How to Improve Your Reading Skills

Last Updated: February 28, 2023 References Approved

Many people have trouble with reading. Reading well takes time, patience, and practice! The most important thing to figure out is the purpose of your reading: looking at instructions to build furniture and studying a textbook are not the same thing! Once you’ve figured out your purpose, you can choose to focus on what are known as intensive reading techniques that stress things like vocabulary and speed, or instead on extensive techniques that will help you engage with the meaning of a text in a deeper way.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Pre Reading

1
Make sure you understand the type of text you have. Ask yourself: What type of work am I reading? Is it information-based, like a newspaper, textbook, or manual? Or is it more creative/artistic, like a novel or short story? This matters!^{[1]
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- For instance, if you’re reading to follow instructions (like a recipe or assembly guide), you’ll need to understand the exact meaning of each step.
- If you’re reading a text that has lots of information, like a textbook, then you’ll be reading most of all for new information on things you don’t know or understand.
2
Decide on the purpose of your reading. The reason why you’re reading has an impact on how you read. For instance, reading a novel for a class can be different than reading a novel for pleasure, since you’ll be expected to understand and remember the text rather than just enjoy the experience of reading it. Ask yourself: What am I reading for?^{[2]
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- If you’re reading to gain information (for instance, to meet work or school requirements), you’ll probably want to try extensive techniques.
- If you’re reading to practice pronunciation, learn vocabulary, or study grammar, you’ll probably want to try intensive techniques.
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3
Scan your reading before you begin. Whatever the purpose of your reading is, taking a few minutes to look the piece over is very helpful. Check and see how the work is structured and presented. These are easy ways to increase your understanding.^{[3]
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- Does the work have a title?
- Is there a table of contents you can scan?
- Is the work divided into separate sections?
- Does the work have any “extras,” like bolded key words, illustrations, or graphs?

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Reading Intensively

1
Read intensively if you want to practice the fundamentals and learn vocabulary. Intensive reading is focused more on individual details of what you’re reading. If you want to practice pronunciation, study grammar, or learn vocabulary, you’ll want to read more slowly and focus more on individual words and sentences.^{[4]
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2
Look for just the gist of a text's meaning. For intensive reading, it’s not always important to worry about what something means in a deep way. Just trying to get a general sense of what the reading is about. As you read, you'll focus more on details like spelling, pronunciation, and the rhythm of sentences.^{[5]
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Reading Rockets
Online resource supported by PBS providing research-based strategies for assisting children to become confident readers
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- Don’t get too caught up in parts you don’t fully understand. If you can summarize the main point of what you’re reading, then you’re doing ok.
3
Read out loud. This can improve your reading skills because it makes you be involved with the text in two ways: with your eyes, as you look at the words, and with your ears, as you listen to them. Reading out loud is also key if you’re trying to practice pronunciation.^{[6]
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University of North Carolina Writing Center
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4
Try to guess the meaning of any new words. When you come to a word you don’t know, try not to reach for the dictionary right away. Instead, try to guess the meaning of the word based on the other words around it (the context).
- For example, say you read the following sentence and wanted to know what "pessimist" means: My mother is always happy and optimistic, the total opposite of my brother, the pessimist.
- From the sentence, you can gather that "pessimist" means the opposite of happy: being moody and angry.
5
Write down new words you want to learn. If you come to any words that you can’t figure out, write them down and look up their meaning in a good dictionary. That way, you can study the words later, too.^{[7]
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6
Read as often as you can. The more you read, the easier it becomes. Practicing for at least 15 to 30 minutes a day, every day, will make a big difference.^{[8]
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- Read whatever interests you, if you’re just trying to improve your basic skill.
- Rereading things you’ve already gone through can build your confidence.
EXPERT TIP

Soren Rosier, PhD
PhD in Education Candidate, Stanford University
Soren Rosier is a PhD candidate at Stanford's Graduate School of Education. He studies how children teach each other and how to train effective peer teachers. Before beginning his PhD, he was a middle school teacher in Oakland, California, and a researcher at SRI International. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University in 2010.

Soren Rosier, PhD
PhD in Education Candidate, Stanford University

Be thoughtful about the books you choose to read. PhD candidate and former teacher Soren Rosier says: "The best thing to do to get better at reading is to read a lot independently. Look for books that you're interested in, and that are also at your reading level. If you're reading texts that are too hard and you have to struggle through them, then you're not going to enjoy reading."

