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What Are the Best Tips to Improve Reading Speed?

By G. Wiesen
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 3,486
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To improve reading speed, someone should consider the way in which material is currently read, and find ways in which improvements can be made. Vocalization, for example, can greatly slow down readers who sound out or whisper words as they read them, or even think each word internally as it is read. For some people, slow reading may be a result of issues with vision, and corrective lenses or other procedures can improve reading speed. The actual reading process may also slow down some readers who can widen their visual range and more actively seek key words in a passage.

One of the best ways in which people can improve reading speed is through the elimination of vocalization. Readers can process language mentally much faster than they can speak words aloud. People who whisper or mouth words to themselves as they read are slowing themselves down. Even sub-vocalization, which is the process of thinking each word as it is being read, can slow a reader. Eliminating these practices can greatly improve reading speed, as language is processed more quickly.

There are some potential physical steps that people can take to improve reading speed. Vision problems and poor eyesight can slow down readers, so people should ensure they are wearing any lenses or other items needed to enhance sight. The conditions in which people read can also be detrimental. Many people can improve reading speed by reading in the morning or early day, rather than in the evening. Proper lighting and positioning is also important, and reading in bed should be avoided as it is a relaxing environment that can slow down mental processing.

Other changes can be made to the way in which people look at a page to improve reading speed. While scanning a page, some people may focus on a small section of the reading at one time. By widening their view, they can more easily process as much language as possible. It can also be effective to scan pages for headlines, bullet points, and similar important subjects to make reading faster and more effective.

Many people can improve reading speed by looking for important words and grouping them together rather than scanning each word individually. While articles like "the" and "a" serve a purpose, they do not typically impart a great deal of meaning. These words can be scanned over quickly to reach more important ideas in each sentence. Words can be grouped together as a person reads to more easily scan a sentence quickly, while still maintaining comprehension of what is read.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by these reading speed tactics, don’t be. Another great solution is to hire a personalized tutor to have someone go through customized tips and tricks suited to you.

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Discussion Comments
By lluviaporos — On Aug 13, 2012

It's actually amazing how quickly your mind will grow accustomed to picking out the bits you need instead of dragging over the details. I edit a bit of writing for the local school, particularly school reports and it's got to the point where I can just take in whole paragraphs at a time and pinpoint where they've made mistakes.

Sometimes I go over them so fast I'm worried myself that I'm not catching all the mistakes, but whenever one of them comes up it jumps out at me just as clearly as if I had taken in the entire sentence.

I think it does help that those kinds of writing are very repetitive. I don't think I'd like to try and take in totally new information by reading like that. But then, you don't have to read like that all the time. You can switch gears depending on what it is.

By indigomoth — On Aug 13, 2012

@pastanaga - I think once you become a really good speed reader you can "skip over" bits simply by running your eyes over them, looking for key words and then dismissing it when you don't find any. If you are reading hundreds of reports every day, you have to find the ability to scan for what you need, rather than necessarily looking for the intention of the writer.

By pastanaga — On Aug 12, 2012

I think you need to beware of how much you speed up your reading. There is a chance that you will get to the point where you skip over parts that are actually important and which you need to understand to truly understand the text.

For example, I tend to skip over description of landscape whenever I'm reading a novel, because it doesn't interest me as much. I'd much rather get to the conversations and the action rather than lingering on what the clouds look like reflected in the lake or whatever.

But, if the author is talented, they aren't just wasting those words. The description of the setting is often just as important as any other part of the novel, and in some cases it's the main purpose of the novel.

This can apply just as much to any piece of writing. If it's been included it should be read, if only so you can dismiss it without further attention.

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