How to Improve Your Vocabulary

How to Improve Your Vocabulary There are many ways to improve your vocabulary. When working to do so, its important to know your goals in order to best choose the way in which you want to learn. For instance, reading can be a great way to improve your vocabulary, but it wont be much help on a vocabulary test next week. Here are a number of methods to help you improve and expand your English vocabulary. Synonyms and Antonyms A synonym is a word that has a similar meaning. An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning. When learning new vocabulary, try to find at least two synonyms and two antonyms for each word. This is especially important when learning adjectives or adverbs.   Use a Thesaurus A thesaurus is a reference book that provides synonyms and antonyms. Used by writers to help find just the right word, a thesaurus can also help English learners expand their vocabulary. You  can use an  online thesaurus  which makes finding a synonym easier than ever. Vocabulary Trees Vocabulary trees help provide context. Once youve mapped out a few vocabulary trees, youll discover yourself thinking in vocabulary groups. When you see a cup your mind will quickly relate such words as knife, fork, plate, dishes, etc.   Create Vocabulary Themes Create a list of vocabulary themes and include a definition and an example sentence for each new item. Learning by theme emphasizes words that are related. This will help you memorize new vocabulary because of the connections between these words and your chosen theme. Use Technology to Help You Watching movies or sitcoms is a great way to help you understand native speakers of English. Use the  options of watching individual scenes to make DVD use into a vocabulary learning exercise. For example, watch one scene from a movie in English only. Next, watch the same scene in your native language. After that, watch the same scene in English with subtitles. Finally, watch the scene in English without subtitles. By watching the scene four times and using your own language to help, youll pick up a lot of idiomatic language. Specific Vocabulary Lists Rather than studying a long list of unrelated vocabulary, use specific vocabulary lists to help you prepare for the type of vocabulary you need for work, school, or hobbies. These business vocabulary word lists are great for industry-specific vocabulary items. Word Formation Charts Word formation refers to the form a word takes. For example, the word satisfaction  has four forms: Noun: satisfaction   The satisfaction of a job well done is worth the effort.Verb: satisfy Taking this course will satisfy your degree requirements.Adjective: satisfying / satisfied   I found the dinner very satisfying.Adverb: satisfyingly His mother smiled satisfyingly as her son won the award. Word formation is one of the keys to success for advanced level ESL learners. Advanced level English exams such as the TOEFL, First Certificate CAE, and Proficiency use word formation as one of the key testing elements. These word formation charts provide the concept noun, personal noun, adjective, and verb forms of key vocabulary listed in alphabetical order. Research  Specific Positions A great place to start learning vocabulary for a specific job is the Occupational Outlook Handbook. At this site, you will find detailed descriptions of specific positions. Use these pages to take note of key vocabulary related to the profession. Next, use this vocabulary and write your own description of your position.   Visual Dictionaries A picture is worth a thousand words. Its also very helpful for learning precise vocabulary. There are a number of excellent English learner visual dictionaries for sale. Here is an online version of a visual dictionary dedicated to jobs. Learn Collocations Collocations refer to words that often or always go together. A good example of a collocation is  do your homework.  Ã‚  Collocations can be learned through the use of corpora.  Corpora  are huge collections of documents that can track the number of times a word is used.  Another alternative is to use a collocation dictionary. This is especially helpful when focusing on business English. Vocabulary Learning Tips Use vocabulary learning methods to focus quickly on the vocabulary YOU need to study.  Dont make random lists of new words. Try to group words in themes. This will help you memorize new words more quickly.Always add context by writing out  a few example sentences using new vocabulary.  Keep a vocabulary notepad at hand whenever you are reading in English.Use a flashcard app on your smartphone to review vocabulary when you have some extra time.  Before you begin your day, choose five words and try to use each word during conversations throughout the day.

Willamette University - Scores, Costs, and Admissions

Willamette University - Scores, Costs, and Admissions If you are interested in attending Willamette University, the good news is that their acceptance rate is 78 percent of applicants. Willamette is a small private university located in Salem, Oregon, directly across the street from the states capitol building. The undergraduate College of Liberal Arts is well-regarded nationally, a fact that earned the school a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. The university prides itself on the number students who study abroad and the number of hours its students devote to service (more than 60,000 hours a year of volunteerism). Academics at Willamette are supported by a healthy 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio. Willamette students come from 43 states and 27 countries. In athletics, the Willamette Bears compete in the NCAA Division III Northwest Conference. Popular sports include swimming, rowing, basketball, tennis, cross country, and track and field. Will you get in if you apply to Willamette University? Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) Percent of Applicants Admitted: 78 percentGPA, SAT and ACT graph for WillametteTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: - / -SAT Math: - / -SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanCompare SAT scores for Oregon collegesACT Composite: - / -ACT English: - / -ACT Math: - / -What these ACT numbers meanCompare ACT scores for Oregon colleges Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 2,556 (1,997 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 44Â  percent Male / 56 percent Female93Â  percent Full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $47,217Books: $950 (why so much?)Room and Board: $11,600Other Expenses: $1,232Total Cost: $60,999 Willamette University Financial Aid (2015-16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 99Â  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 99 percentLoans: 56 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $26,239Loans: $7,836 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, English, Global Studies, History, Political Science, PsychologyWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 86Â  percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 70 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 78Â  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Football, Golf, Cross Country, Basketball, Baseball, SoccerWomens Sports: Cross Country, Rowing, Soccer, Softball, Track and Field, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Swimming If You Like Willamette University, You May Also Like These Schools Whitman College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Oregon: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWestern Washington University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Washington: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSeattle University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphGonzaga University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWhitworth University: ProfileSanta Clara University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of the Pacific: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of California - Davis: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphPortland State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of California - Santa Cruz: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWestern Oregon University: Profile Willamette University Mission Statement mission statement from willamette.edu/about/mission_motto/index.html Willamette University provides rigorous education in the liberal arts and selected professional fields. Teaching and learning, strengthened by scholarship and service, flourish in a vibrant campus community. A Willamette education prepares graduates to transform knowledge into action and lead lives of achievement, contribution and meaning. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics