How fast do you read?

[BritAnnia]

How fast do you read based on speed per page of a novel such as Woman in White (picked this example because it's the reader group choice of the moment).

I would like to increase my reading speed but not lose retention or comprehension... those are dodgy enough for me at the best of times already! ;) I'm just wondering whether I'm average or below for speed of reading.

Okay.. just timed myself and I seem to be around one and a half minutes per page, slower if it's a dull descriptive passage.

[Damselfly]

I've always considered myself a slow reader, but I've never actually timed it. Like you, I need to take my time in order to really absorb the material I'm reading. I have a stack of books I'm engrossed in at the moment, and it just seems to take me soooo long to get through any of them. And then I wonder how much I am actually retaining because I feel like I'm not remembering everything I should/want to.

 

Ok, I'm off to time myself!! :auto:

[Harriet Vane]

I timed myself and was about twenty seconds per page. I have a really fast reading speed, though--first because I was an English major, but also because I did editing and proofreading for seven years. Most of my editor/proofreader friends read as fast as me or in that range.

 

I never did anything to increase my reading speed--it just happened because I read a lot.

[BritAnnia]

Did you time yourself? I know what you mean about having a stack of books to be read. I'm the same with too many books not enough time and my dh asked me last night if I'd considered learning speed reading.

[BritAnnia]

WOW! *thunk* that's the sound of my brain clunking to a complete halt ;)

I read a lot but I don't think my speed has improved since my teens. Any tips?

[Pammy]

but that was almost 20 years ago

:glare:

[BritAnnia]

I counted the words on a page of the book I mentioned in my original post, it's just over 400 words. That took me right about one and a half minutes... so there's clearly room for improvement. I think I'd like to get to at least 400 words a minute, average book I can then presume 1 page = 1 minute.

[joannqn]

There are various reading speed tests online. Some just give you the time and others check time and comprehension.

 

I'm on the slow side. The one I tried suggested that those who enjoy reading are usually faster readers. It gave reading speed ranges for various readers. I tested at the very bottom of average so supposedly I don't enjoy reading that much...except that I do...it just takes me longer.

 

My comprehension drops sharply when I try to speed up so I don't bother anymore. I prefer to understand what I'm reading and enjoy it rather than go fast.

 

Editted: This online test says I read 231wpm with 91% comprehension.

Edited November 27, 2008 by joannqn

[BritAnnia]

That's my concern too, that I'll lose comprehension of what I'm trying to read if I speed up. I just wish I could read faster so I can read more More MORE! :blink:

[Lolly]

The average reader reads about 200 wpm with a fairly low comprehension rate (don't recall what it was). If you are reading 400 words in 1 1/2 minutes, you are at around 300 wpm which is above average.

 

I am not normal. I normally test anywhere from 600-800 wpm with a 95-98% comprehension rate (I normally miss one question no matter how many there are). I have always read very quickly. I don't (knowingly) use any speed reading techniques; I just read. I have experimented and found that I can glance down a page of text and without consciously reading it be able to tell you what it was about. Specific answers to specific questions I cannot manage by just glancing.

 

Okay, I looked it up; the average reader is 200 wpm with 60% comprehension. The article I found also stated that while this rate is average, it is below what is considered to be a "good reader".

Edited November 27, 2008 by Lolly
adding information

[JFSinIL]

I read very fast, with very good comprehension, BUT I do slow down and savor stuff to make it last longer if it is well-written (Austen, O'Brian, etc.).

 

In high school they tested us and I finished the reading part of the test before time was up and had to twiddle my thumbs waiting for the rest of the class/timer. Then the teacher gave out the comprehension part and I got 100%. The test only went as high as 600 wpm so I was higher. Teacher guessed about 800. I just like to read. Do not know if I would score the same now - my eyes are getting old (heck, so is the rest of me!)

[Happy]

I read fast, especially fiction.

 

I notice when I read aloud that I have to really concentrate to stay on the words I'm reading. My eye is always jumping a few lines in advance. Does that make sense? When I read my eye is evidently 'pre' reading some lines. I think it increases my speed.

