How to Read Faster

Changing the Way You ReadThe Hand MethodThe Index Card MethodThe Sweep MethodThe Hopping Method

Edited by Dlpn, D rae, Sondra C, Flickety and 47 others

Are you keen to become a faster reader? Reading faster isn't about plowing through books or texts without comprehending or enjoyment. Rather, it's about learning to pick up the speed and still take in the information in an enjoyable way.

EditMethod 1 of 5: Changing the Way You Read

1. 
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   Eliminate vocalization or sub-vocalization as you read (sounding out the words either out loud or in your head). Vocalization will dramatically reduce your reading speed as your lips need time to sound out each word. However, while eliminating vocalization will increase your speed, it will most likely decrease your comprehension, so there is a small trade-off initially (until you grasp some of the other techniques).
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2. 
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   Instead of reading word by word, read in chunks of words, or even full sentences. The longer you spend on each word the more slowly you read, so it is important to read phrases of multiple words so as to increase your speed. Slow readers often take long pauses between words, thus slowing them down. Try practicing on a newspaper with columns that are four or five words wide, so as to get a better sense of reading in chunks of text.
   • Don't pause for periods and commas, just read all the way through.
3. 
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   Try to lightly skim the text either before or after reading it. Read only a few words per line and try to glean a general meaning out of the text. Skimming before reading will help introduce you to the topic and the author's purpose and will help you read faster. Skimming after reading will allow you to draw key points out of particularly dense or hard to read material.
   • Keep in mind the focus of the given text and what the author is trying to achieve. Doing this will often help keep your mind on track.
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   Don't reread text that you have already read. Doing so will only disrupt your brain's flow and will slow you down.
5. 5
   Be realistic about how much faster you can read before losing the meaning. For many, faster reading will result in a loss of at least some comprehension, so it is important to balance speed and comprehension so as to maximize reading efficiency.
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   Choose a particular method to help you learn to read faster. As you get better at the method, try moving your placeholder faster and see if your eyes can keep up and remember to try to keep both your eyes and your placeholder moving in one constant motion. A list of methods you might like to try follows after this step.
   • It is recommended that you try all of the different methods to see what works best for you or what works best in your given situation.

EditMethod 2 of 5: The Hand Method

1. 1
   Move your hand down the page as you read in a slow, constant motion.
2. 2
   Your hand should set the pace for your eyes as you read each line.
3. 3
   Use whichever hand you are comfortable with, as long as it helps you keep the pace.

EditMethod 3 of 5: The Index Card Method

This method is especially helpful for people who reread sections as it helps keep them focused on one line at a time.

1. 1
   Use an index card (or folded piece of paper) to cover the whole width of the page. Put it under the line you are reading.
2. 2
   As you read, move the card down the page. Always use the card to "underline" the line that you're reading.

EditMethod 4 of 5: The Sweep Method

This method will help reduce unnecessary pauses in between words and improve your flow when reading.

1. 1
   Sweep your hand across each line as you read it. Move your hand under each word as you read it.
2. 2
   Move your whole forearm and not simply your wrist. This will enable you to cover the whole line and focus better.
3. 3
   Keep your fingers together. This will ensure that your hand moves as a unit and is less of a distraction to your eyes.

EditMethod 5 of 5: The Hopping Method

This technique is particularly useful for skimming text, as you will only read a couple of words per bounce.

1. 1
   Using a similar side-to-side motion as the Sweep Method, bounce your hand across the page two or three times per line using even, controlled movements.
2. 2
   Only read the words that are near your hand as you "bounce" around the text. This will help you keep an even pace as you read as your eyes will follow your hand.
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Edit Tips

• Look for a quiet spot to read in. Sometimes reading in a quiet area helps you to read faster because there are less noises to distract you from your reading and make you re-read or lose your spot.
• Eliminate all distractions such as TV or cellphone. Beeps of any kind will cause you to falter and lose your place.
• Young children usually make mistakes when learning to read, so they need to go slowly and steadily. Don't rush this process, as it is foundational in building good, solid reading skills. If you want to teach your child to read a bit faster, do this gradually. If reading turns into torture, your child risks losing interest in it at all. When your child has a good grasp on a lot of vocabulary and already loves books, then you might consider helping with improving the reading speed with one of the suggested methods.