Everyone who learns English has a vocabulary that is significantly smaller than the one of a native speaker; while meeting the native speaker's everyday needs requires a vocabulary of 10–20 thousand words (with a passive vocabulary of 50–100 thousand words), a person learning a foreign language will require:

• around a thousand of the most used words (frequently used words) for casual communication with a general understanding of what was said;
• 3–4 thousand words for an understanding of TV shows and films and basic communication on general topics;
• up to 20 thousand words for a good listening comprehension.

So, for every language learner it is important to know how to memorize English words and where they draw their word knowledge from.

Where To Get and How to Memorize English Words

The key source for building a vocabulary is thematic vocabulary with the glossary sets that could be taken from tutorials where they are offered as classified vocabularies based on different levels of language knowledge; you can combine this with watching videos and films with subtitles, reading books / articles. Memorizing new words is much easier when they are taken from a context that is attractive for a learner. How long you will need to build a preferred vocabulary?

The task seems to be an arithmetical one: learning 30 words a day in one month equals to almost a thousand words, and the longer you learn the larger is your vocabulary. However, it is not as simple as that. Scientists have found that the absorption of information is regulated by certain rules and even if you go for the streak of 100 % words learned, only 44 % of these are kept in your memory after an hour and less than one-fourth of that amount in just one week.

That is why it is a good idea to use techniques and life-hacks that explain how to memorize a lot of English words while minimizing efforts and as soon as possible.

First of all, use the following formula for intervals of repeating the words to be memorized:

However, words are easily forgotten if associative links and practice are lacking. How to learn English words easily and for ever? Without a doubt, memorization must be done consciously, and everything else will depend on individual memory characteristics and, most importantly, on the memorization techniques that the learner uses.

How to Learn English Words Fast and Easily

We will discover a few of simple and effective techniques that have proven in practice, such as:

1. Using word cards is one of the oldest, most convenient and accessible ways; English word is written on one side of the card and its translation is on the other side (better accompanied with an image to ensure the best results). Crafting such learning aid is fun and easy and you can select the words you need. You can also use thematic kits, or you can use their modern analogues by using dedicated mobile apps.
2. The old-fashioned, but still useful way to learn new words by writing down the words in a notepad — new words in the left column and their translation in the right; you can adapt this technique for phrasal expressions and phrases. The advantage is that you remember the written form of words at the same time.
3. Mind map is an option for individuals who are good with draws — draw the pictures of thematic words, then show the linked concepts by drawing arrows. E.g., "house" followed by the description of different areas (such as bedroom, bathroom, dining room, etc.) with a short-list of words linked to them (e. g., bedroom — bed, sheets, pillows, etc.). The mind map allows you to make a journey through the apartment and name the objects that you see.

To help you memorize new words, you can also use simple tips, the most important of which is the emphasis on the topics you are interested to learn. After you have mastered the basic vocabulary, you can often feel like to learn more phrases just in case you will want to surprise your vis-a-vis; generally, however, the words referring to your favourite topics, such as travel, sport, photography, and hobbies, are absorbed faster and with more reliable results.

Here are some other proven life-hacks:

• learn words in a meaningful context to ensure that you use them correctly (think and replay the situation for a few times using each word);
• try to ignore unnecessary words by immediately checking if a new word you have encountered is worth of wasting your time and efforts;
• focus on phrasal expressions and phrases — language norms can be very different so not every phrase can be translated from one language into another word by word;
• use opposites to memorize better; it works especially well with adjectives (big – small, sweet – bitter, bad – good);
• use associative memory because associations can help you to pull out of you memory even a word you have lost.

All learned words you have to use in conversations.

How Help Children to Learn English Words

For children, it is recommended to start learning a foreign language with single (and simple!) words, no more than five at a time. Here are the key topics: greetings, food and sweets, fruit/vegetables — the same words that they learn in their mother language.

Ideally, try to ensure that the child has access to a native speaker who would constantly communicate with them. This access, for example, can offer the CIS International School — a commercial educational institution that accepts 2-3 years old and allows them to become bilingual in natural setting (please call administration to learn more on terms of enrolment for children of various ages with a kindergarten or a school in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Tashkent).