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What to do when your child forgets his homework at home

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Madeline Levine, PhD, is a psychologist with close to 30 years of experience as a clinician, consultant and educator. Her New York Times bestseller, The Price of Privilege , explores the reasons why teenagers from affluent families are experiencing epidemic rates of emotional problems.  Her book, Teach Your Children Well,  outlines how our current narrow definition of success unnecessarily stresses academically talented kids and marginalizes many more whose talents and interests are less amenable to measurement. The development of skills needed to be successful in the 21 st century- creativity, collaboration, innovation – are not easily developed in our competitive, fast-paced, high pressure world. Teach Your Children Well gives practical, research- based solutions to help parents return their families to healthier and saner versions of themselves.

Dr. Levine is also a co-founder of Challenge Success, a project born at the Stanford School of Education. Challenge Success believes that our increasingly competitive world has led to tremendous anxiety about our children’s’ futures and has resulted in a high pressure, myopic focus on grades, test scores and performance. This kind of pressure and narrow focus isn’t helping our kids become the resilient, capable, meaningful contributors we need in the 21st century. So every day, Challenge Success provides families and schools with the practical research-based tools they need to raise healthy, motivated kids, capable of reaching their full potential. We know that success is measured over the course of a lifetime, not at the end of the grading period.

Dr. Levine began her career as an elementary and junior high school teacher in the South Bronx of New York before moving to California and earning her degrees in psychology. She has had a large clinical practice with an emphasis on child and adolescent problems and parenting issues. Currently however, she spends most of her time crisscrossing the country speaking to parents, educators, students, and business leaders. Dr. Levine has taught Child Development classes to graduate students at the University of California Medical Center/ San Francisco. For many years, Dr. Levine has been a consultant to various schools, from preschool through High School, public as well as private, throughout the country. She has been featured on television programs from the Early Show to the Lehrer report, on NPR stations such as Diane Rheems in Washington and positively reviewed in publications from Scientific American to the Washington Post. She is sought out both nationally and internationally as an expert and keynote speaker. 

Dr. Levine and her husband of 35 years, Lee Schwartz, MD are the incredibly proud (and slightly relieved) parents of three newly minted and thriving sons.

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10 productive things to do when you don’t have homework

Katie November 22, 2021 good habits , homework , organization , procrastination , productivity

By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed.

Days without homework are the best. Whether it’s just one homework-free night, a weekend with nothing due on Monday, or even a whole vacation week with no long-term assignments hanging over your head, the feeling is liberating.

While you should take some time to enjoy an afternoon or a weekend without homework, there are some major benefits to using at least a portion of that time to be productive in ways that will pay off down the line. 

Below are 10 productive things to do when you don’t have homework – or when you just don’t feel like doing it “right now.” I mean, if you’re going to procrastinate (gasp!), you could at least spend that time doing something valuable – right?

1. Clean out your backpack.

Take everything out, empty all the pockets, throw away the squished stuff at the bottom, and go outside to shake your bag upside down.

2. Go through your folders and notebooks.

Remove all the papers from each of your folders and sort them: throw away junk and expired papers as well as duplicates, and move papers to their proper folder if they ended up in the wrong spot.

3. Sort your writing utensils.

Collect all the pens, pencils, highlighters and markers in your backpack or workspace. Sharpen the pencils and throw away dried-up pens and highlighters. Keep only what you like and use.

4. Clean your devices.

Use a screen cleaner or a wipe made for eyeglasses and thoroughly clean the screens of your phone, tablet, laptop and/or desktop. Lock your keyboard, tap it upside down to shake out crumbs (ew), and give that a wipe too. Don’t forget to clean your mouse.

5. Clean up Google Drive.

Go into Google Drive or wherever your store your digital files, and do some housecleaning. First, delete junky or old files. Next, do a search for the work untitled to give you a list of files that have no names: give these unnamed files names or just delete them. Lastly, move any stray files into appropriately named folders. Don’t have folders? Make some, starting with school year dates.

6. Manage your inbox.

Managing your email inbox as a student can be challenging if you don’t know what to do. Here are the exact steps for basic student email management . At the very least, go into your inbox and delete some junk / old emails and unsubscribe from promotional emails you don’t want.

Want to super boost your organization? Here is my ultimate list of the 100 best organization tips for college students.

7. Create or revamp your study space.

If you’re getting bored with your study space, spruce it up. Even a subtle shift like switching your lamp from the left to the right or swapping out your chair can have a motivating effect due to novelty . If you don’t have a study space, can you create one? Here are my resources for creating study spaces based on your learning style: kinesthetic learner , auditory learner , or visual learner .

8. Rewrite your notes.

I’ve talked about the benefits of rewriting notes before. It’s one of the secrets of good students, and if you don’t already do it, now is the time. Find the most recent notes you took, and rewrite them neatly, filling in missing information and organizing the material in a way that’s better to study from.

9. Get ahead.

I know it’s such a relief when you don’t have homework, so this tip might feel contradictory, but why not use this free time to get ahead on some of your reading? Read the next chapter in the novel you’re reading in English class, read the next chapter in your history book, get started on the essay that’s not due for two weeks, or start studying for the test that you know you’re going to have.

10. Do a brain dump.

Any time is a good time to do a brain dump, but especially if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately. Here are the exact steps for doing a brain dump .

Listen, this list of productive things to do is not all about go-go-go until you pop. I’m not suggesting that you spend every second of your free time being productive. That’s actually not productive at all! But the message is that sometimes when we don’t have homework or we’re just not feeling like jumping into our homework quite yet, we can use that time to plug away at the little things.

More student productivity resources

• 24 productivity tips for students
• How to be more productive at work
• Productivity hack for students: Set the table

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No More “I Forgot”

The “i forgot” excuse is one of the oldest in the book, but for students with adhd it’s often the truth. help your students stay on track with these 9 tips..

Teens forget things. Teens with ADHD forget things more often. You may think they are lazy or have a bad attitude, but all of those “I forgots” are a symptom of the disorder. Teachers shouldn’t punish a child for, say, forgetting to hand in homework , but should help him find solutions instead. Below are common problems, along with solutions. If a student:

Forgets to write down homework assignments

> Ask another student to check to see that his assignments are written down.

> Allow him to dictate assignments into a digital recorder, record them in his cell phone or computer, or use his own reminder system — filling out an index card that he sticks in the back pocket of his jeans.

Forgets to bring home the correct assignments and books

> Tape a checklist on the locker that reminds him to take home things he repeatedly forgets.

> Have him write a reminder note in the palm of his hand.

Forgets to return homework, tests, and permission slips to school

> Establish a routine: papers or weekly reports are always sent home on Fridays.

> Notify parents that papers will be sent home regularly.

Forgets to put his name on papers

> Tape a small cue card on his desk that states what to do: 1) write name on paper, 2) turn in homework.

> Give the student stick-on name labels.

> Have row captains check for names on all papers that are handed in.

