How to Remember New Words

Building a strong vocabulary is essential for mastering any language, including English. But as many language learners know, remembering new words can be tricky. You might encounter a word several times, but without the right strategies, it may slip from your memory. If you want to improve your ability to recall and use new vocabulary, it’s important to have a few effective methods up your sleeve.

In this blog post, I’ll share practical tips to help you remember new words and integrate them into your everyday language use. By following these strategies, you’ll retain more vocabulary and feel more confident when speaking or writing in English.

Tips to Remember Words

1. Keep an Organised Vocabulary Notebook

One of the best ways to start memorizing new words is by keeping a vocabulary notebook. This simple habit can help you track the new words you come across and provide a dedicated space for review. An organized notebook allows you to group words by theme (e.g., business vocabulary, food-related terms, travel phrases) or type (e.g., verbs, adjectives, nouns), making it easier to find them when you need a refresher.

To make the most of your vocabulary notebook:

• Write down not only the word but also the definition, pronunciation, and a sentence using the word.
• If possible, add the translation in your native language, especially if you’re just starting out.
• Review your notebook regularly. Simply writing down a word once won’t help you remember it unless you revisit it multiple times.

2. Review New Words After 24 Hours, One Week, and One Month

Memory experts often recommend a technique called spaced repetition, which involves reviewing new information at increasing intervals. This strategy can be highly effective for remembering vocabulary.

Here’s how it works:

• After learning a new word, look at it again within 24 hours to help cement it in your memory.
• Review it again after one week, and then after one month.
• Continue reviewing the word occasionally after that to keep it fresh in your mind.

This system helps prevent you from forgetting the word too soon and keeps the memory strong over time.

3. Read, Read, Read!

Reading is one of the most powerful ways to encounter new words. The more you see a word in context, the easier it is to remember it. Reading provides you with natural exposure to vocabulary, allowing you to see how words are used in sentences and in different situations.

To boost your vocabulary retention:

• Choose reading material that is slightly above your current language level. This will challenge you and introduce new words without being overwhelming.
• Pay attention to unfamiliar words and underline or highlight them as you go.
• After reading, take some time to look up the meanings of these words and note them in your vocabulary notebook.

Whether you’re reading books, blogs, news articles, or even subtitles on your favorite shows, the key is repetition. Seeing a word multiple times in different contexts will make it easier to recall.

4. Use New Words in Conversation and Writing

It’s a well-known fact that you need to use a new word about ten times before it truly sticks in your memory. If you’re just passively learning words, it’s easy to forget them. To avoid this, make an effort to use your newly learned words in daily life.

Here’s how you can practice:

• Incorporate new words into your conversations. Even if you’re not sure about the exact usage, trying to use a word actively helps reinforce your memory.
• Write sentences or short paragraphs using the new vocabulary. The more you practice writing with new words, the more comfortable you’ll be using them.
• If you’re not using English regularly with others, try speaking aloud to yourself. This may feel odd at first, but it’s a fantastic way to practice and reinforce vocabulary.

5. Do Word Puzzles and Games

Learning vocabulary doesn’t always have to feel like a chore. Word puzzles and games are fun, engaging ways to memorize new words and phrases. Activities like crosswords, anagrams, and word searches challenge your brain to recall vocabulary and place it in the correct context.

Popular word games include:

• Crosswords: Fill in the blanks using clues that test your vocabulary.
• Anagrams: Rearrange letters to form a word (this helps reinforce word structure).
• Word searches: Find hidden words in a grid of letters. This is great for recognizing words quickly.

These types of games also help to boost your general language skills by making vocabulary recall quick and effortless. Many language learning apps, like Duolingo or Memrise, incorporate word games to make vocabulary building more enjoyable.

6. Make Word Cards and Take Them With You

Another useful technique is making flashcards (or word cards). Flashcards are simple but highly effective tools for memory. Write the new word on one side of the card and its definition, pronunciation, and an example sentence on the other. You can make physical flashcards or use a flashcard app like Anki or Quizlet, which offer digital versions with built-in spaced repetition features.

Keep your flashcards handy and review them whenever you have a spare moment:

• On the bus
• While waiting in line
• During lunch breaks

The key is regular, short bursts of practice throughout your day. Over time, you’ll start recognizing the words automatically.

7. Learn with a Friend

Learning new vocabulary doesn’t have to be a solo effort. Studying with a friend can make the process more enjoyable and effective. When you practice with someone else, you can:

• Quiz each other on new words.
• Create conversations where you both try to use new vocabulary.
• Share helpful resources like vocabulary lists or word games.

Learning with a partner provides both accountability and support, which can help you stay motivated. Plus, having another person to correct or validate your usage of new words speeds up the learning process.

8. Learn How to Use a Dictionary

A dictionary is one of the best tools for expanding your vocabulary, but to get the most out of it, you need to know how to use it effectively. Many learners only look up the meaning of words, but there’s so much more information you can gather from a dictionary.

Here’s what to look for:

• Word definition: Understand the core meaning of the word.
• Pronunciation guide: Learn how to pronounce the word correctly.
• Word forms: See how the word changes in different grammatical contexts (e.g., verb forms or plural nouns).
• Example sentences: Understand how the word is used in context.
• Collocations: Discover words that commonly go together with your target word.

There are many types of dictionaries to explore, including bilingual dictionaries, monolingual dictionaries, and learner’s dictionaries. Using a learner’s dictionary can be especially helpful because it explains words in simpler language and provides examples that are easier to understand.

9. Learn a Few Words at a Time

It can be tempting to try and learn lots of new words at once, but this is not an efficient way to retain vocabulary. Instead, focus on learning a manageable number of words each day—around eight new words is a good target. This ensures that you give each word the attention it needs to stick in your long-term memory.

Learning too many words at once can overwhelm your brain and cause you to forget them quickly. By pacing yourself, you’ll be able to remember each word better and use it with confidence.

Conclusion

Remembering new words takes time, practice, and dedication, but with the right strategies, it can be both effective and enjoyable. Keep an organized system for tracking your new vocabulary, review it regularly, and make a conscious effort to use the words in your everyday life. Whether you’re reading, doing word puzzles, or learning with a friend, these tips will help you expand your vocabulary and become more fluent in English.

Happy learning, and don’t forget—use it or lose it!