Why vocabulary decides OC & Selective scores
Around 40–50% of OC and Selective Reading questions hinge on a single tricky word inside the passage. Strong vocabulary doesn't just help on the Reading paper — it speeds up comprehension on Thinking Skills and Maths word problems too. The hard part has always been the practice: kids forget 70% of new words within a week if they don't see them again.
My Vocabulary fixes that without flashcard fatigue. Your child opens the app, taps Start review, and the system picks the right 20 words for that day — no decisions, no overwhelm.
How it works in 4 steps
From sign-up to mastery, every step is automated for the parent and tuned to the child.
Pick the right word pool
OC kids start with 1,103 OC-level words. Selective kids get the full 1,506 (OC pool plus the harder Selective tier). One signup, full library — no extra purchase.
Daily 20-card review
Tap Start review — the system warms up 20 fresh words plus anything overdue from previous sessions. No setup. Sessions take about 5–8 minutes.
Mode escalates with mastery
New words start as multiple choice. Once recognised, they graduate to flashcards. Once recalled, to type-in. Each step removes a crutch.
Mistakes feed back in
When your child misses a Reading question, the system reads the passage and suggests up to five challenging words from it — right into their notebook for next session.
The three practice modes
Same word, harder ask each time. The progression is what makes memory deep.
Recognise the meaning
Word on top, four definitions below. Pick the right one. Distractors are pulled from words of the same difficulty and grammar — no easy giveaways.
Try to recall before flipping
Just the word. Your child thinks the meaning, taps to flip, then self-rates Easy / Good / Hard. Active recall, the strongest study technique we know of.
Produce the word from a definition
Definition + example sentence shown, your child types the word. Hint: first letter and length. Real recall — the same skill the test demands.
The science: spaced repetition
Memory fades on a curve — reviewing a word right before you'd otherwise forget it locks it in for longer. Each correct rating multiplies the next interval; each mistake resets the clock. Your child's cards naturally spread out across days, weeks, and months.
Real example: how the word "imperious" travels
Same word, two different paths — depending on whether your child finds it easy or needs a few tries. Both end at the Mastered tab; the timing depends on how confident they feel each time.
- Day 0 Your child registers as Selective. imperious is added to the notebook (Learning tab). Not yet shown.
- Day 1 First review session. The word appears as multiple choice. Your child picks the correct definition without hesitation. → moves to Reviewing, scheduled for Day 8.
- Day 8 Card resurfaces in type-in mode (definition shown, kid types the word). Types it instantly. → Mastered tab 🏆 next check-in: Day 38.
- Day 0 imperious added to notebook on registration.
- Day 1 Multiple choice. Picks the right definition after thinking about it. → moves to Reviewing, scheduled for Day 4.
- Day 4 Type-in mode. Types the word correctly with the first-letter hint. → stays in Reviewing, scheduled for Day 18.
- Day 18 Type-in mode again. Types it without thinking now — really knows it. → Mastered tab 🏆 next check-in: Day 48.
- Day 48 imperious resurfaces in type-in mode for its 30-day check-in. Still remembers it. → stays Mastered, next check-in: Day 78.
- Day ~200 Several months later, the check-in catches your child off-guard. They blank. → demoted back to Reviewing, scheduled for Day 203 — nothing slips through the cracks.
How many correct answers does it take to reach Mastered? Minimum two correct answers if both are tagged Easy. Most words take three or four tries (Good → Good → Easy) because real recall takes a moment. Wrong answers don't punish — they just bring the word back tomorrow.
What makes My Vocabulary different
Most apps give kids static word lists. We treat vocabulary like a living, per-child workbook.
Selective and OC kids see different word pools. The OC list is built into every Selective notebook automatically — no double-buying.
Wrong on a Reading passage? AI extracts up to five hard words from that passage and queues them as suggestions. Targeted practice without parents lifting a finger.
Got a word from a worksheet or tutor? Type it in — we auto-fill the definition, example sentence, synonyms, and antonyms. Or paste your own notes; we never overwrite what your child wrote.
A small visual streak counter rewards consistency. Five minutes a day beats a weekend cram — and the system is built to make those five minutes effortless.
Three bucket tabs — Learning / Reviewing / Mastered — show exactly where every word stands. Parents and kids see growth weekly.
Every word in the curated pool is reviewed by an admin before it reaches your child's notebook — no off-topic vocabulary, no slang.
Common questions from parents
How long does my child need to practise each day?
5–8 minutes is enough — that's roughly the time it takes to clear a 20-card session. The system caps each session at 20 so kids don't burn out and parents don't have to enforce time limits. Consistency beats marathon sessions every time.
What if my child doesn't know a word yet?
That's the point — the system shows the definition and an example sentence on every flashcard and type-in card. Wrong answers don't punish; they just bring the word back tomorrow. The hard words get the most practice automatically.
Can my child add words from their own books or tutor?
Yes. The "Add a word" button takes any word and auto-fills the definition, example, synonyms and antonyms. The "Paste from book" button lets your child paste their tutor's notes — we keep their text exactly as written and only fill the blanks they leave empty.
What happens if my child forgets a "mastered" word later?
Mastered words quietly resurface every ~30 days as a type-in card. If your child still remembers, they stay mastered for another 30 days. If they've forgotten, the word demotes back to "reviewing" and steps through the cycle again — nothing slips through the cracks.
Is this just rote memorisation?
No. The three modes are designed to test increasingly difficult kinds of memory: recognition (multiple choice), free recall (flashcard), then production (type-in). By the time a word is mastered, your child can use it in their own writing — not just recognise it on a test.
Will my child see the same words as their classmate?
The curated pool is shared, but every notebook is private. Your child's review schedule, their bucket placements, and any words they add themselves all live in their own notebook only.
Ready to put 1,500 test words on autopilot?
Sign up takes a minute. Your child's notebook is pre-loaded the moment they pick OC or Selective.