In today’s Podcast, I am sharing about one of the best ways you can build your vocabulary in English.  Best of all, if you do it properly, you’ll have a great time WHILE you are developing your vocabulary skills.  It will feel like play, not work!

Listen to today’s episode:

Introduction:

I’m really enjoying something that I kind of stopped doing a little over two years ago: reading for fun. 

I stopped reading just for the fun of reading – because I was involved in a Master’s degree program through my work. I’ve shared that with you before, but because I had to do so much reading for that degree program, I totally had to give up reading for fun books. 

In fact, once I had finished my studies, I have to confess that I sort of walked away from reading all together. I had had enough reading, I felt, to fill a lifetime! 

But recently I’ve found that I’ve missed picking up a good book and curling up on my favourite chair to read it. 

What I Read and Am Reading

I’ve just finished reading a book that you might enjoy, actually. It’s called Hollow Fires by  Samira Ahmed.  It’s based on a true story,  but deals a lot with racism, hatred, being an immigrant, and how the main character – an immigrant herself – tries to solve a murder.  I really enjoyed it – maybe you will too. 

And now I’m reading a new book. It’s called The Ruinous Sweep by Tim Wynee-Jones. 

I’m only a few chapters in, but I’m liking it so far.

Why A Podcast Episode About Reading and Vocabulary?

Reading this book today is what inspired me to share this podcast episode with you. 

Why? Because I learned a brand new word from reading this book today. Me! A 47 year old book worm!  I was so excited by it, that I took a picture of the page from the book, and thought: I’ve gotta share this with you!

How To Use Reading To Build Your English Vocabulary

Today we’re going to take a few minutes to talk about why you should consider reading as a way to build your vocabulary. 

1. Read what you enjoy reading!  (Learn from my studies story – I was reading things I SOMETIMES enjoyed. But many times it was because I had to in order to meet course requirements. Don’t do that! Look for material you enjoy reading so that you will want to keep doing it. 

2. Look for material that is not too easy, but also not too hard!  You need something that will challenge you a little – but not totally overwhealm you, or you’ll likely not want to keep going! 

3. When you come to a new word: follow your curiosity.  Some suggest that you shouldn’t stop in the middle of your reading in order to pull out the dictionary to learn what your new word means, but instead wait until you’re done the chapter so that you don’t interrupt the flow of reading.   That makes sense, but I suggest that instead you follow your curiosity! If the word looks interesting to you, and it pokes your curiosity – go ahead and look it  up.  (First though, see if you can guess what it means by looking at the context.)

Please help me out on this quick survey! (During the month of September 2023, if you share your e-mail address in the feedback form you’ll get a free 30 minute class with me on whatever you need help with in your English when you sign up. )

Thank you for listening! I’ve got some totally free resources – along with the ones mentioned in today’s episode to help you continue to build your English skills and prepare for the CELPIP exam. Find out more here: http://celpipsuccess.com/resources/