How it works
- 1
Type or paste your list.
One item per line, or separated by commas. Up to 15.
- 2
Say whether the order matters.
Keep it on for steps and sequences. Off lets Qenot rearrange the items into a real word, like HOMES for the Great Lakes.
- 3
Pick the one that sticks.
Switch between Sentence, Acronym, Story and Rhyme, ask for another, then copy, print, share or keep it in Recall.
Four kinds of mnemonic
- Sentence (acrostic): one word per item, each starting with the same letter. “Every Good Boy Does Fine” for the lines of the treble clef.
- Acronym: the first letters as one word. HOMES, PEMDAS, ROY G BIV.
- Story: a short, strange scene that walks through the list in order. Strange is easier to remember than sensible.
- Rhyme: two to four lines with the items in them.
When a mnemonic helps
Mnemonics help most with lists you need in a fixed order: nerves, steps, stages, layers, the parts of a cycle. They hold the list; they don't explain it. Learn what each item means first, then use the mnemonic to bring the list back, and test yourself on it over the next few days.
Putnam (2015), “Mnemonics in education: Current research and applications”, Translational Issues in Psychological Science.
Common questions
What is a mnemonic?
A memory aid: a short sentence, word, story or rhyme that brings a list back. "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos" is one for the planets.
What's the difference between an acronym and an acrostic?
An acronym is a word made of the first letters (HOMES). An acrostic is a sentence whose words start with those letters (Every Good Boy Does Fine). Use an acrostic when the letters don't make a word.
Does the order of my list matter?
Leave Order matters on for anything that has to stay in order, like steps or the cranial nerves. Turn it off for a set, like the Great Lakes, and Qenot may rearrange it into a real word.
Do I need an account?
No. You can make up to 10 lists a day without one. With a Qenot account you get 50 a day, and you can keep each mnemonic in Recall, which brings it back just before you'd forget it.