Take some regular everyday words and look them up in a thesaurus.
Look at the different options and find the biggest word that you have actually heard of.
Study those words and make sure you know how to use them in a sentence.
Get a dictionary.
Look through the whole dictionary and find words that you know that you will use.
You can even go on dictionary.com there will be an option if you want to use the online dictionary or thesaurus.
Acquire a sophisticated vocabulary. Nobody will be hanging on to your ever word if you only know 80 words. Read a lot of books! They will supply you with all the mesmerizing adjectives and dumbfounding verbs you could ever possibly need.
Maintain a creative view point on the world. Watch the world around you carefully, taking it all in, so when someone asks you your opinion on something, it isn’t a typical “I think this is good
because….” You will be able to express a fascinating opinion on any subject no matter how boring.
When you have your vocabulary and creative opinions on the world; you must have good presentation skills. The simplest and most important aspect of presentation skills is to make eye contact. To captivate your audience with your words you must hold their gaze. It shows confidence and shows that you know what you are talking about.
Know when to raise and lower the volume of your voice for dramatic effect so your listener are aching to hear you speak on.
Smile! It shows major confidence and conviction, nobody will dare to question you if you emanate such confident vibes.
Keep the conversation dynamic so nobody will get bored, keep advancing the topic. This involves quick thinking by the speaker.
Know which subjects to target at different people. A girl will not want to discuss wrestling or a nerd will not want to discuss sport.
Keep the eye contact, smiling and theatrical qualities to your words constant throughout your conversation. This can be a priceless quality for later life. It can never hurt to have good presentation skills.
Buy a notebook. If it is small, it will be easier to carry around with you and you can write down new words at anytime.
Try to record vocabulary in groups. Some example groups are: subject topics (e.g. types of food), synonyms (similar words), antonyms (opposites) and words with a similar sound or spelling (e.g. tough, rough).
Use a mind map to record the new words. Start with the main topic in the centre and then write connected words on lines branching out from the centre.
You can also use linear notes to record new words. Write the topic at the top of the page and then record related words below. For an example of linear notes see source links.
Record the meaning of each new word. You can draw a picture, write a definition, write a similar word, or, if it is a foreign word, you can write a translation.
Use standard English. Avoid nonstandard (i.e., ungrammatical) forms such as “ain’t”, “can’t hardly”, “can’t seem to”, “irregardless”, and “anyways”. See the list below (“Nonstandard and Questionable Usage”) and How to Use Commonly Misused Words. Consult a dictionary for proper usage and a style manual, such as Strunk and White’s Elements of Style.
Keep proper pronunciation in mind. For most words that can be pronounced more than one way (such as “either”), all the different pronunciations are correct. For a few, such as “mischievous”, one pronunciation is preferred.
Expose yourself to writing to pick up structures, tones, and ideas. Not everything in print is perfect, but the vast majority of printed works, such as books and magazines, have been thoroughly edited. Look at what makes good writing good. As you read more, mistakes and problems will start to “look” or “sound” wrong to you. Correctness will start to feel natural. If you want to write with a particular style or in a particular genre, read things that are related to that. You will tend to adopt styles and ideas from what you read.
Listen to talk radio, podcasts, and audio books. Audio books, especially, are an opportunity to hear writing. You will learn how to pronounce new words and also hear the complex sentence structures inflected.
Read aloud, with intonation. You can read to your children or even your pets. Reading passages aloud is one way to interpret their structures, and it will make you more conscious of their details. It will improve your speech, especially if you are hesitant when you speak or say “uh” and “um”. If you practice reading aloud, you will be less likely to stammer or pause when you speak. You will find yourself saying words carefully instead of slurring them together.
Build your vocabulary. Reading will expose you to a far wider range of words than conversation or spoken media, such as radio or television. Collect words that you do not know. Also browse the dictionary, play word games (such as Hangman, Fictionary, and Free Rice), and subscribe to a word of the day.
Open a dictionary. Learn a word off the page you open to.
Get the “Word of the day” e-mailed to you. Many online services offer this.
Write the word or type it in a journal so you have it to look back at and so you can really learn it.
Add on to it every day and go over it so you don’t forget it.
Try using it in a sentence then while talking to friends.
