Word Memory

[Anddenex]

Over the past couple of years I have been striving to improve my vocabulary, written vocabulary.

When learning a new word, at times, it is very easy to see that I am trying to use a new word, than the word naturally used in a sentence.

What methods or practices do some of you use to remember words, and to place them correctly in a sentence, versus trying to put a word where it fits ... eh, but not so much.

[Dravin]

Are you learning from a word a day calendar or some such? I find that most of my vocabulary has come from reading and not setting out to learn words (scientific terms aside). Since I'm picking them up from exposure over time I think it helps with having them flow naturally. If the source writing is halfway decent than the word choice flows (discordant word choice for effect aside). Now it's not always professional writing I'm learning from, sometimes it's people on message boards or what have you.

Also, practice never hurts. Sometimes awkwardness is just the price to be paid for learning 'mastery'.

[Anddenex]

Are you learning from a word a day calendar or some such? I find that most of my vocabulary has come from reading and not setting out to learn words (scientific terms aside). Since I'm picking them up from exposure over time I think it helps with having them flow naturally. If the source writing is halfway decent than the word choice flows (discordant word choice for effect aside). Now it's not always professional writing I'm learning from, sometimes it's people on message boards or what have you.

Also, practice never hurts. Sometimes awkwardness is just the price to be paid for learning 'mastery'.

Originally, I would write down words I didn't know while reading books. I would then pick 10 words a week and try to use them appropriately. This was more time consuming, and I have stopped.

Now I just try to remember them as I read and pay closer attention to writing style.

I think I really dislike the awkward period :)