Literature Can Enhance Your Vocabulary

You can often tell a lot about a person based on the things they read. If someone reads a lot of comics, it is safe to assume they enjoy comics stories. If someone reads a lot of science fiction books, you can also assume that this person enjoys science fiction.

You Are What You Read

Just as you can learn the interests of a person by looking at their personal library, you can also determine their vocabulary level by looking at the books they read. Someone who has "War and Peace" in their library is much more likely to have a higher vocabulary than someone who has a biography written by a celebrity.

To improve your vocabulary, you must be selective in what you read. While there is nothing wrong with reading mainstream magazines or fictional books, much of this material is written at a basic level. The publisher and author realize that if these books are too advanced, it may hurt sales, so they stick to a basic format that most people can understand. While this may be good for them, it is not that helpful for someone who wants to improve their vocabulary.

To improve your vocabulary, you will want to read a wide variety of material. If you like romance, try reading science fiction. If you like science fiction, try reading romance.

Reading Advantages

When you limit yourself in the information you read, you may also limit your vocabulary. The reason for this is because there are certain words that are much more likely to be found in specific genres. It is also important for you to balance fiction with non-fiction.

Many people are either one of the two extremes. They either read mostly non-fiction, or they only read fiction. It is important to have balance. While fiction may be entertaining, it is less likely to build your vocabulary than non-fiction books, which are known for using more complex words.

While reading is fun, it is a form of work. It is work for the writer to write the manuscript, and you will also have to work when reading it. It has been proven that reading is much more beneficial than watching television. Again, much of the vocabulary you hear on television is basic, and it may sometimes be vulgar. The broadcasting companies have little interest in educating their audience. They are more concerned with entertaining them.

Because you have to interface with the information when you read, your brain is actually exercising, because you have to think. This is why people who frequently read have higher IQ scores than those who do not.

Reading Makes Improving Your Vocabulary Easier

While many people take formal classes to improve their vocabulary, many people find that these classes are boring. The teachers will look at it from a technical standpoint, and they will focus on things such as the structure of the sentence. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, it can be very efficient to improve your vocabulary as you read. One of the best ways to do this is by learning the words within the context of the sentences in which they are used. As you read many books, you will run across words you are not familiar with.

If you find that many of the words in the book are hard for you to understand, this means the book is written at a level which is higher than your vocabulary. You will want to read something that is a bit more simple. At the same time, it is important for you to make sure you don’t read a book that is too simple.

If you read books that are written below your vocabulary level, you will not learn anything, and your vocabulary will not be improved. You must have balance. You must read books that are challenging, but not so challenging that you’re not able to understand most of the words that are written.

Conclusion

The key to successfully building your vocabulary is to challenge yourself, and read a variety of different materials. When you limit yourself in the materials you read, you will limit your vocabulary. When you read materials that are below your vocabulary level, it will not be improved. The key to success is balance, and the will power to challenge yourself.