If you've ever wondered whether your word choices matter, look no further than the World Well Being Project to determine that they do. In this new study, psychology researchers were able to show that the words you use most often can predict your age, gender, and even your personality.Continue reading...
In a post on The New Yorker's Page Turner blog last week, poet Brad Leithauser meditated on what you can learn by examining a concordance (or list) of words used in an individual author's work. The piece on the relationship of writers and words suggests two activities word learners might want to try:Continue reading...
When you're learning new words on Vocabulary.com, you're engaging in what psychologists call "distributed learning" and "practice testing," and a new study shows they're the best way to learn.Continue reading...
Last month, we brought you a new video tour of our pronunciation feature that helps you better understand words as you learn. Now, a new study suggests that this feature is not just helpful — it may be essential for learning new words.Continue reading...
In anticipation of the announcement of the winner of The Man Booker International Prize this Wednesday, we're awarding our own prizes to the nominees today. But don't look here for an analysis of literary merit. We're considering these writers only in terms of their usefulness to vocabulary learners.Continue reading...
"Hot enough for you?" "Lovely day!" "It's raining cats and dogs!" Weather clichés serve us well. Not only do they give us the means of exchanging a pleasantries with friends and neighbors, they're an example of language chunking, the process through which our brains attaches meaning to words.Continue reading...