“Because I’m older, I forget the words I learn very quickly, so I can’t form sentences.”
This is a comment I recently received from one of my Facebook followers under one of my videos.
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I Forget English Words Easily and Can’t Form Sentences — What Can I Do?
I think this is quite a common problem, especially for adult English learners. Many of us are busy with work and everyday life, and some of us may find that we forget new English words easily. Sometimes, we may also find it difficult to form sentences in English.
So, what can you do if you keep forgetting English words? And how can you learn to form sentences more easily?
I decided to share how I look at these questions and what I would do to try to solve these problems.
There are actually two questions here:
- I forget English words quickly.
- I can’t form sentences in English.
Let’s look at them one by one.
Why Do I Forget English Words So Quickly?
Personally, I think forgetting English words is quite normal.
We forget things in everyday life. Sometimes, we even forget words in our own language. So when we are learning a new language like English, it is normal that we may forget some of the new words we learn.
The important thing is not to expect ourselves to remember every new word immediately. Instead, we can find ways to help ourselves remember the words and review them regularly.
Let’s go back to the original comment:
“Because I’m older, I forget the words I learn very quickly.”
First of all, I understand this problem. Sometimes, as we get older, we may find that our memory is not as good as it was when we were younger.
However, at the same time, I also think being older can sometimes have some advantages when learning.
“Advantage” means something that can help you or be good for you.
For example, as we get older, we may have more life experience and knowledge, and these can sometimes help us when we learn something new.
So, back to the problem itself: How can we deal with forgetting English words, regardless of age?
1. Write New English Words Down
Regardless of age, whether we are older or not, one thing I do is write the words down on a small piece of paper or in a little notebook.
I actually have a vocabulary notebook. I use it to write down words that I don’t remember well or words that I have pronounced incorrectly.
You can do something similar.
Get a small piece of paper or a little notebook that you can carry with you. Write down a few words that you want to learn.
For me, I also like to write one or two simple sentences with a new word. This helps me understand how the word is used in a sentence and in context.
“Context” means the situation in which a word or sentence is used.
2. Review the Words for a Short Time During the Day
Take out your notebook and have a quick look at the words a few times during the day.
You could do this at breakfast, at lunchtime, or before bed.
It doesn’t have to take a long time. Even one or two minutes is fine.
Even better, read the words aloud.
For example, if the word you want to remember is wash, you could say:
“Wash. Wash. Wash.”
Then read a simple sentence:
“I wash my face.”
“I wash my face.”
“I wash my face.”
That’s it.
It may only take one minute.
If you do this a few times during the day, you are seeing the word again, saying it again, and using it in a sentence.
You can review it again the next day or come back to it every few days.
You can also learn some new words at the same time. You don’t have to wait until you remember every word perfectly before learning something new.
How Many English Words Should I Learn Each Day?
How many words you learn each day is up to you.
It might be one word, two words, or five words. It really depends on how much time you have and how quickly you want to learn.
You don’t have to learn a large number of words every day. Choose an amount that works for you and that you can review regularly.
Quick Summary: How to Remember English Words
If you forget English words easily, here are the three main ideas:
- Write the words on a small piece of paper or in a little notebook and carry it with you.
- Try to write a short sentence with each word so that you can understand how the word is used.
- Review the words for a short time a few times during the day, and review them regularly after that.
Why Can’t I Form Sentences in English?
Now let’s look at the second part of the question:
“I can’t form sentences.”
If you forget the words you learn, it is understandable that you may find it difficult to form sentences.
After all, sentences are made up of words.
So how would I try to solve this problem?
I would try to remember whole sentences.
Personally, I really like learning sentences.
Of course, I learn individual words too.
“Individual words” means single words, one word at a time.
But I think learning and remembering whole sentences can be a very useful way to learn English.
That’s also why I share so many daily English sentences in my videos.
Should I Learn English Words or Whole Sentences?
I think both can be useful.
You can learn individual words, but you can also learn and remember whole sentences.
Sometimes, you can simply memorize a useful sentence.
For example, someone asks you:
“What’s your name?”
You can answer:
“My name is Amelia.”
Of course, you can replace Amelia with your own name.
If you already remember the sentence pattern “My name is…”, when someone asks you your name, you don’t have to build a completely new sentence in your head.
You already know the sentence pattern, so you can use it when you need it.
This can make it easier for you to communicate in English.
Again, you can write a few simple sentences in your little notebook and carry it with you.
In fact, this works very well with the first method.
