DecksHow to Write Good Flashcards: Rules That Make Cards Easier to Remember
Good flashcards are small: one fact per card, with a question that has exactly one answer. Most cards that never stick are cards that ask too much at once. Piotr Woźniak, who created SuperMemo, set out the principles in his 1999 article "20 rules of formulating knowledge in learning". These are the ones that matter most for language learners.
Understand before you memorise
His first two rules are "Do not learn if you do not understand" and "Learn before you memorize". A card is for keeping something you already understand, not for understanding it. If a grammar point makes no sense yet, read an explanation first, then make cards.
Keep each card minimal
"Stick to the minimum information principle." One card, one fact. Compare:
| Too much | Minimal |
|---|---|
| ser: all six present-tense forms | nosotros ___ (ser) → somos |
| A word with four meanings | One card per meaning, each in a sentence |
A big card fails if you forget any part of it, so you keep failing it. Small cards each get their own schedule.
Use cloze deletion
"Cloze deletion is easy and effective." Blank out one word in a sentence and supply it. See cloze deletion flashcards.
Avoid sets and enumerations
"Avoid sets" and "Avoid enumerations." Lists like "the five Japanese vowels" are hard to recall as a whole. Turn them into separate cards, or a cloze per item.
Combat interference
"Combat interference." When two cards get confused, such as シ and ツ, or por and para, add something that tells them apart: a hint, a contrasting example, or a note on the back.
Use imagery and examples
"Use imagery" and "Personalize and provide examples." A picture, or an example sentence about your own life, gives a card more to hang on to than a bare translation.
Source: Woźniak, P. (1999). 20 rules of formulating knowledge in learning. super-memory.com/articles/20rules.htm.
Published 2026-10-07.