Vocabulary Drills

How to drill vocabulary effectively

Flashcards work because of active recall: trying to remember a word before flipping the card builds a far stronger memory trace than rereading a list. The timer adds pressure, which makes the recall practice closer to a real test.

1. Guess before you flip. Say the definition out loud (or in your head) before tapping the card. No guess, no gain.
2. Mark honestly. "Knew it" means instant, confident recall. Hesitation means "Still learning."
3. Sprint the same list twice. A second lap right after the first typically jumps accuracy 15–30 points — that's the forgetting curve bending.
4. Build your own lists. Words from your actual class beat generic lists. One line per word: term - definition.

30 seconds or 60 seconds?

Use 30 seconds for warm-ups and quick reps between classes; use 60 seconds for a real measurement — it's long enough that speed differences between lists show up in your words-per-minute.

How is the score calculated?

Your score is the number of cards you marked “Knew it” during the sprint. Accuracy is that number divided by all cards answered, as a percentage. Speed (words per minute) is cards answered divided by the sprint length.

Where are my best scores saved?

In your own browser, using localStorage — one best per word list and sprint length (30 or 60 seconds). A result becomes the new best when it beats the old score, or ties the score with higher accuracy. Nothing is uploaded or shared.

Can I make my own word lists?

Yes. Scroll to “Build your own list”, give it a name, and add one word per line as “term - definition” (an em dash, colon, or | works too). Lists with at least 2 words are saved in your browser and appear alongside the built-in lists.

What happens when I finish all the words before time runs out?

The deck reshuffles and the sprint continues — no card repeats within a single pass, so every lap through the deck is a fresh order.

Do I need an account?

No. Everything runs in your browser with JavaScript: no account, no sign-up, no data sent anywhere. Clearing your browser data erases your custom lists and best scores.

How should I mark a card I half-knew?

Be honest — mark “Still learning” for anything you hesitated on. The score measures recognition, so strict self-marking makes repeat sprints genuinely useful.