Times Tables 1 to 20

Every row written out in full, with the patterns inside it and the facts that cause trouble

Every times table from 1 to 20 has a page here. Each one lists the whole row to 12 and on to 20, explains the patterns that make that particular row easier, points out the two or three facts that slow most people down, and links to a timed drill.

The order worth learning them in

Not all tables are equally hard, so learning them in numerical order wastes effort. The 1, 2, 5 and 10 rows come almost free and are worth getting solid first because every other table leans on them.

After that, take the 4s (double the 2s), the 3s (double and add one more), the 9s (ten lots minus one), and the 11s (the digit twice, up to 9). That leaves the 6s, 7s and 8s — the genuinely hard middle of the grid — as the only rows that need real drilling.

The 12s and above come last, and mostly they are not memorised at all: 17 × 6 is simply 10 × 6 plus 7 × 6. Learning the split is worth more than learning eight more rows.

How long it should take

Retrieval is what moves a fact from recognised to recalled, so what matters is how many times a fact is answered, not how many minutes are spent. Sixty seconds of shuffled drilling a day will move a row faster than a long weekly session.

Recite in order and you are practising the order, not the facts. The test that matters is whether a single fact, pulled out at random, can be answered in about a second — which is why every drill here shuffles.

What to do when a table will not stick

Narrow it down. A row of twelve facts is almost never twelve problems — usually two or three facts are doing all the damage and the rest are fine. Time each fact individually and drill only the slow ones.

Then attach each slow fact to a neighbour that is solid. If 6 × 7 keeps slipping but 6 × 6 = 36 is instant, the route in is 36 + 6 = 42. That is slower than recall at first and becomes recall with repetition.

Frequently asked questions

What order should times tables be learned in?

The 1, 2, 5 and 10 rows first, then 4, 3, 9 and 11, then the hard middle — 6, 7 and 8. The rows above 12 are better split into tens and units than memorised.

How long does it take to learn the times tables?

It depends on how often the facts are retrieved rather than how long is spent. A minute a day of shuffled drilling typically moves one row to automatic recall within a couple of weeks.

Which times table is the hardest?

The 7 row, closely followed by 6 and 8. They have no digit pattern to lean on, so they have to be learned by retrieval rather than by rule.

Do times tables need to go past 12?

Not for everyday arithmetic. The 13 to 20 rows are quick if you split them into tens plus units, which is a more transferable skill than memorising the extra rows.

Pick a row below, or open the multiplication chart to see the whole grid at once.