How do I become better at using my extensive vocabulary?

[343533]

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I am a high school senior and currently in AP english literature. My grammer skills are above average and I can write excellent essays. My AP essay writing skills are not that great but I am working on that.

On the SAT, I got almost all the sentence completions correct. I knew most of the words. I know almost every word I see in a book. The problem is, I can never think of the words when writing. The words just never come to me.

What I want to be able to do is use the words I know when talking or writing, especially when talking.

 

[Pandapurse]

Read, Read, Read. Read books outside of your classes, especially literature and other works of merit. Newspapers are a great thing to read too.

 

[343533]

I always check out books from my school library. I read science articles online when they are posted on Yahoo's page.

 

[Pandapurse]

Try reading articles on the humanities/arts. I took a humanities class in college and it greatly improved my writing and vocabulary. Do you have socratic seminars in your AP Literature class? Discussion can be a great way to learn new words.

 

[Skrappy]

Check out the flashcard section on dictionary.com from there you can either choose terminology in most given sections,or create your own list. It will also be be beneficial if you have a mobile phone that is capable of web browsing or if you have an iphone/droid whereas that will Enable you to download a few flashcard apps. On dictionary.com, you can even utilize the program to study for your upcoming exams.

 

[Myuu]

The only way to develop verbal skills is to practice them. It's also generally a good idea not to advertise your grammar skills with poor spelling, or to exhibit hubris when asking for help.

 

[343533]

The only way to develop verbal skills is to practice them. It's also generally a good idea not to advertise your grammar skills with poor spelling, or to exhibit hubris when asking for help.

1) I didn't say my skills are perfect.
2) I could care less about them while writing on a forum.
3) I was just trying to get help and I have found that it is good to inform people who are trying to help you everything you are capable of.

 

[circulus vitios]

What I want to be able to do is use the words I know when talking or writing, especially when talking.

Don't be that guy.

 

[MilkmanAl]

I could care less about them while writing on a forum.

Hmmm...You want to learn to use your "extensive vocabulary" when writing but don't care about using your extensive vocabulary when writing? Gotcha. 👍 Also, I think you mean you couldn't care less. 😉

Like the others said, the only way to get better is to practice. Get crackin'!

 

[343533]

Hmmm...You want to learn to use your "extensive vocabulary" when writing but don't care about using your extensive vocabulary when writing? Gotcha. 👍 Also, I think you mean you couldn't care less. 😉

Like the others said, the only way to get better is to practice. Get crackin'!

Lol. what I meant was, writing a formal essay at home. I usually end up looking for synonyms using microsoft word. The words I use are fine but I just wish I was better at using the words I already know.

 

[deleted316655]

If you read a lot then it it should come naturally. If you already read, then maybe you have to read more/pay more attention to what you are reading/reading something different.

 

[Silverman780]

Especially in essay writing, take repetitive words and phrase and look them up in the thesaurus. Then if they fit well to the style and tone of the paper substitute them. This will generally bleed into your general vocabulary.

 

[MossPoh]

Reading doesn't translate to speaking very well. You will encounter people who are fantastic at reading foreign languages, but then sound like idiots when they try to speak the same language. I started off (and regressed) to that with German. Before I did my 2 study abroad programs, I read Goethe, Nietzsche, Kafka, Boell, etc. with relative ease. I then got over there and found myself unable to pull all the words out from that reading vocabulary. Active vocabulary is just a very different game. I could kick most German's arses in their grammar discussions though.

You may have a large reading vocabulary, but that doesn't mean you have a great oral vocabulary. How do you expand that? You use the words in the proper context whenever you can by discussing complex ideas, debating and being exposed to a variety of topics. If you try to use big words for the sake of sounding intelligent then you will just sound like a tool though, so be careful.

The thesaurus is usually an evil instrument unless you have a dictionary alongside it. I've read far too many papers that sounded awful because they used a thesaurus in an attempt to sound intelligent. In the end, it was just death by red pen (or green if you want to be politically correct and nice).

 

[Myuu]

Lol. what I meant was, writing a formal essay at home. I usually end up looking for synonyms using microsoft word. The words I use are fine but I just wish I was better at using the words I already know.

You're probably decent at this, but for others that might also be doing it, it tends to be really, really obvious.

So, uh, be careful.👍

 

[343533]

It always works out fine for me.

 

[Strauss6868]

I am a high school senior and currently in AP english literature. My grammer skills are above average and I can write excellent essays. My AP essay writing skills are not that great but I am working on that.

On the SAT, I got almost all the sentence completions correct. I knew most of the words. I know almost every word I see in a book. The problem is, I can never think of the words when writing. The words just never come to me.

What I want to be able to do is use the words I know when talking or writing, especially when talking.

May I suggest a combination of these two books:

http://www.amazon.com/Doing-Grammar-Fourth-Max-Morenberg/dp/0195387295/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293651023&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Merriam-Websters-Vocabulary-Builder-Mary-Cornog/dp/0877798559/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293651087&sr=1-1-fkmr0

Practice the grammar exercises diligently, and as you read your selected material, use the vocabulary builder. These two books will give you the ability to utilize the English language effectively.