If grammar is the skeleton of a language, vocabulary is the muscle. To communicate effectively, you need more than just «words»—you need the right words for the right situation.
This week, at The London Eye – English Consultant, we are exploring the two paths of vocabulary acquisition: General English (for life) and English for Specific Purposes (for your career).
1. Understanding the Two Paths
| Category | What is it? | Why do you need it? |
| General English | Everyday language used in social situations, travel, and daily life. | To express feelings, share stories, and navigate the world comfortably. |
| English for Specific Purposes (ESP) | Specialized language used in professional fields like Business, IT, Medicine, or Law. | To sound professional, participate in meetings, and understand industry reports. |
The Bridge: You cannot have ESP without General English! You need the «general» grammar and connectors to hold your «specific» professional terms together.
2. Strategy: How to Acquire General English (The «Depth» Approach)
For everyday English, don’t just learn a word—learn its family. This makes your speech more flexible.
- Learn Synonyms and Antonyms: Instead of just saying «happy,» learn cheerful, thrilled, or content.
- Context is King: Never study a list of random words. Read a short story or watch a vlog and pick out words used in a real situation.
- The «Post-it» Method: Label items in your house that you don’t know the names of in English. Your brain will associate the physical object with the word.
3. Strategy: Mastering ESP & Business English (The «Precision» Approach)
In professional settings, precision is more important than «sounding fancy.»
- Focus on Collocations: These are words that naturally «live together.»
- General: «I’ll do a plan.»
- Business: «I’ll draw up a plan» or «implement a strategy.»
- Industry Immersion: Read one article a day from a site related to your job (e.g., Harvard Business Review for management, TechCrunch for IT).
- Create a «Field Glossary»: Keep a dedicated notebook or digital folder for terms specific to your niche.
4. The Golden Rule of Acquisition: Use it or Lose it! 🧠
The human brain follows the «Forgetting Curve.» If you don’t use a new word within 24 hours, you are likely to forget it.
To move a word from your «passive» memory to your «active» memory:
- Write it in a sentence that relates to your life.
- Say it out loud three times.
- Teach the word to someone else!
Your Action Step for this week: Choose one professional word (ESP) and one everyday word (General) that you learned recently. Write them both in a single sentence in the comments below! For example: «While I was commuting (General) to work, I thought about how to optimize (ESP) my morning schedule.»
The London Eye - English Consultant 