vocabulary

The best way to build your vocabulary is to read.be a voracious reader.read everything that you can get your hands on.but do not just read without thinking;study the nuances of english language and familiarize yourself with words.develop a genuine interest in what you are reading.

1.read,read,read......
2.gain access to helpful tools like the dictionary
3.write down the words that you can't define.
4.practice
5.take note of the word in its context,that is,the way it is used in the sentence.

informal english

If the sentence sounds like everyday conversation,it is generally not formal english,it is used in casual compositions,informal articles,and everyday conversation.It uses a smaller vocabulary than formal english,and usually includes colloquial words or slang.sentences are often simpler and shorter,and tend to avoid the more formal punctuation of the semicolon and colon. 


contractions and the first person,as well as the use of the pronoun"you"are acceptable.
example

formal    english                        informal english

consume                                      eat
fashionable                                  cool
comprehend                                 understand

formal english

It is often used in conventional writing.contractions and abbreviations are avoided,and a more specialized and complex vocabulary is used.certain words are not acceptable,most notable of which are colloquial words or slang. The pronoun"you" is not used in formal english;the word"one"is used in its stead.written or spoken,must be clear to your readers or listeners.

Idiomatic expressions(idioms)

It is a group of words,whose combined meaning is not the same as the ordinary meaning of the individual words.It is used to express something that other words do not express as clearly or as cleverly.Like a figure of speech,an idiom expression gives english its color and vitality,it is frequently used in daily speech and appear in newspapers,books,television shows,and movies.it tend to be informal,allowing your reader or listener the opportunity to obtain a more colorful image of what you are saying.

example        

apple of one's eye               special favorite,beloved person or thing
an  arm and a leg                an exorbitant amount of money
couch potato                       a person who enjoys relaxing at home,especially watching television

Simile

It's the comparison of two  unlike things.It uses the words "like" or "as." 
example    

                  gabriel  is as strong as hercules," Gabriel is shown to be possesing the same characteristics as one of a character in the bible,that is ,he is fierce,strong and brave.

Cliche

   A cliche is a phrase,often metaphorical,that has been used so often that it has become commonplace.When an expression is called a cliche,it is considered to have become so dull that it no longer creates the vivid image that a wel-written figure of speech ought to evoke.
example              as white as a sheet
                           as light as a feather

Hyperbole

Is a deliberate exaggeration or overstatement used for effect,Such statements are not literally true,but people make them to sound impressive or to emphasize something.
example                   I tried a thousand times
                                His feet were as big as a barge.

Irony

Is a means of expression that suggests,humorously or angrily,the opposite meaning of what the words used normally mean.
example                      His " I'm so glad you lost my wallet,kim."(This means that she isn't glad that he   lost  her wallet.)

Oxymoron

Is a figure  of speech combining incongruous or contradictory words,usually for descriptive purposes.
example                          a little big
                                       original copy

Proverb

Its a short traditional saying that is thought to express wisdom.Many traditional proverbs are considered as cliches today.
example                           A rolling stone gathers no moss.
                                        Too many cooks spoil the broth.

Figure of Speech

A figure of speech also known as figurative speech is a word or group of words that contains images.Through the expressive use of language,such figure or speech can breathe life into an otherwise uninteresting written work. A figure of speech helps create clear and vivid images.Word are not used literally but are instead used to suggest an image or a comparison.
some commonly used figures of speech are metaphor,personification,and simile.

Metaphor

  Is a figure of speech in which a word or group of words is applied to an object or action that it does not literally stand for in order to imply a resemblance.Simple metaphors make simple comparisons,while extended metaphor treat different aspects of the things compared separately.


Simple Metaphor
 she was an apple of the eye in the company of her brothers.

extended metaphor
she was the apple,her rosy cheeks were the skin of an apple;her green eyes were the leaves.

other example of metaphor
No man is an island.
He is a leader in battle

Personification
is a figure of speech in which an animal or inanimate object is represented as having human attributes,such as human form,character,feelings ,or behavior.Ideas and abstractions can also be personified.
example

money talks.
this room has seen the successes and failures of a couple through the years.

Homonyms

It's spelled differently and have different meanings.They are to be distinguished from some words in American and British English.which are spelled differently but have the same meaning.
example


1. allowed  -   permitted
    aloud      -   in a voice that can be heard


2. ascent     -    way up
    assent     -   consent
3. feat        -  remarkable   achievement
    feet        -  part of the leg below the ankle(plural)