How to Study in Your Second Language Without Losing Marks
May 9, 2026 · 5 min · bilingual students · ESL students · studying in second language
If your school teaches in English but you grew up speaking Urdu or Arabic or Spanish at home, every textbook chapter is two jobs: understand the content, and understand the language. Most students try to do both at once and end up doing neither well.
Separate the two jobs
- First pass: read for vocabulary. Mark every word you don't know. Don't worry about understanding the content yet.
- Look up the words. Use Vocabulary Builder — it explains words at your reading level.
- Second pass: read for content. Now the language won't get in the way.
This sounds slower but is actually faster than trying both at once.
Build a personal glossary
For each subject, keep a notebook of technical vocabulary in both languages. "Photosynthesis" in English and your home language. "Mitochondria", "respiration", "force", whatever.
This pays off enormously on exam day. You can think in your stronger language and translate to the exam language as you write.
Use Translation Mode
It translates while keeping technical terms in the original language. So your notes are in your native language but the exam vocabulary stays intact.
Study in your stronger language, write in the exam language
Most students try to study in their weaker language. That's backwards. Study in whichever language you understand the concepts in fastest. Then practice expressing them in the exam language.
Common pitfalls
- Avoiding texts in your weaker language until exam week
- Translating everything (loses technical vocabulary)
- Studying the language separately from the content
- Speaking only your home language at home (you need exposure)
A working schedule
- 70% of study time in your weaker (exam) language
- 30% in your stronger language for difficult concepts
- Switch back and forth on the same topic
Bilingual students who do this typically outscore monolingual students because they understand more deeply.