

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