Write down a new word, and underneath it, write one or two simple sentences.
This way, you can learn the word and the sentence together.
Choose English Sentences You Can Use in Real Life
Another thing I would do is choose sentences that I can actually use in my real life.
For example, in the morning, you could write:
“I get up at 6 a.m.”
When you get up in the morning, you can say:
“I get up at 6 a.m.”
At lunchtime, you could write:
“I’m having lunch.”
You can read it aloud a few times:
“I’m having lunch.”
“I’m having lunch.”
“I’m having lunch.”
In the evening, you could write:
“I will cook dinner tonight.”
Do you notice what I’m doing?
I’m choosing English sentences that we can actually use in everyday life.
This can make the sentences easier to remember, and they are also sentences that you can actually use.
Use Sentences to Help You Remember English Words
Here is another thing we can do.
We can actually use sentences to help us learn and remember words.
Let’s go back to our three sentences.
“I get up at 6 a.m.”
From this sentence, we can learn get up.
“I’m having lunch.”
From this sentence, we can learn lunch.
“I will cook dinner tonight.”
From this sentence, we can learn cook, dinner, and tonight.
So words and sentences can actually help each other.
You can learn words and use them in sentences, and you can also learn words from the sentences you remember.
In this way, you can learn the words, learn the sentences, and learn how to actually use them.
Quick Summary: How to Form English Sentences More Easily
If you find it difficult to form sentences in English, here are the three main ideas:
- Try to remember whole sentences. Learn some useful sentence patterns so you don’t have to build every sentence from the beginning.
- Choose sentences that you can use in your real life.
- Use sentences to help you learn and remember words.
In Summary
If you forget English words easily or find it difficult to form sentences, here are the six main ideas from this article.
If You Forget Words Easily:
- Write the words on a small piece of paper or in a little notebook and carry it with you.
- Try to write a short sentence with each word so that you can understand how the word is used.
- Review the words for a short time a few times during the day, and review them regularly after that.
If You Find It Difficult to Form Sentences:
- Try to remember whole sentences. Learn some useful sentence patterns so you don’t have to build every sentence from the beginning.
- Choose sentences that you can use in your real life.
- Use sentences to help you learn and remember words.
Repetition is a good way to help us remember new things.
“Repetition” means doing or saying something again and again.
So that’s what I would do for these two problems.
I hope these ideas are helpful to you. This is my personal view and what I would try.
Keep practicing, keep reviewing, and keep learning English one sentence at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Normal to Forget English Words?
Yes. Forgetting English words is quite normal.
We forget things in everyday life, and sometimes we even forget words in our own language. When you are learning a new language, you may not remember every new word immediately.
Instead of expecting yourself to remember everything the first time, you can review new words regularly and use them in sentences to help yourself remember them.
Why Do I Know English Words but Can’t Form Sentences?
Knowing individual words and forming complete sentences are different skills.
One thing you can try is learning useful whole sentences and sentence patterns. When you remember a pattern such as “My name is…”, you don’t have to create the whole sentence from the beginning every time you want to use it.
Should I Memorize English Words or Sentences?
You can learn both.
Learning individual words can help you build your vocabulary, while learning whole sentences can help you understand how those words are actually used.
You can also combine the two methods: write down a new word and then write one or two simple sentences using that word.
How Can I Remember English Vocabulary for Longer?
Try reviewing new words regularly instead of looking at them only once.
Keep a small notebook with you and review your words for one or two minutes at different times during the day. You can also say the words aloud and use them in simple sentences.
How Many English Words Should I Learn Each Day?
There is no single number that is right for everyone.
You might learn one word, two words, five words, or more. It depends on how much time you have and how quickly you want to learn.
Choose an amount that works for you and gives you enough time to review what you have learned.
How Often Should I Review New English Words?
You can have a quick look at your new words a few times during the day. You can review them again the next day and then come back to them every few days.
The review does not have to be long. Even one or two minutes can be useful.
What English Sentences Should I Memorize?
Start with simple sentences that you can actually use in everyday life.
For example:
- “I get up at 6 a.m.”
- “I’m having lunch.”
- “I will cook dinner tonight.”
- “My name is…”
When the sentences connect to your real life, you have more opportunities to remember and use them.
Is Repetition a Good Way to Learn English?
Repetition can be a useful part of learning English.
You can read a new word several times, say a sentence aloud several times, and come back to it again later.
The important thing is not only to repeat the word, but also to learn how you can use it in a sentence.
I’m Amelia. Let’s keep learning English together. ❤️
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