How to Increase Your English Reading Speed: My 30-day Challenge
Have you ever felt like you’re just crawling through English texts, wishing you could absorb information faster? I certainly have. As someone who constantly reads for work and pleasure, the idea of increasing my English reading speed has always been a compelling one. But like many, I never truly committed to making a change. That changed when I decided to embark on a personal mission: a dedicated 30-day challenge to significantly boost my reading velocity.
This isn’t just about skimming; it’s about training your brain and eyes to process written English more efficiently, without sacrificing comprehension. If you’re ready to transform your reading habits and unlock a faster, more productive way to consume English content, then come along. I’m going to share my exact journey, the techniques I used, the hurdles I faced, and the remarkable progress I made during these intense 30 days. This isn’t a theoretical guide; it’s a practical roadmap based on real-world application.
Embarking on My 30-Day English Reading Speed Quest
The decision to commit to a 30-day challenge wasn’t made lightly. I knew it would require discipline and consistency. My primary motivation was the sheer volume of English material I needed to consume daily – articles, reports, books – and the desire to free up more time while still staying informed. I wanted to move beyond simply reading word-by-word and truly engage with the text at a more dynamic pace. This challenge was my answer to that persistent bottleneck.
Setting the Starting Line: My Initial WPM and Goals
Before diving into any techniques, I needed a baseline. I used several online WPM tests with various English texts to get an average words per minute (WPM) score. My initial average was around 200-220 WPM with good comprehension. My ambitious, yet realistic, goal for the end of the 30 days was to reach 350-400 WPM consistently, maintaining at least 80% comprehension. This provided a clear target and a way to measure my success.
Gathering My Tools: Essential Resources for the Challenge
To prepare for my 30-day challenge, I assembled a small arsenal of resources. This included a variety of English reading materials: non-fiction books on topics I enjoyed (to maintain engagement), online articles, and even some classic literature. I also downloaded a few WPM tracking apps and kept a dedicated notebook to log my daily progress, reflections, and any new techniques I was trying. Having a diverse range of reading material was crucial; it prevented boredom and exposed me to different writing styles and vocabulary.
Laying the Groundwork: Week 1’s Essentials for Faster Reading
The first week of my 30-day challenge was all about deconstructing old, inefficient reading habits and building a solid foundation. I focused on two major culprits that slow down most readers: subvocalization and regression. Addressing these early on was paramount to seeing any significant speed increase.
Taming Subvocalization and Eliminating Regressions
Subvocalization, or the habit of “hearing” words in your head as you read, is a major speed killer. It forces you to read at the speed of speech, which is much slower than your brain’s processing capacity. My strategy for this during Week 1 involved:
- Chewing Gum: A simple trick! The act of chewing can occupy the vocal cords, making it harder to silently pronounce words.
- Listening to Instrumental Music: Background music without lyrics can help distract the inner voice without being too disruptive.
- Focusing on Phrases, Not Individual Words: I consciously tried to take in groups of 2-3 words at a time, rather than single words. This naturally pushes you past the subvocalization barrier.
- Maintain a Forward Momentum: I made a conscious effort to never go back, even if I felt I missed something. The goal was to trust that the context would clarify any ambiguities.
- Use a Pointer: This brings me to my next key technique for Week 1.
The Power of Pacing: Using a Pointer or Finger
One of the most effective techniques I implemented from day one was using a pointer. Whether it was my finger, a pen, or a bookmark, guiding my eyes along each line of text proved incredibly powerful. This isn’t just for children learning to read; it’s a legitimate speed-reading tool. My pointer helped to:
- Eliminate Regressions: By keeping my pointer moving forward, my eyes had no choice but to follow, preventing them from jumping back.
- Set a Pace: I gradually increased the speed at which my pointer moved, forcing my eyes and brain to keep up. This created a rhythmic flow that significantly boosted my initial WPM.
- Improve Focus: The physical act of pointing kept me more engaged with the text and less prone to distractions.
Building Momentum: Deep Dive into Techniques for Weeks 2 & 3
With the foundational habits addressed, Weeks 2 and 3 of my 30-day challenge were dedicated to more advanced techniques. This is where I started to truly feel a significant shift in my reading capabilities. The initial discomfort of breaking old habits gave way to a thrilling sense of progress.
Expanding Your Visual Span: Reading More Words Per Fixation
Our eyes don’t smoothly glide across a line of text; they make tiny jumps called “saccades,” pausing briefly at “fixation points.” The key to faster reading is to reduce the number of these fixations per line and increase the number of words you take in during each fixation. I practiced this by:
- Peripheral Vision Training: Instead of focusing on the very first word of a line, I tried to start my fixation a word or two in from the left margin. Similarly, I aimed to finish a word or two before the right margin, using my peripheral vision to capture the remaining words.
- Chunking: Actively trying to see phrases or groups of words as a single unit, rather than individual words. For example, instead of “the,” “cat,” “sat,” “on,” “the,” “mat,” I tried to see “
