I am in a dire need to find out how big my active vocabulary treasure is and how much it differs it from my passive vocabulary. Is there any method to determine these sizes? In any case, there is no gain in learning the exact measures, I think so. The problem seems to be getting the impression that you are basically able to find actively the right terms, if necessary. And you need lots of practical experience in finding suddenly – without obvious delay – the right phrases and words. How can you gain these experiences? Essentially, I see two ways.
First, very extensive and intensive talks with highly educated English speakers, yet better English natives. This happens too rarely. But when it was happening, especially coming in a flow, it was exciting, and afterwards I was always missing a quick repetition.
Second, intensive and extensive handwriting, as I am doing now. Handwriting gives you a lot of time thinking perspectively, and so, hidden – hence passively conscious – words are flying through your mind and driving you writing down thoughts you hadn’t known before. I am sure, this is really happening now. But what happened with my grammatical correctness during writing this? I don’t know. ChatGPT will tell me, I’m afraid.