Vocabulary is central to English language teaching because without
sufficient vocabulary students cannot understand others or express
their own ideas. Wilkins (1972) wrote that “. . . while without grammar
very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed”
(pp. 111–112). This point reflects my experience with different
languages; even without grammar, with some useful words and expressions,
I can often manage to communicate. Lewis (1993) went further
to argue, “lexis is the core or heart of language” (p. 89). Particularly as
students develop greater fluency and expression in English, it is significant
for them to acquire more productive vocabulary knowledge and
to develop their own personal vocabulary learning strategies.