Let's be honest about it, we've all wished that we could read faster at least once in our lives. Whether it's related to our jobs and we need to sort through a pile of boring documents, or we have a book report deadline coming up for school... or we simply wish to finally finish that massive series we've been putting off for so long - we've all found ourselves in situations where speed was simply essential.

So can we actually train ourselves on how to read faster? Luckily for all of us, the answer is yes. And while there have been numerous studies on the subject, most of them agree that the below 8 methods are proven ways to boost reading speed.

Do note that this article focuses specifically on improving reading speed. There will be another one coming out soon about improving information retention from reading, as it is a whole separate topic.

Determine Your Reading Level & Time Yourself
Mute Your Internal Narration
Location, Location, Location!
Word-Chunking
Train Yourself to Use Peripheral Vision
Stop Re-Reading
Improve Your Vocabulary
Keep Practicing!

How to increase reading speed — Is it possible to learn how to read faster? The short answer is “yes”! And it all starts with determining your current reading level.

Determine Your Reading Level & Time Yourself

Before you start testing the various ways to alter your reading habits, you'll need to establish a baseline. Or in other words, you'll want to figure out what's your current reading speed. For this step, you'll need a timer and a notepad, or something you can take notes on. You'll also need two books - one that your intimately familiar with, and one, which you've never read.

Grab the book you're familiar with and open it up to a random page. Start the timer and see how long it takes you to finish the page. Then, repeat the process with the second book, making sure you pick a page of roughly the same size and word density. Write down both numbers on your pad.

You'll notice a couple of things. Firstly, the time it takes you to read a page from the unfamiliar book is your reading speed average. In contrast, the time it takes to finish a page in a book you know well is your current best speed. Were those numbers drastically different? If so, take a moment to reflect on what was different in both reading scenarios. It might be a number of things that vary per person, but the most common denominator is that our brains tend to change our reading patterns when we feel a certain familiarity with the subject matter, therefore minimizing re-reading and internal narration, while at the same time making better use of peripheral vision and chunking words. We'll take a look at all of these elements later on.

You probably won't be aware of it the first time you do this exercise, but using a timer when you read is the first step in actually improving your reading speed, as it challenges you to push yourself and improve your focus, in order to get a better time.

2. Mute Internal Narration

Also known as sub-vocalization and inner monologue, narrating internally is a very common trait in most readers. It is a process we learn as children and it embodies the ability of speaking words in your head while reading them. Or at least that's how teachers used to teach children reading back in the day: "Say each word in your own head when reading". Or, the other classroom classic: "Read in your head, while I read out loud".

Is this actually a bad thing? For most people, no. For those that wish to improve their reading speed? Absolutely! You see, most people that vocalize internally tend to read with the same speed they talk, as they have to repeat each individual word. And for a lot of people that speed isn't fast at all.

How do we get rid of the voices in our head? Well, if you're hearing multiple ones, you probably should stop reading right here and go consult a medical specialist. But if the only voice you hear is your own, don't fret - it only takes a little exercise to make it go away (at least while reading).

Grab your trusty timer again, and choose new pages from each book. Try reading both pages without vocalizing every word internally. Maybe at first, you'll only be able to do a sentence at a time, but after a few tries you'll realize that your brain has already assigned meaning to each word that you don't need to repeat every time. It's an internal instinct, which allows you to process information automatically. To give you an example, look at the number 244,665 (totally random number, by the way). Did you just say each individual number in your head, or did you simply glance at it, registered the number, and quickly moved on? Stopping your internal monologue when reading words follows the same principle.

If you're really having a hard time at it, try chewing some gum, or reading with instrumental music playing. A soft distraction might help keep your brain less focused on your sub-vocalization.

Once you really get the hang of it, try timing yourself again. We bet you'll see some amazing results!

3. Location, Location, Location!

The old realtor saying has proven itself true in many situations, and this one is no exception. Your reading location, and therefore your level of comfort and the amount of surrounding distractions, can drastically affect your reading speed.

Most experienced readers develop various individual techniques to deal with distractions and are more flexible to read on the go or at random locations. For newbie readers, however, the act of reading can sometimes be it's own little ritual, involving a specific chair, blanket, mug, etc. Therefore, if you're not already adept at shutting out distractions, make sure you do most of your reading in a quiet, familiar and relaxing environment.

