English Vocabulary

Use of Vocabulary in English

Before we look at some commonly used vocabulary words, let's check out a quick definition for the word vocabulary:

In the English language, there are approximately 171,150 words currently in use. The average English-speaking adult will have between 20,000 – 35,000 words in their vocabulary, and between 200 and 400 of these will be core words.

English Vocabulary Words

In the English language, there are many words we use far more than others, perhaps without even realizing it. These words include articles ("a", "an", and "the") and conjunctions ("and", "for", "but", and "so"). For the sake of this article, however, let's look at some examples of commonly used nouns, verbs, and adjectives in English.

English Vocabulary Advanced

In the above section, we saw some examples of commonly used English vocabulary words, but if we want to elevate our language use and extend our vocabulary, there are some alternatives we can use.

Understanding the meaning of words can help us to identify appropriate synonyms.

Using more interesting synonyms for common words is an excellent way to improve the nuance of our expression. Here are some more advanced synonyms for some of the examples used in the section above:

English Vocabulary History

There are several key periods of the evolution of English, including Old English, Middle English, and Modern English. New English words can also enter our vocabulary in several ways, including through slang and loanwords from other languages.

English vocabulary also evolves as new meanings for existing words and phrases develop through the use of:

Academic English:

Idioms:

Proverbs:

Old English Vocabulary

The general English vocabulary is always changing. New words are continually being added to the dictionary and people's language use. The words we commonly use now are not the same as the ones used in the past. To illustrate this, here are some examples of Old English vocabulary words that would have been used between the 5th and 11th centuries:

Middle English

Just as Old English had its own vocabulary, so too did Middle English. Middle English was spoken between the 12th and 15th centuries. These are some common examples of Middle English vocabulary:

Modern English

This is the kind of English we're familiar with and use today. Modern English is always growing, and the words that continually enter Modern English also alter and expand upon our vocabulary. There are several key ways that words come into the Modern English vocabulary:

Slang

Slang is a significant source of new words in English, and as slang words become more widely used, they sometimes enter the dictionary.

Loanwords

Did you know that over 70% of English words come from other languages? Some of the most common contributors to English are Greek, Latin, and French, and a lot of English comprises loanwords, roots, and affixes from these languages.

Here are some examples of loanwords from other languages:

English Vocabulary Examples

There are four key subsets to consider when looking at English vocabulary examples. These four types of vocabulary are: writing, speaking, reading, and listening. These four vocabulary types can be divided into active and passive vocabulary.

We'll look at each of the four types of vocabulary in turn:

Writing

The act of writing can be a combination of active and passive vocabulary, as we sometimes write words that we might not use in spoken conversation. For example, if we are writing a research paper on a complex scientific topic, we are likely to use highly specialized and scientific words in the paper that we wouldn't usually use in our day-to-day speech.

In more general writing tasks, such as emailing a friend or writing a shopping list, we tend to use our active vocabulary more.

Writing is a form of active and passive vocabulary.

Speaking

Speaking is usually based on active vocabulary. This is because when we talk, we talk about things we know. The words we use in speech are the ones we understand.

There are some exceptions (as always!), and occasionally, we might use passive vocabulary in speech. Situations such as this include:

• Asking questions or obtaining clarification – "What does accrual mean?"

• Discussing complex or unusual topics – "I watched a documentary about wormholes the other day."

Reading

When we read, the words we encounter may be part of our active and passive vocabularies. This is because we understand most of what we read but might come across a word here or there that we don't know the meaning of. If we can 'decipher' the meaning of unknown words based on context, they become part of our passive vocabulary. As our understanding of these new words improves, they might become part of our active vocabulary if we begin using them ourselves.

Listening

Listening falls mostly under the active vocabulary umbrella as we are likely to understand and use most of the words we hear in conversation. If someone says a word we understand, but don't use in our own speech, then this word is part of our passive vocabulary.

English Vocabulary Improvement

To wrap up, we'll look at some methods of English vocabulary improvement. Enhancing your vocabulary is a great way to become a more effective communicator, and it will also help you to understand different concepts more easily. Here are some strategies you can use to increase your vocabulary:

• Read widely. Not only is it important to read often, but reading a wide range of different materials can introduce you to new words and help to improve your understanding of different subjects. Aim to read a variety of fictional and non-fictional materials across a range of forms (such as news articles, poetry, blogs, reference books, novels, etc.).

• Write often. Writing is a great way to help you to use different kinds of words that you might not naturally use in conversation. Practicing writing can help you to improve your understanding of and increase your confidence in using new words.

• Use a thesaurus. A thesaurus is essentially a dictionary of synonyms and is a fantastic resource for learning new alternatives for commonly used words. By trying to use more interesting synonyms for common words, you can increase your vocabulary and improve your written and verbal expression.

Reading widely is a great way to improve your vocabulary.