Memorizing Definitions
Mnemonics
What is a mnemonic device?
A technique one can use to help improve his
ability to remember something. In other words,
it's a memory technique to help one’s brain
better encode and recall important information.
How does it work?
TRIGGER
points to
MNEMONIC
points to
INTENDED RESULT
Wait– what?
TRIGGER (vocab term)
points to
MNEMONIC (funny story about word)
points to
INTENDED RESULT (recall of definition)
The secret?
Always base your mnemonic on the stressed syllable
of the vocab term.
Using only a portion of the word makes it easier to create
a mnemonic.
Every time you hear or see the word, you’ll know which
part of the word your story relates to. It’s always the
stressed syllable– no guesswork.
This method significantly improves your ability to
pronounce unfamiliar words, too, which helps you avoid
looking like a dork. Word great for foreign languages, too.
Example #1
Ameliorate is a verb. It means (in short) “to make
better. In this word, “mēl” is the stressed syllable. I’ll
show you how to figure this out for unfamiliar words
in a minute.
Mnemonic: Eating that meal sure made me feel
better!
The stressed syllable is the key to my mnemonic.
Remember the mnemonic, remember the definition!
Example #2
Appall is a verb meaning (in short) to horrify.
The stressed syllable is –pôl.
Mnemonic: Paul’s Halloween costume was
horrifying!
Paul->horrifying->APPALL=horrifying!
You try!
Pick one:
• Epitome (English III, a noun, def. a high point)
OR
• Esteem (English I Honors, here a verb, def. to value highly
How do I?
Add your short mnemonic sentences to your
notecards and read them repeatedly.
Not sure how to pronounce a word? Don’t know
which syllable takes the stress?
In the Word Wealth book, there will always be an
apostrophe after the stressed syllable in the phonetic
pronunciation.
For English III vocabulary, check the Weebly site’s
“English III Materials” tab.
The Sentences
Analyze the sentence to see which part of
speech makes sense, then…
Hunt for context clues– neighboring words that
might indicate the definition of the missing term.
Parts of Speech
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
For Example:
ENG III, Unit 1: It may be necessary for an
outside mediator to ________ in a legal standoff
in which the two sides cannot find any common
ground.
Part of speech needed?
Context clues?
Analogies
If you can identify the relationship between the
given words, AND you know your definitions,
you’ll be fine!
See handouts