Drill your vocabulary list in Telegram

Keep your vocabulary in a Google Sheet, one row per word with a 'Term' column and an 'Answer' column, and drill yourself on it from Telegram. Whenever you send /quiz to your bot, it picks a word from the sheet at random and asks it. Send /answer followed by the word, an equals sign and what you think it means, and it marks you against what the sheet says.

Your sheet is the source of truth and nothing overrules it. An answer that matches the sheet word for word is marked correct straight away, before any AI is involved. Only an answer that does not match is passed to the AI, with a single question, whether it means the same thing, so a near miss can become a pass but a matching answer can never be marked wrong. If that check fails or comes back unclear, you are told the sheet's answer and the attempt is left unmarked. Messages that are not /quiz or /answer are ignored.

You need a Telegram bot in a private chat of your own.

TelegramWhen a new message is received. Save it as message.When a new message is received. Save it as message.

Set vocabSheetUrl to blank.Set vocabSheetUrl to blank.

Set sheetName to blank.Set sheetName to blank.

Set maxWordsRead to 500.Set maxWordsRead to 500.

Set wordsToRead to maxWordsRead multiplied by 1.Set wordsToRead to maxWordsRead multiplied by 1.

If wordsToRead is less than 1If wordsToRead is less than 1

Yes

Stop and report a problem: Set 'maxWordsRead' to 1 or more - it is how many rows of your sheet the drill reads.Stop and report a problem: Set 'maxWordsRead' to 1 or more - it is how many rows of your sheet the drill reads.

No

No steps

Set chatId to message.chat_id.Set chatId to message.chat_id.

Set messageText to blank.Set messageText to blank.

If a step below fails, save the error as noTextErrorIf a step below fails, save the error as noTextError

Try

Trim message.text and save it as messageText.Trim message.text and save it as messageText.

On error

Show in the output: This message carried no text, so there was nothing to mark..Show in the output: This message carried no text, so there was nothing to mark..

If messageText is emptyIf messageText is empty

Yes

Finish the run: This message carried no text, so nothing was asked or marked.Finish the run: This message carried no text, so nothing was asked or marked.

No

No steps

Split messageText by a space and save it as words.Split messageText by a space and save it as words.

Make the first item of words[0] split by @ lowercase and save it as command.Make the first item of words[0] split by @ lowercase and save it as command.

Trim the items from index 1 onward of words joined by a space and save it as rest.Trim the items from index 1 onward of words joined by a space and save it as rest.

If command is not /quiz and command is not /answerIf command is not /quiz and command is not /answer

Yes

If messageText starts with / (ignoring case)If messageText starts with / (ignoring case)

Yes

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.I drill you on the words in your vocabulary sheet. /quiz - I pick a word from your sheet and ask it /answer <word> = <what you think it means> - I mark it against your sheet

No

No steps

Finish the run: This message was not a /quiz or /answer command, so nothing was marked.Finish the run: This message was not a /quiz or /answer command, so nothing was marked.

No

No steps

Set sheetData to nothing.Set sheetData to nothing.

Set readFailed to false.Set readFailed to false.

If a step below fails, save the error as readErrorIf a step below fails, save the error as readError

Try

Google SheetsRead the rows of vocabSheetUrl. Save it as sheetData.Read the rows of vocabSheetUrl. Save it as sheetData.

On error

Change readFailed to true.Change readFailed to true.

If readFailed is yesIf readFailed is yes

Yes

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.I could not read your vocabulary sheet just now, so nothing was asked or marked. Try again in a moment.

Stop and report a problem: The vocabulary sheet could not be read.Stop and report a problem: The vocabulary sheet could not be read.

No

No steps

Set vocabRows to sheetData.rows.Set vocabRows to sheetData.rows.

If command is /quizIf command is /quiz

Yes

Set askable to an empty list.Set askable to an empty list.

For each vocabRow in vocabRows:For each vocabRow in vocabRows:

If a step below fails, save the error as termError If a step below fails, save the error as termError

Try

Trim vocabRow.Term and save it as term.Trim vocabRow.Term and save it as term.

Trim vocabRow.Answer and save it as meaning.Trim vocabRow.Answer and save it as meaning.

If term isn't empty and meaning isn't emptyIf term isn't empty and meaning isn't empty

Yes

Add term to the end of askable and save it as askable.Add term to the end of askable and save it as askable.

No

No steps

On error

Show in the output: Skipped a row missing its Term or Answer column..Show in the output: Skipped a row missing its Term or Answer column..

If askable is emptyIf askable is empty

Yes

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.I could not find anything to ask you. The tab needs a Term column and an Answer column, with a heading row, and at least one row filled in on both.

Finish the run: The vocabulary sheet held no complete rows.Finish the run: The vocabulary sheet held no complete rows.

No

No steps

Get the first item of 1 random items from askable and save it as askedWord.Get the first item of 1 random items from askable and save it as askedWord.

Set quizLine to Your word: askedWord.Set quizLine to Your word: askedWord.

Set quizHow to Set quizHow to When you have an answer, send: /answer askedWord = your answer.

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.quizLine plus quizHow

Finish the run: Asked one word from the sheet.Finish the run: Asked one word from the sheet.

