Celia Webb discusses the benefits of increased vocab acquisition in Business English.

Learning English terms for matters of finance and business is an important part of being a successful business person in the English-speaking world. Most common business actions require reading contracts, invoices, purchase orders, and other financial and legal documents. You will also want to be able to conduct negotiations and perform the common courtesies expected in the business world. In order to successfully transact your business, you must know the language of business.

The first challenge is the number of words related to business and financial matters, not counting all the acronyms like FDIC and APR. The English language contains hundreds of word and phrases related to financial matters. The next challenge is that many of these words describe sophisticated concepts which are difficult to explain and are not widely understood in the first place (for example, how many of us can rattle off an explanation for capitalization?).

Developing your vocabulary of financial terms is critical to your financial management and business success. Here are ways to increase your financial vocabulary.

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Use news stories as a starting point for exploring new vocabulary. Pick a word from the news story and research the word in the dictionary or on the internet. Write the word down in your “financial terms” notebook with its definition. An alternative to a notebook is a system of index cards which are then sorted alphabetically and kept in a small file box.

Read a good book

Financial situations are so fundamental to the daily life of human beings that many books deal with or have an undercurrent of economic themes. Rags to riches, the struggle of the poor, the standard of living enjoyed by the characters, are all themes which often appear in books. Along with the themes comes the vocabulary used to describe what is happening to the characters. As you encounter unfamiliar words, jot them down on an index card along with their definition. If you organize the words alphabetically, you will find them easier to look up when you next run across them. Choose a card each day to carry in your purse or briefcase. Pull out the card whenever you are waiting in line and study it. Books which contain glossaries are helpful since you do not need to carry a dictionary as well. Some publishers also offer vocabulary worksheets, puzzles, and games to help people work with new words. Check the publisher’s website for support materials.

Tool kit

Search the internet using keywords like “financial terms games”, and “business terms” to find all sorts of resources to help you add to your financial vocabulary. There are games, puzzles, word searches, newsletters, tips, and other readily available tools for explaining financial terms and concepts.

Practice time

Practice saying the word often. Say it to yourself several times by sounding out the word. Listen to it being pronounced by English speakers either on the TV or radio. Search the internet using keywords like “English listening online” and “English listening” to find free resources for practicing English listening skills. Many sites offer downloadable MP3 files which you can play numerous times until you feel comfortable with the word’s sound. If you search on “English speaking” or English speaking online”, you will find resources for practicing your pronunciation skills. If you know an English speaker who is willing to practice with you, ask to meet on a regular basis. Or form an English club to give you plenty of opportunities to practice.

The impact of money on our lives is obvious because of the large number of words in the English vocabulary which describe and denote different aspects of money and business. By learning financial terms and their meanings, you provide the groundwork for a successful career in business.

About the Author

Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out Pilinut Press for more vocabulary tips, word searches, and other vocabulary activity sheets.

By Celia Webb

Greek provides many important prefixes, suffixes, and roots used in the English language. To understand the full meaning of a word, it is essential to know the original meaning of the roots used to form the word. Not only will your comprehension of the word be more complete and accurate, you will understand many more words since roots and other word parts (i.e. affixes, prefixes, suffixes) occur in many English words. For example, Webster’s Dictionary has seventy-seven listings starting with the Greek root -chrom-.

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Root words are most often combined with other word parts to precisely describe a particular phenomena, action, or thing. Continuing with the root word -chrom- an example of this type of combining is chromolithography =chrom (color)+lithos (a stone)+graphien (to write) which is a method of producing color printed pictures using stone or zinc plates. Many roots are much more productive than -chrom- and certain prefixes (like un- meaning not, lack of, the opposite of as in undo) and suffixes (like -ology meaning a specified type of speaking as in eulogy or the science, doctrine, study of, or theory of as in geology) are in hundreds of words. You can greatly improve your command of English by familiarizing yourself with these word parts.

