Better vocabulary for better OET results

A broad vocabulary is essential to passing English proficiency exams like the OET. And more importantly, the more English words you have at your command, the more success you will have in your professional life in any English speaking environment.

So, how can you expand your medical English vocabulary?

Try these tips:

• Learn to recognize word structure and the meanings of roots, prefixes and suffixes. By mastering a smaller number of roots, prefixes and suffixes, you can decipher thousands of healthcare terms by breaking them down into parts.
• Read English material – the subject does NOT have to be medical. Choose a topic that interests you, anything, even light fiction. Read and make notes on any words you do not know. Reading builds vocabulary, and building vocabulary enhances reading comprehension.
• Practice “naming” things around you. In a familiar environment, look at the items around you see and name them all in English. The more detailed the better. For example, “chair” can include the seat, rung, leg, back, cushion, and feet.
• Group words based on usage. Think of words you are likely to hear in a single setting, like at the dentist. Works like teeth, cavity, extract, X-ray, filling, floss, decay, plaque, gingivitis, and brush are all related and easier to remember as a group.
• Use mental imagery. Create mental pictures of the unfamiliar words you’ve learned. It this activates different areas in your brain and helps keep the material better. For example, a stretcher can be an image of a man stretching out on the wheeled bed.
• Learn synonyms and antonyms to words you know. You can express  most ideas several different ways. In conversations, people will not express themselves the way you expect. Learning alternative words or phrases to use instead of the words you know expands your understanding.
• Practice your new words periodically. Try using the words in sentences or think of situations where such a word might come in handy. This can be a useful exercise to practice with a native English speaker to assess accuracy and pronunciation.

With an expansive vocabulary you will communicate with more precision and nuance. And it will definitely help you pass those exams!