Note: If you are really serious about improving your vocabulary, we highly recommend you check out the popular Ultimate Vocabulary Builder

THE 5 BEST VOCABULARY TOOLS

Everybody wants to improve their vocabulary these days. A good vocabulary not only speaks volumes about one’s educational background, upbringing and personality but it is also crucial to academic and professional success. If you want to learn new words, the Internet is teaming with vocabulary tools and resources. So much so in fact that it can get overwhelming and confusing. So we came up with a ‘beginner’s kit’: a list of the 5 of the best vocabulary resources available. Here they are, in no specific order:

1. Cambridge Dictionaries Online

A source for high level vocabulary learning, Cambridge Dictionaries Online includes four distinct dictionaries: Learner’s, American English, Phrasal Verbs and Idioms. Also available is a useful toolbar and several audio pronunciations.

2. Online Etymological Dictionary

For the learners who like knowing everything about the words they learn, the Online Etymological Dictionary offers reliable information on roots and history of words. Because you get to see how a word came to be and analyze it through its constituents, you are able to better understand it and effectively retain it.

3. iVocabulary

iVocabulary is a great resource for students. You can pick your grade level to customize the resource and access special vocabulary resources for ESL and SAT tests. Because it’s specially created for students, we had to give it a place on our list of best vocabulary tools in case our readers want to improve their vocabulary for the above-mentioned tests.

4. Academic Word List

Designed by an actual English professor, Academic Word List is a carefully selected collection of words that are most often used in high level academic texts. Definitely one of the best vocabulary resources for you if what you need is a resource for improving your word bank for comprehending difficult literary pieces.

5. Ultimate Vocabulary

Ultimate Vocabulary is a software application by eReflect that often finds itself on best-of lists- and with good reason. It’s chockfull of great vocabulary resources and tools all available within the program’s attractive standalone package. You can look up all sorts of information on thousands of words (including pronunciations and even images!). You can also enhance your vocabulary by doing some fun and effective exercises (like flash cards) and monitor your learning progress through the built-in ‘Learning Curve’ feature (which presents your stats through a good looking graph). Our favorite feature has to be the little Word Messenger that pops up with new words now and then at the bottom of your screen and also reminds you of your vocabulary commitments.