Speaking: Vocabulary for Speaking C1 - Lesson 5: Using Low-Frequency Vocabulary Appropriately

C1 Vocabulary: Precision & Collocation
C1
Vocabulary Strategy
ការប្រើប្រាស់ពាក្យកម្រ
🎯 Objective / គោលបំណង:

Avoid "Thesaurus Syndrome". Use low-frequency words for precision, not just to sound smart.

❌ The Over-Complicator

Dara (Incorrect C1) "I traversed to the beverage establishment to procure some coffee."
This sounds robotic and unnatural.
You "You mean you went to the cafe to get coffee?"

✅ The Precise Speaker

Vanna (Correct C1) "I wandered into a quaint little cafe and found an exquisite blend."
Natural collocations. Adds descriptive value.

The Rules of C1 Vocab

1. Precision (Is it specific?)
Only use a "big word" if it means something more specific than the simple word.
  • Bad: Using "commence" for "start" (No difference).
  • Good: Using "sweltering" for "hot" (Means: uncomfortably hot and humid).
2. Collocation (Does it fit?) ការប្រើប្រាស់ពាក្យផ្គុំ
Words have "friends". You cannot just swap them using a dictionary.
  • Mitigate a risk.
  • Mitigate a sandwich. (Wrong!)
  • Alleviate pain/suffering.
3. Register (Is it appropriate?)
Don't use formal words in casual stories.
  • Too Formal: "I am famished." (With friends).
  • Just Right: "I'm starving." (With friends).

Select the Best Word

"The government needs to _______ poverty in the rural areas."

A. alleviate (Correct collocation)
B. soothe (Used for skin or emotions)
C. make less (Too simple for C1)

"My boss made an _______ error in the report." (Meaning: Very bad/shocking)

A. exquisite (Means beautiful/refined)
B. egregious (Means outstandingly bad)
C. enormous (Okay, but less precise)

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