For Teachers: Read These Next

9 Things I Wish the World Knew About My Students’ ADHD

A Teacher’s Guide to NVLD: How to Support Students with Nonverbal Learning Disability

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Homework Struggles May Not Be a Behavior Problem

Exploring some options to understand and help..

Posted August 2, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• What Is Anxiety?
• Take our Generalized Anxiety Disorder Test
• Find a therapist to overcome anxiety
• Mental health challenges and neurodevelopmental differences directly affect children's ability to do homework.
• Understanding what difficulties are getting in the way—beyond the usual explanation of a behavior problem—is key.
• Sleep and mental health needs can take priority over homework completion.

Chelsea was in 10th grade the first time I told her directly to stop doing her homework and get some sleep. I had been working with her since she was in middle school, treating her anxiety disorder. She deeply feared disappointing anyone—especially her teachers—and spent hours trying to finish homework perfectly. The more tired and anxious she got, the harder it got for her to finish the assignments.

One night Chelsea called me in despair, feeling hopeless. She was exhausted and couldn’t think straight. She felt like a failure and that she was a burden to everyone because she couldn’t finish her homework.

She was shocked when I told her that my prescription for her was to go to sleep now—not to figure out how to finish her work. I told her to leave her homework incomplete and go to sleep. We briefly discussed how we would figure it out the next day, with her mom and her teachers. At that moment, it clicked for her that it was futile to keep working—because nothing was getting done.

This was an inflection point for her awareness of when she was emotionally over-cooked and when she needed to stop and take a break or get some sleep. We repeated versions of this phone call several times over the course of her high school and college years, but she got much better at being able to do this for herself most of the time.

When Mental Health Symptoms Interfere with Homework

Kids with mental health or neurodevelopmental challenges often struggle mightily with homework. Challenges can come up in every step of the homework process, including, but not limited to:

• Remembering and tracking assignments and materials
• Getting the mental energy/organization to start homework
• Filtering distractions enough to persist with assignments
• Understanding unspoken or implied parts of the homework
• Remembering to bring finished homework to class
• Being in class long enough to know the material
• Tolerating the fear of not knowing or failing
• Not giving up the assignment because of a panic attack
• Tolerating frustration—such as not understanding—without emotional dysregulation
• Being able to ask for help—from a peer or a teacher and not being afraid to reach out

This list is hardly comprehensive. ADHD , autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety , generalized anxiety, panic disorder, depression , dysregulation, and a range of other neurodevelopmental and mental health challenges cause numerous learning differences and symptoms that can specifically and frequently interfere with getting homework done.

The Usual Diagnosis for Homework Problems is "Not Trying Hard Enough"

Unfortunately, when kids frequently struggle to meet homework demands, teachers and parents typically default to one explanation of the problem: The child is making a choice not to do their homework. That is the default “diagnosis” in classrooms and living rooms. And once this framework is drawn, the student is often seen as not trying hard enough, disrespectful, manipulative, or just plain lazy.

The fundamental disconnect here is that the diagnosis of homework struggles as a behavioral choice is, in fact, only one explanation, while there are so many other diagnoses and differences that impair children's ability to consistently do their homework. If we are trying to create solutions based on only one understanding of the problem, the solutions will not work. More devastatingly, the wrong solutions can worsen the child’s mental health and their long-term engagement with school and learning.

To be clear, we aren’t talking about children who sometimes struggle with or skip homework—kids who can change and adapt their behaviors and patterns in response to the outcomes of that struggle. For this discussion, we are talking about children with mental health and/or neurodevelopmental symptoms and challenges that create chronic difficulties with meeting homework demands.

How Can You Help a Child Who Struggles with Homework?

How can you help your child who is struggling to meet homework demands because of their ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD , school avoidance, or any other neurodevelopmental or mental health differences? Let’s break this down into two broad areas—things you can do at home, and things you can do in communication with the school.

Helping at Home

The following suggestions for managing school demands at home can feel counterintuitive to parents—because we usually focus on helping our kids to complete their tasks. But mental health needs jump the line ahead of task completion. And starting at home will be key to developing an idea of what needs to change at school.

• Set an end time in the evening after which no more homework will be attempted. Kids need time to decompress and they need sleep—and pushing homework too close to or past bedtime doesn’t serve their educational needs. Even if your child hasn’t been able to approach the homework at all, even if they have avoided and argued the whole evening, it is still important for everyone to have a predictable time to shut down the whole process.
• If there are arguments almost every night about homework, if your child isn’t starting homework or finishing it, reframe it from failure into information. It’s data to put into problem-solving. We need to consider other possible explanations besides “behavioral choice” when trying to understand the problem and create effective solutions. What problems are getting in the way of our child’s meeting homework demands that their peers are meeting most of the time?
• Try not to argue about homework. If you can check your own anxiety and frustration, it can be more productive to ally with your child and be curious with them. Kids usually can’t tell you a clear “why” but maybe they can tell you how they are feeling and what they are thinking. And if your child can’t talk about it or just keeps saying “I don't know,” try not to push. Come back another time. Rushing, forcing, yelling, and threatening will predictably not help kids do homework.

Helping at School

The second area to explore when your neurodiverse child struggles frequently with homework is building communication and connections with school and teachers. Some places to focus on include the following.

• Label your child’s diagnoses and break down specific symptoms for the teachers and school team. Nonjudgmental, but specific language is essential for teachers to understand your child’s struggles. Breaking their challenges down into the problems specific to homework can help with building solutions. As your child gets older, help them identify their difficulties and communicate them to teachers.
• Let teachers and the school team know that your child’s mental health needs—including sleep—take priority over finishing homework. If your child is always struggling to complete homework and get enough sleep, or if completing homework is leading to emotional meltdowns every night, adjusting their homework demands will be more successful than continuing to push them into sleep deprivation or meltdowns.
• Request a child study team evaluation to determine if your child qualifies for services under special education law such as an IEP, or accommodations through section 504—and be sure that homework adjustments are included in any plan. Or if such a plan is already in place, be clear that modification of homework expectations needs to be part of it.

The Long-Term Story

I still work with Chelsea and she recently mentioned how those conversations so many years ago are still part of how she approaches work tasks or other demands that are spiking her anxiety when she finds herself in a vortex of distress. She stops what she is doing and prioritizes reducing her anxiety—whether it’s a break during her day or an ending to the task for the evening. She sees that this is crucial to managing her anxiety in her life and still succeeding at what she is doing.

Task completion at all costs is not a solution for kids with emotional needs. Her story (and the story of many of my patients) make this crystal clear.

Candida Fink, M.D. , is board certified in child/adolescent and general psychiatry. She practices in New York and has co-authored two books— The Ups and Downs of Raising a Bipolar Child and Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.

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How to Remember to Turn in Homework

Last Updated: November 29, 2021

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a Private Tutor and Life Coach in Santa Cruz, California. In 2018, she founded Mindful & Well, a natural healing and wellness coaching service. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. Emily also received her Wellness Coach Certificate from Cornell University and completed the Mindfulness Training by Mindful Schools. This article has been viewed 50,749 times.

You’ve had enough of that soul-crushing stare your teachers hit you with when they find out you forgot your homework again. They silently shake their head as you tell them you finished it, and even enjoyed working on the assignment, but simply left it at home. Even worse, you get home and realize you had brought your homework to class but forgot to turn it in! Again! Fortunately, there are proven steps you can take to help you remember to turn in your homework.

Organizing to Boost Your Productivity

• There is the classic two pocket, a side-folding folder in any color you can imagine, or adorned with the comic book hero, cartoon character, or sports team of your choice. One option is to get a few of these and use one for each of your classes.
• If you have separate folders for each class, keep all of them with you throughout the school day, perhaps in a three-ring binder.
• Alternatively, get yourself an accordion folder. These multi-pocketed wonders, usually equipped with a flap or other mechanism to ensure your materials stay where you put them, can immediately improve your organization. [1] X Research source
• Take time twice a week to organize all your folders or online files. This way they’re kept clean on a regular basis.

• Put any notes, handouts, worksheets, or assignment materials into the proper folder location as soon as you receive them, and keep them there whenever you’re not using them.
• Keep your organizing materials with you. Bring your binder or accordion with you to every single class. This ensures you always have all of your assignments with you for every class.
• For some extra tips, check out How to Be Organized in School.

• Before school every morning, triple check your bag! There’s nothing worse than simply forgetting completed homework at home. Make sure you have your organizing materials with you, and that you placed you completed assignments in them.

Developing Strategies to Remember Your Homework

• As soon as you sit down, take your completed assignment out of its folder and place in on your desk in front of you. Keep it there until you are able to turn it in.
• Get an extra folder exclusively for completed assignments and keep it in the very front of your binder. This way, you’ll be reminded of your completed assignments whenever you access any of your class materials.

• Always write down all of your homework assignments as soon as you are made aware of them. Be extremely detailed with the information you include. For example, jot down the chapters or page numbers of the textbooks or other materials associated with each assignment.
• If your class has a syllabus or course schedule, enter all of the included due dates into your personal planner.
• Include information regarding time slots you will not be able to work on homework, such as music or sports team practices, a babysitting gig, or family meals.

• Tangible planners are easier to update with quick additions or edits.
• It’s always satisfying to cross a completed assignment off with an actual writing utensil.
• Day planners are more appropriate for in-class use. Since you’ll often be assigned homework in class, and want to enter new assignments immediately, this is a particularly important factor.

• Another great source of reminders is your teacher. If you struggle to remember to bring your homework to class, talk to your teacher about it. Your teachers will likely have some helpful advice, and can even remind you the day before homework assignments are due.
• Your teachers will likely remind the whole class if you ask them to start reminding you, which may help your classmates remember their homework too!
• Alternatively, find a friend who will be sure to hold you accountable and remind you what needs to be done.

Using Your Time More Efficiently

• Think about how long it will take you to complete assignments and plan accordingly.
• Schedule specific portions of larger projects separately.
• If you struggle with finding large enough time slots to complete your homework, recognize that you need to make the time to do so. For instance, if you spend a good portion of each evening socializing with friends (online or in person), do all of your homework before you go out or get online.

• Kick starting your day will increase your productivity generally and prepare you for more efficient homework sessions. [2] X Research source
• Stick with it. If you get in the habit of getting up a bit earlier, you’ll likely start going to bed earlier as well.
• Don’t fall into the trap of staying up late working on homework, as your focus and productivity is greatly diminished late at night.
• Don’t procrastinate your homework and try to finish it when you wake up in the morning. It will make your day more stressful and ruin your previous night’s sleep.

• Wear headphones and sit facing a wall if you’re prone to visual distraction.
• Remind yourself that getting your homework done during school hours allows you to do whatever you want in your free time, including hang out with friends.

• If you are ever unsure of an assignment, ask your teacher about it as soon as you have a question.
• Get a jumpstart on weekend homework on Thursday or Friday. If you know you’re going to need to do some homework over the weekend, try to get it done earlier so you can relax and enjoy yourself over the weekend as well.
• Do not leave all of your weekend homework for Sunday.
• Try to plan weekend social activities for Saturday, and dedicate at least a few hours of Friday evening to schoolwork. If you do end up with plans on a Friday night, make sure you set aside a few hours on Saturday to work on homework.

Staying Focused on Your Homework

• Try studying in different environments to find the one that allows you to focus the best.
• Avoid screens, especially TVs. This includes your phone. Put your phone in your bag and leave it there. Only check it during scheduled breaks.
• Wear headphones (or earplugs). Whether in a library or coffee shop, headphones will help reduce the frequency of auditory distractions. Choose music that does not have lyrics, and is more ambient than bass-driven. Think “background music” when you’re making your selection, but know that you can still listen to music you enjoy.
• If you’re studying at home, try to use a room in which you won’t be interrupted by family members or roommates. Let others know you intend to work on homework for a certain amount of time, and ask them to let you be.

• The company of a friend can keep you from wondering what everybody else is up to, and can even make doing your homework feel like hanging out.
• Avoid studying with friends who tend to interrupt a lot, or who have trouble focusing themselves. You can hang with whoever you want once your work is done!

• Include a healthy snack, as well as a water bottle. Not having to get up for sustenance will keep you grinding through your homework for a longer period of time.
• Don’t forget sticky notes. They’re weirdly helpful. Use them as visual reminders of important things to remember, and to keep pages in books you’re studying or otherwise referencing frequently.

• Computers can also help you organize. Familiarize yourself with web-based storage systems like Google Drive and Dropbox. These will allow you to save and access files from anywhere you have internet access. [3] X Research source
• Use a flash drive too. Save all electronic files to both a web-based storage system and a thumb drive. Keep the drive with you at all times. (Get a thumb drive with a keychain attachment!) This way, even if you forget your hard copy, you can print another at school and eliminate the unfortunate “I forgot my homework” scenario.

• Try a 10 minute break after every 50 minutes of focused work.
• Use these breaks to go for a short walk, use the washroom, do a brief physical exercise (like stretching, push-ups, or jumping jacks), or to get a simple chore out of the way.
• Do not allow yourself to get distracted by activities that will prevent you from going back to work or will get your mind out of study mode. For instance, don’t call someone you haven’t spoken with in a while or sit down with friends who are hanging out but not studying.
• Reward yourself when completing assignments – but not before. If you’ve been itching for a bowl of ice cream, don’t dive into the freezer during a break. Instead, enjoy the ice cream once your homework is done for the evening and you can focus all of your attention – or none at all – on every bite.

Community Q&A

• If you’re doing your best to organize, plan, and focus on your homework, but are still struggling to get it all done, talk to a school counselor or your parents. School counselors, in particular, are trained to help students, and they will be happy to work with you on strategies and options to improve your ability to succeed in school. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

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Tips for Remembering Homework Assignments

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I left my homework at home! How many times have you said this? It’s a terrible feeling to know you’re going to get a failing grade on homework after you actually did the work. It seems so unfair!

