I wish I could Improve Vocabulary and My Writing Skills

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A couple of years ago began to write about business language expressions I’ve been learning. There are many idioms used in the business world. If you don’t understand these expressions, it’s easy to get lost in a conversation. Therefore, I often check the meaning of several idioms in blogs as well as in dictionaries such as Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms, books and other materials. In my learning journey, I have become addicted to the richness of the English language. I always write some notes about language expressions and Business Idioms. Here is a sample:

1- "The elephant in the room” is an idiom for a problem or controversial issue that is too big to ignore, but that everyone tries to avoid talking about because it is embarrassing or will cause conflict.
2- "The lion’s share” of something is the biggest part or portion.
3- If something “gets your goat,” it means it annoys you.
4- Weasels have a reputation for being sneaky. If a person “weasels out of” some responsibility, it means they abandon their responsibility or commitment in a way that is sneaky or cowardly.
5- If something “goes to the dogs,” it means it goes bad, deteriorates, or becomes poor-quality.
6- In the sport of fishing, “bait” is the food you put on the hook to attract the fish. If you “cut bait,” it means you abandon the bait and stop trying to catch fish. This idiom means “either do something, or else get out of the way” – you can say it to a person who is indecisive in order to motivate them to take one action or the other action.
In the beginning, I didn’t like writing at all. Instead, I trusted my mind way too much. I believed I wouldn’t forget what I learned in class and when I read something. However, I have changed my mind. I’ve realized I had some difficulties and limitations on my reading comprehension and I forgot stuff more easily. Then I was told to keep a writing journal. Once upon a time one of my college professor told me, “You would better take notes, they will help you learn way more, trust me. I do it every day!” So I did it. Once I started taking notes and writing every day, it quickly became part of me I finally understood that professor’s speech. That was like a bug bite that has changed my life. Depending on how hard the bug bites, you may even seek out opportunities to write for others, such as blog posts or project plans at work. This is what happened to me.

 The best way to learn new vocabulary is the way that you like the most. My favorite way to learn new vocabulary is through reading. I usually keep a dictionary and thesaurus handy and use a journal, my blog or Facebook page. I usually learn and write words, sentences and expressions every day. I also try to use them when I engage in conversations. It works well for me. We can write down whatever is around us. Sitting down and looking up words in a dictionary is boring for many people. However, with modern technology you can come across and find new words and expressions by talking with English speakers, watching tv in English, reading the news no matter where you live. If you have a cellphone and internet connection, you can do it anywhere, anytime. Then you can keep track of new stuff you learn, keep a vocabulary list and improve as much as can. We can also classify and write down the part of speech (e.g., verb, noun, adjective), and write complete sentences using the new words you learn.

Writing has a lot to do with being organized.  When you find out that writing a well-done essay is not a walk in the park, then you get the point. You need to use rich vocabulary, correct grammar, punctuation, and other writing rules. I was not that organized. However, the difficulties caused myself to have a desire to find more time for writing and become more organized and efficient in writing skills. Among various amazing outcomes and development on my writing skills, I can tell that I increased vocabulary, constant immersion in the English language and the grasp of proper grammar. In short, when I started to write every day, grammar books and the thesaurus became my best friends. When you adopt a daily habit of writing you quickly see the power of it. I usually write on my blog or read blogs of others. Reading blogs is a nice way to learn new words, but writing a blog is even better!

Here are some vocabulary resources that have more information on vocabulary building.

Websites

Books

  • Fifty Ways to Practice Vocabulary: Tips for ESL/EFL Students, by Belinda Young-Davy. Wayzgoose Press Opens in new window, 2013.
  • Oxford American Dictionary Vocabulary Builder, by Keith Folse. Oxford University Press, 2010.
  • Easy ESL Crossword Puzzles, by Chris Gunn. McGraw-Hill, 2013.


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