Memory

jog someone's memory

to make someone remember something

The police showed him a photo to try to j___ his m___ about what had happened on the night of the robbery.
Something about what he said j___ed my m___ about an article I had read the month before.

brush up on

to practice and improve your skills or your knowledge of something that you learned in the past

I must b___ u___ o___ my French before I go to Paris.

rack your brain

to think very hard

I r___ed my b____, trying to remember his name.
She r___ed her b___, trying to remember what David had said.

a knack

a skill or an ability to do something easily and well

a k___ for memorizing new words
She has the k____ of making people feel comfortable.

on the tip of your tongue

If a word or name is on the t___ of your t___, you are sure you know it but cannot remember it at that moment.

Her name is on the t___ of my t____, but I just can't think of it.

slip one's mind

If something s____s your m____, you forget it

I'm sorry I didn't call back — it completely s___ my m____.

brain fog

a state in which it's difficult to concentrate or think clearly, often due to tiredness or stress

After the long flight, I had serious b___ f___ and couldn't focus on anything.

lose your train of thought

to forget what one was talking or thinking about

Suddenly, I completely l____ my t____ of t____ in the middle of explaining an important point.

ring a bell

to sound familiar

The name r___ a b___ but I couldn't remember where I had heard it before. r___ a b___ with
No, I'm sorry, that description doesn't r___ any b___s with me.

have a memory like a sieve

If you have a m___ like a s___, you forget things very easily.

He has m___ like a s___ — he's always forgetting where he puts things.

a vivid memory

very clear, detailed, intense

I have a v____ m_____ of seeing snow for the first time

a distant memory

a memory from a long time ago

My school days are just a d___ m____ now.

a clear memory

easy to recall and precise

I have a c___ m___ of that conversation as if it were yesterday.

a vague memory

not a very clear memory
/veɪɡ/

I do have a v____ m___ of meeting her many years ago.

a fond memory

something that you remember with pleasure
I have such f___ m___ of playing outside until it got dark—no phones, just bikes and scraped knees.

have a good/bad memory for

be good/bad at remembering things
I have a b____ m_____ for faces