How to Build Your English Vocabulary

In the process of learning English, many people consider memorizing vocabulary as the most important task. However, this may be a misconception.

Spelling Is Not That Important; What Matters is Expressing Your Language Ability

Misspelling words does not affect your ability to express your thoughts correctly. Many people hope to remember the spelling perfectly when they first start learning vocabulary. However, in real communication, the accuracy of spelling is far less important than whether you can use the word to express your meaning. The essence of language is communication; as long as the other person can understand what you want to express, you have achieved the goal of communication.

Due to the extensive incorporation of foreign vocabulary throughout the development of English, its spelling is not regular, and the same pronunciation often corresponds to multiple spellings. Therefore, even native English speakers often misspell words, and that's okay.

Try using your phone's English input method (besides typing, in modern society, one generally doesn't need to spell words). See how the auto-correction and auto-suggestion features of the input method help you complete your input quickly, and you'll further understand why misspelling words is not a big deal.

Practice from Phonemes to Spelling, Not from Spelling to Phonemes

Many people are accustomed to starting with the written spelling when learning new words, but this is actually the reverse order. A more natural and effective way is to first hear the word, practice its pronunciation, understand its meaning, and remember its sound before deducing its spelling based on phonemes. This process is closer to how a native language is acquired and helps improve listening and speaking skills. Once you master the pronunciation, spelling the word based on the possible spellings corresponding to the phonemes is much easier than rote memorization.

Here are some common English phonemes (using the Carnegie Mellon University CMU phoneme notation system) and their corresponding spellings:

Associate Vocabulary and Meaning with Images and Feelings, Not Just Rely on Native Language Translation

Linking new words with specific images, scenes, or emotions is more effective than mere translation in forming deep impressions in your brain. For example, when learning the word "anxious," you can recall the feeling of nervousness and anxiety before an exam, like a tight chest and sweaty palms, rather than simply associating it with the Chinese word "焦虑." This emotional connection built through personal experience leaves a deeper impression of the vocabulary in your mind and makes it easier to use accurately in real communication. The next time you want to express this emotion, you can directly think of the word "anxious" instead of translating "焦虑" into "anxious" before expressing it.

This way, your expression will be faster and more natural.

Use Words in Your Expression, Not Just Memorize Them

A vocabulary word is only truly mastered when you have actually used it in your expression. When encountering new vocabulary, try deliberately using it, intentionally incorporating it into your sentences.

You may have memorized countless words in your past learning journey, but as long as you haven't truly expressed them, they do not belong to you; you don't really own that vocabulary. Remember, words are just tools for your expression; only when you have used them skillfully do you truly master this craft.

In real communication scenarios, you may not have the opportunity to use your newly learned words, or using them deliberately may feel awkward. This is the advantage of practicing with AI; you can try using these words in conversation with AI. In the SayWow app, you can converse with NPCs in the storyline or customize themes to communicate with AI, which can greatly help you master vocabulary.