Fiducia TogetherVocabulary learning
Building the words. The defined list is the syllabus, and it is finite.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
GCSE specifications publish a defined vocabulary list. The higher tier list is larger and includes the foundation one.
Where it applies
GCSE modern foreign languages.
How it works
Because the list is finite and published, vocabulary is one of the most tractable parts of any GCSE — unlike a literature text, you can know when you have finished.\n\nRetrieval practice and spacing are far more effective than reading lists.
How to use it in your work
Work from your board's actual list rather than a general one.\n\nUse flashcards with spacing, and test both directions — English to target language is harder and is what writing and speaking need.\n\nLearn words in phrases rather than singly. A verb with its preposition is more useful than either alone.\n\nTen minutes daily beats an hour weekly, and the evidence on that is strong.
Where to get help
Your board's vocabulary list. Any spaced-repetition app.
Revise this with a song
These are ours. We write revision songs because a lot of people remember a tune when they cannot remember a page, and because revising out loud in the kitchen beats staring at a highlighter.
- The Spanish Song GCSE Spanish vocabulary and structures, set to music.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.