TIPS FOR IMPROVING

VOCABULARY

Judy Grace B. Mencino

City Budget Office
 1. Context
- Refers to the words and phrases that
surround a particular word that may
help you to figure out its meaning.
Example:

The word break may take several meanings as follows:

1. to separate into parts with suddenness or violence;

fracture;
2. to exceed; surpass (i.e. break the record)
3. to violate; transgress
Think of how the word break is used in
these sentences:
1. Pedro broke his arms.
2. The
Philippine Arena broke the
Guinness World Record as the
world’s biggest multi-function
arena.
3. Criminals break the law.
 2. Structure

- Knowing the parts of words: prefixes,

roots, suffixes help in understanding
and unlocking the meaning of words.
 Prefix
A letteror group of letters that is added at the beginning of a
word to change its meaning

Ex.
ambi- meaning both

Ambivalent

Simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings

(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
 Root
- basic part of a word;
- most of the root words come from Latin or Greek

Example:

Biology from the root word bio meaning “life”

- the branch of science that deals with living organisms and
vital processes
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
 Suffix
- a letter or group of letters that is attached at
the end of the word

Example:
– able, -ible meaning capable of, worthy of, tending
to

Flammable
- capable of being set on fire or burning quickly
 prefix root suffix

ATHEIST [a- not, + theos – God + ist –

one who does]
meaning: one who believes that there is no God
 prefix root
Anarchy [an- without + arch, rule + -
y, full of, somewhat]
suffix

-state of lawlessness or political

disorder due to absence of
governmental authority
 rootwords
Egocentric [ ego, self + centr, center,
+ -ic]
suffix
- self-centered
 prefix root
ABAXIAL [ ab, away + ax, axis +
ial ]
- away from the axis
 prefix root
Benevolent [ bene, good + vol, to
wish, + -ent, act or quality]
suffix
- Showing goodwill
 3. Dictionary
Make friends with the
Dictionary!
4. Read,read,read!
“The most important thing is to read as
much as you can, like I did. It will give you
an understanding of what makes good
writing and it will enlarge your vocabulary.”
- J. K. Rowling
face a book

Instead of

facebook
 5. Learn One New Word Each Day!
There are many websites that provide free
word- of- the- day services.

Ex. Merriam-Webster’s Online Word of the

Day
 5. Use it or lose it!
5.1. Write it down.
5.2. Say it aloud.
5.3. Create sentences using the new
words you learned, either mentally or in
writing.
5.4. If possible, try to use them in a
conversation.
Try your hand at these Exercises. 
Exercise No. 1
Vocabulary Bingo:

 Divide your papers into 16 boxes; 4 rows with 4 boxes

for each row.
 Write down the words flashed on the board;

one word per box and in random order.

 As I mention the synonyms for each word, please recite
that word and mark the box on your paper if you have
written that word in one of the boxes;
 The reviewee who is able to complete all the boxes
wins…
1. Humdrum 11. Preposterous 21. Beleaguered
2. Protracted 12. Fathom 22. Extolled
3. Sanguine 13. Tenacious 23. Indigent
4. Contradictory 14. Indignant 24. Leverage
5. Inimical 15. Precipitated 25. Dogmatic
6. Egregious 16. Exasperated
7. Maleficent 17. Proponent
8. Retrospect 18. Underscored
9. Apposite 19. Quell
10. Insolent 20. Menace
 Humdrum Precipitated

Sanguine Maleficent

Retrospect Protracted