 

But...it's been years since I was tested.

[Harriet Vane]

I am not normal. I normally test anywhere from 600-800 wpm with a 95-98% comprehension rate (I normally miss one question no matter how many there are). I have always read very quickly. I don't (knowingly) use any speed reading techniques; I just read. I have experimented and found that I can glance down a page of text and without consciously reading it be able to tell you what it was about. Specific answers to specific questions I cannot manage by just glancing.

 

Yes, that's how I am as well. Were you ever in publishing? An English major? I am just curious--the only people I know who read that quickly are editors and former English majors. :D

[Lolly]

Yes, that's how I am as well. Were you ever in publishing? An English major? I am just curious--the only people I know who read that quickly are editors and former English majors. :D

 

Not getting on the boards all that often these days! No, not an English major. Education and science. But, I had read every single book in my elementary school library by the time I started 5th grade. As far as editing goes, I tend to gloss over any mistakes after I have gotten into reading mode. Just don't even notice them. My brain self corrects most of the time. I have to go into editing mode to catch mistakes. THat involves slowing way down and pretty much mentally diagramming each sentence.

[jonesloonybin]

:iagree:

 

But I cannot use the online tests because I can read a book much faster than text on a computer screen.

 

When I read, I look at a page and a picture forms in my head. For some reason this does not work with computer text. I do have really good comprehension. My husband has asked me how I do this but I don't know..I just can.

[TwinMominTX]

This describes me almost exactly. I read incredibly quickly and have very good comprehension. My only hang up is on book titles. I cannot ever ever remember a book title.

[Harriet Vane]

Not getting on the boards all that often these days! No, not an English major. Education and science. But, I had read every single book in my elementary school library by the time I started 5th grade. As far as editing goes, I tend to gloss over any mistakes after I have gotten into reading mode. Just don't even notice them. My brain self corrects most of the time. I have to go into editing mode to catch mistakes. THat involves slowing way down and pretty much mentally diagramming each sentence.

 

I guess the commonality here is the volume of reading time: More = quicker.

 

:)

[lauranav]

That online test was interesting. I scored 451 wpm with 91% comprehension. It looks like that would equate to something closer to 550 wpm on paper.

 

I read a book on speed reading when I was in high school (so years ago) and learned to scan some texts, plus I test well.

 

I read a lot so I get lots of practice.

[Tree House Academy]

I don't read really fast, nor do I read really slow. I read about 300 words a minute.

[Jean in Newcastle]

The online test said I read 432 wpm at 91% comprehension. I did read it slower than normal though because my kids were screaming behind me and I knew that there would be test on it. I read something with a storyline more quickly. But "The Woman in White" isn't the easiest for me to read. I find myself skimming some of the more dense passages because it is so wordy compared to contemporary literature.

[Tree House Academy]

In the onlone test, I got 302 WPM with 91% accuracy.

[JudoMom]

I read fast, especially fiction.

 

I notice when I read aloud that I have to really concentrate to stay on the words I'm reading. My eye is always jumping a few lines in advance. Does that make sense? When I read my eye is evidently 'pre' reading some lines. I think it increases my speed.

 

But...it's been years since I was tested.

 

I do this, too. When I'm really into our read alouds, I have to force myself not to read ahead in my mind while I'm reading aloud.

 

I just timed myself, and I read 412 wpm.

[Lolly]

I guess the commonality here is the volume of reading time: More = quicker.

 

:)

 

 

In my case, I think it is quicker=more. Not to mention that I get extremely involved in my books. The longest novels will be finished in two days. As a child, I would read multiple chapter books a day. In high school, a book never lasted more than a day. Today, I don't read very often. When I pick a book up, I don't put it down until it is finished. I am trying to break myself of this bad habit. It is deeply ingrained.

[Aubrey]

Did anybody get a lower speed than they expected? D'ya think it's possibly because the reading test is an ad? I'm used to glazing over those, esp when so many #s are involved.

