If your first language is not English, focusing on learning new vocabulary words might be more work than you think you have time for. However, because you’ve been looking at English as a puzzle to solve, you’re already in the right frame of mind to add bigger and more elaborate pieces to that puzzle. In addition, your skill at looking closely and carefully at words to understand them will help you focus on the important word roots that will tie groups of words together and give you a jump-start on an even larger vocabulary.

If you’re using the Ultimate Vocabulary program as a tool in your vocabulary-building work, then you’re already familiar with the Word Discover™ feature that translates key vocabulary in into different languages. By cross-checking the translation with the definition of the word that you’ve looked up in the English dictionary, you’ll be sure to have an accurate definition and a better understanding of the meaning of the word and how to use it. If you don’t have the Ultimate Vocabulary program, you can check one of the many on-line multilingual dictionaries – WordReference.com is one of the top resources for the major European languages, and the Google Translate function covers most of the world’s other languages.

One of the best ways to learn new vocabulary is by reading as much as you can. By using translated texts along with those in your native language, you can compare words and phrases easily, and see how vocabulary words are used in context. Many used book stores have translations of non-English literature, especially those located near colleges and universities. Pick up a copy of a book in the language you grew up with, and a copy of a good English translation, and read the English version, using the original text to confirm your understanding of the words.

Even after you’ve developed a broad and comprehensive vocabulary, you’ll want to make sure that your professional documents – letters of application, scholarship proposals, business contracts, and the like – are completely accurate, both to maintain your status as an authority, and to ensure that there are no mistranslations by your readers that could end up costing you time or money. Look for a professional translator to proofread your work before you submit it or mail it out. You’ll have the confidence of knowing that you’re presenting your best work and will be able to look forward to a successful and profitable outcome.