There are ways to prevent this dilemma and others, but you must be willing to prepare ahead of time to save yourself from future headaches. The most important thing you can do to avoid a dilemma like this is to establish a strong routine.

Once you form a strong, consistent homework pattern , you will avoid many of the big problems, like leaving a perfectly good assignment at home.

Establish a Homework Base

Does your homework have a home? Is there a special place where you always put your paperwork each night? To avoid forgetting your homework, you must establish a strong homework routine with a special homework station where you work each night.

Then you must get in the habit of putting your homework where it belongs right after you finish it, whether this is in a special folder on your desk or in your backpack.

One idea is to put the completed assignment in your backpack and leave the backpack right beside the door.

Buy a Homework Bell

This is one of those ideas that sounds silly, but it really works!

Go to a business supply store and find a counter bell, like those you see on store counters. Place this bell in the homework station and work it into your homework routine. Each night once all the homework is completed and in its proper place (like your backpack), give the bell a ring.

The ringing of the bell will let everyone know that you (and your siblings) are ready for the next school day. The bell will become a familiar sound and one that your family will recognize as an official end to homework time.

Use Your Email

Email is a great invention for writers. Each and every time you write an essay or other assignments on the computer , you should get in the habit of sending yourself a copy via email. This can be a real lifesaver!

Simply open your email as soon as you finish your document, then send yourself a copy by attachment. You’ll be able to access this assignment from anywhere. If you forget it, no problem. Just go to the library, open, and print.

Home Fax Machine

The fax machine can be another lifesaver. These contraptions have become very affordable lately, and they can come in quite handy for parents as well as students in a time of crisis. If ever you forget an assignment, you might be able to call home and have a parent or sibling fax your assignment to the school office.

It may be a good time to talk with your parents about investing in a home fax machine if you don’t have one already. It’s worth a try!

Put a Checklist by the Door

Try putting a checklist somewhere conspicuous where you and/or your parents will see it each morning. Include homework, lunch money, personal items, anything you need each day. Remember, it’s the routine that makes this work.

Be creative! You can put a checklist by the front door, or perhaps you prefer someplace more interesting. Why not place a sticky note on the back of your cereal box each time you open a new one?

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• The Case for the Importance of Taking Notes

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Tips to help your student remember to turn in homework, students who struggle with sustained attention and working memory problems often forget to turn in their homework.   not getting credit for homework that’s finished on time is extremely frustrating to everyone involved if this is a problem for your child or teen, try these suggestions., identify the problem, there are a number of ways that homework can get lost between home and the classroom. talk through these situations with your child to identify the problem., is the homework left at home, is the homework lost in the bottom of the backpack, the bottom of the locker, or elsewhere, is turning in the homework in being forgotten in the classroom, once you have identified the problem, consider these suggestions to address it., leaving homework at home, if your student loses track of homework at home, try these suggestions., talk about the fact that her homework is not really completed until she puts it in the right folder or notebook, and packs the folder and notebook into the backpack., have her make a written list for completing her morning routine including putting the homework in the backpack in the morning. it is important that she make the list so that she will take ownership of this process., have her make list all the things she needs to put in her backpack each day including homework. either put this in a clear luggage tag on the backpack or place this list on the wall where she packs up to go., help her link putting the homework in the backpack or notebook to a previously formed habit. for example, if she easily remembers to take her trumpet, she could put her homework folder with it., losing homework in the backpack or elsewhere, if the homework gets lost on the way to the classroom, help your student try different ways of keeping better track of her homework., some students like to use a homework folder so that all the assignments that need to be turned in are in one place., for others, it works best to put the completed homework in their notebook(s) organized by subject., where the homework goes is a matter of preference: the key is to put it in the same place every time so she can find it., forgetting to turn in the homework in class, for a student who forgets to turn in the homework in the classroom, these ideas may be helpful., have her create a written checklist of things to be done when she enters or leaves the classroom., try associating turning in the homework to something that he sees when he walks into or out of the classroom. recently while working with a student on this problem, he stated that his teacher has a “bob the minion” toy beside the basket for homework. i suggested that he needed to go see bob as soon as he walks in the classroom. he hasn’t missed turning in his homework since, if your student uses a planner for tracking assignments, it could also be used as a way to remind her to turn in assignments. your student could add “turn in homework” so that when she writes down that day’s assignment, she will remember to turn her completed homework..

• Have your student ask a friend to give him a secret signal (pat him on the back) to remind him to turn in his homework.  This needs to be a really good friend who has no problem turning in homework and can be trusted not to tell others about this.

There are now smart phone apps and smart watches that can be set to vibrate and show a reminder at a specific time. If this works for your student, talk to her teachers about allowing her to use these tools to address this specific need.

Any or all of the above: try technology, when she prints out a completed assignment at home, your student might also send it to her own email account. then, if she misplaces it somewhere along the way, she could print it out during class or free time (with teacher permission)., an alternative is to have her store completed homework documents on an online information organizing tool like evernote ., an innovative approach might be to ask her teachers if your student could email completed assignments directly to them thus avoiding any possible losses along the way. a number of high school teachers are using google docs and other online file sharing tools for this purpose., need help with this concept, if teachers have set up a system that is not working for your student, talk with them about allowing alternatives., if you need any additional help implementing this concept, call 817.421.8780 to set up an appointment today., ————————————————————-, © 2016, monte w. davenport, ph.d., share what helps your student remember to turn in homework.

Homework challenges and strategies

By Amanda Morin

Expert reviewed by Jim Rein, MA

At a glance

Kids can struggle with homework for lots of reasons.

A common challenge is rushing through assignments.

Once you understand a homework challenge, it’s easier to find solutions.

Most kids struggle with homework from time to time. But kids who learn and think differently may struggle more than others. Understanding the homework challenges your child faces can help you reduce stress and avoid battles.

Here are some common homework challenges and tips to help.

The challenge: Rushing through homework

Kids with learning difficulties may rush because they’re trying to get through what’s hard for them as fast as possible. For kids with ADHD, trouble with focus and working memory may be the cause.

Rushing through homework can lead to messy or incorrect homework. It can also lead to kids missing key parts of the assignment. One thing to try is having your child do the easiest assignments first and then move to harder ones.

Get more tips for helping grade-schoolers and middle-schoolers slow down on homework.

The challenge: Taking notes

Note-taking isn’t an easy skill for some kids. They may struggle with the mechanical parts of writing or with organizing ideas on a page. Kids may also find it hard to read text and take notes at the same time.

Using the outline method may help. It divides notes into main ideas, subtopics, and details. 

Explore different note-taking strategies .

The challenge: Managing time and staying organized

Some kids struggle with keeping track of time and making a plan for getting all of their work done. That’s especially true of kids who have trouble with executive function.

Try creating a homework schedule and set a specific time and place for your child to get homework done. Use a timer to help your child stay on track and get a better sense of time.

Learn about trouble with planning .

