6-STEP VOCABULARY WORKOUT
Selecting
Step 1: Watch the TED Talk video
Try Something New for 30 Days
. What 30-day challenges did the speaker
do?
Step 2. Read the transcript of the video text and select
three words or
collocations you would like to learn. Be
selective - choose the words that are relevant to you. Explain to yourself why you’ve selected these words.
Recording
Step 3. Consult several online resources to learn about the meaning,
grammar form, pronunciation and level of formality of the words.
Record the useful information about each word/chunk in the table.
Word/chunk
Meaning
Collocations
Examples
Memorizing
Step 4. Create vocabulary cards with the recorded words. You can either design paper cards or use a flashcard
app, e.g. Quizlet, Anki.
Step 5. Revise the vocabulary cards every day for three days in a row.
Activating
Step 6. Set a goal to use these three words during a day. Here’s a list of opportunities to use the words:
• in an email to a colleague (if the words are appropriate for the context)
•
in a meeting
• when making small talk with your colleagues/friends
•
in an English lesson
• with a language buddy (someone who you practice English with)
If none of the opportunities suits you, you can always talk to yourself using the new words.
Self-talk is a great
exercise to activate new vocabulary! ☺
Online dictionaries
•
Oxford Learner’s
Dictionary
•
Cambridge Dictionary
•
Merriam-Webster
Other online resources
•
Reverso Context
(translation)
•
SkELL
(collocations, examples)
•
YouGlish
(pronunciation, examples)