5.1 Using vocabulary cards to record vocabulary
A vocabulary card is a card containing useful information about a word. The kind of information you record on your vocabulary cards depends on your needs, but it is normally useful to include the definition, synonyms, the most common collocations and some examples. If you know the phonetic symbols, you may want to also record the pronunciation.
Activity 13
Download [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] the printable version of the table below to record information about ‘stability’, one of the academic words contained in the reading ‘The global threat of infectious diseases’. While dictionaries provide several definitions, examples and collocations, it is only necessary to record information related to your interests. For the purposes of this exercise, just record information that would interest somebody who studies or is interested in economics and politics.
Word Word class Countable/uncountable Pronunciation | Definition/s | Word family | Example/s | Collocations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Answer
My card contains information taken from the Macmillan Dictionary, Just the Word. To find the word family, I have used the Academic Word List provided by UEFP.
Word Word class Pronunciation | Definition/s | Word family | Example/s | Collocations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stability noun uncountable /stəˈbɪləti/ | A situation in which things happen as they should and there are no harmful changes. | instability, stabilisation, stabilise, stabilised, stabilises, stabilising, stable, unstable | The rise of nationalism could threaten the stability of Europe. The country must achieve political stability. | Economic/social/political/ financial stability Achieve/maintain/ensure/promote stability Threaten/undermine stability Period of stability Threat to stability |
Comment
Vocabulary cards can be kept in alphabetical order for easy reference. They can also be used as flash cards. Just write the word on the back of the card. When you want to revise, look at the word, try to remember its definition and then turn the card to check.
If you use a smartphone or a tablet, you could search the internet and download a flash card app that will allow you to revise your list of new words wherever you are