7 ways to learn new English words

As vocabulary gets harder, it's easy to feel stuck and think "I'll never learn this". The 7 techniques below help lock new words into memory at any difficulty level.

1. Keep a vocabulary notebook. Write new words down and review them after 24 hours, 1 week and 1 month. This spaced-repetition cycle is the most reliable way to push words into long-term memory.
2. Read, read, read. Try to use every new word in daily speech. A word typically becomes active vocabulary after about 10 uses.
3. Word games and crosswords. Install English crosswords or Taboo on your phone and play in idle moments — you learn while having fun.
4. The sticker method. Write the hardest words on sticky notes and stick them on objects you use daily. Seeing them dozens of times a day burns them into memory.
5. Study with a friend. Run "word competitions" with someone at the same level — learning with another person is more enjoyable and more effective.
6. 10 new words a day. That's 70 a week, 300 a month, 3,600 a year — enough vocabulary to read at B2 level.
7. Search the context. Google difficult words and read articles where they're used. Once you see them in context, they stop being forgettable.

These techniques are easy to apply at home, but turning words into active spoken vocabulary needs live practice — that's where a teacher or conversation partner makes the difference. For more, see our guide to learning English at home.