A nice range of vocabulary can make a huge difference in PTE as it is an integral part of PTE preparation.
Vocabulary is a building block for every language and for examinations like PTE it is required in every module: Speaking, Writing, Reading, or Listening. To do well in the vocabulary you need to learn a lot of new words.
I would like to recommend the 10 best methods to integrate good vocabulary in your English.
- Reading: The more you read, the better you will become. You should try to read the things of your interest, like, if you have an interest in fashion read magazines and articles about it. The same goes for economics or the science of politics. As a result, you will start getting the hang of reading and start attaining rich vocabulary.
- Dictionary: Keep the English dictionary handy with you. You can use a paper-based dictionary or you can use an online dictionary. There a lot of websites like dictionary.com thesaurus.com. These can really help you in understanding the different meanings of a word and its synonyms. You don’t need to memorize every word, but an overall idea will be clear to you about the usage of that word.
- Notebook: Keeping a small notebook with you is my third tip. This notebook is going to help you a lot. You can write down the new words that you have learned. Keep on looking at this notebook whenever you have time. This should be a pocket notebook, so whenever you are free you can take it out and start revising the vocabulary words you’ve written.
- Organize: Organize your notebook and your brain in a smart way. Everything should be connected thematically. For example, you can use food as the main topic and put all words pertaining to food under that. Similarly, other topics like hobbies, nature, or society can be organized. This will help you organize your thoughts very well and group the words together in your brain.
- Usage: Whenever you learn a new word, make it very sure you know how it can be used as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb. There are a lot of words in the English language which keep on changing their forms depending upon their usage. Once the form of the word is changed the whole context of the writing and speaking also changes. Just by understanding the basic word doesn’t mean that you know the correct usage.
- Collocations: Another effective way to learn vocabulary is called collocations. We have a list of collocations. You can use these collocations to understand how the words can be grouped together so it helps you in memorizing and using them. It helps for effective usage of the words as well.
- Listening: My next tip is listening. If you listen to a lot of good English, there is a very fair chance that you understand the pronunciation of the word and you can pick up a lot of new words. Listen to TED talks, National Geographic Channel, Netflix, etc. helps you to understand words and their pronunciation.
- One-Word-A-Day: Make a thumb rule in your life to learn one good word a day. We have a lot of websites and apps which will give you a word of the day. That word of the day can be used repetitively so that it gets imprinted in your mind.
- Speaking: And my last tip is speaking. The more you speak the better your vocabulary becomes. Don’t hesitate to use new words in your day-to-day speech. Memorizing them and keeping them in the notebook is not a good idea. Whenever you are talking to somebody, try to forcibly use that word. Slowly, your brain will start using those words effortlessly and it will become a part of mainstream speaking.
- FlashCards: Make flashcards and keep them handy. Write the word on one side and meaning and usage on the other. Whenever free, keep flipping them to memorize their meaning and usage.
These are some of my very nice ideas on how to enhance your vocabulary.