The challenge: Studying effectively

Many kids need to be taught how to study effectively. But some may need concrete strategies.

One thing to try is creating a checklist of all the steps that go into studying. Have your child mark off each one. Lists can help kids monitor their work.

Explore more study strategies for grade-schoolers and teens .

The challenge: Recalling information

Some kids have trouble holding on to information so they can use it later. (This skill is called working memory. ) They may study for hours but remember nothing the next day. But there are different types of memory.

If your child has trouble with verbal memory, try using visual study aids like graphs, maps, or drawings.

Practice “muscle memory” exercises to help kids with working memory.

The challenge: Learning independently

It’s important for kids to learn how to do homework without help. Using a homework contract can help your child set realistic goals. Encourage “thinking out loud.”

Get tips for helping grade-schoolers do schoolwork on their own.

Sometimes, homework challenges don’t go away despite your best efforts. Look for signs that kids may have too much homework . And learn how to talk with teachers about concerns .

Key takeaways

Some kids have a hard time doing schoolwork on their own.

It can help to tailor homework strategies to a child’s specific challenges and strengths.

Sometimes, there’s too much homework for a child to handle. Talk to the teacher.

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How to Do Homework: 15 Expert Tips and Tricks

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

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“I Left My Homework at Home!”

Have you ever arrived at school and discovered that you left your homework at home …or your lunch money, gym shoes, library books, permission slip for next week’s field trip…?

If you think it is annoying forgetting these things, your parents and teachers find it even more frustrating! The good news is that it is fairly easy to become better prepared for school. You just need to develop a few simple routines.

Action Plan

Step 1: Put your homework away as soon as you finish each assignment. Do not wait until the next morning or even later in the evening. When you finish something, put it away –in the correct folder- immediately! This will prevent your papers from being lost in the wrong folder, falling off the table and sliding under the refrigerator, sticking to your younger brother’s book and going to school with him, or simply being forgotten.

Step 2: Get ready for school before you go to bed. Mornings are almost always rushed and hectic, so it becomes very likely that you will forget something important at home. Instead of waiting until morning, develop the habit of collecting everything you need the night before school. Gather all of your books, folders, and notebooks together and pack them into your book bag. You should also set out your clothes, shoes, jacket, and any other things you will need for school the next day.

Step 3: Do a “double-check” every morning. Create a list of everything you need for each day of the week and post it on your door. In addition to the standard things you need every day like your book bag, your list should also remind you about library books that are due on Tuesday, gym shoes that you need for Thursday, etc. You can access a free “Night Before School Tool” here . Ask an adult to help you download and customize the chart at this website. Then, post it on your door and check it every morning before you leave for school.

In Conclusion

It does not take much effort to become better prepared for school. When you are better prepared, your school days will go much more smoothly, your parents and teachers will be much happier, and your grades will likely improve as you turn more assignments in on time!

-Susan Kruger

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• Create a study schedule
• Set up a homework tool kit
• Have a dedicated study space
• Have your parents help you
• Get a tutor
• Brain food and hydration
• Take breaks
• Study at the same time every day
• Ask for help

Tip #1: Create a study schedule

Homework from certain subjects, such as Maths , may take longer than others. It’s a great idea to plan out a weekly calendar based on your weekly class schedule. You’ll need to keep track of the different deadlines and commitments you have, and anticipate the amount of time you need to get different tasks done. ⏰

Not only will creating a schedule help you stay organised and make sure you get everything done in time, having a well-developed routine will also help you develop your time management skills and take responsibility. Your parents can help you with this if you need a little extra support with organising your time while learning at home .  

Tip #2: Set up a homework toolkit 

It’s a great idea to have everything you need ready to go in your at-home study space, including a homework toolkit. You don’t want to have to get your school supplies in and out of your backpack constantly, and having a separate set of supplies with everything you need at home would make things more fun and easy. ✍️

Why not put together a homework toolbox with stationery and other fun things that you may need for projects and assignments throughout the year? That way, you’ll be ready to get started as soon as it’s time for homework.

Tip #3: Have a dedicated study space 

It’s a great idea to find a distraction-free space to study at home. It doesn’t have to be fancy – you can use a desk or a table and chair to create a zone dedicated to homework . Make sure it’s in a quiet spot with no distractions such as TV nearby while you’re working. 💻

It’s a good idea for you to create a few rules that should be followed in the study area to make sure you stay on track. For example, ‘no digital devices are allowed in the zone’, and ‘the homework zone must be left tidy after the day’s homework is complete’. You can determine these rules for yourself or work it out with the help of your parents. 

Tip #4: Have your parents help you

Your parents are a great resource you can take advantage of if you need help as you’re doing your homework. If you encounter anything that makes you feel confused or need something explained more thoroughly, ask your parent or caretaker to help you. 

However, keep in mind that you’re the one who should be doing your homework – not your parents. Independent learning will allow you to learn from your mistakes and gain an understanding of where you need a little extra help. Your parents should be helping you when you need it, but they shouldn’t be doing your work for you. Homework and revision are crucial elements of learning , so it’s important that you do your own work and understand it. ✔️

Tip #5: Get a tutor

Even with the help of your parents, schoolwork can be difficult. If you find yourself struggling to grasp certain concepts or just think you could benefit from some extra one-on-one support from an experienced tutor, why not try online tutoring ? 

Your parents may realise that much of today’s school curriculum is different to what they were taught during their schooldays. It’s totally okay to admit that there are some subjects you may need some extra help with – which is where tutors come in. 👩🏽‍🏫

Tip #6: Eat brain food and stay hydrated 

Nutrition and hydration is super important when it comes to concentration, focus and energy. After a long day at school, you probably need a snack or a light meal to keep you going until dinnertime – trying to do your homework on an empty stomach isn’t a good idea. 🥗

Check out our best tips for energy foods and brain foods that’ll help you get that homework done, and don’t forget to keep sipping water! Making sure that you’re drinking enough water to stay properly hydrated is important as it’ll help you stay focused on the work at hand. 

Tip #7: Remember to take breaks

While you’re doing your homework, it’s important that you take enough breaks. Breaks are important for your concentration, especially on days when the schedule contains more than three tasks . ☝️

You should try to maintain good posture as you’re studying, and make sure to keep moving. It’s recommended that you get up to use the restroom, get a glass of water or just have a little stretching session once per hour. If you’re committed to your study session, a quick five minute break to regroup will help you maintain focus for longer and retain more of the information you’re taking in!

Tip #8: Study at the same time every day 

Creating good habits is important in order to be successful over time. It’s a good idea for you to build a routine that works for you, and having a designated time to study every day is very beneficial. ⌛

When you decide to study is entirely up to you – some people may prefer to sit down with their homework right after getting home from school so they can have the rest of the day to themselves. Others may want to have a snack or some time to relax before starting. It all depends on what works best for you, so pick the study time you’re happy with. 

