A practical guide to building real, usable vocabulary — not memorising lists that disappear in a week. Methods that work for B1+ learners.
Most vocabulary advice online tells you to "read a lot" or "watch Netflix". That's not wrong, but it's also not enough. Below is what actually moves the needle for adult learners.
The most common 2,000 words make up ~80% of everyday English. If you're below B2, focus there first. The Oxford 3000 is a great starting list.
A bare word with a translation is forgettable. A word inside a sentence you understand sticks. When you add a new word, write or save one sentence with it.
Cramming 50 words today and reviewing nothing tomorrow is a waste. Spaced repetition reviews each word right before you forget it — that's where retention compounds.
Don't re-read the word + definition. Try to recall the meaning, then check. The effort is what builds memory.
"Make a decision", "do homework", "strong coffee". Native English chunks words together in specific patterns. Memorising the pattern is faster than memorising every combination.
If you understand most of a page and look up ~5%, you're in the sweet spot — too easy = bored, too hard = no acquisition.
Reading is input. Speaking and writing are output, which forces you to retrieve words. Even 5 minutes of journaling a day will accelerate your active vocabulary.
If you stick with that, you'll add ~280 active words in a month — far more than most people get from any course.