How to study vocabulary

1. Quiz yourself instead of rereading

The best thing you can do is try to remember the answer before you look. Cover the answer, say or write what you think it is, then check. Studying by testing yourself is one of the most researched ways to learn.

When you only read, the words feel familiar, so it’s easy to think you know them. Only when you have to pull the word out of memory yourself do you find out what has stuck. That effort of remembering also makes the word stick better.

2. Practice a little at a time, over several days

Three short sessions on different days beat one long session the night before, even when you spend the same time in total. Between sessions you forget a little, and pulling the word back out makes the memory stronger.

• Day 1: go through all the words and quiz yourself once.
• Day 2 or 3: quiz yourself again, without reading first.
• The day before the test: one last round, focusing on what is still hard.

Each session can be short. What matters is coming back to the words several times.

3. Write the answer, don’t just pick it

There are several ways to quiz yourself, and they are not equally hard:

• Writing the answer is the hardest and pays off the most. You have to remember the whole word and spell it, just like on a written vocabulary test.
• Multiple choice is easier, because you only need to recognize the right answer among a few options. It works well when the words are brand new.
• Flashcards, cards with the word on one side and the answer on the other, are quick. Think of the answer before you flip the card, and be honest with yourself about whether you really knew it.

A good plan is to start with multiple choice or flashcards while the words are new, then switch to writing once you know them a little. Make sure you see the right answer right away when you get one wrong.

4. Focus on what you missed

After a round, you know which words didn’t stick. Practice those again right away until you get them too. That’s where your time does the most good.

But don’t drop the words you already knew. Include the whole list the next time you practice, easy words too. Words you once knew can be forgotten, and quizzing yourself on them again keeps them there.

5. Say the words out loud

Say each word out loud as you practice, in your own language and in the new one. Words you say out loud are easier to remember than words you only read silently. You also practice the pronunciation, which you need when you use the language for real.

6. Practice in both directions

Knowing that perro means dog is not the same as being able to say dog in Spanish. Practice from your language to the new one and the other way around. Ask your teacher which direction the test goes and spend most of your time there.

In short

• Quiz yourself instead of rereading.
• Practice a little over several days.
• Write the answer once you know the words a little.
• Focus on what you missed, but include every word next time.
• Say the words out loud and practice in both directions.

Is your test tomorrow? Read Vocabulary test tomorrow? Learn the words in one evening.

Practice with Learn It

Learn It is a free iPhone and iPad app with no ads that quizzes you on vocabulary and homework questions. You type in the words from your homework and practice with Spelling, Multiple choice or Flashcards. After each round you can practice just the words you missed, and you can share a quiz with your class using a code.

There are also 100+ ready-made quizzes, such as Animals in Spanish, Colors in French and Days and months in German.