[Vocabulary] How could I grasp it, the abstract word

[waterborne]

Hi, Dear teachers, it is me again.
This time I take you a question about abstract words, you know I am a Chinese student, so for me, English is definitely a foreign language, sometimes the abstract words in this language always make me headache, even with a English-English dictionary's help I still cannot understand its meaning, sometimes a word possesses several meanings, Oh, it is really hard for me a foreign student, HELP~~, Please. What and how should I do in order to maser the abstract words? Thank you very much!:-(

 

[cereal_chick]

Abstract words as in words that indentify ideas and concepts etc.?

Or are you having trouble with multiple meanings of words?

[Not a teacher]

 

[billmcd]

Hi, Dear teachers, it is me again.
This time I [STRIKE]take you a question [/STRIKE] ask about abstract words, you know I am a Chinese student, so for me, English is definitely a foreign language, and sometimes the abstract words in this language always [STRIKE]make[/STRIKE] give me a headache, even with an English-English dictionary's help I still cannot understand its meaning, sometimes a word possesses several meanings, Oh, it is really hard for me as a foreign student, HELP~~, Please. What and how should I do in order to master[STRIKE] the [/STRIKE]abstract words? Thank you very much!:-(

Please list a few of what you call "abstract words".

 

[waterborne]

Thank you very much billmcd and your amendments, For abstract words, I mean the words that name intangible things of condition, quality, or idea—such as ... beauty . . . culture . . . efficiency . . . feasibility . . . loyalty .. . effectiveness . . . wealth . . . etc.
By the way I know "give a headache" is a natural and native expression but I want to know if my former expression is right in grammar or not？
Thank you again!

 

[billmcd]

Thank you very much billmcd and your amendments, For abstract words, I mean the words that name intangible things of condition, quality, or idea—such as ... beauty . . . culture . . . efficiency . . . feasibility . . . loyalty .. . effectiveness . . . wealth . . . etc.
By the way I know "give a headache" is a natural and native expression but I want to know if my former expression is right in grammar or not？
Thank you again!

Thanks for your examples of abstract nouns, but as for your "problem", I'm not sure I understand. Although I'm not at all familiar with your native language, I'm sure the examples you listed exist in Chinese (for example, beauty, intelligence =
美麗，智慧 ). So, if it's a problem of memorization, that is an issue that all learners of other languages must face.
With regard to your "headache", the expression you posted would not be natural. You could say, "makes my head ache".

 

[waterborne]

Thanks a lot billmcd, I know you are a English teacher in US, it is really good, so I want to ask you question on synonyms and antonyms, you know there are a lot of words in English have similar meanings. It really confuses me, I just want to make it clear that how should I choose the right word for the right case, how could I know which word is a formal word which more fitting for a formal occasion, and which word is a conversation word that is better for informal case? I know maybe it is a too big question involving too lots of knowledges, but please give me some advice from a native language teacher's perspective.

Thanks a lot!!

 

[5jj]

A good learner's dictionary will label some words as 'formal' or 'informal'.