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A Long List of Word-Finding Tips

We asked you (thanks to James M) your best word-finding tips. And you delivered… a lot. There were so many that we couldn’t cover them all in the chat, so we rounded them up here. If one doesn’t work for you, try the next.

Word-Finding Tips

Apps: Lingraphica and Tactus Therapy —Joseph G
As a non-traditional student, I always look up synonyms for words that I keep repeating in my essay papers, and if you know the first or last letter of the word you can always type it in the Google search or look through a dictionary —James M
Association and time —Crisan I
Association, look up, and my executive assistant —Tasha
At present, I usually work to remember and remember and then write it down. I do find that after a few reminder efforts, I generally do begin to remember —Debbie M
Before I talking, I try to words in my mind. Obviously, I need the world to slow down. —Joe M
Call Google or Siri —Carol I
Checking on the written lists of papers I have of various words; typing on my laptop the word to confirm the spelling or definition or how to pronounce it —Cheryl M
Choose a different word to say that means almost the same thing —James B
Circumlocution —Kim S
Circumlocution, semantic feature analysis, + gestures —Kori S
Circumlocutions, giving any cues that I can find at the time to others in the hope they’ll get what I mean —Peter S
Communication book —Juanita F
Computer thesaurus —Trazana S
Constant reading and writing —Robert M
Cueing —Tasha S
Describe the object —Erica H
Describe the situation, like “water from the sky” = rain —Peter S
Describe the word. Gesture. Association – a very similar word —Lisa
Describe with other words —Melora J
Describing items, being patient, and then assisting —Michelle
Describing the word to someone. Staying calm and not frustrated with the hope that it comes to my brain space —Molly H
Dictionary —Shaun B
Dictionary/thesaurus in Google —Vikki M
Drawings, circumlocution, gestures, computers —Dennis C
Examples and probing questions —Tashaya S
Flow chart —Jay D

(During the chat, Nancy M, a speech-language pathologist mentioned using semantic feature analysis for anyone interested in learning more)
Giving yourself time —Serena R
I don’t use the word. I try to find something else to say that is the same thing as what I was going to say —James B
I have seen a total communication approach work best, though I often see PWA benefit from miming the target word or use of it being a very useful strategy —Laura M
I keep a small memo book to keep new words and learn critical words or use digital words/forms —Dennis N
I like looking at pictures —Joe C
I set a goal —Claire R
I talk around it. I describe it. I give things that are like it —Donna B
I tried to picture it in my mind & talk around the words —Yvonne B
I try my best to know the word or words my grandma knows and wants to say but cannot —Nikki
I use another word —Elizabeth H
I use my phone and my iPad to talk through the microphone —Betsy M
I used the Elevate app, which challenges me to find synonyms, spelling, and other academic studies —James M
I’ll google it —Deb C
I’m new to this and have only used printed reminders from the workbook for word retrieval that was used by speech therapists —Bernard L
If I hear a word I don’t know about then I type it in and I will recognize the word. If I can’t remember the word then I will type in about it and it will help me remember the word —Bruce L
If my husband is trying to figure out a month he wants to reference, he starts by saying the months in order —Lynne
Index cards with written notes —Frank G
iPhone —Joseph G
Just say ‘I’ll get back to you” if I can’t remember —Julia B
Look up info sent to me online, look at earlier emails, review earlier emails —Debbie M
Make word lists —Elma L
Need to repeat what is spoken to me —Shawn P
Pace myself —Doreen M
Pausing, using synonyms —Valerie C
Pictures help me very much. I like to sing, and that helps me also to find the correct phrases —Joe C
Practice with Tactus apps, use description, slow down, and wait a few seconds —Dominique S
Practice. Give examples when talking to others. Just work around the word by explaining, giving examples, etc. Games also help me. I love playing Taboo and Scattergories! —Kai C
Read a lot, think a lot —Robert M
Reading and substitute similar words —Jim G
Relax as much as I can and just let the word come rather than try to force it to come —Charlotte N
Relax before speaking or nothing comes out —Ted R
Repeating the answer and repeating, and repeating and repeating —Elizabeth H
Repetition and practice before speaking —Barbara K
Say as many words around that word as I can until I get to the word I want. It jogs my memory —Jeri W
Scanning the alphabet in my mind; trying to visualize the actual word —Farra D
Slowing down your speech tends to help with me and sometimes I still get stuck —James M
Spelling the word —Pauline G
Start with descriptions of the item/place/person. You know, like it’s a man and he was at the last meeting in a red shirt… and then try the words —Lou Ann K
Stay calm and thinking slowly is the best way —Fredrick R
Stop and think awhile —Mike C
Struggle —Nancy K
Sub similar words and read books or newspapers —Jim G
Synonyms, delay in time (returning to the problem) —Valerie
Take my time to think about what I am trying to say —Mildred B
Take notes on my calendar or notebook also add to my daily information page —Debbie M
Take slow —Kevin K
Talk around the word —Lisa
The Grammarly app is free, and I love to use it for writing so my sentences make sense, especially as a non-traditional student —James M
The internet —Veronica B
Think of an associated category —Marisa S
Think of similar words to express them —Lucia C
Try not to stress & slow down… give me some time to think —Jon
Use Google to find the word I’m looking for —Christopher L
Use similar words that come to mind & work from there —Suzanne
Using communication boards —Shan L
Using gesture, and also circumlocution, often helps the interlocutor guess the intended message —Madhura M
Using hands —Doug B
Visualization —Nancy M
Visualize —Joyce D
Wait a minute/funny gesture, gestures, P2Go app, describe, draw, lookup, never mind —Trish H
Walking through the alphabet —Mike and Jeannette K
Word searches on apps —Joe C
Work backward —John B
Write it down —Dorothy B
Write the word down in Samsung Notes and then look it up under Google. You can try it —Mertro R
Writing —Kathy B
Writing them down. Or relying on my wife to remind me —James S

What are your best word-finding tips?

