Mnemonics help you to learn English
Mnemonics can help you to learn English more effectively – but be careful! Some of them are only 'valid' for special grammatical structures.
1. he, she, it – Add -s
Mnemonic | Explanation | Examples |
---|---|---|
valid for: main verbs in Simple Present |
Add -s to the infinitive of the verb. (Mind the spelling.) | I read – he reads |
I try – he tries | ||
I go – he goes | ||
In negative sentences and in uestions use does and the infinitive. | I don't sleep – he doesn't sleep | |
Do I shout? – Does he shout? | ||
Use the infintive +s in subject questions. | Who draws comics? | |
not valid for: modals e.g. can, may, must | I can – he can | |
wrong: he cans |
2. S – V – O
Mnemonic valid for | Explanation | Examples |
---|---|---|
statements and part of complex sentences | Subject – Verb – Object | We play computer games. |
He reads books. | ||
I clean the table and you wash the dishes. |
3. since or for
Mnemonic valid for | |
---|---|
since and for | starting time (i is in starting and time.) |
for - how long sth lasts (o is in how and long) |
4. did in the Simple Past
Mnemonic valid for | Explanation | Examples |
---|---|---|
Simple Past | If you find did in the sentence always use the infinitive - do not use the verb in its Simple Past form. | He did not sing. |
Did they watch a film? | ||
wrong: He did not sang. | ||
wrong: Did they watched a film? |
5. -ought or -aught?
Mnemonic valid for | Explanation | Examples |
---|---|---|
irregular verbs | If -a is in the infinitive of the verb it is also used in Simple Past and the past participle. | teach - taught |
catch - caught | ||
buy - bought |
6. much or many
much is used with uncountable nouns
many is used with countable nouns
7. The alphabet helps
7.1. am or pm?
Mnemonic valid for | Explanation | Examples |
---|---|---|
Time (12 hour system) | A comes before P in the alphabet | 8 am = 8 Uhr morgens |
8 pm = 8 Uhr abends |
7.2. How to spell necessary, bicycle?
Mnemonic valid for | Explanation |
---|---|
necessary | C comes before S in the alphabet |
bicycle | I comes before Y in the alphabet |
7.3. Place before Time
Mnemonic valid for | Explanation | Examples |
---|---|---|
end of sentences | Place before Time | They watched the film in the cinema yesterday. |
P comes before Z. | What did Fred and Sue do at school last Friday? |
7.4. -i before -e
There are mnemonics that have a lots of exceptions. Here is one:
Put -i before -e, but it is often vice versa.
If you pronounce -i, you write -ie (but not after -c - or seize).
These words follow this rule:
- believe
- convenient
- experience
- mischievous
- piece
- relieve
- sufficient
- yield
These words do not follow the rules:
- deceive
- either
- foreign
- height
- leisure
- neighbo(u)r
- receipt
- receive
- seize
- their
- weigh
- weird
Is it worth the effort?
8. few and a few
Few has fewer letters (3 letters) so it is less then a few (4 letters), in other words:
few < a few
little < a little
9. so and such a
so beautiful - with adjective (one word for one word)
such a beautiful day - with adjective and noun (two words for two words)
If you know more mnemonics, send them by e-mail, please. We will add them to this list.
Thanks to Monika and Nina.