People who are good at maths find it helps them with such additional physics, biology, and chemistry subjects. However, people who are good at English find it helps them with learning every subject – including the sciences! Studies show that people with a good vocabulary have higher levels of comprehension when they read and can think and express themselves more easily.
It may be that you are wanting to improve your vocabulary but are wondering how to do it. While traditional methods, including flashcards and dictionaries, technology has taken things up a level. Just as you can use the internet to learn how to use Windows command prompts, it’s possible to use computers and smartphone apps to enhance your vocabulary. Englishfirm PTE Classes in Parramatta teachers tell us that they often suggest mobile apps like Words with Friends to help those learning English further their learning outside that classroom. Are you intrigued? Let’s find out more together.
Try Scrabble Online
You may already be familiar with this popular family board game, which has been available for many years. You have a set of seven random letters from which to create words on a board resembling a crossword. Scrabble Online enables you to have fun making words from random assortments of letters. It’s a great game because it’s free and you can play with other people online. Be sure to have an online dictionary available, so you can check that all your words are genuine.
There are additional websites you can use that are both cheat and educational tools. Visitors to unscramble.org are typical of those looking for words from random letter combinations. The software acts as a word finder and looks like a search engine. You can use it with such games as Scrabble or Words With Friends.
Play Words With Friends
This is another enjoyable game you can download and play with your buddies or on your own. It’s probably the world’s most popular mobile word game. You cannot only choose to play against people with the same skill level as yours, but you can improve your vocabulary as well. This can be achieved using the Dictionary and Word of the Day functions.
The game works on both Apple (iOS) and Android phones and computers and tablets. Like most free downloadable apps, you see adverts when you play but can pay to have them removed.
Use An Online Dictionary or Thesaurus
The paper versions are a goldmine for increasing your vocabulary, and the internet versions go even further. There are none of the page limitations you get with books, and thanks to handy hyperlinks, there are many cross-reference facilities. You can look up a word online, find a list of synonyms (words or phrases with the same meaning), and discover example sentences. This is especially useful because terms often take on their fullest meaning when seen in context rather than isolation.
It can be exciting when dictionaries display root words explaining where the current word originated. Many of the sayings we take for granted have an interesting history, and it can be both fun and educational to learn how they originated.
Play Crossword Puzzles
These days you no longer need to turn to the back of a newspaper or magazine. Thanks to the internet and handy apps, you can access as many crosswords as you want online.
They are a bit like playing around with a dictionary: you think about words that match specific definitions and use previously entered letters as clues.
Play Anagrams
These are games involving letters and words, and they can also be found on the internet. You can use special software for unscrambling random letters or even for anagram creation. Many words contain hyperlinks taking you to the definitions of each word.
Thanks to the wonders of computer coding, you can even discover words that will rhyme with others. That’s great for poets as well as word gamers!
Read Ebooks
If you develop a taste for reading, it can increase your vocabulary exponentially. These days there’s no need to carry books around with you or to fill up your bookshelves at home. You can subscribe to Scribd or Kindle Unlimited to access a host of different books and magazines, or buy Kindle books that you can access on your phone, tablet, laptop, or computer. Because the data is stored in the cloud, your device will always remember where you got up to.
Many specialist websites offer free downloadable ebooks containing helpful information as marketing tools. You can also subscribe to sites that tell you about E-Book freebies and special offers on Kindle.
Use Downloadable Vocabulary Apps
Many of these are designed to be fun and only take up a couple of minutes each day. That’s great for people who prefer bite-sized learning rather than long study sessions. The ‘GRE Vocabulary Builder’ is designed for exam preparation and features over 1200 words, being downloadable on Android and iPhones.
There’s also ‘Improve English’ and ‘Learn English Vocabulary’ for Android. Also, check out ‘Memrise’ for iPhones and the ‘Magoosh Vocabulary Builder’ for both mobile operating systems. Many of these apps can be used by children, students, and professionals and provide features that monitor your achievements.
Consider Online Learning
In the past, school students had extra tuition after school (or at home) if they struggled with a specific subject. Thanks to videoconferencing tools such as Skype, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams, it’s possible to access teachers and tutors globally.
It’s possible to pay for private lessons at a time that suits you, and different time zones can actually work to your benefit. There is never any shame in an adult seeking extra help with their English. Remember: intelligence is more than the ability to read and write!
Hopefully, you now feel ready to dip your toes into the opportunities that technology offers. Computers, phones, the internet, and apps can all serve as effective tools for your language learning. Who knows? One year from now, you may have dramatically transformed your vocabulary and attracted the attention of your friends and colleagues by doing so.