Tips & Tricks

The most commonly used words in written English

1. The
2. Of
3. And
4. A
5. To
6. In
7. Is
8. You
9. That
10. It
11. He
12. For
 

-ize or -ise

Many people in the UK believe that words ending in “-ize” such as “organize” are US spellings, and that the correct spelling is “organise”. However, the Oxford University Press insists that words such as computerize, capitalize, capsize, organize, organization, privatize, publicize, realize should take the -ize ending, but that others, eg analyse, advertise, advise, arise, compromise, disguise, despise, enterprise, exercise, merchandise, revise, supervise, surprise should take the -ise ending.

In the Concise Oxford Dictionary you will often find that both options are possible in British English - 'realise' or 'realize', 'organise' or 'organize' - whilst for other entries -ize is listed as unmistakably American, e.g. 'analyse' = British English, 'analyze' = American English.

Here's a checklist you can use:

Noun and verb: Where the noun and verb are the same (like “exercise”), use -ise.

Pronounciation: Anything that doesn't sound like “-eyes” uses -ise, such as “promise”.

Stem: Where the stem word (usually Latin or Greek) ends in “is”, then use -ise, as in vis (to see) gives “televise”.

Anything else: Use -ize.

Learning new vocabulary

If you find it difficult to remember the meaning of a word write it on a card - then look it up in Wiki or Google and copy out (with pen and paper on the other side of the card) a few sentences that you find relating to the word.

For example: squirrel

On Wiki - One well-known trait of some species of squirrel is the gathering and storing of nuts for the winter.

On Google - Squirrel is the common name for rodents of the family Sciuridae, and can sometimes be used to describe someone who is a 'goof' or 'clown'.

Practise

Learning a word won't help very much if you promptly forget it. Research shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your vocabulary.

It helps to write the word - both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word - perhaps on an index card that can later be reviewed.

Do a search on a word using Google, first find the definition by searching for "define: word", then do a general search and write down 3 examples of how the word has been used in different sentences.

As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Review your index cards periodically to see if you have forgotten any of your new words.

Take part

No one can teach you English. Rather, you have to learn it. In order to do this you have to participate. To get the full benefits, of any learning experience you need to be active:-

• Get involved, participate in discussions - don't be shy.
• Ask your teacher to organise some role-plays or 10 minutes free speaking time in the lesson.
• Join forums, you can make friends and practise your English. There's probably a forum for every hobby or interest.
• Ask for help - don't be too proud to admit you don't know everything.

Learn from your mistakes

We all make them, so we need to learn to accept them as a fact of life. Making a genuine mistake does not make you any less of a person.

If anyone gives you an unnecessarily stressful time about making a mistake, remember they will have made just as many mistakes as you, if not more. The question 'May I congratulate you on never having made a mistake in your life?' is a useful answer here (just not to your teacher)!

Never making a mistake means never living life to the full. More useful lessons are learned from mistakes than from success. Children learn to walk because they get up when they fall, not because they stay down. Repeat each morning that to risk failure is to court success.

Talk to yourself

Talking to yourself is no longer the first sign of madness - it's the first sign of excellence. "Self-talk" can help you to become more fluent. And the great thing is - you can do it anywhere: in the bath, in the car, while you're taking the dog for a walk. Try to put a regular time aside everyday when you can talk to yourself in English. Talk about interesting things which have happened to you and the things you're planning to do in the future.