Tip #9: Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Homework is here to stay, and at some point every kid is going to need a little help. That’s where we come in! GoStudent tutors are equipped to help with all subjects and all learning styles. Get in touch today to book your free trial session and try it for yourself! 🚀

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The 10 Most Common Homework Excuses Teacher's Receive (And How to Come up with Better Ones)

• Trent Lorcher
• Categories : Study & learning tips for parents & students
• Tags : Homework help & study guides

You might wonder why a teacher would want to help you with “I forgot my homework” excuses. It’s simple. I’m tired of hearing the same excuses every time I collect an assignment. I want you to be more creative. The top homework excuses of the past no longer give me the thrill of detective work like they used to. I’ve already figured out a way to shoot them down, to humiliate you, and make you feel silly. I feel like General Zaroff must have felt in “The Most Dangerous Game.” I need a new challenge, so here’s a list of top homework excuses, why you should never use them, and subtle changes you can make to be more effective.

10 Most Common Excuses & How to Improve Them

• I forgot my homework : That’s weak! You can do better than “I forgot my homework,” Can’t you? Even if you did forget your homework, come up with something more creative than this. Here’s a little trick: “I forgot my homework, but my mom said she’ll bring it in during lunch/after school.” This will buy you a few hours. Do the assignment during lunch and bring it in after school.
• My printer doesn’t work : Come on! Did your printer work last week? Did it work the day before yesterday? Or did it mysteriously stop working right when you were about to print out your assignment? There are millions of functioning printers in the world. There are probably several at your school, including one in your teacher’s classroom. They’re not going to buy this. Try this one instead: “My printer ran out of ink last night. Can I e-mail it to you when I get home?” This will buy you some time and your teacher isn’t going to check too closely. Just have it e-mailed before 5:00 and you’re safe.
• I didn’t know it was due today : Are you serious? It’s been on the board for a week-and-a-half. It’s been mentioned every day at the start of class. It’s on the class website. The other 36 kids in the class knew it was due today. Don’t ever try this one. Even if you didn’t know it was due, you should have.
• I lost it: Try using that one with the power company. Try “my backpack was stolen” or “I left my binder on the bus.”
• I was absent: Yea, you were sick 5 days ago when I assigned it, but you’ve been here every day since. Didn’t it occur to you that you needed to find out what you missed before it was due. Try “I was really sick last night and was unable to finish it. If you want, I can bring a note from my Mom.”
• Start crying : This is actually really effective if you’re a girl. If you’re not a girl, don’t try this, nor should you try its sister excuse: “it’s that time of the month.”
• I cleaned out my notebook and threw it away : Maybe you should clean out your head before using this classic. Nobody believes you threw anything out of your notebook because it’s exploding with papers. Use the “I got my notebook stolen” instead.
• I didn’t do it : Some teachers may give you some points for honesty, but they already know you didn’t do it.
• I had a game last night : Most teachers will give you the “so, you think ___________ (name of sport) is more important than _______ (name of class)?” response. If you’re teacher is a huge sports fan and if your team won and if you played an integral role in the victory, you may get a break.
• I never got the homework: The 38 other students in class all got the assignment and began working on it immediately, but you neither got the assignment nor bothered to ask what the rest of the class was doing?

As you can see, teachers have wised up to your antics. No longer are the traditional excuses gonna cut it. It’s time to evolve into the next generation and challenge your teacher to keep up with your creative homework dodging.

This post is part of the series: Homework Excuses

Find the best, the worst, the most popular, and the funniest homework excuses with just a few clicks of the mouse.

• The 10 Best Homework Excuses
• The 10 Most Common “I Forgot my Homework” Excuses
• Funny Homework Excuses

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Why is it wrong to say this sentence 'I'm afraid I forgot my homework at home

Why is it wrong to say this sentence and what grammar rules are broken

• differences

• 4 Why do you think it's wrong? Who told you that it is wrong? The meaning of the sentence is very clear. It might not be the most formal way to phrase this sentence, but I don't think it's wrong (or at least not in an obvious way). –  FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Commented May 16, 2013 at 16:15
• Because you're going to be in big trouble. Again. –  Hot Licks Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 20:41
• I am being told "I forgot my wallet at home." is wrong. However, I find it to be supremely idiomatic. I would say it's short for "I forgot [to grab and begin carrying] my wallet [while I was] at home." It's the only way I ever hear native speakers declare they are unable to pay or show ID. This means it's not wrong. –  thorr18 Commented Mar 23, 2017 at 0:19

3 Answers 3

If someone told you that

I'm afraid I forgot my homework at home.

is wrong, the only possible reason is that that someone believes you should have said either:

I'm afraid I forgot my homework . I left it at home.

I'm afraid I left my homework at home .

The string "I forgot my homework at home" is ambiguous. When you were at home and supposed to be doing your homework, did you forget that you had homework to do? If so, then you should say:

I'm afraid that after I arrived home yesterday, I forgot that I had homework to do, so I didn't do it.

The problem is one of semantics, not grammar. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

However, most native speakers would understand your sentence to mean that you were claiming two things:

(1) I did my homework.

(2) I forgot to bring it with me. It's still at home.

The verb forget does not take an indirect object marked by at , whereas leave may.

I left my homework at home.

the at home phrase is an argument of the verb, specifying its meaning. whereas in

I forgot my homework at home.

it is not, and can only be an adjunct: specifying where the action took place, not being part of the meaning of the action. Furthermore, forget in the special sense of leave behind (as opposed to forget about ) is not really compatible with such a locational phrase.

As Frustratedwithformsdesigner says, the second sentence is understandable in context, but it is not something that a native speaker would say, except in the rather unusual meaning where at home is an adjunct; something like

I was thinking about my homework all the time I was at the gym, and then on the bus, but I forgot my homework at home.

For your meaning, either

I forgot my homework. or I left my homework at home. would be the normal ways to express it.

• This is precisely when forget means “to leave behind unintentionally,” and I don't see how it's incompatible with a location. Indeed, Wiktionary uses it in the example of leave behind meaning “to forget”: We (accidentally) left behind our bags at the airport. (I personally would rephrase that as We left our bags behind at the airport, but I guess they wanted to stress the phrasal verb.) –  Bradd Szonye Commented May 16, 2013 at 22:53
• "...it is not something that a native speaker would say..." is always a dangerous thing to say. Native speakers will say anything, even "educated" native speakers. Maybe "...it's not something that a careful native speaker would say unless inebriated..." is more or less true. :-) –  user21497 Commented May 17, 2013 at 0:05
• @Bradd: perhaps it is compatible with a location for you, but not for me, and the result strikes me as unnatural. And we are talking about forget , not leave behind : words with the same semantics may have quite syntactic constraints. –  Colin Fine Commented May 17, 2013 at 16:16
• 2 I am a native speaker, and I find it entirely natural. Forgot at home means left at home. –  Bradd Szonye Commented May 17, 2013 at 17:14
• 2 I too find it perfectly natural—and moreover, it is semantically different from “I left my homework at home”. Left implies (or at least makes it possible) that the homework was intentionally left at home, while forgot clearly says that it was unintentional. –  Janus Bahs Jacquet Commented May 18, 2014 at 12:57

When I look at this, the way I see it as being wrong is that you left out the word "that": "I'm afraid that I forgot my homework at home."

