English Vocabulary

Without grammar very little can be conveyed; without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed.
D.A. Wilkins, Linguistics in Language Teaching

This quote exhibits the extreme importance of vocabulary in one's life. For as the dictionary defines vocabulary as the stock of words used or known by a particular group of people or one person. English vocabulary is the one first enriched in an English learner's schema. Vocabulary includes all the words in a learner's stock of words. It is important in learning a language, in this case English as one's English vocabulary will compose even the most basic conversation.

Most learners begin vocabulary learning by finding out the English terms for each corresponding word in their native language. This is the easiest way to learn English vocabulary, as the technique of association is employed. English vocabulary can be developed using a thematic approach to association.

Working on the assumption that the learner's English vocabulary is very limited, it is assumed that he learns the basics first. English vocabulary basics include the English alphabet, names for body parts, names for places, basic greetings, the numbers, among other things. More advanced vocabulary learners learn idioms and longer phrases. The dictionary is also a very helpful tool in learning English vocabulary, most especially for ESL learners.