Vocabulary: Strategies for Vocabulary Learning & Retention (A2) - Lesson 3: Grouping Words by Topic (Lexical Sets)

Lesson 3: Grouping Words by Topic

Organizing Your Vocabulary with Lexical Sets

Imagine your vocabulary notebook is like a closet for your clothes. If you just throw all your clothes in, it's hard to find anything! But if you organize¹ them—shirts together, pants together—it's easy. We can do the same with words! This strategy is about grouping² words by topic³, which makes them much easier to find and remember.

What is a "Lexical Set"?

A "lexical set⁴" is the official name for a group of words that are related to the same topic. For example, 'dog', 'cat', 'cow', and 'monkey' are all in the lexical set for "Animals".

Why Learn in Groups?

• It Organizes Your Brain: Your brain naturally likes to connect similar ideas. Learning words in groups helps this process.
• It Makes Reviewing Easier: When you want to practice words about food, you can just go to the 'Food' page in your notebook.
• It Helps You Learn More Words: When you learn 'shirt', you can think, "What other clothing words do I know?" and add 'pants' and 'shoes' to the same group.
• It Improves Speaking: When someone talks about a topic, your brain can quickly find all the related words you know.

How to Organize Your Notebook by Topic

Instead of learning words randomly, give each page (or two pages) in your vocabulary notebook a topic.

1. Choose a Topic: Start with big, common topics. Here are some ideas:
   • Food & Drinks
   • Animals
   • Jobs & Occupations
   • Places in a City
   • Verbs (Action Words)
   • Adjectives (Describing Words)
2. Create a Topic Page: Write the topic at the top of a new page. For example: "Topic: Family".
3. Add New Words to the Correct Group: When you learn a new word, add it to the correct topic page in your notebook.
4. Use a Mind Map⁵: You can also draw a mind map. Write the topic in the center of the page and draw lines out to the different words.

In Conversation

Bora is complaining to Srey about his messy notebook.

Bora: Srey, my vocabulary notebook is a mess! I have the word 'apple' next to 'teacher', and 'sad' next to 'bus stop'. It's hard to find anything.

Srey: I had that problem too! My teacher told me to group my words by topic. It's a great strategy.

Bora: How does it work?

Srey: I have a page for 'Food', a page for 'Feelings', and a page for 'Places'. When I learn a new word, I put it in the correct group.

Bora: So all your food words are together? This group of related words is a lexical set, right?

Srey: Exactly! It's very organized. When I want to review words about food, I just turn to that page.

Bora: That makes so much sense! I am going to organize my notebook right now.

quiz Check Your Understanding

1. What is a "lexical set"?

• a) A rule for grammar.
• b) A group of words related to the same topic.
• c) A type of pen.

Click to see the answer

Answer: b) A group of words related to the same topic.

2. On which topic page of your notebook should you write the new word 'handsome'?

• a) The 'Food' page.
• b) The 'Adjectives / Describing People' page.
• c) The 'Animals' page.

Click to see the answer

Answer: b) The 'Adjectives / Describing People' page.

3. Why is grouping words by topic a good idea?

• a) It makes your notebook messy.
• b) It helps you review and remember words more easily.
• c) It uses more paper.

Click to see the answer

Answer: b) It helps you review and remember words more easily.

edit Your Mission

1. Start Your Sections: In your vocabulary notebook, create title pages for at least four different topics. Ideas: Family, Food, Animals, Places, Verbs, Adjectives.
2. Organize Past Words: Look at the last 10 words you learned from our lessons. Organize them into your new topic groups.
3. Mind Map Mission: Your special mission! Choose one topic (like 'Clothing') and create a mind map. Write 'Clothing' in the center and draw lines out to all the clothing words you know.

book Lesson Glossary

1. Organize (verb) - Khmer: រៀបចំ - To arrange things in a neat and logical way. ↩
2. Grouping (verb/noun) - Khmer: ការដាក់ជាក្រុម - The action of putting similar things together. ↩
3. Topic (noun) - Khmer: ប្រធានបទ - A particular subject that you discuss or study. ↩
4. Lexical Set (noun phrase) - Khmer: សំណុំពាក្យ - The official name for a group of words related by topic. ↩
5. Mind Map (noun) - Khmer: ផែនទីគំនិត - A diagram used to visually organize information, with a central topic and lines to related ideas. ↩