Without the "that," you technically have two complete sentences: "I'm afraid." "I forgot my homework at home." This is technically a run-on.

Although, in informal English, I'd say this is fine.

• That is optional in this sentence; there's nothing wrong with it as written. –  Nathaniel is protesting Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 18:28

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How to Excuse Yourself from Unfinished Homework

Last Updated: June 24, 2024

This article was co-authored by Alicia Oglesby . Alicia Oglesby is a Professional School Counselor and the Director of School and College Counseling at Bishop McNamara High School outside of Washington DC. With over ten years of experience in counseling, Alicia specializes in academic advising, social-emotional skills, and career counseling. Alicia holds a BS in Psychology from Howard University and a Master’s in Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology from Chestnut Hill College. She also studied Race and Mental Health at Virginia Tech. Alicia holds Professional School Counseling Certifications in both Washington DC and Pennsylvania. She has created a college counseling program in its entirety and developed five programs focused on application workshops, parent information workshops, essay writing collaborative, peer-reviewed application activities, and financial aid literacy events. This article has been viewed 894,134 times.

Ideally, you will always be ready for class and have your homework completed. Sometimes, however, life gets in the way and you aren’t prepared. There are several methods for developing an excuse to give your teacher for why you don’t have your homework ready, ranging from honest to deceptive.

Inventing an Elaborate Excuse

• Crumple and tear a paper assignment. Then you can tell the teacher that it flew out the window and got run over or trampled on.
• Smear dirt and water on your assignment and claim it fell in a puddle. Make sure to write a few words (bonus points if it relates to the homework assignment) so that it looks believable.
• Spill something dark (like juice or ink) on the assignment so that it is illegible.

• For instance, if you have to save work to a USB drive, you can claim to have a problem with the file.
• If you are asked to email or otherwise electronically send a homework file, you can “accidentally” send a different assignment, or the “wrong” draft (which could have just your name and the first part of the assignment, for instance). You might even be able to purchase corrupted files.
• Be aware that your teachers can be tech-savvy and know all of these tricks, so you might have to get creative. [2] X Research source

Buying Time and Stretching the Truth

• If the missed homework is for a class late in the day, you might be able to do the work before school, during another class, or during lunch or a break.
• You can hand in the wrong assignment—such as one from another class—or an old one from the same class. By the time your teacher notices the mistake, you will be able to complete the real homework, or just turn it in the next day and say you are sorry about the mix-up.
• Copy answers from a friend so you have something to turn in. Make sure your friend is ok with helping. This also only works for assignments where it is expected that students will have the same or similar answers. In some schools, even copying something like homework can merit a suspension. Remember to evaluate the situation and make a good decision as to whether or not you will copy homework off of a peer.

• A dangerous move, you can forge a note from a parent explaining why you couldn't do your homework.
• If you decide to forge one, be warned that your teacher might know it’s a fake. If you are caught, you face punishment from both your parents and teacher.

Telling the Truth

• You might say something like "I am really sorry, but I got behind on things and wasn't able to finish my homework. Could I be excused just this once? I'll turn it in tomorrow and I won't be late again."
• Keep things simple and direct, rather than annoying your teacher with long, rambling excuses.

• This means saying something like: "I know there's no excuse, and I accept full responsibility. I should have done my work. I'm sorry that I'm not prepared, and it won't happen again."
• Doing so will display maturity and your teacher might respect your honesty.

• Perhaps you are overworked and stressed (this is especially persuasive at exam time).
• If circumstances beyond your control, like an illness or death in the family, have prevented you from doing your work, say so.
• You can also explain that you didn’t understand the assignment, or struggled with it, or felt rushed, and needed to give it more time.

• Your teacher is more likely to accept the excuse if you don’t spring it on him or her at the last minute.
• You might also be able to ask for an extension so that you can turn the homework in later.
• Know your teacher’s personality, and how flexible and forgiving he or she is. When you talk to your teacher, look sad, serious, agitated, etc. depending on your excuse.

Community Q&A

• The best approach is to try to do your work on time rather than be tempted by an excuse. Don’t attempt to make excuses too often. This way, when you actually need to use one, your teacher is more likely to accept it. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Turn in your work, even if you have to make an excuse and submit it late. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you are able to do any of your homework, even a small amount or poor quality work, consider turning it in anyway. Having something prepared can be better than having nothing, and sometimes teachers will give you partial credit for partial work. You can also explain to your teacher that you would like to do a better job and turn it in later, if you want. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• I had an essay draft due, but I hadn't started. So, I pretended to not be able to find the file. It worked and my teacher even helped me a little. If that doesn't work, try asking for a short extension so you don't appear too suspicious.
• Just turn in a different homework assignment or sheet of paper. Then, finish the real homework. The next day, say that you noticed you actually turned in the wrong sheet and turn in the real assignment!
• Try not to look guilty and don't speak if you're too nervous. Also, don't talk too fast or your teacher might think that you practiced what to say.

• Be prepared to face the consequences if you get caught for using a deceptive excuse. Talk to your teacher in a mature way, explaining that you have a problem with procrastination, or feel overworked, or struggled with the assignment, etc. Thanks Helpful 54 Not Helpful 8
• Try not to lie, a bad conscious can easily come from repetitive lying. Thanks Helpful 44 Not Helpful 11
• If you get caught lying, it may lead to severe consequences with your teacher and parent/guardian. Thanks Helpful 25 Not Helpful 8

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/08/30/british-lecturer-compiles-best-student-excuses
• ↑ https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/the-computer-ate-my-homework-how-to-detect-fake-techno-excuses-2

About This Article

To excuse yourself from unfinished homework, try to make your excuse as believable as possible, like saying you were sick last night. If your homework was on a computer, claim your laptop crashed or your files were corrupted. Another thing you can try is handing in an old assignment. Then, do your actual homework before your teacher realizes. When they ask you about it, say that you accidentally handed in the wrong homework, and then give them the homework that was actually due. Even if you think you have a good excuse, your teacher’s probably heard it a dozen times before, so consider being honest with them and apologizing for falling behind. For example, say, “I’m sorry, but I wasn’t able to finish my homework this week. I had a lot of things to deal with. Is it okay if I turn it in tomorrow?” If you decide to be honest, try to tell your teacher at the beginning of class or even earlier in the day, which will make your excuse more realistic. For more tips, including how to pretend you lost your homework, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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I forgot it at home

• Thread starter marget
• Start date Sep 9, 2006

Senior Member

• Sep 9, 2006

• Sep 10, 2006

"I forgot it at home" is definitely wrong. Either say "I forgot it" or "I left it at home."  

If you say "I left it at home" I believe you did it deliberately. If you say "I forgot it at home" I believe you just made a mistake. So I think they are not interchangeable.  

I disagree. "I left it at home" doesn't imply intent, but if you really wanted to be clear, you could say "I accidentally left it at home."  