Your command of English spelling will also be strengthened by knowing the origins of a word. Knowing a word originated from Greek gives clues to some of the tricky spellings in English like the silent initial p- in pneumatic and psychopathic.

Here are frequently used Greek roots and their meanings with an example word. Improve your memory of these roots by copying them into a notebook. Write down the root, its definition, and several examples of its use. You can add examples by looking for more in your dictionary. Practice using the words in sentences when writing and speaking. Look for words with these roots in newspaper, magazine, or books you read and underline them. Create flashcards with the Greek root on one side of the card and the meaning or the reverse. The more often you use the word in some way, the better you will remember it.

-aero- (air) aerobics

-angio- (vessel) angioplasty

-anthrop- (human) anthropological

-astro- (constellation) astronomy

-centre- (center) central

-chrom/o- (color) chromatic

-chron- (time) chronograph

-dem- (people) democracy

-hydro- (water) hydroelectric

-kinesis- (movement) kinetic energy

-leuko- (white) leukemia

-litho- (stone) neolithic

-metre- (to measure) meter, geometry

-morph- (form) morphology

-naut- (sailor, ship) astronaut

-path- (feeling, suffering) pathetic

-ped/o- (child, children) pediatrics (do not confuse this Greek root with the Latin root pedi-meaning foot)

-phil/o-(having a strong affinity or love for) philosopher

-phon- (voice, sound) phonograph

-phos-,-photo- (light) phosphorus, photography

-pneu- (to breathe) pneumonia

-pseudo- (false) pseudography

-psych- (soul, mind) psychoanalyze

-tele- (distant) telephone

-therm- (hot) isotherm

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Knowing Greek roots can help you discern the meaning of a word and expand your vocabulary exponentially. Study them carefully and your ability to understand precisely what you read and hear will improve.

About the Author

Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for the company’s entertaining and educational books.

By Celia Webb

English contains many words adopted from other languages. In fact, experts estimate 80% of English words originated elsewhere. The biggest influence on English vocabulary is Latin. An examination of the 20,000 most used words reveals 5,000 words contain prefixes and over 80% of these use one of only fourteen of the many different prefixes available. By learning these important prefixes, you can improve your mastery of the English language. You will be able to discern at least a partial meaning of words you encounter for the first time by understanding the basic meaning of its prefix.

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Listed below are the most used prefixes, their meanings, and example words. To get the most out of seeing these prefixes, copy them into a notebook. Write down the prefix, its definition, and several examples of its use. You can add examples by looking for more in your dictionary. Practice using the words in your writing and speaking. Look for words with these prefixes in newspaper, magazine, or books and underline them. The more you engage the word in some way (writing, speaking, or underlining), the better you will remember it.

Ab- (away from) abhor, abject, abnormal, absolve

Ad- (to, toward) adapt, adept, adhere, adhesion

Be- (on all sides, overly) bedeck, beset, besmear, besprinkle

Com-, con-, co- (with, together) comfort, commence, compel, complain

De- (reversal, undoing, downward) deceit, decipher, default, deliver

Dis- dif- (not, reversal) differ, difficulty, disable, dishonor

Em-, en- (in, into, to cover or contain) embrace, embroider, engage, engrave

Ex- (out of, former) exalt, examine, example, excerpt

In- (into, not) incline, inconsistent, indecisive, induce

Pre- (before) prejudice, prepare, prescribe, preserve, pretend

Pro- (in favor of, before) proclaim, procure, produce, profound

Re- (again, restore) renew, resolve, reveal, revert

Sub- (under, beneath) subcontract, subculture, subject, subordinate

Un- (do the opposite of) unravel, unroll, unseat, unskilled

Although Latin is considered a “dead� language by many, it lives on in the English vocabulary. Not only do many existing words originate from Latin, many new words are constructed from Latin prefixes, suffixes, and roots. New words to describe or name scientific processes or discoveries are often formed from Latin. Think of words like computer, internet, and digital radio. For digital television, you need to be familiar with both Latin and Greek, the other big contributor to the English language. You can learn more about Greek contributions to the English vocabulary in my next article titled “It was Greek to Me: Improving Your English by Knowing Greek Roots�.