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A Long List of Word-Finding Tips

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Word-Finding Tips

Apps: Lingraphica and Tactus Therapy —Joseph G

As a non-traditional student, I always look up synonyms for words that I keep repeating in my essay papers, and if you know the first or last letter of the word you can always type it in the Google search or look through a dictionary —James M

Association and time —Crisan I

Association, look up, and my executive assistant —Tasha

At present, I usually work to remember and remember and then write it down. I do find that after a few reminder efforts, I generally do begin to remember —Debbie M

Before I talking, I try to words in my mind. Obviously, I need the world to slow down. —Joe M

Call Google or Siri —Carol I

Checking on the written lists of papers I have of various words; typing on my laptop the word to confirm the spelling or definition or how to pronounce it —Cheryl M

Choose a different word to say that means almost the same thing —James B

Circumlocution —Kim S

Circumlocution, semantic feature analysis, + gestures —Kori S

Circumlocutions, giving any cues that I can find at the time to others in the hope they’ll get what I mean —Peter S

Communication book —Juanita F

Computer thesaurus —Trazana S

Constant reading and writing —Robert M

Cueing —Tasha S

Describe the object —Erica H

Describe the situation, like “water from the sky” = rain —Peter S

Describe the word. Gesture. Association – a very similar word —Lisa

Describe with other words —Melora J

Describing items, being patient, and then assisting —Michelle

Describing the word to someone. Staying calm and not frustrated with the hope that it comes to my brain space —Molly H

Dictionary —Shaun B

Dictionary/thesaurus in Google —Vikki M

Drawings, circumlocution, gestures, computers —Dennis C

Examples and probing questions —Tashaya S

Flow chart —Jay D

(During the chat, Nancy M, a speech-language pathologist mentioned using semantic feature analysis for anyone interested in learning more)

Giving yourself time —Serena R

I don’t use the word. I try to find something else to say that is the same thing as what I was going to say —James B

I have seen a total communication approach work best, though I often see PWA benefit from miming the target word or use of it being a very useful strategy —Laura M

I keep a small memo book to keep new words and learn critical words or use digital words/forms —Dennis N

I like looking at pictures —Joe C

I set a goal —Claire R

I talk around it. I describe it. I give things that are like it —Donna B

I tried to picture it in my mind & talk around the words —Yvonne B

I try my best to know the word or words my grandma knows and wants to say but cannot —Nikki

I use another word —Elizabeth H

I use my phone and my iPad to talk through the microphone —Betsy M

I used the Elevate app, which challenges me to find synonyms, spelling, and other academic studies —James M

I’ll google it —Deb C

I’m new to this and have only used printed reminders from the workbook for word retrieval that was used by speech therapists —Bernard L

If I hear a word I don’t know about then I type it in and I will recognize the word. If I can’t remember the word then I will type in about it and it will help me remember the word —Bruce L

If my husband is trying to figure out a month he wants to reference, he starts by saying the months in order —Lynne

Index cards with written notes —Frank G

iPhone —Joseph G

Just say ‘I’ll get back to you” if I can’t remember —Julia B

Look up info sent to me online, look at earlier emails, review earlier emails —Debbie M

Make word lists —Elma L

Need to repeat what is spoken to me —Shawn P

Pace myself —Doreen M

Pausing, using synonyms —Valerie C

Pictures help me very much. I like to sing, and that helps me also to find the correct phrases —Joe C

Practice with Tactus apps, use description, slow down, and wait a few seconds —Dominique S

Practice. Give examples when talking to others. Just work around the word by explaining, giving examples, etc. Games also help me. I love playing Taboo and Scattergories! —Kai C

Read a lot, think a lot —Robert M

Reading and substitute similar words —Jim G

Relax as much as I can and just let the word come rather than try to force it to come —Charlotte N

Relax before speaking or nothing comes out —Ted R

Repeating the answer and repeating, and repeating and repeating —Elizabeth H

Repetition and practice before speaking —Barbara K

Say as many words around that word as I can until I get to the word I want. It jogs my memory —Jeri W

Scanning the alphabet in my mind; trying to visualize the actual word —Farra D

Slowing down your speech tends to help with me and sometimes I still get stuck —James M

Spelling the word —Pauline G

Start with descriptions of the item/place/person. You know, like it’s a man and he was at the last meeting in a red shirt… and then try the words —Lou Ann K

Stay calm and thinking slowly is the best way —Fredrick R

Stop and think awhile —Mike C

Struggle —Nancy K

Sub similar words and read books or newspapers —Jim G

Synonyms, delay in time (returning to the problem) —Valerie

Take my time to think about what I am trying to say —Mildred B

Take notes on my calendar or notebook also add to my daily information page —Debbie M

Take slow —Kevin K

Talk around the word —Lisa

The Grammarly app is free, and I love to use it for writing so my sentences make sense, especially as a non-traditional student —James M