[Vocabulary] How to increase vocabulary in English

[Motors_]

Hey Everyone.
Some days ago when I wanted to start reading new book the Ring (horror), I recognized that I can't even read first page of the book. In whole sentence I understand not more than 3 words. I was shocked.
I understood that I need to increase my vocab in order to understand more. I have read an article [URL removed], and they say that you can use textbooks for learning (but I didn't find USA school books on the internet). Can you help me with that?
Or please give me more advice how to increase my vocabulary. Thanks

 

[emsr2d2]

Hey everyone.

[STRIKE]Some[/STRIKE] A few days ago, when I wanted to start reading a new book - "The Ring" (a horror), I [STRIKE]recognized[/STRIKE] realised that I can't even read the first page of the book. In each whole sentence, I understand [STRIKE]not[/STRIKE] no more than 3 words. I was shocked.

[STRIKE]I understood that[/STRIKE] I need to increase my vocabulary in order to understand more. I [STRIKE]have[/STRIKE] read an article [STRIKE]here, and they[/STRIKE] that says that you can use textbooks [STRIKE]for learning[/STRIKE] to learn vocabulary (no bracket here) but I [STRIKE]didn't[/STRIKE] couldn't find any USA school books on the internet (no bracket here). Can you help me with that?

Or please give me more advice on how to increase my vocabulary.

Thanks.

Welcome to the forum. :hi:

Please see my corrections to your post above.

I clicked on the link and spotted a grammatical error in the first sentence on that page. On that basis, I wouldn't recommend using it to help you with your English. I have removed the link from your post so that other learners don't see it.

What do you mean by "I couldn't find any USA school books on the internet"? I hope you haven't been trying to download illegal copies of such books. I'm sure you can find some text books available on Amazon or eBay or somewhere similar.

I have several questions. The answers will help us to help you.

How are you currently learning English?
Do you take formal classes?
How long have you been learning for?
Have you tried reading simpler books first?
Do you regularly read English newspapers or magazines?
Do you read the news on a website written in English?
How often do you converse with native English speakers?

 

[Motors_]

First of all thank to you that you corrected me, I was shocked, because of amount of mistakes. I'm sad about it
1. I've been learning English 1.5 year.
2. No, I had classes before, but it was not helpful
3. Yes. I read at least 7-10 simple books in English. The problem is I can't find an interesting book which will be simple.
4. Yeah, sometimes I read something, but not a lot.
5. No, I don't read news, because they are writing for natives, it's so difficult to understand it.
6. For 1.5 years, I talked in English only one time with person from Malaysia (20 minutes).
I don't even know how to learn English, what to do next, how to learn and so on. I tried a lot of apps, but I'm not sure that they are useful.
I think that I need to make a plan, to go forward.
Yeah, I just tried to find a book in Google, but I did not find nothing.
Thanks again

 

[emsr2d2]

First of all, thank [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] you [STRIKE]that you corrected me,[/STRIKE] for your corrections. I was shocked (no comma here) [STRIKE]because of[/STRIKE] at the amount of mistakes. I'm sad about it.

1. I've been learning English [STRIKE]1.5[/STRIKE] for a year and a half.
2. No, I had classes before, but [STRIKE]it was[/STRIKE] they were not helpful
3. Yes. I have read [STRIKE]at least[/STRIKE] about 7-10 simple books in English. The problem is I can't find an interesting book [STRIKE]which[/STRIKE] that [STRIKE]will be[/STRIKE] is simple.
4. [STRIKE]Yeah[/STRIKE] Yes, sometimes I read [STRIKE]something[/STRIKE] things like that, but not a lot.
5. No, I don't read the news, because [STRIKE]they are[/STRIKE] it is [STRIKE]writing[/STRIKE] written for native speakers. It's [STRIKE]so[/STRIKE] very difficult to understand it.
6. [STRIKE]For 1.5 years[/STRIKE] In a year and a half, I talked in English only one time with a person from Malaysia (for 20 minutes).

I don't even know how to learn English, what to do next, how to learn and so on. I have tried a lot of apps, but I'm not sure that they are useful. I think that I need to make a plan (no comma here) to go forward.
[STRIKE]Yeah[/STRIKE]Yes, I just tried to find a book in Google, but I did not find [STRIKE]nothing[/STRIKE] anything.
Thanks again.

Thank you for your responses. Please note my corrections above.

