Reading speed test
Choose a passage, press Start and read at your normal pace. Press Done when you finish. The text then disappears and you answer three questions, so the result shows how fast you read and how much you took in.
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How to use it
- Pick a passage and press Start reading.
- Read normally. Press Done reading at the last word.
- Answer the three questions from memory and press See my result.
How the result is worked out
- Words per minute = words in the passage ÷ minutes taken.
- Comprehension = right answers ÷ 3, as a percentage.
- Words per minute that you understood = speed × comprehension. A fast read with one right answer out of three counts for a third of its speed.
The comparison text is cautious on purpose. Below 200 is called careful, 200 to 300 typical, 300 to 450 fast and above 450 skimming. Those limits are rules of thumb based on published averages around 240 words per minute for adults, not exact categories.
Worked example
A passage of 285 words takes you 70 seconds, which is 70 ÷ 60 = 1.1667 minutes. Speed = 285 ÷ 1.1667 = 244 words per minute. You get two of three answers right, so comprehension is 67 % and the understood speed is about 163.
Tips
- Take the test when you are rested, on the screen you usually read on.
- Do not read aloud or move your lips; this test is for silent reading.
- Compare results on the same passage only, as texts differ in difficulty.
Frequently asked questions
How is reading speed calculated?
Words per minute = the number of words in the passage divided by the minutes between Start and Done. The word count is taken from the text itself, so a longer passage does not give an unfair advantage.
What is a good reading speed?
A meta-analysis of silent reading studies (Brysbaert, 2019) put the average adult near 240 words per minute for English non-fiction. This page treats 200 to 300 as typical. Faster is only better if you still understand the text.
Why are there comprehension questions?
Speed alone can be faked by skimming. The three questions show whether you took in the content, and the result also gives your speed multiplied by the share of right answers.
Are the passages from books?
No. They were written for this tool, so you cannot have read them before, and they are about 300 words each.
Can I improve my reading speed?
Often a little, by reading more, avoiding re-reading and reducing distractions. Claims of reading thousands of words per minute with full understanding are not supported by research.