How many new words should you study each day?
Separate new words from reviews and choose a daily goal from the words and time remaining.
Choose a daily word goal from the words you still need to study and the days available. Mocavoca’s 5, 8, and 12 word settings are options, not scientifically established targets for every learner.
Count new words separately from reviews
Divide the number of unstudied words by the available study days and round up. For example, 240 unstudied words over 30 study days means 8 new words per day. This is an arithmetic example, not a prediction of mastery.
For 4,708 unstudied entries, 8 per day takes at least 589 study days; 12 takes at least 393. Both calculations exclude review time and days off.
Check the review queue before adding words
Complete due reviews and note how long they take. Then work on new words. If reviews remain unfinished across sessions, reduce new words until you can finish the due work.
A missed day does not mean the next session has to cover every planned new word at once. Check what is due and revise the remaining schedule. If the required daily amount exceeds your available time, change the scope or timeline.
Test the task you missed
For meaning, hide the definition and explain the word. For spelling, write it from a meaning prompt. For sentence use, explain the entire example. Keep these results separate: choosing a correct meaning is not a spelling test.
About the author
Mocavoca team — The team behind Mocavoca, writing wordbook guides, vocabulary exercises, and app help.