How can I improve my vocabulary? (Part 1)
Low marks in reading and listening can often be due to a lack of vocabulary knowledge rather than poor reading or listening skills. If you don’t know the missing word in a Cambridge C1 Advanced Part 2 listening test, then it’s impossible to hear it and write it down!
So, improving your vocabulary is super important when you’re preparing for a Cambridge exam.
There are three stages to expanding your vocabulary:
Noticing new language in context – when you read or hear a new word or phrase
Recording and learning it so you can understand it when you read or hear it
Using it in your own writing and speaking
I’m going to focus on the first two.
Stage 1
How often do you watch films or TV series in English?
Once a month? Once a week? Every day?
And how often do you do you actively listen for new words or write down new phrases you hear?
Less often? Never?
That’s normal! So, challenge yourself to keep a notebook or your phone next to you when you watch. Then, note down three new words or phrases that you hear while you’re watching. You could even write the bit of dialogue for context.
When the film is over, look them up in the dictionary and make a note of the meaning.
Do this when you’re reading in English too. Don’t go crazy: 3-5 new pieces of vocabulary are enough each time.
Cambridge reading and listening tests are also a great place to find new language specific to the level of your exam.
Looking for and recording new language like this turns a passive activity like watching Netflix into something active. That’s when your brain starts working and the learning happens!
In part 2, find out how you can record and learn the new vocabulary, so you see improvements in your scores.
