For anybody preparing for competitive exams like SSC, banking, or UPSC, English vocabulary words can’t be ignored. It is because these exams have a dedicated portion for the English language with a high weightage. SSC Tier I and II exams have sections for English language and comprehension, with maximum marks of 50 and 200, respectively. With a good vocabulary, you can get a competitive advantage over others.
Following are some expert vocabulary tips for the SSC exam that will surely help you to score good marks and crack the exam.
How to improve vocabulary for competitive exams?
- Mark difficult words
While you are reading something, whether it is a newspaper or a book, you must have a dictionary on your side. Whenever you read a new or difficult word, you should mark it and check its meaning in the dictionary. Marking or highlighting the word helps you to go through those words again to see if you remember the meaning.
- Use dictionary apps
In this digital age, the use of online dictionaries or mobile apps can make your lives easier. There are both online and offline apps available nowadays which can be used to search words instantly, bookmark them, check meaning on the go, and improve your vocabulary. Moreover, the online dictionaries show you the meaning directly and take less time as compared to physical dictionaries where you need to search the words with efforts.
- Read newspapers, books, articles
Reading the daily newspaper can significantly help you to improve your vocabulary. You can choose The Hindu, Times of India, or other top English newspapers. Go through the editorial articles and learn new words and understand the context of the write-up.
Along with newspapers, you can also read novels and other literary work. These are excellent sources for improving vocabulary. Novels also keep you interested in the story while you learn new words.
- Practice previous years papers
When it comes to English subject questions in SSC and other competitive exams, many questions related to synonyms, antonyms, on-word substitution are repetitive. You must practice the previous years’ question papers and practice them as much as possible. You will not only get an idea about the types of questions but also practice questions that are likely to come again in your exam.
- Mock tests
Mock tests are an essential part of the preparation strategy for any government exam. This remains true when you are working on building your vocabulary. Take daily or weekly mock tests to check your level of preparation and make yourself ready for the type of questions that can come in the exam.
- Play word games
There are numerous word games available today that you can play on your smartphone for vocabulary. Crossword puzzles, jumbled letters, scrabbling, etc., are fun to play while you learn and add new words to your vocabulary. Additionally, you can also take part in online quizzes and puzzles. Today, there are several online resources where you can participate in quizzes, which are dedicatedly meant for competitive exams.
- Create sentences with new words
When you learn new or difficult words that seem difficult to memorize, you must try to write sentences using those words. This trick helps you to memorize the words quickly. Generally, we don’t use new English words in speaking, so it would be better to write some sentences, articles, or stories incorporating the new words that you have learnt.
- Use a diary
When you read newspapers, articles, and books, you will come across several new words every day. It is challenging to remember all the words in one go. So you should keep a personal diary handy where you jot down the new words with their meaning. When the exam time approaches, you can quickly open this diary and go through it for revision. It can prove to be a valuable word treasure for you and improve your vocabulary for SSC and other competitive exams.
Wrapping up:
Using the tips mentioned above, you can significantly improve your vocabulary and gain a competitive edge over other candidates. Tips to inprove vocabulary are make reading a daily habit, write down words in a diary, use dictionary apps, play online quizzes, word games, and practice previous year papers to increase your chances of acing the SSC exam this year.
If you have any other suggestions, tips, or want to ask any question, use the comments section below.
Read more – Tips to score Full Marks in Passage in SSC & Bank Exam
