Effects of distributed practice on the acquisition of verb-noun collocations

Abstract Given the importance of collocational knowledge for second language learning, how collocation learning can be facilitated is an important question. The present study examined effects three different practice schedules on learning: node massed, and spaced. In node-massed schedule, collocations same verb were studied day. collocation-massed in weeks. collocation-spaced participants encountered multiple within a single day; at time, repeated each week. To examine whether could transferred to unstudied containing node, posttests included novel that not during treatment. Results suggested schedule led largest gains both collocations.