Learn 10x More C1 Vocabulary With This One Boring Habit, by English with Issy on YouTube. 12 min 48 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 48 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes a day
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Start by accepting that new words fade fast. Look at the forgetting curve: most words are lost within days unless you meet them again. Plan short reviews instead of one long study session.
Collect chunks, not single words. When you meet a new C1 word, copy the whole phrase it came in, such as a marked improvement or to raise concerns.
Save the context too: the original sentence, where you found it, and a short definition in your own words. Extra hooks make the word easier to recall.
Build the flashcard. Put the chunk or a sentence with a gap on the front, and the meaning plus one example on the back. Keep one idea per card.
Add the card to a spaced repetition app. The app schedules it for you, showing it tomorrow, then after a few days, then after weeks.
Review honestly. Say the answer out loud before you flip the card, and mark it as hard when you hesitate so it returns sooner.
Run the 10-minute daily routine: clear every card that is due, then add five to ten new chunks from your reading or listening.
Repeat daily for several weeks. Short sessions every day beat one long weekend session, because the gaps are what fix the words in memory.
Tips and common mistakes
Do not make cards for words you already know, or your review pile grows without adding value.
Write your own example sentence rather than copying the dictionary one, so the card means something to you.
Keep the front of each card short so you cannot guess the answer from extra clues.
If you fall behind, clear the due cards first and pause new words for a few days.
Questions
How often should I review my cards?
Follow the schedule the app gives you and aim for a short session every day, around 10 minutes. Missing a day is fine, but the due cards pile up quickly.
Can I do this with paper flashcards?
Yes. Use a box with five dividers and move a card forward each time you answer correctly, back to the first divider when you get it wrong.
How many new words should I add each day?
Five to ten chunks is plenty for most learners. More than that makes the daily review too long and you stop doing it.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
