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A wider vocabulary is always a good thing, as long as it is used correctly. In your GCSE exams and coursework, your words are your tool to communicate, and your choice of words will be crucial.
There is a balance to be struck. Using really basic and simple language may become repetitive, and show a poor understanding of the English language. However, you don’t want to go too far in the other direction and make your writing difficult to read.
How to Increase Your Vocabulary
Studying books and other texts in your GCSE can be a way to increase your vocabulary, but it is important that you take the time and put in the effort to learn new words and phrases elsewhere.
- Read Widely and Regularly. Immerse yourself in diverse genres, from fiction to nonfiction, newspapers to magazines. Exposure to a variety of writing styles and topics introduces you to new words and phrases. When you find an interesting word, make sure you understand its use.
- Keep a Vocabulary Journal. Maintain a dedicated notebook or digital document to jot down unfamiliar words. Include definitions, example sentences, and even the context in which you encountered the word. Review and revise your journal regularly.
- Play Word Games. Engage in word-based games like Scrabble, crossword puzzles, or word search. These games challenge your mind and introduce you to new words in a fun and interactive way.
- Vocabulary Apps. Numerous apps are designed specifically to enhance vocabulary. Apps like Quizlet, Word of the Day, and Elevate offer interactive and personalised exercises to build and reinforce your word bank.
- Engage in Conversation. Actively participate in discussions and conversations. Engaging with others exposes you to varied language use, and you might pick up new words or phrases in a more natural setting.
- Listen to Podcasts. A variety of different podcasts can be a way to explore the use of language in different settings. A political podcast may use language and vocabulary in a very different way to a comedy podcast.
- Educational Videos. Platforms like TED Talks or educational YouTube channels often present complex ideas with rich vocabulary. Watching and listening to these videos exposes you to advanced language use.
- Write. Practice incorporating new words into your writing. Whether it's journaling, creative writing, or professional communication, actively using words reinforces your understanding and usage.
Using Better Verbs
Consider the two sentences below:
“John walked to the other side of the room and read the letter.”
“John hurried to the other side of the room and examined the letter.”
All that has been switched is the verbs, but this already tells us more about what is going on, and attributes more character to John and his actions.
“Examined” suggests that he is paying very close attention to the letter, and shows that he is interested, engaged, or even worried about what it says. “Hurried” suggests a level of urgency, and that John is very keen to get to the letter and see what it says.
Choose Strong Action Verbs
Opt for verbs that vividly convey the action you want to describe. Instead of using generic verbs like "do," "make," or "go," choose specific action verbs that paint a clearer picture of what is happening in a scene or can even evoke an emotional response.
Don’t Choose Redundant Verbs or Adverbs
Avoid using adverbs to modify verbs when a more precise verb can convey the same meaning. Redundant adverbs can weaken your writing and make it seem like you have a very limited vocabulary.
Which do you think sounds better?
- “He ran quickly to the store.”
- “He sprinted to the store.”
Show, Don't Tell
This is a rule followed by a lot of writers. Instead of telling readers what is happening, show them through action. Use precise verbs to create vivid images and engage the reader's senses.
This can work when writing a speech or article, or when writing fiction.
For instance: “Every day in Africa, children have to wake up early and walk five miles over baking hot ground just to try and find clean water.”
This paints a more vivid picture than just saying “Children in Africa don’t always have access to clean water.”
It can also evoke a more emotional response, picturing the struggle these people are going through. We are showing, rather than telling.
Consider the show, don’t tell rule in fiction writing too.
A writer may choose to say: “Simon raised his voice and was angry with his friends.”
Or they could say
“Simon snapped, he frowned and barked to reprimand his friends.”
The latter is an example of showing that Simon is angry rather than just telling the audience.
Use Specific Language
Be specific and concrete in your choice of verbs. Specific verbs add depth and nuance to your writing, helping readers to visualise the actions more clearly.
Vary Your Vocabulary
Avoid repetition by using a variety of precise verbs. This not only adds diversity to your writing but also keeps the reader's interest. Thesauruses can be helpful for finding alternative verbs, or you can search for synonyms of the word you want to use.
Edit and Revise
During the editing process, pay special attention to your choice of verbs. Consider whether each verb accurately reflects the intended action and whether a more precise alternative exists.
Exercise: Make this More Interesting Using Your Vocabulary
Here is a passage of fiction writing. Take this passage and make it your own, use your vocabulary and choice of words to make it more interesting and engaging:
“John didn’t feel very good that day. He thought he might be getting ill and he was coughing, his throat was sore too.
The idea of going to work made John a bit sad, he didn’t want to see Sally, and he didn’t want to sit for 9 hours feeling unwell. He knew he couldn’t take the day off.”
This passage is very basic and does not have any interesting language, but with a few tweaks it can sound intriguing. Think about why John can’t take the day off or why he didn’t want to see Sally.
You can use more interesting language, such as replacing “he didn’t want to see Sally” with something like “he was dreading the prospect of seeing Sally”.
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Great site with a lot of resources. Thank You so much.
Hi Anneme! Thanks for your lovely comment, glad to hear that you found these resources useful! Best of luck with your revision! :)
thank you for helping me with my work
Wow. I can’t imagine what sources were used for this, but they clearly weren’t reliable. “During the first half of the twentieth century, America was open to immigrants from all parts of Europe”—nope. Look up the Immigration Act of 1924, and keep in mind it didn’t come out of nowhere. It wasn’t significantly revised until 1952 and was only replaced in 1965. It’s not exactly a secret Americans overall were distinctly unwelcoming toward Italian immigrants for quite some time. I’m not sure how many were victims of hate crimes in total, but not everyone murdered in the lynching epidemic was Black.
“However, Italian immigrants, especially from southern Italy or Sicily, held on to their ancient values”—don’t most of us do that? This smacks of xenophobia, and it gets worse from there. “Italy has a violent past due to criminal organizations like the Mafia…” I don’t even know where to start with this, but I see this is a UK site. Do you not realize how violent your own history is? Do you think Italians are monolithic? Even if your portrayal of the mafia’s significance were accurate, what makes a mafia don so different from one of the many capricious, overly entitled English monarchs throughout your history?
To be clear, I don’t want your answers to any of these questions. I want you to properly research your subjects before attempting to teach others about them.