<p>I'm having a lot of trouble memorizing vocab. I already read a lot of newspapers, journals, etc. I subscribe to the Word of the Day but after about a day or so I can't remember the vocab anymore. What do you all do to make it stick?</p>
<p>Make up sentences, make mnemonic devices, use them in conversation, etc.</p>
<p>Bump Bump Bump</p>
<p>make really stupid outrageous ways to remember the words and their meanings</p>
<p>don't try to make it make sense</p>
<p>the stupider it is
the more it will stick</p>
<p>Flare's right. Find a friend. And literally force yourself to explain to the other what it means in your own words and use it in a sentence. Three different sentences really works. But, you know, that's a bit of overkill. </p>
<p>I hate memorizing definitions. But, I have to say, I read about this technique. And it even worked for me. :) Plus, the sentances are fun. The more outrageous (and correct!) usage, the better.</p>
<p>I was dead set against the use of flashcards until my AP Lang teacher required them for the class this past year. Just flipping through them a few times helped the words stick more than staring at words on a page. Then after a few turns through the cards I could easily separate a pile of about 100 words into "know" and "don't know". Then I'd flip through the "don't know" pile and further separate the cards until I knew them all.</p>
<p>More than reviewing the flashcards, actually typing the words with accompanying definitions helped too since I made my cards on the computer rather than by hand.</p>
<p>The flashcard technique may only work if you're a visual learner. If you're an auditory learner, it may be beneficial if you repeat the words aloud every time you review them, or partner with someone else and have them say the definition.</p>
<p>Mnemonics also help. The only way I can remember the word 'aposiopesis' is to stress 'pause' in it (a*pause*iopesis).</p>
<p>Use the words. In sentences. In essays. When talking.
Else it will become passive vocab. (Dunno if you say that in English) - you'll understand it, but you won't use it. Active vocab is so much better!</p>
<p>My strategy?</p>
<p>Freerice.com for words (often very random)</p>
<p>I make flashcards for words I've missed or were unsure about. </p>
<p>If this is for SAT, what I've done is gone through the sent. comp. and written down everything I was iffy about or didn't know. A couple days later, come back to these flashcards.</p>
<p>What I usually do is make a pile for words I got right for the first time (which I come back to every other week or month), a pile for words I have missed before but also gotten right sometime (which I come back to twice a week), and words I miss frequently, which I visit daily. </p>
<p>I'm not doing this anymore, but on breaks and for SATs I picked this strategy up. Good luck memorizing!</p>
<p>Use them in incredibly dirty and/or humorous sentences. Boring sentences aren't memorable. </p>
<p>Also sometimes words "look like" words that remind you of what they mean, even if they only share the first letter. </p>
<p>Use your knowledge of foreign languages, science, roots, Harry Potter, and lingo to make connections. If you know what something means in one context, it probably has a similar idea in written English.</p>
<p>Use Supermemo</p>
<p>Flashcards work beautifully for me. Perhaps they would help you too?</p>
<p>"Have you tried staples?"
Ah, I love that movie...</p>