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Reading speed test
Read a short passage at your normal pace, then answer three questions without looking back. You get your reading speed in words per minute and how much you understood.
This test runs in your browser with JavaScript. Turn it on to play, or get Omni Brain for the full version.
How to play
- Press Start. A passage of about 240 words appears and the clock starts.
- Read it once at your usual pace, for meaning, and press “I've finished” at the end.
- Answer three questions about it. The text is hidden now, so answer from memory. Then you see your speed and comprehension.
What your score means
Your speed is the number of words in the passage divided by the time it was on screen, in words per minute. Comprehension is how many of the three questions you got right. Effective speed multiplies the two, so 300 words per minute with two answers out of three counts as 200.
Typical adult reading rates for ordinary non-fiction are often quoted at around 200–300 words per minute. Comprehension matters more than speed: a pace at which you can answer the questions is a good pace, and reading faster helps only while understanding keeps up. Each passage is short, so try more than one before drawing conclusions.
About the reading speed test
A reading speed test times how long you take to read a passage and then checks what you took in. Speed is counted in words per minute, the usual unit for reading rate, and the comprehension questions are what make the number meaningful: skimming a page in seconds is easy, understanding it is the real task. Reading for meaning draws on several skills at once. You recognise words quickly, hold the gist of each sentence in working memory while the next one arrives, link new facts to what came before and keep your attention on the text. This version uses everyday non-fiction with three questions per passage, so one run takes about three minutes. In Omni Brain the same idea runs as Speed Reading: short texts at a set pace with questions after each one, and difficulty that adapts to how well you understand, so the pace rises only while comprehension holds.
Techniques from the app
- Read for meaning. Follow who does what and why. Choose a pace at which you can answer questions about the text.
- Hold the sentence, not the words. Keep the main event and its cause in mind. Answer using what the text says.
Train reading for meaning every day in Omni Brain
Speed Reading and many more short games, each with a technique you can use outside the app. Free every day.
Questions about the reading speed test
What is a good reading speed?
Typical adult reading rates for ordinary non-fiction are often quoted at around 200–300 words per minute. A good speed for you is one at which you still answer the questions correctly; beyond that, extra speed means missed meaning.
Why does the test ask questions?
Without questions, a reading test only measures how fast you move through the page. The three questions check that you took in the main points, and your effective speed counts only what you understood.
Can I read faster with practice?
Regular reading with a clear aim, following the meaning at a steady pace, helps many people read more smoothly. Promises of thousands of words per minute with full understanding are not supported by reading research, so keep an eye on comprehension as you speed up.
Why is my result different each time?
Passages differ in topic and in how familiar they feel, and your attention changes from day to day. Compare several runs rather than one, and look at speed and comprehension together.