6 Top Tips for Expanding Your English Vocabulary

So, you know the basics of English and can hold an easy, everyday conversation. But do you find yourself using the same words and phrases over and over? If you want to stop sounding repetitive, then the best thing you can do is expand your vocabulary! That way, you can stop using the same words and have more interesting and nuanced conversations in English.

If this sounds familiar, then you found yourself in the right place! In this article, we are going to share our top 5 tips for expanding your English vocabulary and becoming a more confident English speaker.

Before we share the tips, think to yourself: what is your goal? Realistically, how would you rate your English skills as a speaker, reader, or writer? Where are you most comfortable using English? Depending on your answers, you can set realistic goals and expectations for yourself! Some of these tips may be more suited to beginners, and others for advanced learners! So choose what works best for you, and be sure to let us know your favorites.

1) Daily Word Calendar

Firstly, you can get yourself a daily word calendar! This is a fun and easy way to learn a new word every single day. That means learning 365 new words every year just by waking up in the morning! You can buy a paper calendar or find one online, but we recommend the Merriam-Webster word of the day.

If you find these words too erudite, or advanced, there are plenty of options out there for learners of every level! Just choose whichever suits you best, and enjoy learning something new every day!

2) Flashcards

We recommend keeping flashcards of all the words you learn to ensure you retain your growing vocabulary. There are a lot of different techniques when it comes to making and using flashcards. However, one of my favorite ways is to organize and make different decks based on a single factor. For example, you can create grammatical flashcard decks: a deck of adjectives, a deck of verbs, a deck of nouns, etc., and a deck of common phrases!

You can also make decks based on where you might use those words, such as a deck of terminology around food, travel, or work! The trick with flashcards is to use them every single day. You don’t need to go through every single card every day, but set a goal for yourself and stick to it. Maybe you will go through 20 cards a day, or maybe you’ll do one of your themed decks a day. Try a few different tactics and see what will be the easiest for you to maintain. 

And then, you can make sure that you are retaining all those new words by giving yourself weekly quizzes to test your knowledge! We recommend mixing up all of your flashcards from the most recent week together and going through them to see which words you remember and which may need some more work. Put aside the ones you know and pick back up the ones that need more work for a little more study.

3) Keep a Journal

Keeping a journal is something a lot of people do in their native language for many different reasons. But did you know keeping a daily journal can be incredibly helpful with expanding and maintaining your vocabulary as an English learner? Well, it’s true! Writing in a journal is a great way to put into practice all the things you are learning about. Whether you write about your day and activities, write little stories using the vocabulary you’ve recently discovered, or even write your grocery list, as long as you write in your journal in English, you will still see the benefits.

Our personal recommendation would be to write about your day and what you did and look up any words you don’t know. This will not only help you practice your writing and grammar but also help to expand your vocabulary in a fun and different way! Or, if you’d prefer, you can use the grammar and vocabulary you already know and practice writing stories or made-up scenarios. This will help you practice and solidify what you are learning.

4) Translate Your Favorite Songs

Another fun thing you can do to practice and expand your vocabulary is to translate songs or poems from your native language into English! Whether you choose a contemporary song, a folk song, or a favorite poem, chances are they use words or phrases in your native language that you may not know in English yet, which makes it a perfect opportunity to learn something new! And because you learned in a fun and different way, you may be more likely to remember it. And if it is a song you listen to often, then whenever you hear it, you can sing along with your new English-translated version and amaze all your friends!

5) Find a Structured Language Program

Of course, if you’re looking for a fun and easy way to expand your English vocabulary, then look no further than right here! lingoni is your one-stop shop for vocabulary, grammar, and even pronunciation lessons.

Whether you prefer videos, podcasts, or worksheets, we’ve got you covered with American teachers and fun and interesting lesson plans. We offer video and audio courses for every level, so no matter where you are in your language journey, we at lingoni are here for you! Learning a new language can be challenging, so we try our best to make it easy and engaging.

6) Speak English with Native Speakers

Try having at least one English conversation daily and, if possible, with a native English speaker. We know that speaking a new language with native speakers of that language can feel scary when you’re still learning, but it is one of the best ways to get more comfortable and confident! A native speaker will be able to let you know if your choice of words and phrases feels natural or if you sound like a textbook.

They may also be able to recommend new vocabulary and even slang to add to your growing list of English words! It may seem daunting, but you can start small. Just a few sentences, maybe a greeting or some small talk, is enough to make you comfortable. Then, when you are ready, you can start talking about your hobbies or plans for the day, and soon enough, you’ll realize that you are having full conversations.

If you are looking for a cost-effective way to practice speaking, consider finding a language exchange partner on platforms like Tandem, italki, HelloTalk, Speaky, or MyLanguageExchange.

Stay Consistent and Keep Practicing!

And there you go! Some of our favorite ways to expand your vocabulary and practice English. Whether you decide to journal, translate your favorite folk song, quiz yourself on homemade flashcards, or get yourself a word-of-the-day calendar, make sure you stick with it! Learning new vocabulary may be exciting, but unless you can retain all of those new words, there isn’t much point. In English, we say “practice makes perfect” and “consistency is key.” Enjoy your new expanded vocabulary, and have fun practicing! Let us know which techniques you try and what works best for you.