By
Viewed
1,001
Please choose the correct answer for each question below:
Questions: 0/340
Correct: 0
Translate:
[Music]
Hello everyone, I'm James. Welcome back
to Easy English for You. And next to me
is our wonderful co-host, Emma.
>> Hi everyone. It's great to be here,
James. What amazing topic are we talking
about today,
>> Emma? Today we're going deep. We're
going to unlock a big secret. This
secret is how people who speak English
well learn new words.
>> Oh, a secret. That sounds exciting. I
always feel like I'm stuck. I use the
same words every day.
Many people feel that way, Emma. They
tried to learn English words from long
lists. They tried to remember hundreds
of words. They buy many word books, but
after a few pages, they stop.
>> Yes, that's me. My word book has dust on
it. It's a very sad story.
>> It's not your fault, Emma. Traditional
word lists are not usually the best way,
especially for speaking English. Today,
we'll show you a better way. It is a way
that many good English speakers use.
We're talking about something very
powerful. It is a tool many people
overlook.
>> Okay, I'm ready. What is this magical
tool? It's the English English English
dictionary.
>> An English English dictionary? That
sounds boring and difficult. My head
hurts just thinking about it.
>> That's a common first thought, Emma. But
not just any English English dictionary.
We mean a special kind. It's called a
learner's dictionary.
A learner's dictionary. What makes it
special?
>> Imagine a dictionary made just for you.
Someone learning English as a new
language, not for someone who speaks
English from birth.
>> So, it's like a dictionary with training
wheels.
>> Exactly, Emma. It's built to help you
learn. The definitions are simple. They
use words you already know. The example
sentences are very natural. They show
you how people actually speak.
>> That makes sense. So it won't be like
reading a puzzle.
>> No more puzzles, Emma. The best one is
the Miam Webster's Learners Dictionary.
You can find it at learners
dictionary.com.
It focuses on American English. It's
perfect for beginners to advanced
learners. The examples are real life
conversations.
This is why I always recommend it.
>> I usually just use a translation app. Is
that bad?
>> It's not bad for quick translations, but
it doesn't help you think in English. It
just gives you the answer. A learner's
dictionary teaches you to understand.
It helps you feel the meaning. It builds
your English mind.
>> An English mind. Tell me more.
>> It's about not translating in your head.
It's about directly understanding
English words. It means you think like a
native speaker. When you read a word,
you get the meaning. You don't need a
middle step in your own language.
>> Wow, that sounds like a superpower.
>> It really is, Emma. This is the first
big reason for using a learner's
dictionary. It offers clear definitions
and useful examples. You won't need to
look up words in the definition itself.
So no more endless word searching loops.
>> No more loops. Secondly, these
dictionaries focus on high frequency
words. These are the words people use
most often. They are great for speaking
and writing. This means you learn words
you will actually use. You learn words
that sound natural. So, I won't learn
old-fashioned words.
>> Exactly. You will learn words that are
current, words that real people use
today. It's like getting a VIP pass to
real conversations.
Thirdly, these dictionaries are 100% in
English. This helps you build that
English mind.
You start to think in English without
knowing it.
>> So, no more translating in my head.
>> That's the goal. It's like learning to
ride a bicycle. At first, it's wobbly.
Then, suddenly, you're just riding. You
are not thinking about balancing. You
are just doing it.
>> I want that feeling.
Many people make common mistakes with
dictionaries. We will help you avoid
them.
>> Oh, good. I want to skip the mistakes
part.
>> The first mistake is focusing only on
quantity.
People try to learn too many words too
fast. They think more words equals
better English.
>> Well, doesn't it? It's only half true,
Emma. In conversation, you need to use
words, not just know them. Knowing a
word when you see it is passive
knowledge. Using it when you speak is
active knowledge.
>> Active knowledge. That sounds important.
>> It is. Instead of knowing many words,
learn words deeply. For example, take
the word get. It's a simple word, but it
has so many meanings and uses. Get a
job, get ready, get tired, get a joke.
If you learn all the ways to use get,
you master situations.
>> Wow. Get is much more powerful than I
thought.
>> Indeed. It's like a small key that
unlocks many doors or like a simple tool
that can do many jobs. The ancient
Chinese wisdom of Laoo says it well. A
journey of a thousand miles begins with
a single step, but that step should be a
deep one. It should be a meaningful
step, not just a quick jump.
>> Deep words over many words. I like it.
The second mistake is trying to memorize
whole sentences. While examples are
good, don't just copy them. Understand
the feeling of the word. For example,
with make, we can make a plan, make a
mess, make a friend. Notice how make
pairs with different words. This helps
you feel how to use make correctly. So,
it's not about memorizing the exact
sentence. It's about feeling how the
word works.
>> Yes, it is. It's about building your
intuition. The third mistake is always
translating to your native language.
This takes away the power of the English
English dictionary. You are not helping
your brain think in English.
>> Even if I don't understand 100%.
>> Yes. Even then, it's okay if it feels a
little blurry at first, like watching a
video in lower quality. You still get
the story, right? Over time, it will
become clearer. Your English mind will
grow stronger.