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Reading Extensively

1
Try extensive reading if you’re looking for understanding. Extensive reading works when you’re trying to determine the meaning of what you’re reading. This technique focuses on the overall picture. It’s best for things like studying a textbook, reading a newspaper article for information, or reading a book for school.^{[9]
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2
Take notes on your reading. If you want to read to understand something on a deeper level, like studying a textbook, it helps to read more actively. Keep a notebook out and make notes on important things you notice as you read.^{[10]
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- For instance, you can make bullet points to summarize every time you come to a major idea.
- If there are key terms or dates in whatever you’re reading, make a note of those as well.
- If there are parts you don’t understand, write down the questions you have and come back to them later.
3
Annotate your reading. If you’re able to write in or mark up whatever it is you’re reading, this can also help increase your understanding. For instance, you can underline or highlight important passages. You could also try things like circling key terms and writing notes in the margins.^{[11]
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4
Review what you’re reading by summarizing it. Every so often, stop and write a few sentences in your notes to summarize what you’ve read so far. Putting the main ideas into your own words and writing them out is a way of checking that you understand what you’re reading. Going back over the material also helps you remember what you’ve read.^{[12]
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- If you have trouble summarizing or remembering any part of what you’ve read, go back over it again.
- You can also try writing out a summary in an outline form, rather than full sentences.
5
Identify key words and concepts. When you encounter a word or concept that seems essential to a text's meaning, make a note of it. If you are reading a textbook, these might even be set apart in bold print, or in a separate vocabulary section. You can write the words or concepts down to study them later, or even make a set of flash cards.^{[13]
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- If you come across a word or concept that seems important but is not clearly defined in the text, look up its meaning in a dictionary or encyclopedia (either online or print).
- If you see certain words being used over and over again, that’s another sign that they’re important for what you’re reading and worth looking up.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Staying Focused and Motivated

1
Read with a friend. Getting through a text can be easier and more fun when you’re not doing it alone. For instance, you can try reading the same section of a text as your partner, then talking about it to make sure you both understood the main ideas.You can also share you thoughts and ideas to help you practice and know what you are reading,^{[14]
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Trustworthy Source
Reading Rockets
Online resource supported by PBS providing research-based strategies for assisting children to become confident readers
Go to source}
- To improve reading aloud you can even pair yourself with someone you feel is a better reader. While your partner is reading, listen to your their pronunciation, speed, and rhythm. Take a turn yourself, then ask for feedback.
2
Choose the right reading environment. If you really want to concentrate on your reading, step away from television, music, phones, computers, and chatty people. These distractions make it hard to focus, dragging out reading and causing frustration.
- Try reading in a quiet, well-lit place with a desk and comfortable chair, if you can.
3
Use a pointer while reading if you have trouble focusing on the page. Take a bookmark, ruler, or small piece of paper and set it on the page you want to read. Slide it down so you can only read one line of text, then move it down to read the next line, and so on. Doing this can make reading feel more manageable.
4
Read something you’re interested in, if you have a choice. It’s no surprise that you’ll be more motivated to read a text that you genuinely care about. If you’re given the chance to select books or other things to read for yourself, seek out topics you are interested in.^{[15]
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5
Track your progress. Keep records, like a list of books or articles you’ve gone through, and how many minutes you read each day. Seeing how much you’ve accomplished over time can encourage you to keep making progress.^{[16]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I stop skipping words?

Community Answer

Don't rush while you are reading. Be calm and concentrate.
Question

Why is it easier for me to read a novel than a textbook?

Community Answer

Novels are easier to read for almost everyone. They are made to be pleasant and entertaining, whereas textbooks are made mainly to teach you information. Learning takes more effort than entertainment.
Question

I hardly understand what I am reading and easily forget. I also feel tired when reading. What can I do?

Community Answer

It is very common to not understand what you are reading. Give the reading your undivided attention. When you read concepts over and over again, it will enable you get detailed information you need. Write notes in your own words to clarify your understanding. Read a lot to improve your reading skills, including fiction which will usually reassure you that you have no problems understanding, it's more about the difficulty level in textbooks and scientific papers. Have breaks during reading, to give your eyes and mind a rest. Learn to evaluate yourself after every reading, to go over what you did and didn't understand. Most of all, don't feel you have to understand things immediately -- for most people that is unrealistic and it is in the struggle to grasp the meaning that real gains are made and even new insights.