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Become a better student · Module 1: Memory

The forgetting curve, and how to flatten it

We forget fastest straight after learning something. Each well-timed review slows the forgetting down.

Written by the Brainhub Editorial Team Cites published research Updated 13 Oct 2026 5 min read

The course unlocks one lesson at a time. You can read this now, but it only counts once you’ve finished Stop re-reading.

Key takeaways

1. Where the curve comes from

In the 1880s the German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus memorised lists of nonsense syllables, such as “DAX” and “BUP”, and tested himself after different delays. He found that forgetting was steep at first and then levelled off.[1]

In 2015, researchers repeated his experiment with modern methods and found almost the same curve, which is why it still matters for students today.[2]

2. What the curve doesn’t say

You’ll often see claims that students forget 70% or 80% of a lesson within a day. Be careful: those figures come from meaningless syllables. Real lessons connect to things you already know, so they are usually forgotten more slowly.

The useful part is the shape, not the exact numbers: most forgetting happens early, and it can be slowed down.

3. How reviews flatten the curve

Ebbinghaus noticed that relearning a list was quicker than learning it the first time, even when he thought he had forgotten it. He called this “savings”. Every review rebuilds the memory and makes it fade more slowly next time.[1]

That’s why the timing pattern from the spacing lesson works: a quick review within a day catches the steepest drop, and each later review can wait longer.

Forgetting isn’t failure. It’s the moment a review does the most good.

4. A review routine that fits a school week

Same day

5 minutes after school: write the three key points from each lesson, without notes.

End of week

Friday quiz: 10 questions mixed from the whole week. Mark anything you missed.

End of month

One past-paper question per topic covered that month.

For parents: A two-minute “what did you learn today?” at dinner is a same-day review.

Try it now

Test yourself on this page

Answer in your head first, then check.

  1. 1. When is forgetting fastest?

  2. 2. What did Ebbinghaus call the time saved when relearning?

  3. 3. Why should you be wary of “you forget 70% in a day”?

Your next steps

  • Tonight, do a 5-minute same-day review of today’s lessons.
  • Put a Friday quiz in your diary.
  • Move on to Module 2: Revision that works.

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Sources

  1. Ebbinghaus, H. (1885, English translation 1913). Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University. psychclassics.yorku.ca/Ebbinghaus/index.htm
  2. Murre, J. M. J. and Dros, J. (2015). Replication and analysis of Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve. PLoS ONE, 10(7), e0120644. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0120644

This guide is general study advice. Every student is different. A teacher can help you work out what fits.