The author considers the question of the vocabulary of the language, talks about the processes constantly taking place in the language: how some words disappear, others lose their previous meanings and acquire new ones, how new words appear; the author gives a description of the main stylistic layers of Russian literary vocabulary and their use in various types of oral and written speech, in the works of various authors, classics and contemporaries. The brochure contains many recommendations for the use of certain words and expressions. The book is designed for the general reader.