Remembering words

Usually, looking up a word and its meaning once won’t help you remember it forever. You may remember it for a few days, but eventually you’ll forget it. The way to get it permanently into your memory is to use it, whether in everyday conversation or in your writing. You can only really use a word if you understand what it means. When you use it and think about its meaning, you’ll be reinforcing it in your brain.

For instance, one day after dinner at a friend’s place, the following conversation took place at the end of the meal:

FRIEND: I’m replete.

EVERYONE ELSE: You’re what?

FRIEND: I’m replete!

EVERYONE ELSE: Right...

Now, my friend has just come across the word ‘replete’ and learnt that it meant ‘full’ or ‘filled’ or ‘gorged’. But just looking the word up would not be enough for him to remember it forever. By using it in everyday conversation a few times, he helped his brain remember the word and what it means.

Click here to move on to the next topic: The difference between recognising and recalling