TabTabTab
My child can recite the 7 times table but can't answer 7×8 quickly. Why?
There's a difference between reciting the seven times table and answering 7×8 instantly when asked out of order. Many children can do the first but not the second, and that's exactly the difference the MTC tests.
What the research says
Reciting tables in order (7×1=7, 7×2=14, 7×3=21) and answering random facts are two different tasks for the brain. Soltanlou and colleagues’ study of Year 3 children found that as children get better at times tables, they move from counting and calculating to remembering. Reciting keeps them tied to the sequence; random questions test real memory.
What this means in practice
A child who recites a table perfectly may still be early in memorising it. Getting from “I can work it out” to “I just know it” takes practice in the format that tests memory: random questions, not reciting in order.
Try this
- Always ask in random order, never in sequence. If your child hesitates on a random question from a table they can recite easily, that’s exactly where to work.
- Count the seconds in your head: if the answer takes more than 2 seconds, it was worked out, not remembered.
- Ask a fact in the middle of a conversation, without setting up a practice session. That casual question is the most honest measure of what they really remember.
Sources
- Soltanlou et al. (2015) — peer-reviewed study
- Dehaene & Cohen (1997) — peer-reviewed study
Last reviewed: 2026-08-01