English Mechanism

Ready-Made Memory Hooks: FANBOYS

slowblooms 2025. 11. 10. 02:12

1. FANBOYS – Coordinating Conjunctions (you already have this)

You know this one, but here’s a clean version you can paste into your book:

Memory Hook: FANBOYS (Coordinating Conjunctions)
These little words connect two equal ideas (two full sentences or two similar parts):

 

For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

  • I was tired, so I went to bed.
  • She is smart, but she is shy.

You can call this box in your book:

 

🌟 Memory Hook 1: FANBOYS – The Seven “Bridge Words”

2. SVOPT – Basic English Word Order (Sentence Train)

For Korean learners especially, word order is huge.

Memory Hook: SVOPT – The English Sentence Train

Subject → Verb → Object → Place → Time

 

Like train cars in order:

  • S: I
  • V: ate
  • O: breakfast
  • P: at home
  • T: this morning.

I ate breakfast at home this morning.

 

You can show it as a train:

[S] – [V] – [O] – [P] – [T]


And note: English is flexible, but this is the “default rail”. If learners memorize SVOPT, their sentences already sound much more natural.

3. A–O–I Ladder – Prepositions of Time & Place (at / on / in)

Everybody struggles with at / on / in. A tiny “ladder” idea helps.

Memory Hook: the A–O–I Ladder (Small → Medium → Big)

  1. at = a point (small)
  2. on = a line/surface (medium)
  3. in = an area/container (big)

You can apply the same idea to time and place:

Time

  • at a clock time or point:
    • at 3:00, at noon, at night
  • on a day or date:
    • on Monday, on July 3rd
  • in a longer period:
    • in July, in 2025, in winter

Place

  • at a point:
    • at the bus stop, at the door
  • on a surface:
    • on the table, on the wall
  • in an area/container:
    • in the room, in New York, in the box

You can title it:

 

🌟 Memory Hook 2: The A–O–I Ladder — at / on / in

4. SAND – Choosing Articles (a/an, the, or no article)

Articles are painful. Let’s give learners a nice decision word: SAND.

Memory Hook: SAND for Articles

Think of four basic ideas when choosing an article:

  • S – Specific → the
    • We both know which one → the book on the table.
  • A – Any one → a / an
    • First mention, any one of many → a book, an orange.
  • N – Not countable or general plural → Ø (no article)
    • talking about things in general →
    • Books are expensive. / Water is important.
  • D – Don’t use an article with most names
    • I live in Ø New Jersey. She works at Ø Google.

Give a simple decision line in the book:

SAND Check:
Is it Specific? → use the
Is it Any one singular thing? → a / an
Is it a general plural or uncountable? → Ø
Is it a name (person/city/company)? → Ø

5. BATS WEFI – Common Subordinating Conjunctions

Like FANBOYS, but for common subordinating conjunctions (for complex sentences).

Memory Hook: BATS WEFI (Subordinating Conjunctions)

A useful bundle of very common words that start dependent clauses:

Because
Although / As
Though
Since
When / While / Where
Even though / Even if
For (formal “because”)
If

Example:

  • Because it was raining, we stayed home.
  • When I arrived, she was cooking.
  • We stayed home because it was raining.

You can introduce it like:

🌟 Memory Hook 3: BATS WEFI – The “Why/When” Words for Complex Sentences

6. 3T Map – Simple Tenses (Today / Then / Tomorrow)

A super simple “feeling map” for tense — perfect for your style.

Memory Hook: The 3T Map of Time

  • Today → Present Simple
    • I work. / She works.
  • Then → Past Simple
    • I worked yesterday.
  • Tomorrow → Future Simple
    • I will work tomorrow.

You can draw a simple timeline:

 

Then ←—— Today ——→ Tomorrow

 

Past Simple – Present Simple – Future Simple

This matches your “Grammar in Feeling” approach: time as a line with emotional “distance.”

7. POP Rule – Phrasal Verbs with Pronouns

You’re doing a lot with phrasal verbs, so give them a small “cute” rule.

Memory Hook: POP Rule (Pronoun in the Middle)

For separable phrasal verbs, when the object is a pronoun, it must sit in the middle:

 

Pronoun
Only
in the


Pocket (between verb + particle)

  • ✅ turn it off
  • ❌ turn off it
  • ✅ take them off
  • ❌ take off them

You can title it:

🌟 Memory Hook 4: POP Rule – Put the Pronoun in the Pocket

How You Can Use These in Your Book

You can:

  • Put one Memory Hook box in (almost) every key chapter.
  • Repeat them visually:
    • side margin icons
    • little diagrams (train, ladder, SAND, timeline)
  • Make a one-page “Memory Hook Summary” at the end of the book:
    • FANBOYS
    • SVOPT
    • A–O–I Ladder
    • SAND
    • BATS WEFI
    • 3T Map
    • POP Rule

 

© MisoEnglish / Michelle Kim. This is original content written by the author. Unauthorized reproduction or full reposting is prohibited. You may quote short parts only with clear credit and a link to the original post.

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