How to Memorize Paragraphs, Sentences, and Passages Fast

Want to know how to memorize a paragraph fast?

Tired of the standard advice about using linking and rote repetition?

I hope so, because it’s bad advice.

Why?

Because linking and “chunking” are often more overwhelming than repeating sentences over and over again.

Well, you’re in luck.

I’ve memorized many paragraphs and on this page will show you how to do it.

You’ll learn the technique progressively and exactly how the old memory masters used to memorize entire books.

Back then, they had to carry entire books in their heads. Books were rare and expensive back then. And they were too heavy to carry on their backs. That’s why they needed the techniques you’re about to learn.

And those techniques still work today.

So let’s dive in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9aepJcY9II

How To Memorize Sentences Fast

Before you can memorize an entire sentence, you need to be able to memorize words.

The ancient memory master who wrote Rhetorica ad Herennium circa 90 BCE made this point very clear.

To paraphrase, the author says:

Those who wish to memorize more difficult things must first learn to memorize words.

Learning how to memorize vocabulary is very good advice. It is the path to being able to memorize more than one word at a time.

So how do you do it?

Develop skills with association. You need to be able to look at the letters that form a word and connect them to other words.

Developing Associations Quickly

To do this quickly, you want to develop your skills by learning the pegword method

Let’s say the sentence you want to memorize is from Plato’s apology:

Someone will say: Yes, Socrates, but cannot you hold your tongue, and then you may go into a foreign city, and no one will interfere with you?

Later, you’ll be able to compress “Someone will say” into a single image. But for now, just focus on “Someone.”

If you have your tools ready, maybe a famous actress like Suzanne Somers has already come to mind. Maybe she has a sum of gold in her hand. She may even be under the summer sun.

Use Dynamic And Gripping Associations

By making alphabetical-sound associations between like-sounding words that evoke dynamic images, it’s easy to make associations.

I highly recommend you develop parts of your pegword system based on celebrities so that these associations can be richly evocative.

I sometimes refer to this as a “Celebrity List.” You can also build them from:

• Politicians
• Friends
• Family
• Teachers
• Musicians
• Artists
• Authors

The point here is this:

It’s easier to imagine a familiar association doing something that triggers back the target words when you’re memorizing sentences.

For example, to add “will say,” you can have Suzanne Somers with a character from the movie Good Will Hunting, or Will Smith. She can be saying something to Will Smith, or even to Tom Sayers.

From there, move on to the next word. And as you go, I highly suggest you place these associations in a Memory Palace. That way they’re not floating in the void of your mind. It will also help with recalling the sentences word-for-word later.

How To Memorize A Paragraph Quickly

First, count how many sentences you’re dealing with. Read it aloud and get a sense of its general tone.

Notice any words that leap out at you or that you don’t understand. If you need to look something up, now is the time so that you’re not slowed down later.

This point is important:

If you truly want the best way to memorize a paragraph, you need to remove all obstacles first.

(This also means that you’ll want to have at least one “Celebrity List.”)

Once you know how many sentences are in the paragraph, create or identify a Memory Palace. It should have enough space to accommodate the amount you need to memorize.

If you don’t know how to create a Memory Palace, register for this:

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