Vocabulary

Learning English vocabulary is the basis of your journey to becoming a fluent speaker of the English language. When learning your native language, you begin building up a vocabulary at an early age and this develops over time, until you come to a point where to are fully coherent in the language. The same applies when learning English, you will begin with a basic vocabulary and over time, learn new words and phrases to add into your vocabulary in order to get to a more fluent speaking ability.

Sub-Pages of English Vocabulary

• Abbreviations
• Descriptive Words
• Rhyming Words
• Confusing Animal Terms
• Confusing Food Terms
• Confusing Words
• Countries and Nationalities
• English Names
• Things
• Synonyms

Terms categorized by topics:

• Biological Terms
• Chemistry Terms
• Educational Terms
• Gaming Terms
• Gender and Sexuality Terms
• Government and Legal Terms
• Legal Terms
• Statistical Terms
• Medical Terms
• Military Terms
• Numerology
• Political Terms
• Psychology Terms
• Relationship Terms
• Scientific Terms
• Shortened Words
• Social and Cultural Terms
• Socioeconomic Terms
• Spiritual Terms
• Symbolism Terms
• Technology Terms

What Is Vocabulary?

Briefly speaking, vocabulary is a selection of words within a certain language. Sometimes, the word vocabulary refers to the words that a person knows. For instance, an average English speaker should have an active vocabulary of about 20,000 words.

But it is worth noting that vocabulary extends beyond recognizing a word, you also have to learn how to use it. That is why, despite having an active vocabulary of 20,000 words, the average passive vocabulary of an English speaker is about 40,000 words.

In order to effectively master a new language, it is essential to master its basic vocabulary. Usually, a person’s vocabulary grows with time. But for people who are learning a new language, it is essential to master vocabulary in a shorter amount of time, and that can be a little of a challenge. This is why learning new vocabulary is usually the greatest challenge to mastering a second language.

The Importance of Vocabulary Words

Learning vocabulary has many benefits, and that is why you should never stop learning vocabulary, despite how much of it you think you know.

Understanding Other People

Without proper vocabulary, you cannot understand what other people are saying. Additionally, you cannot express yourself properly if you don’t have an adequate vocabulary.

Understanding Other Disciplines

Besides, in order to learn other disciplines such as sciences and arts, you need proper vocabulary. There are also strong connections between vocabulary and reading and writing skills. Therefore, if you want to be a better writer, and also read better, you need a greater vocabulary.

Improving Logical Thinking

A good vocabulary also improves logical thinking in the context of a certain language. Learning new words and what they mean makes it easier to explore new ideas and understand concepts that you would not otherwise understand without adequate vocabulary. Quite simply, vocabulary really opens your mind to new ideas.

Improves Chances of Success

Additionally, a good vocabulary helps you make a good impression among other speakers. Therefore, it improves your chances of success as you will seem like someone who understands a certain topic better, as well as someone who knows how to express themselves properly and interact easily with others. In fact, studies have discovered that there is a link between vocabulary and success in some occupations.

In this study, it was found that vocabulary could predict success as a president and VP 87% of the time, but only 32% of the time for the floor bosses. Therefore, a greater vocabulary was necessary for greater occupational success.

So, learning vocabulary is not just for second speakers. Even native speakers can grow their vocabulary, and witness an improvement in their occupational achievements over time. Fortunately, for the most part, vocabulary is learned. It does not depend on natural abilities as much as people think it is.

Makes it Easier to Master New Words

Vocabulary also makes it easier to master new words, which is one of the most challenging aspects of language learning. With a large vocabulary, you can understand what new words mean without having to take a closer look at what they mean.

For instance, if you see a picture of a beach and then a statement mentions “turquoise sea against a clear blue sky”, you will easily understand that “turquoise” refers to a color even though you might never have heard the word before.