Learn all aspects of words – organize your vocabulary using the ideas below and at the back of this notebook.
Strategies for Learning
When you encounter a new word, learn the meaning but also learn the:
Pronunciation
- The phonetic symbols will help you understand how to say the word
Use
- Is the word formal, informal, or colloquial?
- Does the word have dependent prepositions or collocations?
- Is the word part of a fixed sequence e.g. black and white (not “white and black”)?
- Is the word a false friend e.g. “Sensible” is not a “sensibile” or a cognate e.g. “complete” and “completo”
Grammar
- Is the word a noun or a verb? What is the prefix or suffix? etc.
Spelling
- Are there spelling variations in different countries?
- Does the spelling follow regular spelling patterns?