A great way to improve your vocabulary is to read on a wide range of topics. However, reading in the standard fashion probably won't be enough to improve your vocabulary dramatically - especially if you're an adult.

 

The problem is that most people skip over unfamiliar words and either rely on the other parts of the sentence to deduce meaning, or even worse, settle for an incomplete understanding of the material. Today we will cover a number of strategies that will help you get the most out of the time you spend reading.

 

Strategy 1 - Try to figure out the meaning from the context

 

When you are reading and come across an unfamiliar word, don't just keep reading! Stop and try to figure out the word's meaning from the context - don't just try to figure out the point of the sentence, try to figure out the meaning of the
ACTUAL word in question.

 

Strategy 2 - Look the word up and keep it in a list

 

Trying to figure out a word's meaning from its context is great because it gets you thinking about the word and you may even arrive at a reasonable definition. However, you shouldn't rely on this alone. If you can, you should look the word up
immediately.

 

If this is not convenient, write the word down and look it up when you have time. Keep a list of the words you have looked up and revise them every few days until you are comfortable with them. If you are using a tool like Ultimate Vocabulary, you can look the word up and store it in a custom word list.

 

Read widely

 

Many people are guilty of reading only inside a narrow range of topics related to their occupation or interests. Such people often have an excellent vocabulary for words used in certain disciplines, but fall flat on their face when presented with
anything new.

 

So if you are an engineer, try reading a business journal. If you are a sales person, why not indulge in some cooking books.

 

Try Speed Reading Software

 

Reading faster is is a great way to increase your vocabulary. Think about it, the faster you read, the more words you will be exposed to and the faster your vocabulary will increase. Modern speed reading software can easily allow you to double (or even triple) your reading speed with minimal effort.

 

Reading and recording with Ultimate Vocabulary

 

If you are currently using Ultimate Vocabulary, you have a great tool to help you get the most out of your reading. In Ultimate Vocabulary, create a custom word list with a name you will remember such as "my reading".

 

When you come across a new word, add it to the list. Use Ultimate Vocabulary's exercises, tests and features to teach you the words.

 

Once you are confident you know a word, you can either set it to mastered or delete it from the list.