No

If rest doesn't contain =If rest doesn't contain =

Yes

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.Send it as /answer <word> = <what you think it means>, for example: /answer ephemeral = lasting a very short time

Finish the run: The /answer command was not in the word = answer shape.Finish the run: The /answer command was not in the word = answer shape.

No

No steps

Split rest by = and save it as halves.Split rest by = and save it as halves.

Trim halves[0] and save it as askedTerm.Trim halves[0] and save it as askedTerm.

Trim the items from index 1 onward of halves joined by = and save it as learnerAnswer.Trim the items from index 1 onward of halves joined by = and save it as learnerAnswer.

If askedTerm is empty or learnerAnswer is emptyIf askedTerm is empty or learnerAnswer is empty

Yes

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.Send it as /answer <word> = <what you think it means>, for example: /answer ephemeral = lasting a very short time

Finish the run: The /answer command was missing the word or the answer.Finish the run: The /answer command was missing the word or the answer.

No

No steps

Set sheetAnswers to an empty list.Set sheetAnswers to an empty list.

For each vocabRow in vocabRows:For each vocabRow in vocabRows:

If a step below fails, save the error as matchError If a step below fails, save the error as matchError

Try

Trim vocabRow.Term and save it as term.Trim vocabRow.Term and save it as term.

Trim vocabRow.Answer and save it as meaning.Trim vocabRow.Answer and save it as meaning.

If term in lowercase is askedTerm in lowercase and meaning isn't emptyIf term in lowercase is askedTerm in lowercase and meaning isn't empty

Yes

Add meaning to the end of sheetAnswers and save it as sheetAnswers.Add meaning to the end of sheetAnswers and save it as sheetAnswers.

No

No steps

On error

Show in the output: Skipped a row missing its Term or Answer column..Show in the output: Skipped a row missing its Term or Answer column..

If sheetAnswers is emptyIf sheetAnswers is empty

Yes

Set notOnList to “@askedTerm” is not on your list, so I have nothing to mark it against. Send /quiz for a word that is.Set notOnList to “@askedTerm” is not on your list, so I have nothing to mark it against. Send /quiz for a word that is.

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.notOnList

Finish the run: That word is not in the sheet.Finish the run: That word is not in the sheet.

No

No steps

Get the first item of sheetAnswers and save it as statedAnswer.Get the first item of sheetAnswers and save it as statedAnswer.

Set matchesTheSheet to false.Set matchesTheSheet to false.

For each sheetAnswer in sheetAnswers:For each sheetAnswer in sheetAnswers:

If sheetAnswer in lowercase is learnerAnswer in lowercase If sheetAnswer in lowercase is learnerAnswer in lowercase

Yes

Change matchesTheSheet to true.Change matchesTheSheet to true.

No

No steps

If matchesTheSheet is yesIf matchesTheSheet is yes

Yes

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.Correct. Your sheet gives that as the answer for “@askedTerm”.

Finish the run: Answer matched the sheet exactly.Finish the run: Answer matched the sheet exactly.

No

No steps

Set markPrompt to You are marking one vocabulary answer. Reply with exactly one word: SAME if the learner's answer means the same as the expected answer, or DIFFERENT if it does not. Do not explain and do not add anything else..Set markPrompt to You are marking one vocabulary answer. Reply with exactly one word: SAME if the learner's answer means the same as the expected answer, or DIFFERENT if it does not. Do not explain and do not add anything else..

Set markDetail to Set markDetail to Word: askedTerm Expected answer: statedAnswer.

Set markLearner to Set markLearner to Learner's answer: learnerAnswer.

Set verdict to blank.Set verdict to blank.

Set markFailed to false.Set markFailed to false.

If a step below fails, save the error as markErrorIf a step below fails, save the error as markError

Try

OpenAIAsk OpenAI: '@markPrompt plus markDetail plus markLearner'. Save it as marking.Ask OpenAI: '@markPrompt plus markDetail plus markLearner'. Save it as marking.

Trim marking.response_text and save it as verdict.Trim marking.response_text and save it as verdict.

On error

Change markFailed to true.Change markFailed to true.

Set sheetSays to Your sheet says: “@statedAnswer”.Set sheetSays to Your sheet says: “@statedAnswer”.

If markFailed is yesIf markFailed is yes

Yes

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.I could not check that one, so I am not marking it either way. sheetSays

Finish the run: The wording check did not come back.Finish the run: The wording check did not come back.

No

No steps

If verdict starts with same (ignoring case)If verdict starts with same (ignoring case)

Yes

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.Correct - not word for word, but it means the same. sheetSays

Finish the run: Answer accepted as meaning the same.Finish the run: Answer accepted as meaning the same.

Else if @verdict starts with "different" (ignoring case)

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.Not quite. sheetSays

Finish the run: Answer did not match the sheet.Finish the run: Answer did not match the sheet.

Otherwise

TelegramSend a message to chat chatId.Send a message to chat chatId.I could not check that one, so I am not marking it either way. sheetSays

Finish the run: The wording check came back in an unusable shape.Finish the run: The wording check came back in an unusable shape.