Spaced Repetition: The Science of Never Forgetting Vocabulary

The Forgetting Curve In 1885, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered something fascinating: we forget information in a predictable pattern. Within 24 hours of learning something new, we forget about 70% of it. But there's good news – we can hack this system. What is Spaced Repetition? Spaced repetition is a learning technique that shows you information at strategically timed intervals. The key insight: review just before you forget. Each successful review strengthens the memory and extends the time until the next review is needed: First review: 1 day later Second review: 3 days later Third review: 1 week later Fourth review: 2 weeks later And so on... Why It Works 1. Desirable Difficulty When recall is slightly challenging (but not impossible), the brain works harder to retrieve the memory. This effort strengthens the neural pathway. 2. Spacing Effect Distributed practice beats massed practice. Studying 10 minutes per day for a week beats studying 70 minutes in one sitting. 3. Active Recall Simply re-reading doesn't work. Actively trying to recall information creates stronger memories than passive review. LingoCity's Smart Review System LingoCity tracks your vocabulary progress and schedules reviews automatically: New words appear frequently until they stick Familiar words appear less often Difficult words get extra attention Mastered words appear just often enough to maintain The Numbers With spaced repetition, you can: Learn 300+ words per month sustainably Retain 90%+ of learned vocabulary Spend less time reviewing overall Tips for Maximum Retention 1. Be consistent – short daily sessions beat long weekly ones 2. Use context – learn words in sentences, not isolation 3. Engage multiple senses – see, hear, and speak the words 4. Sleep on it – memory consolidation happens during sleep Start building your vocabulary with LingoCity's intelligent review system. Never forget a word again.