2 fun new ways to learn English vocabulary

Learning a new language is difficult and boring. Every student learns differently, and it's important to find a study method that is right for YOU. I want to put the fun back into studying English with two methods that are fun and which make learning easier and quicker! In this lesson, I will teach you how to make connections between words in order to remember them more easily. I will also reveal my hidden poet talents, so you don't want to miss this one!

TRANSCRIPT

Yeah, that was fun. I'm looking forward to hearing that from you later. Hi. James from engVid. In this video what I would like to do is help you work on vocabulary. I want to make it fun, because when things are fun, you work harder and you learn more. And today's lesson, I'm going to teach you two ways to not only just remember vocabulary, but learn how to use vocabulary in a way that we use it, and you will really understand it, and... Heck, it's fun. You're just going to have fun doing it. I'm sure you will. All right? It's a little bit creative. So, let's go to the board. Simple lesson. Here we go.

Two ways to have fun with language. Not just language, but vocabulary. Ways that you may not be studying in class, we're going to do here today. The first one I want to talk to you about is fill in the gap. Huh? "A gap" means a space, there's a space between something. So, here's my hands, in between my hands is a gap. Okay? You have a gap between your eyes. One eye, one eye, space. In this case, you see I've got this: "tree __________ chair". Now, fill in the gap doesn't mean just one word. It's a couple of ways you can do this. In this particular game, we're going to take two vocabulary words, "tree", and take another one, "chair", and they're kind of a little obvious to make it easy for you, but what I want you to do is one of two things.

The first thing we can do is use x words. What I mean by that is you could say: "I want to use five words, and I want to go from 'tree' to 'chair'." Or: "I want to use three words from 'tree' to 'chair'" or two. Huh? Well, okay. How do I get from "tree"? Okay. "Tree", "cut". You cut the tree down, right? "Lumber". Lumber you make into wood you can use. Let's see. "Carpenter". Find a carpenter. "Craft". "Craft" means make. You're like: "What?" These... All these words... And then I can say: "Furniture". Okay? Okay, furniture. "Chair", so if I have a tree, I cut it down and make it into lumber, I take it to a carpenter, he crafts it into a chair. Five words from A to B. So, one game is tell yourself: "I want to go from five... One word to another word, and I want five words to get there."

And you can challenge yourself; maybe go from three words. Right? Or make 10 words. You can use it to describe something. How many words you can use to describe a certain thing. Right? "I have this word, and I want to go to this word. How many words does it take me to get there?" What this does is it teaches you relationship between words, and that also can teach you nouns and verbs, and how they function together. Or, we say "syntax", right? So, start at A, say: "I want to use five words to get there." This is a great word to do with a friend. You can say: "Okay, we're going to do 'tree' and 'chair', you need to do five words that make sense to go from 'tree' to 'chair'", and put a clock on for five minutes. You go, and she goes, you write together and see what words you get. Compare, check them out. "Why did you choose this, and why does this word...? What does this word mean?" Right? So, now, you're not just writing words in a book and saying: "This word means this." You're: "What does it mean? How do I use it? How would other people use it? How would other people think?" Right? Yeah. See? That's fun by yourself or with a friend.

Okay, listen, the second way to play this game is: How many words to the answer? What? Well, we can pick up two random words, two, like... I have "chair"... "Tree" and "chair", we could have put "chair" and "moon". Now the game gets a little bit more interesting. Right? "Chair" and "moon". How many words does it get me to go from "chair" to "moon"? Now, you might say: "That's impossible. They have nothing to do with each other." I could say, "Listen, the chair in my living room"-"living room" is a noun-"sits"-which is a verb-"close to the big bay window where I can see the moon at night." How many words did it take me to get from "chair" to "moon"? So, it's playing with words, being creative.

[tommyoldman]

You are literally my first and favourite engVid teacher! It's been 3 years since I found out your videos. My english was pretty crap back then and now I feel like talking nice and fluent. You was a part of my educational process and I really appreciate this. Thanks a lot!

[christianpoet]

I came to look for ideas for mere beginners but I got captivated by this guy, you are awesome man, I am a part time teacher but if I could have half of your abilities i'd make an impact in my students' english learning lives!

[pLLiAu]

Your lessons are awesome and you're very funny :D

[furkandogan]

I am student at Marmara university facullty of Medicine and my department is %100 English I improved my English by watching video and now I can understand lessons in English so thank you 🙏 engvid I will be able to become a doctor 🥼

[ctctheophilo]

Hi, James! I am brazilian. You teach english very well. I have liked your lessons. I am very happy to know that there are funny ways to learn english. By the way, you are very funny. Thank you.

[ScoutJoe]

If only my english teacher were like James I think every student will be at least between average to fluent level in English. Because not all english teacher taught their student better than James do. Another great lesson to learn on your video

[vegeta]

you are a great teacher! thanks for the help.

[somosgabyyalvaro]

OMG thank you very much, you are the only teacher I understand in a 80% without subtitles. I really like the way you teach us. A big hug from Venezuela

[readingisfreedom]

Thank you this video was right on time because I just told the kids at our reading event they had to write a poem this is awesome!

[yoputito]

Great lesson! The moment any language shows its poetry is wonderful!

[EspinmcBlogspotMN]

The first one seems to be quite useful for me. The second one is a little bit difficult but it is going to be worth while to try. Thank you James! My way to learn vocabulary is to express what I am watching with the words I want to learn, and then to say it once again when I see what I was watching.

[vagnersantana]

Your lessons are awesome. Congratulations! You are a great teacher. I am learning English and you are helping me so much. I would like to say: Thank you so much.

[obamadjokovic]

I am really grateful for all the english free courses!! Thanks!!!

[sadiasami]

Hi, James thanks for making these fantastic videos which is extremely helpful to English Learners. Your teaching style & leactures is also fantastic. Keep it up. I am hoping to learn English with James from engvid.
Love from " Pakistan "

[WallaceBelemTeixeira]

Those are great ideas. Thank you very much!

[ShahbazKhan-ytnh]

it's pretty interesting that I actually came here to learn ways to teach vocabs, but I have truthfully learnt doing poetries... awesome

[corrientes]

Thank you for the videos, greetings from Argentina!

[ebupalljka_]

Thanks for your lessons, I'm trying to study English with you.

[xizhang]

Finally to see you on youtube. fan from China. really appreaciate all your videos abt English learning

[bogus]

Thank you very much for subtitles! (from Russia)