The pegwords strategy is a good strategy to use when you must remember a number of things such as five reasons we should conserve energy. Pegwords are words that rhyme with number words. Each pegword is substituted for a number word and is then associated with the information to be remembered.

You can use any word as a pegword as long as it rhymes with a number word. Below are suggested pegwords for the number words one through ten. You can substitute your own number words. Nouns and verbs are best to use as pegwords because they are easy to associate with information to be remembered.

Here are the steps to follow to use the pegwords strategy.

1. Think of the first piece of information to be remembered.
2. Think of the pegword for the number word one. The pegword for one is run.
3. Form an association in your mind between the pegword one and the first piece of information to be remembered. Create a picture in your mind of this association.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for each additional piece of information to be remembered. Use the pegword shoe for the second piece of information, tree for the third piece of information, and so on.

Here is an example of how the pegwords strategy can be used to remember three important reasons for preserving forests.

1. Forests provide food for animals.
The pegword for one is run. You could create a picture in your mind of a rabbit running to a bowl of food. Later, when you try to recall the reasons for preserving forests, the number word one will trigger the pegword run, and you will recall the picture of a rabbit running toward a bowl of food. You will thereby remember that one reason for preserving forests is that forests provide food for animals.

2. Forests provide shelter for animals.
(two/shoe). You could create a picture in your mind of a chipmunk living in a shoe.

3. Forests provide lumber that is used to build homes for people.
(three/tree). You could create a picture in your mind of stacks of lumber lying on the ground next to a partially built house.

The pegwords strategy lets you use your imagination to remember information.