Reading speed test: your words per minute, then six questions
Read a passage and answer six questions. Check your reading speed and understanding separately.
1 passage, 6 questions
3 min
Free, no sign-up
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About this test
Read a passage in one of three complexity settings, timed or untimed, then answer six questions. Twelve passages are available, four per setting; text size is adjustable. Results include words per minute, comprehension, a summary prompt, vocabulary practice and another passage. Complexity describes the text, not your reading level. For reference, a 2019 meta-analysis by Marc Brysbaert puts the average adult silent reading rate in English at 238 words per minute for non-fiction, with most adults between 175 and 300.
What this test reports
words per minute
questions correct out of six
reading time and context
How the task works
Choose text complexity, size and silent or untimed comprehension mode. Begin reveals the passage.
Read it at your usual pace; a silent reading run uses a calm timer.
Choose Finished, then answer six untimed questions without the passage. Skips remain in the count.
Review the evidence, practise vocabulary and check a text not opened on this page. Familiar practice is labelled.
Your answers stay in this browser tab. If you sign in, you can save your result (not your answers). When session replay is on, it can include visible questions, choices and results. On a quick class link from a teacher, Send to my teacher sends your words per minute and how many of the six questions you got right, with no name, and only when you press it. Privacy details.
Your progress
Your result
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Your figures
A 2019 meta-analysis of 190 studies by Marc Brysbaert in the Journal of Memory and Language estimates the average adult silent reading rate in English at 238 words per minute for non-fiction, and reports that most adults fall in the range of 175-300 words per minute. Read the study
For teachers: Class Pro, free during the beta. Class mode sets this test for a class, free. Class Pro adds a school year of each pupil’s progress. It is free during the beta and planned as a paid plan after it; nothing is charged unless you choose to pay. See what it adds and the planned price.
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For context
Typical reading speeds in words per minute
These are research averages for adults reading English, not targets and not a ranking. They come from Marc Brysbaert's 2019 meta-analysis of 190 studies, the estimate this page relies on.
Adult reading rates in English from Brysbaert (2019). Research averages, not a comparison with you.
How you read
Average
Most adults
Silently, non-fiction
238 WPM
175–300 WPM
Silently, fiction
260 WPM
200–320 WPM
Aloud
183 WPM
no range given
The same paper reports lower rates for children, older adults and readers with English as a second language, and its summary gives no figure for each age, so this page does not print one. Your own figure comes from one passage on one screen: the useful comparison is your next check here, in the same mode and text size.
After reading, review passage evidence, practise a short summary and two vocabulary words, then try another passage at the chosen complexity.
A small next step
Review passage evidence, summarise the main point, practise the two vocabulary words and try another text at the same complexity. Keep text size and timing mode consistent.
Questions people ask
What is a good reading speed?
Brysbaert’s 2019 meta-analysis of 190 studies estimated adult silent English nonfiction reading at 238 words per minute, with most readers between 175 and 300. Text and screen conditions differ.
How is words per minute calculated?
WPM is based on the passage word count and elapsed reading time; setup time is excluded. Results above 600 WPM or after a hidden-tab interruption are withheld.
What do the questions measure?
Six untimed questions cover details, the main idea and inferences. Results show WPM and correct answers separately, with passage evidence for each question.
What is effective WPM?
It is a practice summary that combines reading pace with comprehension. The page also shows WPM and correct answers separately.
Will a second check use a new passage?
Four passages per complexity are available. The page labels passages you have already seen for practice; after a reload, it cannot guarantee a passage will be unfamiliar.
Can I use a screen reader or practise without a timer?
Choose untimed comprehension only before Begin to read or listen without a visual speed estimate. The optional summary is self-checked, with no automatic writing score; your writing stays on this page and is not included in analytics or a saved result.
Does this measure my reading level or reading age?
It shows reading pace and answers to passage questions. It does not assign a reading age, school grade or CEFR level; complexity labels describe the selected practice text.
What can I do with the result?
Review the evidence, summarise the main point, practise the vocabulary, then try another passage at the same complexity. Keep text size and timing mode consistent across practice runs.
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