The Number One Habit for Building Vocabulary: Make Your Own Dictionary
Want to know one thing that almost every high-achieving TOEIC student does?
Ask any serious TOEIC student how they build their vocabulary, and you’ll hear the same answer again and again:
They keep their own English-to-English dictionary.
Not an app.
Not a list on their phone.
A handwritten notebook — filled with new words, personal definitions, and short examples.
Reviewed regularly. Used with purpose.
What It Is
When you come across a new word, phrase, or idiom:
Write it down — by hand
Define it in simple English
Add a short sentence if you can
Do not translate into Japanese
This notebook becomes your personal dictionary — built for your brain.
Why It Works
When you explain a word in English, using words you already know,
you create synaptic connections — links between old knowledge and new.
That’s how the brain remembers.
Writing by hand also activates kinesthetic memory.
It’s physical. You feel it. You store it.
But here’s the real secret:
Review the word within 12 hours, then again within 24 hours.
Why?
Because your brain has a limited window to decide what’s important.
Reviewing soon after learning tells your brain:
👉 “This matters — keep it.”
And that’s how short-term memory becomes long-term memory.
Group new words by synonyms or themes (like money, emotions, or movement).
This strengthens your mental network — so you can recall faster and more naturally.
Make It a Habit
The best students don’t just write words down.
They interact with them.
They flip back through pages.
They ask questions.
They use new words within a few days of learning them.
This habit builds retention, recall, and confidence.
Try This:
📘 Keep a small notebook just for new vocabulary
✏️ Write each word, its definition (in English), and an example
🔁 Review it within 12 hours, and again the next day
🔗 Group words by meaning or topic
💬 Use each word in conversation or writing within 3 days
If you’re serious about your TOEIC score, this is one of the top habits to build.
It’s simple. It’s powerful. And it works.