Vocabulary Improvement Technique #5 - Using Imagery And Sound

Using imagery to remember words

The creation of visual images to represent words is an effective vocabulary building strategy. Of course, some words are easier to visualize than others. Generally this technique works best with words that correspond to "concrete" objects. It does not work very well with words that denote abstract concepts.

An example of a concrete object is a computer. It is easy to visualize a computer while saying the word "computer" in your head. This will enhance your memory and understanding of the word and lower the chance that you will forget it.

An example of an abstract concept is "truth". This is much harder to visualize and for that reason we don't recommend using imagery to learn this kind of word. For abstract words, other techniques covered in this course such as 'elaboration' will be more useful.

As a general guide, when you read the definition of a word, try to picture it in your head. If you can easily form a picture of an object that reminds you of the word, then imagine the picture for a few seconds while saying the word to yourself.

• Effective for words that correspond to concrete objects.
• Not very effective for words that correspond to abstract objects such as "truth"

Say the Word Out Loud

When you learn a new word, be sure to say it out loud. Don't just say it to yourself, say it OUT LOUD with your own voice at FULL VOLUME!! Saying a word will add a different dimension to your learning and build your confidence so you won't hesitate when you want to use the word in conversation or speech.

When you say the word you should make certain that you are using
the correct pronunciation. When using Ultimate Vocabulary, be sure to listen to the audio pronunciations when learning your Ultimate Words.