Sentence mining questions, answered
Plain answers to what people ask about sentence mining: what the method actually is, whether it works and why, what the "10,000 sentences" idea really means, and the four steps to do it yourself. Each answer links to the fuller version if you want to dig in.
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The questions, answered
- What is the sentence mining method? Building flashcards from whole sentences you meet in real material, so each word keeps its grammar and context.
- Does sentence mining actually work? Yes. Context plus spaced repetition is why, and consistency is the only real catch.
- What is the 10,000 sentences method? Sentence mining with a target number, from Khatzumoto's AJATT blog. The habit matters, not the count.
- How do you do sentence mining? Four steps: find an i+1 sentence, build the card, review with spaced repetition, repeat daily.
Ready to mine your own sentences?
If the method makes sense but building cards by hand doesn't, these guides explain the next steps: the full sentence mining method, the app that mines for you, and how automatic sentence mining captures the sentences from your real life. For why it works, Stephen Krashen's input hypothesis explains why input one step past your level is what moves you forward.
"Just about everyone who tries sentence mining finds the method works. Almost everyone quits anyway, because building the cards by hand is a second job. Fix that and the method finally sticks."
Frequently asked questions
What is sentence mining in one sentence?
Learning from whole sentences you meet in real material instead of word lists, so every flashcard carries a word's grammar and context. See what the sentence mining method is.
Do I have to build the cards myself?
Not any more. The classic way is Anki plus a pop-up dictionary, where you build each card by hand. An app can capture the sentence and build the card for you, so you spend your time reviewing instead of assembling. Compare the options on the best sentence mining app.
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