This post is also available in: Portuguese (Brazil)

I’ve been learning English with Anki for over 5 years now, throughout this journey I could notice some strategies that worked pretty well and some of them that not so much. So, today, I’m going to share with you some do’s and don’ts about Anki that will optimize your studies.

If you use Anki to learn English, you might like these articles I’ve written about Anki:

DO’S

Make a habit

Set up a time for your Anki. Find the best time for you.

I plan to do my Anki twice a day for 30 minutes each time, however not always I nail it. But I make sure at least 30 minutes is done every day. I do it in the morning after meditating and after lunch.

To help you to create this habit of study your Anki every day attach this new habit with a current one. This strategy is called habit stacking by James Clear from the book Atomic Habits

For example, in my case, I used to do my Anki just after my lunch, but I felt that I needed to study more cards, so I’ve started doing my Anki after my meditation as well. Your current habit will work as an anchor to the new one.

James Clear says:

No behavior happens in isolation. Each action becomes a cue that triggers the next behavior.

I’ve written these two articles about the book Atomic Habits:

7 Lessons From Atomics Habits That Will Inspire You

Book Review: Atomic Habits by James Clear

Be concentrated

if you do your Anki just for the sake of doing it will not work effectively. When you start doing your Anki forget the world, is just you and your beautiful cards. 😄

What helps me a lot is setting up a timer. I set up 30 minutes and voilá. When I don’t set up a timer I feel more distracted as I don’t have this “pressure” to keep me on track. On the other hand, when I know that I have limited time to study I focus on what I’m doing.

Read your cards aloud

I notice that when I read aloud my cards I recall them faster than just reading them in silence. And another advantage is that we learn the whole sentence in its context. This technique requires more time to finish a deck but it pays off.

Add media to your cards

Use media as much as you want. Add images, gifs, and audios to your cards. It’ll help you to associate the words with an image or audio. I’m used to adding it especially when I revise my cards a couple of times and can’t remember them.

Make active cards

Anki has a variety of cards to create aside from the basic type. You can create other type cards like cloze, reverse, and type the answer. These cards let your study more exciting, not to mention that you recall them faster when you need them.

Highlight learning words/expressions

It will save you time. Especially in those days that you don’t have enough time to read all sentences completely. In addition to that, you know first hand what this card is about, what’s the answer you are expected to give.

Add up to 3 learning words per card

Be concise in each card you add to your Anki. I’m used to adding just one to three learning words to each card at a time. If you add many unknown words to one card that study will be tough.

Delete cards that you already know by heart

Over time, you’re going to have lots of cards, and some of them you already know by heart, especially the oldest ones, so it doesn’t make sense to keep them in your Anki. It’s essential to keep those ones that you think will be helpful in the future. Cards you already learned, with words that you use in your active vocabulary doesn’t make sense to let them in your Anki deck.

Dont’s

Don’t skip one day

Remember that Anki is a spaced repetition program, if you skip one single day your cards will pile up, and the interval will be longer when you come to grade your cards. Not to mention, when you study your cards every day your brain will entrench these words faster. So, that’s why is important you do it every day.

It’s the frequency that makes the difference. James Clear

Don’t create many decks

Anki will show you 100 revision cards and 20 new cards per day in its default mode. These 100 to 120 cards are enough for your daily study. Thus, if you create many different decks for every book you read or every video you watch you’ll be overwhelmed after a while (I made this mistake myself.)

I have a couple of decks, but I don’t do all of them at once, I create a kind of “hierarchy”.

For example:

Every single day, come rain or shine, I do my “Learning English” deck. Here are all my learning and revising words and expressions that I want to keep in my mind.

“Active vocabulary” and “Pronunciation”, I do alternately every day. If today I studied “Active vocabulary” tomorrow I’ll study “Pronunciation”, and vice versa.

The other decks I do when the previous ones are already done.

Don’t study words separately

One word might have more than one meaning, so you should learn words in their context. Add a complete sentence with the word/expression that you want to learn.

Don’t add long sentences

Long sentences are boring and tiring. So, try to be short and sweet, remember that your goal is to remember the applicability of the words in their context once you reach this goal you’re done.

That’s it for today!

If it was helpful, please share with your friends.

I’d love to hear from you. Please, let me in the comments below which do’s and don’ts you liked the most and if you’d like to add any others to this list.

Thank you for reading.

See you next time.