How do I make my own mnemonics for formulas?

In one line

The rule

A mnemonic is a word, phrase, or sentence that helps you remember something hard, like a formula.

Let's understand it simply

Imagine you keep forgetting your cycle lock number. So, you make a funny sentence using the numbers, like “2 cats, 4 dogs, 6 goats” for 2-4-6. That’s a mnemonic (memory helper). You can do the same for formulas in science or maths. You turn the letters or numbers into a sentence or story that is easy to remember.

How it works

1. Write down the formula you want to remember.
2. Look at the first letter of each word or symbol in the formula.
3. Make a sentence or phrase using those letters, in the same order.
4. Make it funny, silly, or about something you like (cricket, food, friends).
5. Say it out loud and see if it sticks in your mind.

The story behind it

People have used mnemonics for hundreds of years. Ancient teachers used them to help students remember long lists or rules. The word "mnemonic" comes from the Greek goddess of memory, Mnemosyne.

Where you see it in real life

• Remembering the order of planets: “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles” (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)
• Maths: To remember BODMAS (Brackets, Orders, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction), people say “Babu Ordered Delicious Mangoes And Sweets.”
• Chemistry: For the reactivity series: “Please Stop Calling Me A Zebra, I Like Her Call Smart Guy” (Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Aluminium, Zinc, Iron, Lead, Hydrogen, Copper, Silver, Gold)
• Remembering directions: “Never Eat Soggy Wafers” (North, East, South, West)

Why it matters

• Helps you recall formulas quickly in exams.
• Makes learning less boring and more fun.
• Useful for all subjects—science, maths, geography, even history.
• You can make your own, so it fits your style and memory.

Common mistakes

• Making a sentence that is too hard to remember. Keep it simple and funny.
• Mixing up the order of letters. Always keep the order same as the formula.
• Forgetting what each word stands for. Write it down once so you don’t forget.

Remember it

Make your mnemonic silly, short, and about things you like. The funnier, the better you’ll remember it!