TIPS TO INCREASE VOCABULARY

Currently English is very important to learn. To talk to people from various countries
you need to master English, because English is used as a second language after mother's
tongue. In this day and age, English is a language that many people learn and you might be
one of them. The basic thing you have to do in starting to learn English is to learn vocabulary.
According to Wilkins (1972), “without grammar very little can be conveyed; without
vocabulary nothing can be conveyed” (p.111). Knowing vocabulary will help you master
English skills, namely reading skills, writing skills, speaking skills, and listening skills.
Understanding word meanings enables you to spell words correctly, use them in writing, and
apply them in various social contexts. Therefore, there are some tips that you can do to
expand your vocabulary.
The first thing you should do is read. “reading is a very complicated process
involving a variety of factors that interact with one another” (Kim, 2002).
Reading is a great way to introduce yourself to new vocabulary. At first, you may find it
difficult because there are many words you don't understand. However, the more books you
read, the more English vocabulary your memory will retain. As you read, you will likely
come across words you don't know what they mean. You can read anything like books,
novels, articles, etc. In addition, the more often you meet the same word, the more you will
understand the word from the context of its use. If you're confused, you can start reading
things that interest you. For example, if you have an interest in sports, you can access articles
about that field. However, if you don't have an interest in reading books or articles, you can
also study them by watching movies, of course with films with English subtitles so that you
have an interest in reading. If you read about things that interest you, of course you will really
enjoy reading and you will be very interested when you find new vocabulary to find out the
meaning of these vocabulary. When you come across new vocabulary, all you have to do is
look up the definition of that word in the dictionary. You can use any dictionary you have
either printed or digital. Select a thesaurus and look up some terms that are synonyms and
antonyms of your new word to find out more. This will not only help you understand the
underlying terms more fully, but will expand your vocabulary and increase your general
capacity for academic writing. In addition to getting new vocabulary you will also gain new
knowledge so that you get other benefits from reading. So don't get tired of reading, reading
and reading.
The next tip is to make your own vocabulary dictionary. according to Wilga (1980)
cited in Ningsih (2004:35), “writing or composition is the expression of ideas in a
consecutive way, according to graphic convention of the language, the ultimate aims of a
written at this stage to be able to express himself in a polished literary from which requires
he utilization of a special vocabulary and a certain refinement of a structure”. Every time you
get a new vocabulary, don't forget to write it down in your notebook. It never hurts to write
down every new word you learn. Write the words and their meanings in a book and use each
word as often as possible to keep a journal or diary. This will help you remember the
vocabulary you just learned. In addition, you can open your own dictionary when you forget
the meaning of a word. After that, try to organize the vocabulary you get into a sentence.
Once you start using words in context, they will become more deeply rooted and permanently
embedded in your memory. With this method, every word you learn will be easier to
remember as you keep using it. Apart from writing or keeping a diary, you can also use it in
conversation.
Lastly, speak the vocabulary you collected. “Speaking is often related to listening
because it is a two-way communication” (H. Aydogan, 2014). You can learn how to think
about it by looking up a digital dictionary. Try to hear how the word is pronounced. After
that, try to follow and learn how to pronounce it. Then, invite your friends to talk to practice
your speaking skills. To master the language speak the language, you have to keep repeating
it and using it every day so that it becomes more familiar and sticks in your brain. Talking to
other people can help you find new vocabulary for you to learn. When you don't know what it
means, you also don't need to hesitate to ask the other person. Then, just like when reading,
rewrite the new vocabulary you got in your personal dictionary. Besides engaging in
conversation, listening to English music while singing can also add new vocabulary for you
to learn. Apart from that, by singing songs in English you can also hone your skills in
speaking or saying words in English. Currently there are many applications that also display
the lyrics of the song you are listening to, so that all of you can understand and know and
pronounce the meaning of the word.
From the paragraph above, it can be concluded that knowing vocabulary will help you
master English skills, namely reading skills, writing skills, speaking skills, and listening
skills. After all, mastering English is very important for us to learn, because by mastering
English we can get better job opportunities. To increase your vocabulary, from now on, don't
be lazy to read. You have to start getting used to reading every day. Reading and learning
new vocabulary every day will help your English skills develop rapidly. Record the
vocabulary you get to repeat and remember the meaning of the vocabulary. After that, try to
pronounce every vocabulary you get so that the vocabulary you have sticks in your mind so
you don't have to search for the meaning of the vocabulary again. You can use some of the
tips above to help you add and expand your vocabulary. Therefore, you must start learning to
master English from now on.

Reference
Eka Kurniasih, February 2011, Teaching the Four Language
Skills in Primary EFL Classroom: Some Considerations
VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1, FEBRUARI 2011: 70-81

http://ejournal.uki.ac.id/index.php/jet/article/download/53/33/
Pindho AnjayaniDrs. Suprapto, M. Hum.
Error Analysis on the Use of Prepositions in Students’ Writing
(A Case Study of the Eleventh Grade Students of SMA Negeri 9
Semarang in the
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Journal of English Language Teaching 5 (2) (2016)

https://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/elt/article/download/11227/6723/
Nurul Azizah Ria Kusrini, Eka Rizki Amalia
THE INFLUENCE OF INTEGRATION OF FOUR SKILLS TO
THE PERFORMANCE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ON
TOEFL
SAMPLE TEST
SCHOLASTICA: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan
Volume 3, Nomor 1, Mei 2021; e-ISSN: 2686-6234, 61-74
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