You study ten new words before bed. In the morning, you remember two. This is not a bad memory. It is how the brain works. A new word is not yours until you use it.
A word is not a photo
Reading a word once is like meeting a stranger. You will not remember the face tomorrow. Your brain keeps what it needs, and it decides by one rule: do I meet this again?
I met the word "borrow" once. I cannot use it. I met it five times. Now it is mine.
Meet the word again
The best time to review a word is not one hour later. It is tomorrow, then next week, then next month. Three short meetings beat one long study.
Learn "borrow" today. Say it tomorrow. Write it on Friday. Use it next month.
Put the word in your day
Do not keep words in a list. Put them in your life. If you learn "borrow", borrow a pen and say the word out loud. A word with a story stays.
Say it, do not only see it
Your mouth helps your memory. Say the word slowly. Then say it in one sentence about your own life.
Can I borrow your umbrella?
Sleep
Your brain saves new words while you sleep. Ten words before bed, then sleep, is better than ten words at noon.
Words to remember
- borrow — to take something and give it back later
- review — to look at something again
- memory — the place in your mind for things you know
- sentence — a group of words with a full meaning
Questions & answers
Q: Do I need to write new words down?
Yes, but write one short sentence, not only the word. A sentence gives the word a home.
Q: How many words should I learn a day?
Five is enough. Five words you can use are better than twenty you forget.
Q: Why do I remember song words so easily?
Because you hear them many times, with music and feeling. Try the same with a short video: hear it five times.
Q: Is it bad to forget?
No. Forgetting is part of learning. Every time you meet the word again, it stays a little longer.
Q: Can an app help?
Yes, if it makes you meet the word again on another day. An app cannot use the word for you.