This is my response to a question on Quora:
"What are some useful methods of increasing vocabulary?"
I like to suggest that you adopt a Index Card Strategy, say using 4x3 cards for their pocket portability, from the standpoint of self-quizzing or testing while "learning-on-the-go": commuting or waiting in queue.
To extend your understanding of the new word, explore similar words (synonyms), opposite words (antonyms), and even examples and nonexamples.
On the flipside, make your sentence constructions by using the new word, to demonstrate your thorough understanding.
Naturally, you can also copy the original sentence from which you have found the new word.
Whenever you come across the new word in other writings, or in conversations, or in the news, write the full expression down on to the flip side of your index card. This is called sentence mining.
Next, you proceed to do your level best to make use of the new words within the context of their many sentence configurations in your everyday activities: conversations, dialogues, discussions, meetings, emails, blogging (if any), writing reports or proposals, doing presentations or sales pitches, webcasting or podcasting, etc.,
Replicate this elaborate process with chosen words already inside your prevailing vocabulary repertoire, thus creating opportunities to expand similar possibilities along the same lines. You can even use organising themes for the words so as to expedite your learning.
This process may seem like a burden, but it's worth your while, as you are applying the multiplier effect to your vocabulary building and generation, especially from the standpoint of application-context possibilities.
To sum up, the fire test of your rich vocabulary comes from your consistent and massive appplications in everyday, real-world communication with real people, as much as possible.
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