About the Author

Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for the company’s entertaining and educational books.

By Celia Webb

Most of us recognize that play is an important way to learn all types of skills and knowledge. Play works as a way to learn for a couple of reasons. First, we are more motivated to do an activity if we are having fun doing it. Second, pleasurable activities get repeated and, therefore, give us more chances to practice the skill or piece of knowledge. And as the cliché says – practice makes perfect.

Word games are a great way to pick up new vocabulary and play with vocabulary that is already familiar. Each game focuses on a different set of skills related to learning words, so if enthusiasm wanes for one game, switching to another game can re-energize the learning process. All of the paperless games below can be played anywhere. They require no equipment whatsoever other than your “thinking cap”.

1. The Alphabet Game: (Ages 5 and up)

This game can be played while in a house or riding in a car. Start with the first player. The player must find an object he can see that begins with the letter A. He names the object and now the play moves to player number two. This player must name an object she can see that begins with the letter B. Play continues through the alphabet and group of players. To vary the game, work backwards through the alphabet.

2. The Word Guessing Game: (Ages 6 and up)

In this game the first player thinks of a word. We suggest starting with a four-lettered word (i.e. hope). She announces to the group of players how many letters the word has (in this example – “I’m thinking of a four letter word.”). Then the next player suggests a four-lettered word (i.e. made). The first player compares the suggested word to her word. She is looking for letters in the suggested word that are exactly matched in position to her word (i.e. “hope” compared to “made” has the letter “e” in the exact position in both words). She announces “One Letter”. Now all players know that the word “made” shared one letter with the guess word. The next player will try to think of a word which will test which letter is an exact match. For example, this player may want to test if the letter “m” in the first position is the matching letter and so she might suggest the word “mint”. The first player will respond “No Letters”. Play continues until the players identify the guess word. The player to correctly identify the guess word thinks of the next guess word. It is important to state how many letters are in the guess word. Games using four- and five-lettered words work best.

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3. Find the Letter: (Ages 4 and up)

This game can help very young readers learn their alphabet. This is a good game for players riding in a car. Have the players look for the letters in alphabetical order. The letters might be on road signs, license plates, billboards, or shop windows. You may need to prompt them with “Can you find the letter A?” Repetition will build up their command of the alphabet and help them identify each letter. You can also use the alphabet song to jog their memories of the next letter.

4. A is for…: (Ages 6 and up)

To begin, name a category for the words that will be used in the game (for example: animals, transportation, general, etc). Now the first player must name an object within the category that begins with the letter A (such as anaconda for the animal category, auto for the transportation category, or apple for the general category). The next player names an object beginning with the letter B and the players proceed in order through the alphabet. For the next game try a new category and allow a different person to start the game.

Playing with words can be a fun and rewarding way for your children to learn new words while reinforcing ones they already know. These games will help cement the alphabet in their minds. They will identify letters, learn the order of the alphabet, and practice spelling – all critical skills for reading. Let the games begin!!

About the Author

Celia Webb is an author, illustrator, and company executive. She and her husband, Mack H. Webb, Jr., founded Pilinut Press, Inc., publishing advanced readers for children and ESL students. Their website http://www.pilinutpress.com offers more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for their entertaining and educational books.

By Celia Webb

Do you want to expand your vocabulary so you can more clearly express yourself? Here are five ideas for making your quest for word mastery productive and interesting too.

1. Get a good dictionary and use it. You want one of those really big, fat dictionaries which have a large selection of the over one million possible English words. When you encounter a word you haven’t seen before, look it up. It sounds so obvious, but most of us try to divine word meanings from their context in the sentence. We might miss the definition entirely or not capture its nuances. It is worth the effort to look up the word.

