Hey there! This is TOP episode 251. Stop Learning New Words
Are you tired of lacking confidence when speaking English? Does it block you from achieving your true goals? This podcast is the place for you. This is Teacher Ola Podcast. My name’s Ola Mierniczak and I empower English learners to become confident speakers. The key to fluency is in your pocket. You’ll boost your vocabulary, brush up your grammar and improve your pronunciation. Enjoy your journey to fluency!
Hello and welcome! Thank you for choosing this episode. I have very exciting news for you!! Very very soon, on the 29 July we’re going to have an open webinar about the present perfect tense!! Sign up fast, go to teacherola.com/webinar. 29 July is also a special date,a date to remember because on this day the door to SIOL course will open and you can enrol and start your journey with English on a whole new level! Sign up for that free webinar at teacherola.com/webianar. And now! Today’s episode:
Learning English can be exciting and challenging and everybody, I mean many teachers, language enthusiasts will tell you ‘stop using that basic vocabulary, start using the advanced one’. What a mess! Imagine someone telling you to stop using the word ‘właśnie’, because it’s so freaking basic, so common, so A1 and start using words that are less frequent but make you sound more advanced. More like hhm ‘native speakers’, for instance: absolutnie, w rzeczy samej, nic dodać nic ująć. See? All sounds good, we, speakers of Polish use these words: absolutnie! BUT ‘właśnie’ hits differently! It’s not exactly a synonym! Właśnie is a whole different universe, we use it in different collocations and in order to speak Polish fluently you NEED the word ‘właśnie’.
Before we begin the main part of this episode, let me remind you once again, go to teacherola.com/webinar and sign up now. Let’s get back to the episode!
You keep learning those new words all the time, you spend very little time on revising, activating the words you know passively and at the end of the day you are still unable to speak confidently and fluently! Stop learning new words and focus on speaking. Speaking has always been your main goal and I am here today to remind you of that.
Knowing a lot of words is great, but if you don’t understand how to use them, they are not very useful. Think about it like this: having a big toolbox full of tools you don’t know how to use isn’t helpful. It’s better to have a few tools you know well and can use correctly. Instead of memorising new words, spend time learning how to use the words you already know. Practice forming sentences, ask questions, and engage in conversations. This will help you feel more confident and fluent.
Look at any word. Look at the verb ‘run’. What is the meaning of this word? And I hear you, I know what you’re thinking! Biegać, of course, what else would it mean? It’s a basic word. Kids learn this word in kindergartens! It’s an A1 word. Sure! But what about these expressions:
To run a meeting
To run a restaurant
To run around
A rat run
To run a campaign
To run a course
I’m running late
Run the engine
It runs on gas
This app is running slowly
Run the tape
Shall I run you home?
The tears ran down her cheeks
The chocolate is running
We ran out of butter
To run for president
To run in elections
To run drugs
To run a test
PLUS idioms, PLUS phrasal verbs. Oh my!! You underestimate words! Learn contexts, learn HOW to use these words you know. Who needs words if you cannot use them with confidence?
Ok, so there is a whole episode on HOW to activate your passive vocabulary, it’s episode 243. Go and listen to it. There are practical tips on how to start using the word you already know and it also explains that passive vocabulary is not worse, and how it is necessary in our lives.
In fact the same goes for grammar. You learn all the rules, you do all the exercises, but in the end you don’t feel confident USING that grammar element. I think one of the biggest problems with grammar we have is PRESENT PERFECT, right? We know the theory, we know all about irregular verbs, yet, just, already, for and since and still we complain a lot. English learners keep on saying ‘I hate present perfect! I know the theory but when it comes to speaking, I’m stuck. I don’t know how to use it!’ And that’s why I decided to organise a free webinar for you! For everybody who wants to know when and how to use present perfect. If you want to use present perfect automatically, confidently, and fluently don’t miss that webinar!!! It’s happening on two days, it’s a two-day event, online, on the last day of July and on the first day of August. The 31 July and the first of August you’ll learn HOW to use the present perfect tense fluently. Even if you think you know a lot about the tense STILL I think you should join us because it’s not about theory, it’s about speaking. Communication. Sign up now, go to teacherola.com/webinar and sign up for that free event.
So, should you stop learning new words forever? Of course not! But take a break and focus on understanding and using the words you already know. Practise your language skills in real-life situations, pay attention to context, activate your passive knowledge, and build a strong foundation in grammar. This approach will make you a more confident and effective English speaker.