Member Emeritus

I disagree cj427, 'I forgot it at home' is perfectly acceptable to me.  

cj427 said: I disagree. "I left it at home" doesn't imply intent, but if you really wanted to be clear, you could say "I accidentally left it at home." Click to expand...

Forget: leave behind unintentionally ( American Heritage Dictionary ); "I forgot my umbrella in the restaurant." It works over here.  

I do not know if "I forgot it at home" is incorrect, but I know that as a teacher, I hear this weekly, if not daily (For the record, I do not accept this excuse). This phrase has certainly entered into very common usage (at least in schools in California). If it used to be considered incorrect, I doubt that it will be so much longer, since language changes so much with use.  

I agree with mccatlover and river. Perhaps to forget did once mean to be unable to recall something but as of today it definitely means to "leave something behind." To forget in Spanish (olvidar), in Italian (dimenticare) and in French (oublier) also mean "to unintentionally leave behind something".  

I can understand teacher's not accepting this as an excuse, but I have never heard that it's incorrect. Why was it considered incorrect?  

sound shift

I would never say "I forgot it at home", and I don't think I have ever heard it in the mouth of a native BE speaker. I will go to my grave saying "I left it at home".  

sound shift said: I would never say "I forgot it at home", and I don't think I have ever heard it in the mouth of a native BE speaker. I will go to my grave saying "I left it at home". Click to expand...

Sorry, soundshift, but I am a native UK speaker (Surrey born and bred) and I have often used the expression.  

look at all the variations. Portenio and Sound shift both say are from England however, portenio says he uses the phrase "Iforgot it at home" all the time to the contrary, Sound shift says He's never heard of that phrase and he'll never say it. I learned american english, and usually say "I forgot my cell-phone", I never say where I left it though, If I said I forgot my cell-phone in the car , it would mean to me, that I knew where the cell-phone was but didn't want to bring it with me, in this case I'd say I left it in the car, Once one of my co-workers (who had studied in England) corrected me and said that you don't forget objects but leave them in places. You however forget ideas and knowledge. Her reasoning sounded logical, still, I keep forgetting my cell-phone.  

You should know by now that Englishmen rarely agree with each other, especially when discussing how something should be said. It's one of our many idiosyncrasies! It's what makes Britain Great!  

I can say with certainty (being someone who frequently leaves my stuff at home) that in the US we say "I forgot it" all too often.  

I have just done two google searches, both with the domain .uk. "forgot them at home": NO hits "forgot it at home": only 31 hits  

There's a similar discussion going on here .  

Stephen Jones

The British National Corpus has 56 examples of 'forgot it' and in none of them is the place mentioned after.  

SusanB, since you invited us to feel free . . . I propose that perhaps you meant “could have been done on purpose or not.” Hopefully, you didn’t mean another possibility based on the spelling, “could have been done on porpoise or not.” That would just be weird. By the way, if you regularly see my posts, you will know that I have no right to claim either spelling or typing accuracy myself. I was just tickled with the last possibility  

lilfacemaker

i think i forgot it at home is correct  

foxfirebrand

Short version (example): "Where's your umrella?" "I omitted to bring it at home." Explanation (for those who still need one): I notice that almost all the people who think "I forgot it at home" is fine are not native speakers. But this is a matter of idiom and definitional nuance, not the sort of stuff a book provides real authority on. Besides, the definitions cited do not support that crucial additional detail of where the forgotten item was left behind. "I forgot it" (in the simple past) sounds deceptively a completed action but it is not, it's an ongoing state-- it does not have its beginning at a certain point in time. You're getting ready, gathering stuff you're supposed to bring-- the umbrella gets lost in the shuffle. At no particular moment did the forgetting occur. It's more the case that remembering the umbrella did not occur. At any time it could have been remembered, but it wasn't-- the act of forgetting is strewn all over the timeline, and basically occurred whenever the umbrella could've been remembered, but wasn't. You could've remembered the umbrella when you were in the driveway, getting into your car-- so forgetting the umbrella "happened" while you were not really at home. You were in a state of forgetting the umbrella (which was an omission, not an act ), in fact, until you realized that you hadn't remembered to bring it. In view of all this, "I forgot it at home" doesn't make sense. Neither does "I omitted to bring it at home." It isn't idiomatic, and the emphatic dislike of all those native speakers is a very useful clue for anyone rethinking the "correctness" of this expression. .  

lilfacemaker said: I think I forgot it at home is correct . Click to expand...

mccatlover said: SusanB, since you invited us to feel free . . . I propose that perhaps you meant “could have been done on purpose or not.” Hopefully, you didn’t mean another possibility based on the spelling, “could have been done on porpoise or not.” That would just be weird. By the way, if you regularly see my posts, you will know that I have no right to claim either spelling or typing accuracy myself. I was just tickled with the last possibility Click to expand...

Hi everyone! but why should "I forgot it at home" be wrong? I mean, grammatally is not incorrect, is it?  

Count me in as an another American who wouldn't say I forgot it at home . I would say: I forgot my notebook. It's at home. I left my notebook at home. I forgot to bring my notebook from home.  

argentina said: Hi everyone! but why should "I forgot it at home" be wrong? I mean, grammatally is not incorrect, is it? Click to expand...

When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. Click to expand...

All right people so what's the final verdict? I left it or I forgot it? Personally I could go with - I left my paper at home because I forgot to take it with me - good grief that's too long!  

bianconera said: All right people so what's the final verdict? I left it or I forgot it? Personally I could go with - I left my paper at home because I forgot to take it with me - good grief that's too long! Click to expand...

I can forget things at home without even leaving the house...  

Well said mariposita, that sums it up nicely.  

• Sep 11, 2006

marget said: In my most humble opinion, the final verdict is: (ahem, drum roll...) I left it at home ! One can only leave things at home; one cannot forget them at home as I said in the first place! Am I preaching to the choir? Click to expand...

mariposita said: I can forget things at home without even leaving the house... Click to expand...

geve said: You are preaching and you don't listen to the voice of the Bible as quoted by Panj? Click to expand...

"Forgot my keys at home" suggests to me that you unintentionally left your keys at home. "Left" doesn't mean you forgot them. Maybe you didn't feel like working, so you intentially left them at home.  

• Sep 16, 2014

It's frustrating to know that most native speakers don't say "forgot something somewhere" to mean "left it unintentionally". I'm a Vietnamese speaker and by the linguistic thinking, I think it should be perfectly natural to say or hear that. What a pity that I can't say something should be natural like that! Where and when did the restrict appear? People in the past never say that either, did they? I want to know if this trend will be likely to change in the future of 20 years.  

post mod (English Only / Latin)

Please see this thread: I forgot / left my bag in a taxi In post #25 , DMCL says that she would use both, with a different meanings. Another member also says he would use 'forgot' instead of 'left'. However, Google N-Grams indicate that in published writing, 'left' has been preferred since 1800, which is as far back as the N-Gram goes --> CLICK .