Academic and Career Skills Top Tips

Expanding your vocabulary

… for students studying in an additional language
One of the most difficult tasks when studying in another language is coping with the range of vocabulary required. You
need to be able to understand and use a wide range of general vocabulary, the common academic vocabulary, and the
specialised vocabulary of your discipline. Sometimes, it feels as if you are “drowning” in new words !
To cope with academic reading and writing, you will need to expand and enrich your vocabulary. You will need strategies
to:
 understand new words when you meet them in readings, lectures, etc
 choose which words to learn
 learn new words
Here are some strategies you could try. (Most of these ideas are based on the work of Professor Paul Nation of Victoria
University. You will find Nation’s most recent publication in the References list.)

Understanding new words To guess words from context,

look at …
1. Guessing words from context:
 part of speech
2. Use the grammatical and meaning clues in the sentence and in adjoining
sentences to guess the meaning.  words & clauses before and
after the unknown word

2. Using word parts:  meaning relationships

(e.g. cause & effect)
Learn useful word roots, suffixes and prefixes. Several of the sources in the
reading list at the end of this sheet contain lists of word roots, prefixes and  connection clues
suffixes. (e.g. conjunctions & linking
words)
then check your guess
3. Using a dictionary:
Use a monolingual dictionary. Check all the definitions of the word, and take
note of information on word frequency, grammatical features, collocations, etc. The Academic Word List and
(Cobuild and Longman Advanced dictionaries contain a range of useful the 2000 word list
information.)
The AWL was developed at the
School of Linguistics and Ap-
Choosing words to learn plied Language Studies at Victo-
ria University. You can find the
1. High frequency words: list, and suggestions for how to
2. These are words that are worth learning because you’ll meet them use it, at http://
www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/resources/
frequently. You should learn words in the 2000 word list and the Aca- academicwordlist/most-frequent
demic Word List. If you know all the words in these two lists, you are
likely to know nearly 90% of words in any academic text (Nation, 2001,
… and the 2000 word list at
pp. 17-18). Also learn those you encounter in your reading that are
http://
shown in your dictionary as high frequency. englishtutor-
2. Words you need for study: dia.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/
top-2000-english-words-you-need-
Learn the technical terms commonly used in your discipline. You will find g to-know-the-general-service-list/
lossaries and subject dictionaries useful sources.

https://ltl.lincoln.ac.nz http://careerhub.lincoln.ac.nz
Strategies for learning words When you “know” a word …

1. Learning new words:

According to Paul Nation (2001,
Use word cards. Make sets of cards with a word on one side and the p.27), when you “know” a word,
translation in your first language on the other side. You could also add you know about its …
other information on the reverse, such as some of the features de-
Form
scribed in the box “When you know a word”. Work with small sets of
cards when you find the words difficult, and larger sets when the words how the word is pronounced
are easier to learn. Shuffle the cards regularly. how the word is spelt
Arrange regular learning sessions. Work on learning words for a few which word parts are (or can
minutes several times a day (rather than have one long learning session) be) in the word (e.g. un /
and arrange regular review times (e.g. after an hour, a day, a week, etc). happi / ness )
Use recall rather than recognition. Choose learning activities that require Meaning
you to retrieve, rather than simply recognise information. (For instance,
looking at a word on one side of a card and trying to recall its meaning  what meanings the word has
before checking it on the reverse side, is better than reading lists of
 what concept the word is
words with translations beside them.)
associated with (e.g. the branch
Keep similar words separate. Learning sets of “different” words is more of a tree and the branch of a
effective than trying to learn sets of words with similar meanings or business share the same underly-
spellings. ing concept)
Use memory aids (such as creating mental pictures, associating the word what synonyms the word has and
with something you know) to help you remember words. what other words it is associated
with

2. Enriching and expanding your vocabulary knowledge: Usage

Learn more than just meanings. “Knowing” a word involves more than  how the word is used in a
simply knowing its dictionary meaning; make sure you learn all the sentence (i.e. its grammatical
different aspects of a word. (See the box “When you know a word …” pattern)
for ideas.)
 what collocations the word
Learn how to use words. We have two “kinds” of vocabulary: receptive
has (other words that commonly
vocabulary (those words we recognise and understand when we read or
occur with it – e.g. comply is usu-
hear them) and productive vocabulary (those words we can use in
ally followed by with)
writing and speaking). If you want to enrich your vocabulary, pay atten-
tion to both of these ways of knowing a word.  where and when the word is
“Use it or lose it”. The more often you encounter a word, the better you used (e.g. in writing or speaking?
will learn it – read as widely as possible and look for opportunities to in formal or informal situations?
use your vocabulary in speaking and writing. how often is it used?)

Use all the resources available. Use some of the resources below, visit our
website at http://ltl.lincoln.ac.nz/, or ask at the Service Point about the
workshops, drop-in sessions, and individual appointments we offer.

Kolby, J. (2000). Vocabulary 4000 eBook: The 4000 essential for an educated vocabulary.
Los Angeles: Nova Press. Retrieved June 21, 2011 from ebrary database.
McCarthy, M. & O’Dell, F. (2008). Academic vocabulary in use. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
McCarthy, M. & O’Dell, F. (2002). English idioms in use. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.\
Nation, I.S.P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Zwier, L.J. (2002). Building academic vocabulary. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

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