Roll with it! A simple way to review vocabulary

Practise a new word by: defining it, using it, questioning it, contrasting it, telling it a story, and applying it.

How often do you learn a new word, understand it perfectly in an English training session but then struggle to remember it when you actually need it to use it?

One of the things I try to do in my sessions is give you lots of opportunities to retrieve and use vocabulary in different ways. Roll with It is a simple game I use for this.

I start by asking you to think back to our previous sessions and find eight key words or expressions. We put them into a mindmap (see an example below) and have a quick chat about what the words mean. This is also a good opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings before we start.

A real example of a mindmap used to collect and categorise vocabulary

Then, let’s get started… 🎲

Choose a word from the mindmap, roll the die and see what you have to do with your word.

I’ve used the word ‘deadline’ as an example here:

1 — DEFINE IT
Explain the word without saying it.
“It’s something you have to complete by a particular time.” → deadline

2 — USE IT
Make a work-related sentence using the word.
“We need to meet the deadline for the project.”

3 — QUESTION IT
Ask a question using the word.
“Have you ever missed a deadline, what happened?”

4 — CONTRAST IT
Give an opposite or contrasting word or expression.
“A flexible deadline” → “a fixed deadline”

5 — TELL IT
Tell a short story using the word.
“Last month, we had a really tight deadline, so the whole team had to work overtime.”

6 — APPLY IT
Use the word in a realistic work situation.
“Your manager tells you the deadline has been moved forward by a week. What would you say or do?”

This activity stays engaging because you’re doing something different with the same word each time. You can roll the die as many times as you like to practise the words in different ways. You’re not just checking whether you remember the definition. You’re practising how to actually use the word. This is when you really start to remember, understand and use the word in real situations, especially at work.

Knowing that deadline means a time by which something must be finished is fine, but being able to ask about a deadline, talk about a deadline, tell a story about a deadline and respond when a deadline changes are all skills you need for your English at work. That’s what I always aim for, learning and practicing English communication skills you actually need.

So, next time you’re reviewing vocabulary, grab a die, choose eight words and roll with it! 🎲

You can download a free Roll With It printable here

(Recommended background music: Oasis!)

If you’d like more English language learning support, I’m here to help. Contact me to organise a free discovery call. ⬇️

Hello,

I’m Jane Carvell, a business English trainer, language coach and visual thinking enthusiast. I help German-speaking professionals improve their English communication skills, so that they can build better connections in an international working world.