Word Power Made Easy

Key takeaways

• Vocabulary growth stalls in adulthood only because we stop being curious about words
• Learn words through their Greek and Latin roots so each new root unlocks many words
• Study words in clusters of related ideas, not in random alphabetical lists
• Short daily sessions with frequent self-tests beat long occasional cramming
• Use a new word in speech or writing within a day so it becomes yours

Inside this bit

1. Words are ideas you can own

   Why do children learn thousands of new words a year while most adults barely add a handful? Norman Lewis, an American teacher who wrote this book in 1949, argues that the slowdown is not about age or ability.

2. Roots unlock whole word families

   The heart of Lewis's method is etymology, the study of where words come from. Most hard English words are built from a few hundred Greek and Latin pieces, so one root can unlock 10 words.

3. Learn words in idea clusters

   Lewis never gives you an alphabetical list. Instead, each session begins with an idea and gathers the words that live around it.

4. Test, review, and say them aloud

   The book is designed to be worked through, not read. Every session ends in a batch of quick tests, and the answers are right there so you can check yourself immediately.

5. Make new words part of you

   A word you have merely read is still a stranger. Lewis wants each one to become a habit, and that requires deliberate use.

6. Put it to work

   Pick a fixed 15-minute slot each day, perhaps on the morning commute, and give it entirely to words. Start with one root a day, such as the Greek piece meaning fear or the Latin piece meaning to speak, and list every word you already know that contains it, then add 2 or 3 new ones.