Increase your English Vocabulary

How can I increase my vocabulary until I can read English novels?

Reading novels in another language can be incredibly difficult and it can be frustrating when you don’t understand a lot of the words or even the context.

Firstly reading is an amazing way to expand your vocabulary. 

The real secret is to read something that challenges you but doesn’t demotivate you. If you read a book that is too high above your level, then you will feel frustrated and probably give up.

Nowadays, there are many publishers that offer books called, ‘easy readers’. Penguin, Pearson and Macmillan are just a few.

These books are written at various levels and don’t worry, they are not just simple children’s stories, a lot of these books have been adapted from famous novels or movies. For example, I have seen an easy reader of the movie I-Robot starring Will Smith, but I have also seen easy readers on Nature and famous books from Charles Dickens.

So you get a book of your level and read it, most are available with an audio CD so that you can practice your listening as well as reading skills. Also, some of the books have a glossary of the vocabulary used so that you can refer to it as you read.

One more thing, please don’t be fooled into reading a book just because it has fewer pages. Sometimes, these books, although thin, can contain high-level vocabulary and you will still find it too difficult to follow.

I hope that this has helped you with your question.

Watch my videos on reading to learn a little more about how reading can help you improve your English:

How to improve your English through Reading

What You Should Be Reading