Average reading speed: how fast do adults read?
Brainura team · Updated · 3 min read
Most adults read English silently at around 240 words per minute and aloud at around 180. Here is where those numbers come from, how long common texts take to read, and what to make of claims of 1,000 words a minute.
The numbers at a glance
238
words per minute, silent non-fiction
260
words per minute, silent fiction
183
words per minute, reading aloud
175–300
where most adults fall
These figures come from a 2019 meta-analysis by Marc Brysbaert that pooled 190 studies with 18,573 participants. It is the most thorough estimate of adult reading rate to date, and it replaced older numbers that were often quoted without a clear source.
Average adult reading rate in English
How long does it take to read…?
Words per minute is abstract. Here is what the average rate means for things people actually read. A typical paperback page holds roughly 250 to 300 words, though page density varies a lot between books.
| Text | Words | At 238 wpm | At 300 wpm |
|---|---|---|---|
| A paperback page | ≈ 275 | ≈ 1 min 10 s | ≈ 55 s |
| A news article | ≈ 800 | ≈ 3 min 20 s | ≈ 2 min 40 s |
| A long-read magazine piece | ≈ 5,000 | ≈ 21 min | ≈ 17 min |
| A short novel | ≈ 60,000 | ≈ 4 h 12 min | ≈ 3 h 20 min |
| A full-length novel | ≈ 90,000 | ≈ 6 h 18 min | ≈ 5 h |
So at an average pace you read roughly 50 to 60 pages an hour of an ordinary paperback. A demanding textbook can easily halve that, and that is normal, not a sign of slow reading.
Your speed depends on why you read
There isn't one reading speed. The same person reads at very different rates depending on the job the text has to do. None of these is wrong; they are different tools.
| Kind of reading | Pace | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Studying: reading to learn and remember | Slower than your normal pace | Detail, connections, long-term memory |
| Normal reading for understanding | Your typical rate (most adults 175–300 wpm) | Full comprehension of the text |
| Skimming headings, first sentences, key terms | Much faster | The gist; you miss details and nuance |
| Scanning for one fact or name | Fastest | A single answer, little else |
What makes reading faster or slower
- The text. Familiar topics, common words and short sentences read fast; technical material, long sentences and new vocabulary slow everyone down.
- Vocabulary and practice. People who read a lot recognize more words instantly. Instant word recognition is what fluent, fast reading is built on.
- Background knowledge. The more you know about a topic, the less of the text is new to you, and the faster you move through it.
- Attention. A lot of “slow reading” is really rereading after your mind wandered.
- Language and script. Rates for English do not transfer to other languages; word length and writing systems differ.
- Screen or paper. The speed difference is usually small, but studies often find slightly better comprehension on paper for longer informational texts, especially under time pressure.
Myths about reading speed
Myth
The average adult reads 300 words per minute or more.
What research says
The best current estimate for silent reading of non-fiction is about 238 words per minute.
Myth
With training, anyone can read 1,000 words per minute with full understanding.
What research says
Reading research finds a trade-off: far above normal rates, comprehension drops. Very high speeds are skimming.
Myth
Hearing the words in your head is a bad habit that slows you down.
What research says
Inner speech appears to support comprehension, especially of difficult text. Suppressing it tends to cost understanding.
We go through speed-reading techniques one by one in Does speed reading work?
How to measure your reading speed
The quick way: our reading speed testA 300-word text, a hidden timer and three questions, so speed only counts with understanding.Take the testOr do it by hand with any book
- 1
Pick ordinary prose
A page of a novel or a non-fiction book you haven't read yet. Avoid textbooks and poetry.
- 2
Count the words
Count the words on three full lines, average them, and multiply by the number of lines on the page.
- 3
Read for one minute
Set a timer and read at your normal pace, as if you wanted to remember it.
- 4
Do the maths
Words read ÷ minutes = your words per minute.
- 5
Check yourself
Summarize what you read in two sentences. A speed without comprehension isn't a reading speed.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good reading speed?
Around 240 words per minute is average for silent reading of English non-fiction, and anywhere from about 175 to 300 is normal. Faster is only better if you still understand and remember what you read.
How many pages can you read in an hour?
At an average pace, roughly 50 to 60 pages of a typical paperback, depending on how dense the pages are and how demanding the text is.
Is reading aloud slower than reading silently?
Yes. Reading aloud averages around 180 words per minute, because speech sets the pace.
Can you increase your reading speed?
Reading more, building vocabulary and reading about familiar topics all make reading faster and easier. Techniques that promise to triple your speed mostly turn reading into skimming.
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Sources
- Brysbaert, M. (2019). How many words do we read per minute? A review and meta-analysis of reading rate. Journal of Memory and Language, 109, 104047.
- Rayner, K., Schotter, E. R., Masson, M. E. J., Potter, M. C., & Treiman, R. (2016). So much to read, so little time: How do we read, and can speed reading help? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(1), 4–34.
- Delgado, P., Vargas, C., Ackerman, R., & Salmerón, L. (2018). Don't throw away your printed books: A meta-analysis on the effects of reading media on reading comprehension. Educational Research Review, 25, 23–38.