One effective vocabulary strategy is to use context clues when reading. Context clues are hints or clues that an author provides to help define a word or phrase. These clues can appear within the same sentence as the word or phrase, or they can follow in a subsequent sentence.
To use context clues, start by reading the sentence or paragraph where the unfamiliar word appears. Look for words or phrases that are nearby and try to determine their meanings. These can provide hints about the meaning of the unfamiliar word. For example, if you come across the word “aberration” in a sentence, you might look for context clues like “unusual” or “out of the ordinary” that can help you infer the meaning.
Once you have a sense of the meaning of the word, try to use it in a sentence of your own. This can help reinforce your understanding and improve your ability to remember the word. For example, you might say, “The sudden change in weather was an aberration from the usual pattern.”
Overall, using context clues can be a helpful strategy for building vocabulary, as it allows you to learn new words without having to look them up every time. By paying attention to the words and phrases around unfamiliar words, you can often determine their meanings and expand your vocabulary in a more natural and intuitive way.