8 Useful Mnemonics ...

Do you remember your school days when the best way of learning lists of things was to use mnemonics? A short poem or verse made it easy to recall things that we were told we needed to know. Even if we have never since had to remember the halogen gasses in the order they appear in the periodic table, mnemonics are an acceptable memory booster and here’s eight of the best.

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Mnemonics Neatly Eliminate Man’s Only Nemesis – Insufficient Cerebral Storage

Naturally we have to start with that one because the word itself is not the most common, nor the easiest to remember or even to find in the dictionary. Plus this is such a smartass example.

My Very Easy Method Just Speeds up Naming Planets

There are quite a few mnemonics for remembering the order of planets from the sun – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto – although I guess most of them are moot since they declassified Pluto as a planet.

Sergeant Major Hates Eating Onions

The Great Lakes – Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario

NAM-MI YACH-Y

What a way to remember the world’s eight longest rivers. Of course, you’ll use this one every day.

Nile (Africa) - 4,145 miles

Amazon (S.America) - 4,050 miles

Mississippi-Missouri (USA) - 3,760 miles

Irtysh (Russia) - 3,200 miles

Yangtse (China) - 3,100 miles

Amur (Asia) - 2,900 miles

Congo (Africa) - 2,718 miles

Huang-Ho (or Yellow) (China) - 2,700 miles

UK Kings and Queens

Who would have thought you could condense over a thousand years of history into a few lines? Here goes.

Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee,

Harry, Dick, John, Harry Three,

One-To-Three Neds, Richard Two,

Harrys Four-Five-Six... then who?

Edwards Four-Five, Dick the Bad,

Harrys (twain), Ned Six (the lad),

Mary, Bessie, James you ken,

Then Charlie, Charlie, James again...

Will & Mary, Anne of gloria,

Georges ( 4! ), Will Four, Victoria,

Edward Seven next, and then

Came George the Fifth in 1910...

Ned the Eighth soon abdicated,

So George Six was coronated,

Then Number Two Elizabeth...

And that's all, folks (until her death...)!!

Famous Quotes

Meaning is not what you start with but what you end up with.

Peter Elbow

Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain

The spectrum of light and also the colours of a rainbow can be remembered by this reference to Richard III who lost the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 --- Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet

Parts of Speech

I had never heard this before but it’s a good way of remembering or passing on to your kids if they are still in school. Apparently it originates from Edwardian times.

"Every name is called a NOUN,

As field and fountain, street and town;

In place of noun the PRONOUN stands,

As he and she can clap their hands;

The ADJECTIVE describes a thing,

As magic wand and bridal ring;

The VERB means action, something done -

To read and write, to jump and run;

How things are done, the ADVERBS tell,

As quickly, slowly, badly, well;

The PREPOSITION shows relation,

As in the street, or at the station;

CONJUNCTIONS join, in many ways,

Sentences, words, or phrase and phrase;

The INTERJECTION cries out, 'Hark!

I need an exclamation mark!'

Through Poetry, we learn how each

of these make up the PARTS OF SPEECH."

WASP-LEG

This is for remembering the seven deadly sins: Wrath, Avarice, Sloth, Pride, Lust, Envy and Gluttony.

I do hope that has been a trip down memory lane or an education if you’ve not heard them before. Please share your old favourites.

Top Photo Credit: ruralsprawl

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

I like vibgyor over the mnemonic...but these are nice trip to the childhood.

Never Eat Soggy Waffles North,East, South , West for when you're doing maps.

I thought it was ROYBGIV?

Never Eat Shredded Wheat.... North, East, South, West

For number 3, the great lakes, i use "Super Man Helps Every One"

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