4. Word-Chunking

Now that you've managed to find a quiet and comfortable location to do your reading, and have gotten rid of your internal narrator, you'll want to spend some time practicing the art of word-chunking: the art of reading multiple words (or big chunks of sentences) at once. While it may sound daunting and alien at first, if you've already managed to stop the internal monologue, you'll find that this step comes much easier.

To practice word-chunking, take out the trusted two books and timer again. As a starting point, try reading three to four words at a time and make your way to the end of the page. Make a note at how fast you complete each one. Once you start getting a little comfortable with this new way of reading, take it a step further by grabbing a pencil and drawing two vertical lines, parallel to each other, down each page. This should separate the text into three sections. When that's done, get a piece of paper (or use your hand) to cover two of the sections and focus on simply reading the words in just one of the columns. It might sound like a crazy idea, as all of these would be just random words that don't even make coherent sentences, but think of it like reading a road sign. And much like a road sing, just take a glance at them and move on. You'll be surprised how much faster you'll be able to get to the bottom of the page and still understand what you've just read.

5. Train Yourself To Use Peripheral Vision

Here is where it all comes together. If you've practiced all of the above methods for a while, it's time to put them all to the test. Remove the paper (or you hand) covering the two hidden sections of the page and erase the pencil lines.

Get the paper (or your hand) out again and cover everything apart from the first line at the top of the page. Ideally, make sure it's a proper one and not just a couple of words. Focus your eyes on the centre of the line and use your peripheral vision to try and read the whole line at once.

Again, this will probably sound daunting to absolute beginners, but if you've spend some time practicing word-chunking, you should already be able to read and process at least half a dozen words at once. Usually, that would be close to the limit you'd be able to comprehend at the same time, but this is where peripheral vision comes in. Try your best to focus at the centre of the line and slowly start moving the piece of paper down the page, in order to reveal the next lines. Track how long it takes you to get through the page. Once you've done that exercise a few times, remove the paper altogether and try reading the whole page by focusing on the centre of each line and using the peripheral vision to fill the gaps.

6. Stop Re-Reading!

You might find that using your peripheral vision is not as easy as it sounds. If you feel that you're making little progress in mastering it, try figuring out what's slowing you down. In most cases, the answer will be as simple as re-reading.

Re-reading is another habit we pick up rather early in our reading journeys. Most average readers do that without even realizing and their eyes tend to jump up and down the page like kids on a trampoline. Don't believe us? Ask a friend to record your face while reading. You'll notice that your eyes go all over the place.

Unfortunately, the longer you're doing something and the more unaware you are of it, the harder it is to shake off. Harder, but not impossible. If you realize that you're constantly re-reading things and that's impeding your progress, swallow your pride and go back to the basics - use your finger, or a marker, to track your progress down each line as you read. Hopefully, by this stage you should have some experience with muting your sub-vocalization and word-chunking, so your pace should still be relatively fast. Try reading an entire page without your finger changing direction. You'll realize that you still recall what you read and do not need to go back and re-read words, sections or paragraphs.

When you feel comfortable enough, jump back into peripheral vision exercises and use the timer to track your progress. By this stage, you should have substantially increased your reading speed.

There are two other sure-fit ways to improve your efficiency while reading.

7. Improve Your Vocabulary

Stands to reason, right? We've already mentioned above that your brain assigns meaning to each word automatically, allowing you to skim through it and still understand what it means. But what happens when it runs into a word it doesn't know or understand? It halts our reading momentum. Therefore, the more words you know, the faster you'll be able to get through the page.

It's also important to mention that if you're a bilingual or trilingual reader, you shouldn't expect to have the same reading speed in each language you know. The fact of the matter is you'll always be more comfortable with one of them, and therefore slightly faster in your progress. Don't think too much on it and enjoy the fact that you have twice (or thrice) as many reading options as your average unilingual reader.

8. Practice Makes Perfect

Finally, as with anything in life, practice as often as you can, if you wish to improve. Athletes workout every day. Musicians sing themselves raw and artists paint until their hands are numb. So why should reading be different? Approach it with the same mentality, stay consistent and determined in your goals, and you will see some incredible progress down the line.

What ways do you use to improve your reading speed? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more readings tips and tricks from His and Hers Book Club.

How to read faster? 8 great tips and tricks to unlock you reading potential!

Determine Your Reading Level & Time Yourself