What your words per minute means
Speed is the easy half. A reading speed only counts if you kept what you read, which is why the test ends with questions instead of a stopwatch alone. If you scored under two of three, the number above flatters you. Take it again a little slower and compare.
Average reading speed by type of reading
| Adults reading in English | Average | Most adults |
|---|---|---|
| Silent reading, non-fiction | 238 wpm | 175–300 wpm |
| Silent reading, fiction | 260 wpm | 200–320 wpm |
| Reading aloud | 183 wpm | — |
Source: Marc Brysbaert (2019), “How many words do we read per minute? A review and meta-analysis of reading rate”, Journal of Memory and Language. Silent reading: 190 studies, 18,573 participants. Reading aloud: 77 studies, 5,965 participants. Rates are lower for children, older adults and people reading in a second language.
Why faster isn't the goal
Even at an average speed, 30 minutes a day adds up to dozens of books a year. The constraint isn't how fast your eyes move. It's choosing the few books worth the time, and doing something with what's in them. See how long any book takes at your speed, or how many books you have left.
How to read faster without losing the plot
- Read with a question. Decide what you want from the book before you open it. A question tells you what to slow down for and what to move past.
- Skip, don't skim. Skimming everything leaves you with nothing. Skipping the chapters that don't serve your question leaves you with the ones that do.
- Read in longer sittings. Re-reading the last page to find your place is time lost. Twenty unbroken minutes beats five interrupted ones.
To compare your result with other adults, see the average reading speed. Then track what you read with a free reading log template, and see how many words a page usually holds.
Frequently asked
What is the average reading speed?
238 words per minute for adults reading non-fiction silently in English, and 260 for fiction. That comes from Marc Brysbaert's 2019 meta-analysis of 190 studies with 18,573 participants. Most adults fall between 175 and 300 wpm for non-fiction.
Is 300 words per minute fast?
It's at the top of the typical adult range for non-fiction (175–300 wpm) and above the 238 wpm average. The widely quoted "average" of 300 wpm is an overestimate, according to the same 2019 review.
Can you read 1,000 words per minute?
Not with full understanding. A 2016 review by Rayner and colleagues explained why reading faster than about 1,000 words per minute isn't possible without a severe loss of understanding. Above that you're scanning, not reading.
How does this reading speed test work?
You read a 321-word passage at your normal pace and stop the clock when you finish. Words read divided by minutes taken gives your words per minute. Three questions then check you understood it, because speed without comprehension isn't reading.
How fast do people read out loud?
About 183 words per minute on average, based on 77 studies with 5,965 participants in the same meta-analysis.