一、换用笼统词
词大体可分为两类：笼统词和具体词。笼统词的特点在于意义广泛、搭配性强。虽然它们独自不能精确表达一个动作，但在构成词组以后可替代很多具体词。写作中遇到一些具体词写不出来的时候，用笼统词取代，能收到异曲同工之妙。最常用的笼统词有 have，take等。
例：迈克经历了一个极其艰苦的时代。Mike experienced a terrible hard time.写作时，若忘记了experience可用笼统词have代替，写成Mike had a terrible hard time.同样能收到预期效果。这样的例子还很多。如：
Do you understand my meaning, sir? = Do you take my meaning, sir?
I will preside over the meeting. = I will take the meeting.
I will subscribe to the local newspaper. = I will take the local newspaper.
They occupied the city. = They took the city.
The boy resembles his father. = The boy takes after his father.
从以上的例句不难看出，具体词音节较多，使用频率不高，容易遗忘，而笼统词则不然。因此，在作文应试中，笼统词取代具体词，不失为一种应急良策。
二、换用同义词、反义词等相关词汇
遇到未曾学过的词或一时想不起的词时，可采用发散性思维，发挥想象力，尽可能想出与之有关的同义词、反义词，利用语言的内在联系、多层次、多角度地运用语言，使单词受阻现象得以解决。
例：昨晚李雷做了一场恶梦。
Li Lei had a nightmare last night.因nightmare使用率不高，不易记住。但其同义词bad dream易记。上句可换译为：Li Lei had a bad dream last night.
再如：The food is tasty.=The food is nice toeat.=The food is delicious.
We discontinued the work at nine.=We stopped the work at nine.
This woman is talkative.=This woman is never quiet.
This car is expensive.=This car is not cheap.
另外：
He is stupid. = He is foolish. = He is a fool. = He is silly.
The food is delicious. = The food is tasty. = The food is nice to eat.
They discontinued the work at five. = They stopped the work at five.
His temper is nasty. = His temper is terrible. = He has a bad temper.
英语语言中词与词之间是有联系的，词与词之间语义的“共核”现象即所谓的同义词。丰富的同义词给我们提供了极大的方便。
同样，用其反义词来取代某一遗忘了的词也是可行的，请看下面的例子：
He is stubborn. = He is not tame.
The knife is blunt. = The knife is not sharp.
This is expensive. = This is not cheap.
She is talkative. = She is never quiet.
