Whenever we talk about vocabulary expansion, we focus mostly on learning new words which are pretty uncommon and unknown to most people. Well, that is normal because you have already mastered vocabulary easy words, so, you need to learn words at an advanced level. But today, we will discuss building the foundation.
There are levels of vocabulary acquisition. Words like ‘Ball’, ‘Eye’, ‘Flower’ and similar basic ones are the base of one’s vocabulary skill, then comes ‘Think’, ‘Person’, ‘Consider’ etc.
After learning them properly, students advance to the next level which includes comparatively complex words such as ‘Charisma’, ‘Mercenary’, ‘Dichotomy’, ‘Insidious’ etc. Then they may learn the higher-level words which are mostly academic fields related to terms.
In this article, we will talk about how to build a strong vocabulary foundation for your kids or students using simple vocabulary words. We will focus on easy vocabulary words in English that are used on a daily basis so that the students can learn them without hassle.
So, Let’s get started!
Building Strong Vocabulary Foundation
We might not realize it, but the number of easy vocabulary words used in daily life by an average person is around 20,000. For native speakers, acquiring this much vocabulary is way easier than for non-native speakers because they start learning these words from birth.
But for most non-native speakers, even the vocabulary of easy words in English is learned in school. So, maintaining a strong vocabulary is harder for them. But with proper guidance, they can outperform any native speaker in terms of the number of words learned.
The process of building the foundation starts as soon as the children start learning. Children at this age are naturally curious about everything, and by nurturing this curiosity, teachers can help them build a strong vocabulary within a short time.
For beginner-level students, the process of teaching should include interactive activities so that they don’t lose interest. Here are some tips:
Make Sure They Understand the Meaning Properly
For students who are learning English as a second language, teachers should explain the meaning of each word clearly in their mother tongue. They should include pictures, videos, or other multimedia content even for easy words.
After teaching new words, the teacher should ask students to describe the words to understand if they properly understood the meaning.
Set A Goal
Setting up a goal motivates students to put more effort into learning. You can give them a target of 30-40 words a month (for advanced level students, it can be 30 words per week). Instead of giving the list beforehand, you should teach them the words in your class and hand out the list later. On the last day, evaluate the students’ skills with games. If they have learned the words properly, reward them with stickers or badges.
Check out the easy words for vocabulary education for ielts right now!
Vocabulary Games to Assess Their Progress
Games are a great way to examine if the students really understood the word. As the students are still in kindergarten or early level of education, make sure to use vocabulary easy words in these games and the words are already taught in the class. Check below for some game ideas:
Pictionary
In this game, the pictures you used in the classroom to teach the word will be used. Show the students a picture and ask them to tell the word assigned with the picture. You can divide them into groups and hold a competition.
For older students, ask one of your students to come to the board. Show them a word and ask them to draw on the board. Ask the rest of the students if they can tell the word from the picture.
Instead of pictures, you can also ask the student to act out the word. Whatever method you use, reward both the students who acted or drew and the ones who understood. This is a very fun way to teach easy vocabulary words.
Vocabulary Bingo
Make a 3×3 grid of words and distribute them among students. You can either read out the definition or show the picture assigned to a word and ask the students to say the word. The first one that answers correctly will be able to cross the word of their bingo. The first one who crosses three words in a row will win the round.
Search The Word
The game can be played in two ways- you ask the word or the definitions.
For the word game, make some cards that contain a word each. Pile them and give them to a student. Readout a definition or show a picture and tell them to find the correct word from the pile.
Or make cards with definitions and pictures. Speak out a word and ask the student to find the definition. You can also give the students a list of words and ask them to find all the related cards within a given time.
For more fun vocabulary games, check out SpellQuiz Blogs.
Proper Word Choice
The words you are going to teach must be appropriate for your students. Beginner level students obviously won’t be able to understand ‘Consideration’, ‘Admirable’ etc. Instead, start with fry or sight words. Below are some lists of appropriate vocabulary easy words for each grade:
Sight Words for Pre-Kindergarten
A |
He |
Me |
She |
We |
An |
I |
My |
To |
Yes |
And |
It |
No |
Up |
You |
Vocabulary for Kindergarten students
After |
Eat |
Him |
New |
Some |
Big |
First |
Just |
Our |
Them |
By |
Foot |
Look |
Play |
Then |
Come |
Good |
Make |
Run |
Under |
Down |
Head |
Meet |
See |
Very |
Vocabulary Easy Words for First Graders
About |
Duck |
Long |
People |
There |
Bell |
Glad |
Low |
Skin |
Tree |
Block |
Grow |
More |
Snack |
Try |
Bone |
Hook |
Name |
Spoon |
Which |
Drop |
Ink |
Number |
Stuck |
Wood |
Sight Words for Second Graders
Because |
Chew |
Guess |
Nerve |
Shape |
Bend |
Disk |
Length |
Nurse |
Sight |
Bright |
Event |
Liquid |
Place |
Stamp |
Build |
Flight |
Might |
Pride |
Weather |
Bump |
Found |
Multiply |
Record |
Weight |
For more words, don’t forget to check out SpellQuiz Printable Words Lists. The lists are divided into grades 1-12. There are also word lists available for kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students and adults. There are multiple words lists for each grade that includes sight words and uncommon words. Special word lists for Spelling Bee competitions are also available for spelling bee enthusiasts.
