Why it helps to return after a delay

If you repeat an answer several times in one sitting, it may become easy to produce while the session lasts. That immediate ease does not necessarily tell you how available the answer will be next week.

Spaced practice means distributing learning opportunities across time rather than placing them all together. Returning after a delay creates a different task from repeating information that is still fresh in mind.

Spacing is useful for many learning goals, especially when information must remain available later. Its benefits depend on what is being learned, how well it was learned initially, what happens during each return, and how long the information needs to last.