For competitive exams, you have to learn as many words as possible. And time is crucial so we must take into account the learning strategy that reduces time and increases remembrance. Here are some retention tips that will reduce your revision time.
When you will follow these strategies you will come to know that your learning time will reduce to 70%. And you would be able to remember the words which you were struggling to memorize again and again…
1.Know common origin of a word
Word origin give us the meaning of the root term from which we can tell meaning of many new words…Because many words are derived from the same root term…
For example: Many words are generated from a Latin root spectare which means “to look“
- Spectator
- Spectacle
- Introspection
Graphein from a Greek language which means ” to write “
- Telegraph Writing from distance
- Phonograph Writing by sound
- Photograph Writing by means of light
In vocabulary course you will learn more!
2. Don’t classify a word as a noun or a verb or an Adjective if they are dynamic in use…
A same word can be used as a noun or adjective or a verb. It is actually their use that will tell us that which part of speech it belongs in that particular sentence..
So sometimes you can’t tell that which part of speech a word belongs
For example:
I went to work. noun (job)
I worked on this project. verb
He is a very kind person. Adjective
What kinds of desserts are there? Noun
3. A funnier thing, a sarcastic comment, an ironical statement will lock in your mind more faster…
Make a funnier comment or sentence about your word if it is convenient.
Check this:
- ABDICATE— to resign, give up ant. Claim, defend.
Retention Trick: The queen abdicated in favor of her son. (Now u will remember it because it didn’t happen…:D)
2. ABRIDGE— to make shorter, make less ant. elongate, enlarge.
PM (Shehbaz Sharif) abridged his speech because the audience was not interested. 😀 (If u support IK)
OR If u support PML then sentence would be
Ex PM (Imran Khan) abridged his speech because the audience was not interested. 😀
4. Study vocabulary with 3 or even better 4 levels…
A basic level and level 1st would comprise of words oftenly repeated in written expression and part of college entrance examination.
2nd and 3rd level words are more GRE exam oriented. These words are more unfamiliar and even foreign students do conscious efforts to learn them…They are mostly not even part of native speakers daily language.
5. When we create association of a word with something or someone then we can remember a word for a longer period of time.
Our retention increases many folds…
Are u gregarious?- meaning friendly —- Yes I’m gregarious !!!
Now u have association with a word…
Gregarious is adjective. What is a noun form of gregarious? Gregariousness
6. With behavior, action or state verbs try to do the same thing and associate with life experiences . ..
For e.g.
Impute– Accuse someone of some bad act or thought
Does anybody accused you or you have accused anyone?
Another example is Procrastinate-To delay
I know whoever is Reading this, can associate himself/herself with this word. ….:D
7.Draw an image of a word if u can
You can easily recall a word if you draw an image with a word.
For example:
Machete : A big Knife —-Draw a knife with this word.
8. Make sentences that are relevant to your other subjects like Pak-Affair , Current Affair…
You will remember the meaning more comfortably if your sentences are relevant to other subjects.
9. Group words
Have a separate register or booklet or where you can segregate similar words or make connections among words…
If you can group words or create connections among them, you will remember them more accurately..
For e.g.
Agnostic
Atheist
Now these are 2 different words but both are theories of existence of God.
These are 2 different viewpoints…. But still you can relate them…
First complete your list. Grouping is next level and do it where u conveniently do it…
10.Classify + or –
Vocabulary in competitive exam is testing your recognition of meaning so if the meaning is pleasant you can put a positive sign over a word or if the meaning is negative you can put negative sign over a word. .
Even if you forget a meaning of a word you can remember it that it has a positive meaning or negative meaning and then you can tick the right option in exam..
Don’t do it for all the words…
11. Choose a different environment
Choose a different environment for learning new words like on lawn or other places of house rather than where you used to sit for a study.
12. Gradual Addition
The gradual addition of new words is better than learning many words in a single sitting.
13. Separate Register
Maintain a separate register for vocabulary building…Leave spaces between words where you can add any information related to that word or any other words that are similar to that word.