2. Do the Word Play section of the Reader’s Digest magazine. Each issue has 20 interesting words to learn.

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3. Check out the following websites for daily vocabulary quizzes and articles:

a. http://encarta.englishtown.com

b. http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/dictionaryhome.aspx

c. http://www.languagemonitor.com

4. Use index cards to make flashcards of the new words you are learning. Quiz yourself with the cards several times a day (in the bathroom, while you ride the bus, while you wait in line, etc.).

5. Read about things that interest you. You enjoy what you are reading and learn new words as you explore new topics and authors.

By practicing the ideas above, you’ll soon have mastered a bevy of new words.

About the Author

Celia Webb is an author, illustrator, and company executive. She and her husband, Mack H. Webb, Jr., founded Pilinut Press, Inc., publishing advanced readers for children and ESL students. Their website http://www.pilinutpress.com offers more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for their entertaining and educational books.

By Celia Webb

Studies show that people learn words best by engaging as many of the five senses as possible. Associating a new word with a smell, touch, taste, or sound helps us recall the word for later use. So in addition to reading on a daily basis and listening to speakers who use a different vocabulary than you do, you can add words to your working vocabulary list by exploring new activities.

The following suggested activities will boost your vocabulary by engaging more of your senses and putting you into word-rich environments.

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1. Take a class, any class. Learn a new skill. The skill could be knitting or sport fishing, cooking or carpentry, dancing or playing an instrument. Choose something you are interested in and which requires you to use your hands. Each craft or skill will have its own vocabulary. There will be words to describe the equipment, the processes, and the materials. Since you will be doing something with your hands (and maybe more parts of your body as in dancing), you will trigger more activity in your brain than if you just read the words on a page. The increased activity will create more connections in your brain. Not only will you see the word, you will have an experience to tie to it. You will have paired the word with a motor memory (a physical process you have learned to do like knitting) and sensory memories about the material and tools you work with (like the feel of the knitting needles and yarn in your hands). The greater number of connections your brain is able to make with the word, the more likely it is that the word will become part of your working vocabulary.

2. Visit a museum. Children’s museums are a great choice because they often feature interactive displays. Another good option is a “living museum” where you can talk with a docent who can answer your questions about the exhibits. Many “living museums” (Colonial Williamsburg would be one example) have programs where you get to participate. You’ll learn the words associated with the focus of the museum. Your brain will link the experience of the museum, the items you touched, the activities you participated in, and everything else your senses will record about the trip.

3. Go to the zoo. You’ll find interesting animals with exotic names which originate from many different languages depending on where the animal normally lives. English is a living language which adopts foreign words to name things. The word “yak”, for instance, is from the Tibetan word gyak. You will also learn about each animal’s food and habitat requirements. Many zoos now present shows where a trainer works with an animal and explains about that animal’s particular needs and capabilities. Who can resist a cuddly koala supping on eucalyptus leaves? Once again, your mind will be absorbing the new words along with plenty of additional sensory information to link to the word memory.

4. Garden. The lexicon of gardening is rich with Latin-based words describing plants – their names, the parts of the plant, and their life cycles. Latin provides the roots to many English words in the areas of law, science, and religion. The word “vegetable” for example originated in the Latin word vegetare meaning to enliven, bring to life, or quicken. The word “flower” came from the Latin word flos or floris meaning -surprise! – a flower. Understanding the Latin portions (prefixes, suffixes, and roots) of words can help you deduce the meaning of other words that are new to you. In addition to adding lovely flowers to your hall table or fresh vegetables to your kitchen table, gardening will add valuable words to your vocabulary.

Learning new words can be easier, more enjoyable, and result in better retention if you can use multiple senses in the word-learning process. So add a new activity to your life and you’ll soon master a whole new group of words!

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About the Author

Celia Webb is an author, illustrator, and company executive. She and her husband, Mack H. Webb, Jr., founded Pilinut Press, Inc., publishing advanced readers for children and ESL students. Their website http://www.pilinutpress.com offers more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for their entertaining and educational books.