How to Measure Your Reading Speed (WPM), and Why Comprehension Counts

Short answer: read a passage at your normal pace, time it, and divide the number of words by the minutes it took. That is your words per minute (WPM). Then answer a few questions about what you read, because a fast number with little understanding isn't reading faster, it's skimming.

Measure it in four steps

Pick a passage you haven't read. Ordinary prose, not a technical manual. A few hundred words is enough; count them or use text with a known word count.
Read at your normal pace. Not your fastest. The point is to know where you start.
Time it. Start when you begin and stop the moment you finish the last line.
Do the math. WPM = words ÷ minutes. 300 words in 1 minute 30 seconds is 300 ÷ 1.5 = 200 WPM.

Why comprehension has to be part of it

Anyone can move their eyes faster. The question is whether the meaning comes along. If you test speed alone, it is easy to "improve" by skipping words, and the number stops telling you anything. Answer a few questions about the passage right after reading, without looking back. If your speed goes up but your answers get worse, slow down a little.

One way to combine both is effective WPM: WPM × comprehension. 300 WPM with 2 out of 3 right is about 200 effective WPM; 250 WPM with 3 out of 3 is 250. The second reading was better.

Keep the test fair

Use similar kinds of text each time. A news story and a contract are not the same test.
Test at a similar time of day, when you are about as alert.
Don't reread a sentence just to beat the clock, and don't skip ahead.
Look at the trend over weeks, not one day's result.

What is a "good" number?

For adults reading ordinary text, figures of around 200 to 300 WPM are often quoted. That range is only a rough reference: language, topic and purpose all change it. Compare yourself with yourself.

How Readlark does it

Readlark's reading test gives you a short passage of about 150 to 160 words. Read it at your normal pace and tap "I'm done reading", then answer 3 comprehension questions. You get your WPM and an effective WPM (WPM × comprehension %), and the Records tab keeps a WPM graph over time. No account or internet is needed, and the results stay on your phone.

Reading speed varies from person to person and from text to text. Readlark is a practice tool, not a test of ability or a treatment for any condition.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal reading speed?

Figures of around 200 to 300 words per minute are often quoted for adults reading ordinary text, but it varies a lot with the person, the language and what you are reading. Your own number over time is more useful than any average.

Why does my WPM change every time I test?

Different passages, topics, tiredness and how carefully you read all move the number. Test with similar text at a similar time of day and look at the trend, not one result.

What is effective WPM?

Your words per minute multiplied by your comprehension score. Reading 300 WPM with 2 out of 3 questions right gives about 200 effective WPM. It rewards reading fast and understanding.

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