I think it is fair to say that you might need to go back to basics. You need to get a textbook either for beginners or perhaps lower intermediate level (we will never suggest that you download such a book from Google. You need to pay for it from a legal source). Why did you not find the classes helpful?

Have you looked to see if there are any language exchange groups in your area? I am fairly sure there must be access to quite a lot of formal and informal language sessions in Poland.

 

[jutfrank]

For somebody who claims to have only ever spoken English for 20 minutes, and who has been learning for only 18 months, your English is not bad. Well done.

Remember that it takes many years to reach a high level of language competence. Keep practising regularly and you'll get there.

 

[Motors_]

Thank you for your responses. Please note my corrections above.

I think it is fair to say that you might need to go back to basics. You need to get a textbook either for beginners or perhaps lower intermediate level (we will never suggest that you download such a book from Google. You need to pay for it from a legal source). Why did you not find the classes helpful?

Have you looked to see if there are any language exchange groups in your area? I am fairly sure there must be access to quite a lot of formal and informal language sessions in Poland.

I don't know why I clicked on Poland in settings, I'm in Belarus now.
Yeah, I'm not sure that I have a language exchange group in my city. They was not helpful for me because I'm shy, and sometimes to start a conversation with someone was too difficult. And I understood that is not mine.

Do you recommend me to take an English grammar book, and start to learn grammar again? Yeah, I think I agree with. Because sometimes I happen that I can know words, but I can't mix them together.
But I didn't saw any interesting and helpful book for me. Or give me please advice.
I think only video helped me to go to this level where I am. Because I watched a lot of English movies and YouTube videos. When I start to watch video about grammar in English, it's difficult to understand sense.
Thank you everyone for helping me now.

 

[Motors_]

For somebody who claims to have only ever spoken English for 20 minutes, and who has been learning for only 18 months, your English is not bad. Well done.

Remember that it takes many years to reach a high level of language competence. Keep practising regularly and you'll get there.

Yeah, but I think that I spend a lot of time on English, but the results isn't good. My grammar so bad(

 

[jutfrank]

I don't think grammar should be your priority right now. I think your priority should be to improve your listening comprehension.

A very effective way to do this is by watching YouTube videos. You don't need to watch videos about grammar, but any ones you like which have a reasonably competent level of natural English. If you understand around 80% of what you hear, that's great. If you can find at least some videos which have well-written captions, that's even better.

 

[Motors_]

I don't think grammar should be your priority right now. I think your priority should be to improve your listening comprehension.

A very effective way to do this is by watching YouTube videos. You don't need to watch videos about grammar, but any ones you like which have a reasonably competent level of natural English. If you understand around 80% of what you hear, that's great. If you can find at least some videos which have well-written captions, that's even better.

If you know YouTube channel EngVid, there I understand 80-90% what they say. But some channels, usually American TV shows 30-40% (they speak so fast).
But for example, if I hear a word and I don't understand this, I will not understand this. It says to me, that I need to increase my vocabulary. :-(

 

[Motors_]

Can you say to me, what should I do now? I mean, how about a short plan.

 

[jutfrank]

But some channels, usually American TV shows 30-40% (they speak so fast).

This is what I mean. Find something where you understand around 80%. 30-40% is not enough. I suggest a YouTube video of only one person talking.

But for example, if I hear a word and I don't understand this, I will not understand this. It says to me, that I need to increase my vocabulary.

I don't follow what you are trying to say. Yes, of course you need to increase your vocabulary.

Can you say to me, what should I do now? I mean, how about a short plan.

That's exactly what I'm trying to do! Find some YouTube channels about video games or movies or science or top ten lists of things, whatever you like, and watch them.

 

[Motors_]

This is what I mean. Find something where you understand around 80%. 30-40% is not enough. I suggest a YouTube video of only one person talking.



I don't follow what you are trying to say. Yes, of course you need to increase your vocabulary.



That's exactly what I'm trying to do! Find some YouTube channels about video games or movies or science or top ten lists of things, whatever you like, and watch them.

Is that all what I need to do?

 

[Tarheel]

Could you tell me what to do now? How about a short plan?

I suggest that you stick to short, simple sentences for the time being. (Jutfrank gives good advice.)

 

[jutfrank]

Is that all [STRIKE]what[/STRIKE] I need to do?

Well, it depends what you want to achieve exactly. If you want to quickly and effectively improve your listening comprehension, as well as your vocabulary and grammar, and in turn your pronunciation and speaking competence, then yes, that should suffice for a while.

As a general rule, the more practice you get, the faster you will improve. So try to watch as much as you can.