Hi
Here I'm going to suggest some methods you can use to learn new vocabulary.
When you see a new vocabulary item (new word), always ask these questions:
Is it positive, neutral or negative?
Beautiful is a positive word
Ugly is a negative word
Negotiate is not positive or negative, so it’s neutral
Is it formal or informal (casual)?
Cool is a casual word
Negotiate is a formal word
Is it a vocabulary item or an Idiom?
What did you do? (uses vocabulary)
What did you get up to? (uses an idiom / idiomatic phrase)
Does the word have a prefix or suffix that you know? (may give you a hint)
Prefix: Unhappy, unfriendly (‘un’ – often a negative prefix)
Suffix: Careless, thoughtless (‘less’ – often a negative suffix)
If you see a new vocabulary item, such as ‘undisciplined’, you can take a guess that it may be a negative word from looking at the negative prefix, even if you do not know what the word means.
Is it a noun, adjective, verb or adverb?
Can the word be used only as a noun?
Can the word be used as both a verb and an adjective?
Can the word by used as an adverb?
Which context / situation should the word be used in?
‘Negotiate’ is a strong verb for formal business situations, such as negotiating a contract with a client.
‘Negotiate’ should not be used in social situations like two friends arguing over paying for drinks at a bar.
Create your own example, preferably about your life, to demonstrate (show) understanding of the new word; this makes it easier to remember.
I negotiated my salary package with the HR Manager.
I negotiate the delivery date and price with our clients.
Try out these methods the next time you come across a new word or phrase.
