How spaced repetition helps vocabulary stick
Spaced repetition brings a word back after some forgetting has begun. Correct recall increases the wait before its next review; a miss brings it back sooner.
Spaced repetition schedules a review after some forgetting has begun, then lengthens the interval when recall succeeds. Instead of giving every word equal attention, it spends time on the words that are still fragile.
Why does spacing work better than cramming?
Several quick repetitions in one sitting can create fluency without durable memory. The word feels familiar because it has barely left your attention. A review on a later day asks the brain to reconstruct the connection, which is a more meaningful test of whether the word is available.
A large review of distributed practice found a consistent advantage for spacing across verbal-memory experiments. Applied vocabulary research has also found benefits from combining spacing, feedback, and testing in a learning app.
Why is retrieval more important than rereading?
Rereading “equanimity means calmness under pressure” confirms an answer that is already visible. Retrieval begins with the definition and asks you to produce equanimity. That moment of effort is useful. In a well-known Science study, repeated retrieval produced stronger delayed learning than repeated study.
What does a simple review schedule look like?
A new word might return tomorrow. A correct answer can move its next review a few days away, then a week, then several weeks. A miss shortens the interval. The exact dates matter less than the principle: success earns space, while uncertain recall earns another near-term attempt.
How does Verba use spaced repetition?
Verba keeps practice brief and adapts the queue to your answers. Words you know move farther away; words you miss return sooner. The daily feed, widget, and notifications create encounters, while practice checks whether those encounters became memories.
What should a good review feel like?
It should be possible but not automatic. If every answer is obvious, the review may be too soon. If nothing is retrievable, it may be too late or the original example was too weak. A little effort followed by immediate feedback is the useful middle.