 

Heh heh. But I can't wait to test dh. He. reads. s.l.o.w.

 

(I got 277 wpm w/ 91% comp. I don't think nursing baby, crying toddler, talking dh, or begging dc slowed me down. Although I'd really like to blame them! :glare:)

[Christy B]

In 9th grade, I read 1800 wpm with 95% comprehension. We used the ACE (Paces/School of Tomorrow) curriculum in my school. It included an intensive reading program. It was a big deal to reach 1800 wpm, you received an award and were mentioned in the national newsletter, etc.

 

Now, I see that some of you are professional readers and read 400 wpm -- it makes me question the validity of my 1800 Club Award. :confused: It just doesn't seem likely to me.

 

I do remember having to concentrate so intently that I actually held my breath and almost passed out more than once. Oh, and I would almost always have a nosebleed afterward.

 

I just wonder if we were really reading 1800 wpm (my best friend reached her 1800 Club the same week I did).

 

I still read pretty fast; I finish a typical "fluff" novel of 400 or so pages in about an hour. Quality literature takes me much longer. Maybe that's the key -- maybe the reading that we were being tested on wasn't very complex.

 

Dang it, now I'm going to have an identity crisis. Without my 1800 Club membership, who am I, really? :lol:

[Christy B]

Okay, my curiosity got the better of me so I found an online test.

 

1077 wpm -- but the chart said that 700 wpm onscreen was equivalent to 1000 wpm on paper, so I guess I would be maybe 1300 or 1400 wpm on paper. Not 1800 but still high enough to make me think the 1800 was legit. Many, many things about me were faster and stronger at 15.

 

My comprehension was low, though, only 64%. I will blame part of that on exhaustion and Advil PM, but with that, obviously not as sharp as I was back in the day.

 

So, here's my next question: Dh has been prompting me to think about what I want to do in my post-homeschool life. The only thing I can come up with (besides teaching piano, which I will continue) that I really want to do is somehow get paid to read. I LOVE proofing, editing, etc (I do some work for a friend who does transcription, and I LOVE it). I'm thinking that with deliberate practice, I could certainly get my speed and comprehension up to a pretty good level. Is there a career for me? Could I actually somehow get paid to read stuff? That would be wicked cool.

[Hapax Legomena]

Some of the posts speak of a reluctance to read fast for fear of losing comprehension. If you have this fear, you might be interested to know that reading faster can actually increase comprehension. It takes a bit of work to change reading habits, but they can be changed. In light of the reading speeds mentioned in this thread, many of the posters could increase their reading speed 3 to 5 times the current speed. This is true even for those in the 400+ range.

 

The whole Bible has 775,693 words. At 2000 words per minute, it takes 6 hours, 17 minutes and 50 seconds to read it. (It is not that hard to get to 2000 wpm; it is a very accessible speed).

 

Of course, speed reading is not the only kind of reading. Even so, reading books of the Bible in one sitting is a great way to get an overall feel for the message of the book. Taking 6 months to read the book of Acts may also be a good approach; they are just two different styles.

[CookieMonster]

Editted: This online test says I read 231wpm with 91% comprehension.

 

I did that test. I got 316 words per minute (which they say translates to 400words per minute in printed material) and 100% comprehension. (Personally, I think they miswrote one of the comprehension questions.)

 

All that to say, my reading speed varies considerably with the material being read, so don't think I'm some sort of genuis. I totally detected the drift of that spiel before I was done with the first paragraph. That meant I already had a predictable framework with which to insert the rest of the information.

 

I am currently reading a book written to mothers and find myself turning pages often. I can't believe I'm going to finish the book in one day. But, I have a book on my nightstand that I probably read at 60 words per minute because the language is difficult for me. The vocabulary is above my level and the style is...um...verbose.

 

I think reading speed (aside from these speed-reading novelties) is more a factor of reading level. As I increase my vocabulary and expose myself to different styles of writing, my overall reading speed increases. Does that make sense?

[Melissa in Australia]

I am a fast reader. I get through a large amount of books. I have never timed myself though.