Building vocabulary for any entrance examination is a gradual process, and it is advised to begin at the earliest as the retention of words take time. Mentioned below are some tips For Enhancing Vocabulary for CAT and OMETs –
a. Subtitle and chill!
You should make a habit of consuming any form of video content with subtitles on. Ever watched a movie with subtitles on and realized – Oh this is the correct usage of this word in a sentence? This happens more subconsciously than you could imagine. Even if you are watching a Hindi movie or show on streaming platforms, try to turn on the subtitles if possible. This will tremendously improve your vocabulary. For instance – while binging a series, I learned that the English word for a ‘nivaala’ or a tiny portion of food is ‘morsel’.
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b. Learn along, preach along!
Use the newly learned words in conversations with your friends as regular usage of these words would help you communicate comfortably and understand its meaning when presented in a passage. Additionally, you could try to create a short quote or article using that word.
c. Word Power Made Easy
The book ‘Word Power Made Easy’ is a book which many CAT aspirants have sworn by. It deconstructs English words into its root words which makes its easier to understand the meanings of other words with that root word. For instance – the word ‘trivial’ means something of little significance. It originated from the root words – ‘tri’ (meaning three) + ‘via’ (meaning by way of). But in modern linguistics, trivial does not mean three pathways. Its meaning changed across time to emphasize that on a junction where three roads intersect, there are a lot of footfalls. So, people tend to avoid confidential or significant conversations in such locations, giving rise to the current meaning of trivial. Numerous more concepts are present in the book.
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d. Tracing the origins!
Relate the words to their etymologies or origins. Take the help of a dictionary app on your mobile phone to instantly look up for the etymology of the word which facilitates the recall value of its meanings. Example – the word ‘juggernaut’ means a literal or metaphorical force or object regarded as unstoppable, that will crush all in its path. The etymology of the word describes that it is derived from the Hindu deity Lord Jaggannath. The word came into origin during the British colonial era in India after witnessing the Rath Yatra.
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