Now, let me give you a few practical tips. Things you need to implement today. Easy things anybody can do, because the clue is to learn smart, not hard. Ok, so tip number one:
Learn words in phrases. Not individual words but in groups of words. It doesn’t have to be a sentence, a phrase is enough. For example:
Instead of learning the verb ‘to run’, learn a phrase: ‘to run a meeting’. This is absolutely essential. You need words for speaking, for communication, you need ready-made solutions, whole phrases. Make a sentence then since this is even better.
She runs meetings every Monday.
Wow, and not only do you learn the verb ‘run’ in a new context but also revise grammar. She runs. It happens automatically. You don’t need to know about singular, plural or anything like that. You will learn naturally by learning phrases.
Two. Stop comparing your English to your first language. It’s not fair, it’s not gonna take you anywhere. How can you compare a language you have known since forever with a new language you started to acquire later in life AND probably it wasn’t done well. It was done through school and books and it was nothing to compare with the natural way of learning a language.
Three. Watch tv shows that showcase normal, everyday life. Tv shows that are filled with dialogues. Now, I want you to watch them (and I don’t care if it’s with or without subtitles, do what you want, what your level allows you to do) and write down those dialogues. Yeah! Treat it as a dictation task. Write down dialogues that you find important, that means useful, ok? Read them out loud, learn them by heart. Alway, always, always, say them out loud.
Four. Make a list of words. Whenever you hear a word or read a word that you know but never use, put it on the list. The list should be always at hand so notes on the phone sound like a good place to put them. The moment you hear a word that should go on the list must go on the list. Be careful, don’t make a list of NEW words. Make a list of words you know but what YOU and only YOU know is that you wouldn’t use them. That’s frustrating, but that’s exactly what we want to overcome. That frustration comes from not being able to use the words fluently. The word you know! See what I’m getting at? Ok, so make a list. Then what? Take that list, every evening and read it out loud. Next! Pick one word from that list and say it out loud 10 times. Make a short sentence that includes that one word from the list and say it out loud a few times. Change the sentence into a past tense, say it out loud a few times. Change the sentence from a singular to a plural form or the other way round, for example. Let’s say I have on my list the word ‘experience’. My sentence is:
I experience a lot.
I change it into a past form:
I experienced a lot.
To a plural:
We experienced a lot.
To a third person:
Ana experiences a lot.
Go to ‘youglish.com’ and type in the word you are practising and repeat out loud a few sentences you hear there.
All you wanna do is learn the freaking word to the moment you feel you have it. It’s yours. Until the moment you know you can use this word automatically. Until it becomes your second nature. What you want to do is to exercise the muscle memory. You want your mouth, tongue, lips, teeth, your everything to remember the word. And don’t get me wrong, don;t overdo it. One word a day. So you make a list all day and in the evening you read the list but practise just one word. Imagine what happens after one month of such smart practice!!! It’s crazy how much can be achieved through such a simple daily exercise. The effects will come fast and they will be effective, they will last forever!!
Yey! Here you have my tips on how to finally remember and use words you really need instead of getting frustrated and learning useless words endlessly.
Time to practise! Listen to these sentences and say them out loud. Yes, you need to SAY it OUT LOUD. That’s how you create that muscle memory, remember? Ok, let’s go!
At the end of the day you are still unable to speak confidently.
Stop learning new words and focus on speaking.
Knowing a lot of words is great.
It’s better to have a few tools you know well and can use correctly.
Spend time learning how to use the words you already know.
Practice forming sentences.
This app is running slowly.
Shall I run you home?
The chocolate is running.
We ran out of butter.
Should you stop learning new words forever?
Awesome!! Thank you for joining me today. Please don’t forget about the webinar, let’s finally learn HOW to use present perfect without even noticing we’re using present perfect! Let’s make our tense choices automatically. Fast. Fluent. Go to teacherola.com/webinar.
I hope you got inspired today, if so let me know – write a short email, dm me on Instagram or Facebook, I’m waiting for your insight. I’m so lonely recording this podcast, if you’re there, if you’re listening now, if you like my work, write a short message, even just ‘hi it’s me! I listen and I learn with you’. Oh, that is what makes me really happy!
You can of course go one step further and share your written review on iTunes, give me 5 stars on Spotify, leave a like on YouTube – all of those tiny things help me massively. You have no idea. Thank you so much!! I love you, I believe in you, I know you can be fluent in English if you really want it.
I’ll be back next week. Stay fearless, say it out loud and take care! I’m your teacher, Teacher Ola, and you were listening to Teacher Ola Podcast. Bye for now.