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Variety, the spice of life and english

Variety is very important in English, and I suspect many other languages. In the english language there are many words which can mean the same thing and many people will use these words depending on their own choice. There often aren't any rules on when you should use one word over another. These words are often adjectives and adverbs.

These words can often help with vocabulary building. At many bookstores or on the internet you can find an English Thesaurus. This is a book which is like a dictionary. You look up the word you want and the book will give you a list of synonyms (these are words that means the same as the word you looked up), and antonyms (these are words that mean the opposite of what you looked up). If you know what a word means, for example:
quickly
you can easily build your vocabulary by learning these words:
rapidly
speedily
promptly

These words all mean the same thing. If you can make the association in your mind you know 1 meaning, but 4 words. Your vocabulary can grow very rapidly. This becomes very important in writing and speaking because using the same adjectives and adverbs can become monotonous. This will help you become a better communicator.

You can create flashcards to help you remember which words mean the same as other words. Then you can try to use each one when you talk or write. This will help you remember them and their use.

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