Passive vocabulary: how to turn knowledge into active vocabulary

30 January 2026

English-learners

Oleksandra Kulish

Book expert

Have you ever experienced the following while communicating or studying English: you try to recall a word, you know it looks familiar, but you simply can’t say it out loud? After a hint from your conversation partner or teacher, or after checking a dictionary, you realize with frustration that you have encountered this word many times while reading, studied it, and actually know it quite well. So what is the reason? Most likely, this word belongs to your passive English vocabulary. What active and passive vocabulary mean and how to move familiar words into your active vocabulary — we will explain today.

What active and passive vocabulary is and how it is formed

Passive vocabulary includes all words and phrases that we understand while reading or listening. It covers understanding audio materials, watching films in the original language, reading fiction, and more. However, such words remain in long-term memory and are very rarely used by learners in their own speech.

Active vocabulary consists of words and expressions that a person actually uses to convey information, thoughts, and intentions. Expanding active vocabulary is more difficult, because it requires regular practice, conscious repetition, and using words in real communicative situations. In other words, you may watch a video ten times or hear someone explain how to change a tire correctly, but to do it quickly, neatly, and without getting your clothes dirty, you need to try it yourself at least once. Language works the same way.

Why familiar words do not move into active speech

Let’s take a closer look at why words you know well are rarely used in your own speaking.

Lack of practice. As mentioned above, for a word to become part of your active vocabulary, you need to use it.
Fear of making mistakes. People often avoid using a word because they are afraid of using it incorrectly.
Lack of context. Words are easy to remember passively, for example with flashcards, but to move into active vocabulary they need to be practiced in real sentences. Simple memorization does not work. Learning a dictionary without association and practical learning will not ensure active learning.
Information overload. Trying to learn too many new words at once reduces the effectiveness of transferring them into active vocabulary.
Learning outdated vocabulary. This is a common issue, as many learners do not consider how current the vocabulary from books or textbooks is. Outdated vocabulary includes not only words that are no longer used at all, but also fixed expressions or grammatical forms that have been replaced by more modern ones.

For familiar words to start appearing in speech, you need to practice them consciously and find different contexts for their use. Let’s talk about effective ways to do this.

How to turn passive vocabulary into active vocabulary: practical methods

Below are methods that help activate passive vocabulary, making your speech more vivid and expressive.

Learn words the right way

This situation is common: you know a word and understand its meaning, but you can’t pronounce it or use it in a sentence. This often happens because of an incorrect approach to vocabulary learning. Simply glancing through a word list and reassuring yourself that you remember everything is not enough.

To activate passive vocabulary, you need to say words out loud and immediately apply them: create several sentences or a short text using the new words. The most effective approach is to do this in writing and then read it aloud.

Read aloud

Reading mostly builds passive vocabulary, but a good book or an interesting article can help activate it. Reading aloud forces the brain to perceive and reproduce a word at the same time, while speaking practice exercises help you immediately apply new vocabulary.

Learn from your environment

If you study with a teacher or have a friend with a strong level of English, make a list of words or phrases you want to activate. During conversation, keep the list nearby and try to include those words in your speech. After a few sessions, the list will no longer be needed — the words will start appearing automatically.

Write posts

This method works both for lessons with a teacher and for self-study. Write a short text or story using the words you want to activate. If traditional exercises feel boring, post your texts on social media: Twitter, Facebook, or a blog. Short notes and articles help закрепити vocabulary in your active lexicon.

Communicate with native speakers

If public posting is not for you, find a pen pal on websites like penpalworld.com, interpals.net, or mylanguageexchange.com. Write longer messages and read them aloud before sending — this improves pronunciation and activates vocabulary.

Memorize poems and songs

Memorizing texts may seem boring, but if they are poems or songs you enjoy, the process becomes pleasant and effective. Rhythmic and rhyming lines are easier to remember, and new vocabulary moves into active use faster.

Play useful games

Word games help turn passive vocabulary into active vocabulary. The most effective ones include synonym search and crossword puzzles. You can easily find websites with such games and exercises to suit your preferences.

Don’t forget about revision! Sometimes words don’t become active simply because they are not firmly stored in memory. That’s why it’s important to review vocabulary regularly. Systematic practice and varied activation methods make English sound natural and alive.

Practice shows that a word needs some time in passive “contact” before it subconsciously enters your active vocabulary. Writing or developing non-verbal expression is very useful on its own, as it helps you understand which words you actually need. However, the problem often lies in the fact that the tools for expressing your thoughts are already there — you just forget about them. Only after enough repetition does using words become natural.

There is no need to force yourself to use complex words right away. If you can already express yourself with simple vocabulary, that is enough — new words will come gradually. We often hesitate to use new words because we are not entirely sure how to use them correctly in a specific context. That is why it is important to encounter a word many times in different situations: in texts, conversations, audio, or video. This way, you understand its meaning and nuances better, and over time it starts to appear naturally in your speech. The key is regular practice.