Spaced Repetition
Spaced Repetition for IELTS Vocabulary
Spaced repetition is a simple idea: review a word when you are close to forgetting it, not every time you open your notebook. For IELTS vocabulary, that means fewer giant cram sessions and more short reviews that keep useful words available for reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
Why due cards beat cramming
Cramming can make a word feel familiar for one evening. IELTS prep needs something steadier. You need to recognize the word later, understand it in context, and sometimes produce it under pressure. A due queue helps because it separates today's real memory work from the huge pile of words you already know.
The three-grade rule
You do not need ten buttons to review a vocabulary card. Most learners can grade recall with three honest choices:
Hard
You recognized the word late, guessed, or needed the example. Bring it back soon.
Good
You remembered the meaning and could understand a sentence. Let it wait longer.
Easy
You knew it quickly and could use it. Push it farther into the future.
How to grade IELTS vocabulary honestly
The best grade is the one that tells the truth about recall. Do not mark a card "Easy" because the word looks familiar. Ask whether you could understand it in a passage or use it in a sentence without pausing.
- Mark Hard if you remembered only after seeing the first letter or example.
- Mark Good if you knew the meaning but the example sentence still felt useful.
- Mark Easy only when the meaning and one natural phrase came quickly.
- Rewrite the card if you miss it three times for the same reason.
Do not add too many new words
The common mistake is adding 80 new words on Sunday and then drowning in reviews by Wednesday. For IELTS, a better default is 3-8 new cards per day while keeping your due cards manageable. If tomorrow's queue already looks heavy, review only and add nothing.
A simple review rhythm
| Session | What to do | Stop when |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Review due hard cards | 10 cards or 5 minutes |
| Afternoon | Add words from reading or class notes | 3-8 useful cards |
| Evening | Review today's due queue | The queue is clear |
How Banded supports this
Banded uses an honest SM-2 style review flow with Hard, Good, and Easy grading. The app is intentionally small: open the due queue, flip the card, grade recall, and leave. That shape matters because vocabulary study works best when the review habit survives normal days.