Words are all around us.
Even if you don’t understand all the words you read or hear, a lot of times you can understand the basic idea of what they mean.
Instead of using context clues (the words around a vocabulary word in a sentence), take just 7 minutes a day to really learn one word well.
7 Minute Vocabulary Word Exercise:
1. Get a blank piece of paper (or an index card).
2. Choose a vocabulary word to learn.
3. Divide the paper into four parts.
4. Write the vocabulary word in the center.
5. In the top left, write the definition and the part of speech (e.g. noun, adjective, verb, etc.) of the word.
5 Minutes: Learn a New Phrase
Phrases are just as important as individual words. If you only learn the meanings of single words, you might be able to say “how are you?” but you won’t know the phrase “what’s up?”
It’s not always obvious when something is a phrase and not just a regular sentence. One way to tell is if you hear the same words repeated in the same order more than once.
5 Minute Phrase Learning Exercise:
1. Choose a phrase from any of the sources above.
2. Read the phrase and the sentence that the phrase is in.
3. Answer these questions: Does your native language use a similar phrase? When might you use the phrase?
5 Minutes: Strengthen Your Grammar Skills
Ask a native English speaker about the grammar in their sentences, and they’ll probably just say that it “sounds right.” Can you name all the word forms and tenses in a sentence in your own native language? You probably can’t!
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