Reading speed test: how many words per minute do you read?
Short answer
Most adults read silently at about 238 words per minute for non-fiction and 260 for fiction (Brysbaert, 2019, across 190 studies). This test times you on a 325-word story, then asks three questions — speed only counts if you kept what you read.
A 325-word story. Read it at your normal pace — not faster — and press I've finished the moment you reach the end. Three short questions follow.
How the test works
Press start and read the passage the way you normally read — not faster. Press done the moment you finish. The timer divides the number of words by the time you took. Three short questions follow; they are not a trick, they check whether the speed was real reading or skimming.
What counts as a good reading speed
- Under 180 wpm — careful, often re-reading. Common when the text is dense or not in your first language.
- 180–300 wpm — the range most adults sit in for ordinary prose.
- 300–450 wpm — quick and still comfortable for familiar material.
- Above 450 wpm with full comprehension is rare; past that point most people are skimming, which trades understanding for speed.
Use your number
Your result is saved in this browser and used by the reading time calculator and the reading goal planner, so their answers are about you rather than an average. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Questions people also ask
- What is the average reading speed?
- About 238 words per minute for non-fiction and 260 for fiction, according to a 2019 meta-analysis of 190 studies by Marc Brysbaert. Reading aloud is slower, around 180.
- Is 300 words per minute fast?
- It is above average and comfortable for most ordinary prose. Speed matters less than comprehension: if you score well on the questions at 300, that is a good, usable pace.
- Can I really learn to read 1,000 words per minute?
- Not with full comprehension. Eye movements and the inner voice set a ceiling; claims above roughly 500–600 wpm usually describe skimming. See how to read faster for what does help.
A book written for you
Short books, written for one reader.
Seven chapters, written after a short reading of how you move rather than how you describe yourself — short enough to finish. £9.99, delivered as a PDF.