To me, words are like the colors on Pablo Picasso’s pallet, they give me the means to extract abstract concepts from my mind, mixing and matching the various shades to paint vivid images for others to see.
When writing, I sometimes invest hours following the trail of the right word to convey my thinking, the new words I encounter on the path extend the range of shades on my pallet and illuminate and inspire new images for me to realize.
Alright, you got me, I’m a word geek. But here is the question of this article, as a new language learner, “how many words do you need to know?” Perhaps, as equally important to know is: “what is your language learning objective?”
There are varying opinions on how big your vocabulary should be for each language level. The table below is what I use to gauge an English learner’s level.
The names of people, places and things are not vocabulary words and they will not help build your English comprehension!
There are “base words” and “word families.” A word family is a root word and all its inflections, for example: run, running, ran; blue, bluer, bluest, blueish, etc.
In the past a base word was the base word itself and all its inflected forms. For example, “tough”, “toughen” and “toughness” used to be treated as 3 words.
Today, “a base word is the word family” and consists of the base word and its inflected forms and derivations. “tough”, “toughen” and “toughness” is one word.
Vocabulary size is an indicator of your current language level. The number of words you know is a reliable gauge of your language level.
What is “knowing” a word? You should be able to provide at least one accurate synonym for the word, or use a combination of different words to accurately relate the words meaning.
A 1000-words vocabulary will allow you to understand about 80% of most regular conversations.
Wow, I only need to learn 1000 words to understand 80%? Well, only if you are a tourist or only need English to basically introduce yourself to a friend. Try to understand this sentence missing the 20%:
“Skydiving is a ____ sport, my father ___ me on it’s ____...”
A 3000 words vocabulary will allow you to understand about 95% of most ordinary texts, newspapers and conversations. Most newspapers and newscast tend to keep their working vocabulary at a level most people will understand – 5th to 6th grade.
At this level, you can hold a decent conversation and get the general ideas and concepts of most of the articles you read and it will help you to pick up new words from the context in which they are used. You might even get through a day’s work in an English-speaking office.
At 5000 words, you can understand about 98% of most ordinary texts. At this level, you are a functioning English speaker. Working among professionals might still be challenging and formulating abstract concepts will be a big challenge.
10000 words allow you to understand about 99% of most texts. If your goal is to attend a University, or to communicate in a professional business environment, this is the goal you need to set for yourself. You will be able to express your ideas with precision and pass as a native English speaker (assuming you work on your pronunciation).
Ok, so now you know where to set the “bar” in relation to your specific language needs – but – what is your strategy for accomplishing those goals?
If you have read some of my previous post, you might know my sentiments on how your motivation and determination directly relate to your success as opposed to you telling your mom how the dinosaur flew in the window and scattered your green peas off your plate and onto the floor.
If you think you will achieve an 8,000 word vocabulary chatting with your teacher and learning the rules, just take a vocabulary test at the start of your lessons and then re-test after a year; gee, did you even learn 100 new words. it “ain’t-gonna-happen,” at the most, it’s extremely unlikely. The two of you will more probably rehash the same words every time; as goes with your friends and acquaintances.
You will need to expose yourself to new and challenging vocabulary everyday. Again, the TV shows and news programs are not challenging, the news shows might help with your hearing comprehension and with your pronunciation and even get you to Level B-1 (see the table above).
If you are serious to become an 8,000-word C-1 English speaker, read contemporary novels, good novels from the best seller list is my recommendation. In this medium you will be barraged with new words, idiom, and verbal phrases that might discourage those of meek heart who will say to themselves “this is too hard,” and they will likely throw-up their hands or throw money at another teacher.
The motivated and determined learner will get the dictionary and thesaurus and study every word and phrase they find challenging.
“Motivation is fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.” —Stephen R. Covey
