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)

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If you know more mnemonics, send them by e-mail, please. We will add them to this list.

Thanks to Monika and Nina.

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