Vocabulary Mining

Expand your vocabulary for Day 15 of Fresh Foundations

Today’s post about vocabulary mining is part of a series called Fresh Foundations. Subscribe for actionable steps you can take in just 15-30 minutes a day to create a language learning routine that works for you.

Vocabulary Mining

Have you ever read a book, listened to a podcast, or watched a movie in another language and thought, “I love how they said that”? Maybe there was a word or phrase that caught your attention. If this has happened to you, congratulations! You’ve already started noticing language, and noticing is a big step in learning.

Today, I want to introduce you to an activity called Vocabulary Mining. This task helps language learners improve their vocabulary and grammar by noticing and collecting pieces of language they like. It’s a simple activity, you just need some input in your target language like a text, a video, or even a conversation.

Here’s how to do Vocabulary Mining:

Step 1: Choose Your Material

Start with something you’ve already read, listened to, or watched. It’s important that you understand the general meaning of the material. This could be a podcast episode, a short story, or a YouTube video with subtitles. If you’re reading, make sure it’s at your level or just a little bit above it.

Step 2: Highlight Interesting Language

Go back through the material and look for words, phrases, or sentences that you like or find useful. It's not only NEW words/phrases, but language you might passively understand, but don't actively use. Underline or highlight these phrases.

Focus on chunks of language—short phrases or expressions that often go together. For example, instead of just noticing the word “help,” notice the phrase “to lend a helping hand.”

Step 3: Write Them Down

Once you’ve chosen your language, write it in a notebook or the notes app on your phone. Be sure to include the whole phrase or sentence, not just the individual words. If possible, write down the context where you found it. For example, if you heard someone say, “It’s worth giving it a try,” write the whole sentence. This will help you remember how to use it later.

Step 4: Use Your New Vocabulary

Now it’s time to experiment! Try using your new phrases in your journal, in conversations, or even in imaginary situations. For example, if you learned the phrase like “I couldn’t agree more,” you might practice saying it in a conversation about a topic you like. You can also create flashcards to review the phrases and keep them fresh in your mind.

Step 5: Reflect and Repeat

After you’ve practiced using your mined vocabulary, think about how it went. Did it feel natural? Was it easy to use? If not, don’t worry. The more you practice, the easier it will become. You can repeat this activity as often as you like with new material.

Why Vocabulary Mining Works

A few weeks ago, we looked at keeping a language log. This process takes that active engagement one step further and helps you build confidence in using new words and phrases. Plus, because you’re choosing language that matters to you, it feels more meaningful and enjoyable.

A Quick Example

As an English teacher in a language school, I often gave my students a writing task about their hometown. To help them, I shared an example using my own hometown, Denver.

After reading the example, I asked them to highlight five phrases they wanted to steal from my example. Although I didn’t tell them which phrases to pick, they usually chose very useful ones like:

"a wide range of" or "suitable for any budget"

An excerpt from my sample text for A2+ level learners. Some of the vocabulary is above the level, but because it’s comprehensible in this context, they were able to understand and even use it after doing vocabulary mining.

For pre-intermediate learners, noticing and applying phrases like these helped them write more formally and prepared them for more advanced tasks.

Your Task

Today, try vocabulary mining with something in your target language. Choose a short text or video and find 3-4 phrases you like. Write them down and use them in a sentence or two. Leave a comment with your mined vocabulary! Let’s see what treasures you can find. 💎

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