Don’t forget your General English Vocabulary
Whether you are studying English for business, travel or hobby, there are certain words that all learners must know. It is not a good idea to study advanced vocabulary and concepts if you are unable to explain the simplest ideas using the simplest vocabulary. Many high school students in Japan (and I guess all around the world) seem to have this problem. They study hard for entrance exams, and learn complex vocabulary for advanced ideas, yet have difficulty communicating on the most basic levels.
The solution to this problem is familiarity with the GSL (General Service List). This is a list that was made to include the words that language teachers think provide the most general service to English learners. Before trying to master the more complex vocabulary, it is important to check that you can understand and use the 2084 words contained in the “GSL” with ease and confidence.
Master your General Vocabulary
You can download the GSL, separated into five sub lists below. Over the course of time, I will upload exercises and games to help you practice and ensure mastery of the words in these lists.
Download: GSL Sub list One: 1-500
Download: GSL Sub list two: 501-1000
Download: GSL Sub list three: 1001-1500
Download: GSL Sub list four: 1501-2000
Download: GSL Sub list five: 2001-2284
Make sure you download the word forms table and prioritization table from the Resource page, to make sure that you maximize your study time, and become more efficient.
Remember:
- Make flash cards to carry around with you so you can study anywhere.
- Study little and often.
- Try to write sentences for each new word.
- Try to use them as much as possible, even if you are not yet sure of the correct way to use them.
- Learn from your successes AND failures!
- Have fun with the words.