>> Okay, no more quick translations for me.
I will try to see the blurry picture.
>> Now, how do we use this dictionary like
a pro? I have a fourstep plan for you.
>> Four steps. I'm ready for the master
plan.
>> Step one, choose three verbs, three
prepositions, and three adjectives each
month. Don't pick too many. Quality over
quantity. For verbs, try go, take, and
give. For prepositions, at, with, and
through. for adjectives open, clear, and
true. These words have many uses.
Learning their depth will be very
powerful.
>> Just nine words a month. That sounds
doable.
>> It's about deep learning, Emma. Like
growing a strong tree. You need good
soil and water, not just many seeds.
Step two, spend 15 minutes a day with
one word. Think of yourself as a
language detective.
Investigate one word deeply. Read all
its definitions. Look at every example
sentence. Don't rush. Enjoy the journey.
>> A language detective. I like that. Like
Sherlock Holmes, but with words.
>> Precisely. You can spend a week on each
verb, a week on each preposition, and a
week on each adjective. The last week of
the month, review all nine words. This
steady effort will build a strong
foundation. It is like building a house.
Strong walls need strong bricks.
>> So, slow and steady wins the English
race.
>> Absolutely.
Step three, read example sentences
slowly in English. Do not translate
them, just read and feel. Say them out
loud. Notice how the words connect. For
instance, with open. Open a door. Open a
book. Open your heart. See how the
meaning changes slightly with different
partners. Open your heart is different
than open a door. I get it. The feeling
changes.
>> Yes. Feel the changes. It's about
building word sense. It's about making
words your friends. The more you spend
time with them, the more familiar they
become. It is like meeting a new person.
You talk to them many times. You learn
their habits. Then you become
comfortable. my new word friends. I love
it.
>> Step four, safely apply the words by
changing just one element in an example.
Don't try to make entirely new sentences
at first. Take an example sentence from
the dictionary,
change only one word. For example, if
the dictionary says, "She gave him a
book," you can change it to, "I gave her
a flower." or "He gave me a car." This
helps you understand the structure. It
builds confidence without fear of making
big mistakes.
>> So, it's like painting by numbers for
sentences. A perfect comparison, Emma.
You are learning the strokes. You are
learning the colors.
Soon you will create your own
masterpieces.
And always remember, practice makes
perfect. The more you repeat these
steps, the more natural it becomes.
>> This sounds like a solid plan, James. I
feel much more confident already. And
now for some bonus tips from my own
experience.
These are things that make a big
difference.
My first bonus tip, actively imagine the
word. When you learn happy, don't just
read the definition.
Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine a
happy person. What does a happy person
look like? What do they do? See their
smile.
Hear their laugh. This creates a
stronger connection in your brain. It
makes the word real.
>> So like a mini movie in my head.
>> Exactly. Bring the word to life.
My second bonus tip, use a physical
notebook.
When you find a good example sentence,
write it down. Writing by hand helps
your brain remember better. It is a more
active process than typing.
Also, it makes a personal collection of
sentences.
This collection is your own treasure
map. A map to speaking fluent English.
>> I love that. my personal treasure map.
>> My third bonus tip, talk to yourself
using new words. This might sound
strange, but it works. When you are
alone, describe your day. Use the new
words you just learned. For example, if
you learned go today, I will go to the
store, then I will go home. This helps
you practice speaking without fear. It
moves the words from your head to your
mouth.
>> So, a secret conversation with myself,
my imaginary English friend.
>> That's it. The more you use it, the
easier it gets. Imagine the philosopher
Confucious.
He said, "I hear and I forget. I see and
I remember. I do and I understand.
This applies perfectly to learning
English. You hear the words, you see
them, and then you do something with
them. You speak them.
>> This is so much more practical than just
memorizing lists.
>> I believe so, Emma. And I want to
encourage all our listeners. What words
are you curious about today? What
challenges do you face in learning new
vocabulary?
Share your thoughts in the comments
below. We love to hear from you.
>> So to summarize, James, first we need to
pick a good learner dictionary like the
Mryiam Webster's one you mentioned. It
has easy definitions and real life
examples.
Then we avoid three common mistakes.
Don't focus only on many words. Don't
try to memorize whole sentences.
And don't always translate into our own
language.
Next, we use your four-step plan. Choose
nine core words each month. Spend 15
minutes a day like a word detective.
Read examples slowly and feel the words
and safely change just one part of the
example sentences.
Finally, your bonus tips are great.
Imagine the words, write them in a
notebook, and talk to ourselves.
>> Excellent summary, Emma. You nailed it.
you truly understand the core message.
This method builds a deep connection
with words. It helps you speak English
naturally.
Thank you for watching. Don't forget to
stay curious and keep learning. If you
want to dive deeper, consider joining
our membership. members get a special
PDF with all today's tips and extra
exercises.
Please like this video and subscribe to
our channel. It helps us bring you more
great content. We really appreciate your
support. See you next time.
[Music]
Related Songs