Check out our guide on English vocabulary easy learning for broadening your vocabulary skills now!
Vocabulary Easy Words for ESL Students and Adults
The words given to kindergarteners are not appropriate for adults and ESL learners. Those who are trying to improve their vocabulary already know those basic words. But there are still a large number of vocabulary easy words left to master. The list below contains some easy vocabulary words used in daily life and their meanings and synonyms:
Word |
Meaning/ Synonyms |
Adverse |
Unfavorable, harmful |
Advocate |
Supporting something publicly |
Allege |
Claiming or declaring |
Appeal |
Making a genuine heartfelt request |
Approach |
Coming closer or nearer to something |
Arbitrary |
Based on a random opinion rather than a particular reason |
Artisan |
A skilled worker |
Assure |
Telling that something will happen without a doubt |
Attitude |
A way of behavior or values that are settled |
Avarice |
Greed |
Bland |
Lacking strong taste or characteristics |
Boast |
Pride, self-satisfaction |
Bureau |
An office or department dedicated to a particular field |
Campaign |
An organized method or process to achieve a goal |
Candid |
Frank, Blunt |
Catalogue |
List of items |
Coax |
Gently persuading someone to do something |
Coherent |
Logical, rational, consistent |
Commit |
Do, perform, carrying out an action |
Comprehensive |
Considering all the aspects of a matter |
Concept |
Idea, theory |
Concern |
Interested, anxious |
Conduct |
Manner, behavior, performance |
Consider |
Thinking carefully |
Constant |
Remaining same, unchanged |
Contend |
Managing something with difficulty, cope with |
Contract |
Formal Agreement, deal |
Crew |
A group of people working together, typically in a ship |
Delicacy |
Quality or fineness of something |
Dense |
Closely compact/ stupid person |
Derive |
Obtain, gain, acquire |
Despair |
Complete loss of hope |
Dispatch |
Sending something to a destination, mail, send off |
Distinction |
Difference, contrast |
Elaborate |
Involving complicated processes |
Elude |
Avoid or escape something cleverly |
Encourage |
Supporting, motivating, cheering up |
Engage |
Involving, occupying |
Entertain |
Amusement, enjoyment |
Establish |
Setting up a permanent basis |
Esteem |
Respect, admire |
Exploit |
Deriving benefit from something |
Extort |
Obtaining something by unfair means |
Extravagant |
Lack of restraint |
Fancy |
Sophisticate, high-quality |
Flourish |
Grow in a healthy way |
Forsake |
Abandon, leave, give up |
Generate |
Create, causing, making |
Grant |
Allowing |
Gravity |
Importance, seriousness |
Humble |
Showing modesty |
Impose |
Forcing someone/ putting restriction |
Incident |
Event, occurrence |
Indication |
Sign, symptom, mark |
Insist |
Demanding something forcefully |
Institute |
Organization, establishment, particularly education or science related |
Intend |
Plan, aim |
Issue |
An important topic |
Journal |
Newspaper, magazine/ Diary |
Liberal |
Considering different opinions |
Majority |
The greater number |
Manifest |
Show, demonstrate, display |
Monetary |
Related to money |
Morbid |
Abnormal or unhealthy interest |
Multitude |
A large number of people or things |
Notion |
Conception, belief |
Notify |
Inform, tell |
Norm |
Standard, Usual |
Objective |
Aim, goal, target |
Ornate |
Highly decorated |
Overlook |
Ignoring or failing to notice |
Partial |
Existing only by parts |
Passage |
Process of moving from one point to another, a way |
Persist |
Continuing something despite of oppression |
Policy |
Principle of action |
Proceed |
Begin a course of action |
Reflect |
Thinking deeply or carefully |
Retort |
Answering to something offensive in a witty manner |
Sanction |
Official permission or approval |
Scheme |
A systematic plan, typically large-scale |
Sob |
Crying while making noise |
Steep |
Sharp rise or fall |
Symmetry |
Similarity, exactly |
Territory |
Area, region |
Vain |
Having high opinion |
Venture |
Risky journey or step |
When you are learning a new word, don’t just stop at learning its meaning. Learn about their roots, use them in sentences and try to actively use them in daily life so that the word is permanently stored in your memory. Maintain a notebook for the vocabulary easy words you are learning and review them regularly to prevent forgetting old words.
Vocabulary easy words are hard to forget because they are heavily used but maintaining a notebook will only increase assurance. Practice what you learned from this blog and don’t forget to check SpellQuiz for more tips and tricks.
Happy learning!