Mindmaps for English

I have been mind mapping for years. It’s a great way to get ideas down in a format that allows you to add more information and easily connect it to other relevant info.

When done properly, this true mind map is an organic-looking, free-flowing, colourful, well-organised piece of creative artwork.

Mind maps are particularly useful for taking notes during a lecture, presentation or workshop and for drafting out ideas before committing pen to paper¹ (or nowadays, fingers to keyboard) and writing an essay, project, book or other assignment. And it just so happens that they can also be used very effectively when studying English. Take phrasal verbs for example. One way to create a mind map to help with this would be:

• Start with a central picture of your root verb, e.g. turn.
• Next, add branches coming off this picture for each particle (preposition and/or adverb) you want to include, e.g. over, in, out, into, etc.
• Colour the branches differently so you can remember that red is for on, for example.
• Lastly, add smaller branches coming from the prepositions to connect them with images, helpful reminder words and/or translations into your own language.

Mind maps can also be used for:

• grammar rules
• vocabulary on a particular theme
• words that share a root
• irregular verbs
• rules for tenses
• comparing tenses

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