Key takeaways
- To learn English vocabulary fast, learn phrases (groups of words), not single words.
- Phrases are easier to remember, they teach you grammar at the same time, and you can use them in conversation right away.
- Collect phrases from easy listening and reading, write the whole sentence in a notebook, and review it every day out loud.
Do you write long lists of new words, learn their meanings and then forget them a week later? Many learners study vocabulary this way because they learned it at school. In this article you will see a faster way to learn English vocabulary: learn phrases, not single words.
Why Single Words Don’t Stay in Your Memory
A single word on a list has no story and no situation. Your brain has nothing to connect it to, so it forgets it quickly. Even when you remember the meaning, you often don’t know how to use the word in a sentence: which preposition comes after it, which verb goes with it, or how it changes.
That is why many learners know a lot of words but still can’t speak fluently.
Why Phrases Work Better
1. Phrases are easier to remember
A phrase has meaning and a little picture in it. “I’m interested in music” is easier to remember than “interested”, especially when you heard the phrase in a story or a conversation.
2. Phrases teach you grammar at the same time
When you learn “She drinks coffee every morning”, you also learn that the verb takes an -s after she. When you learn “It depends on the weather”, you learn that depend goes with on. You don’t need to think about rules; the correct form is already in the phrase.
3. Phrases are ready to use
In a conversation you don’t have time to build sentences word by word. If you know whole phrases, you can use them right away, and you sound more natural.
4. It is the natural way to learn a language
Children don’t learn their language from word lists. They hear groups of words again and again and then repeat them. You can learn English vocabulary the same way.
Single Words vs. Phrases: Examples
| Instead of learning… | Learn the phrase |
|---|---|
| depend | It depends on the weather. |
| interested | I’m interested in music. |
| decision | I need to make a decision. |
| photo | Can you take a photo of us? |
| late | Sorry, I’m late. The bus didn’t come. |
How to Learn English Vocabulary with Phrases
- Listen and read easy English. Stories, lessons and podcasts for learners are full of useful phrases. (Read why English listening is the key to speaking.)
- Write down the whole phrase. When you find a new word, write the full sentence or the part of the sentence around it, not only the word.
- Keep a phrase notebook. A small notebook or a notes app on your phone is perfect.
- Review every day, out loud. Read your phrases aloud for a few minutes each day. Saying them helps you remember them and use them when you speak.
- Make your own sentences. Change one or two words: “It depends on the price.” “I’m interested in football.”
Watch more English lessons on our YouTube channel
Learn Phrases with Our Story Lessons
In our lessons you don’t study word lists. You hear useful phrases in short stories and conversations, and then you answer easy questions out loud, so the phrases become part of your speaking.
- The Stories Course: 21 story lessons with normal and slow audio and PDF texts.
- The Shadowing Course: 60 real conversations with vocabulary explained in simple examples.
Try a free story lesson (MP3 + PDF) first.
More Learning English Tips
- Speak English Fluently Without Studying Grammar Rules
- How to Learn English Fast and Easy
- Present Simple Story for Listening and Speaking
- English Short Stories with Audio
Frequently Asked Questions
How many new phrases should I learn every day?
Quality is more important than quantity. Five to ten useful phrases a day is a good goal, if you review them and say them out loud.
Where can I find useful English phrases?
In easy English that you listen to or read: lessons for learners, short stories, podcasts, films with subtitles and conversations.
Should I still use a dictionary?
Yes, when you need to check a meaning. But write down the whole phrase from the text, not only the word and its translation.
Do I need to learn grammar rules to use phrases correctly?
No. Phrases already show the correct grammar. See why you can learn to speak without studying grammar rules.
hi i am palistanian woman and my finanacil situation is very very very bad i do not have job .so i want to improve my english skill to get job .please help me please . can l study english without money please i need english languag to get job
Hi Alabed, of course you can find lots of free English lessons to improve your English skills. For example if you search “free English lessons download” on google you will see lots of websites which offer free downloads. Also we highly recommend you to watch English videos on youtube to improve your English listening and speaking.
Hi this very good site for learn English.
Thank you for this video.
Hello Hojjat, thanks for sharing your comment with us. Good luck with your English learning.