{"id":15514,"date":"2021-10-04T05:21:11","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T05:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/?p=15514"},"modified":"2021-10-04T05:22:23","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T05:22:23","slug":"wpm-for-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wpm-for-reading\/","title":{"rendered":"WPM for Reading \u2014 All You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

The article you are about to read today contains almost 2,000 words, so it should take you more or less five to ten minutes to read the entire text if you are a literate adult.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reading transforms information into knowledge, and efficient reading speed has been repeatedly proven to do a lot of wonders in our lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Online reports state that the world’s fastest reader in 2021 Howard Stephen Berg can read 25,000 to 30,000 words within sixty seconds at a 90% comprehension rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

A 300-page novel contains 90,000 words, so this suggests that he would be able to read about 27% or 83 pages of a book under this genre within a minute or so. <\/span><\/p>\n

That said, this also makes him able to read the entire book in only around 4 to 5 minutes. <\/span><\/p>\n

Unbelievably amazing, yes? But, do you know how these figures are attained? <\/span><\/p>\n

More so, how would you be able to manually calculate your own reading speed for comparison purposes?<\/p>\n

Let’s find out more about these things below.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How is WPM calculated for reading?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The average word per minute speed for reading can be calculated by dividing the number of words in an entire text by the amount of time spent in reading the textual information from the first word down to the last one. A literate adult has an average reading speed of 200 to 400 words per minute.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Global speed reading reports <\/b><\/h2>\n

The article “So Much to Read, So Little Time: How Do We Read, and Can Speed Reading Help” (Rayner et al., 2016) published by the <\/span>Association for Psychological Science<\/b><\/a> tackles interesting points on speed reading.<\/span><\/p>\n

That is, Anne Jones of London has been able to completely read the world’s most famous book — aside from the Holy Bible — Harry Potter in only about forty-seven (47) minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

This means that her reading speed is about 4,200 words per minute (wpm), which is six times slower than that of Howard Berg’s speed claims, curiously speaking.<\/span><\/p>\n

On average, adults that have attained a tertiary level of education read at the pace of 200 to 400 words per minute, so we’ll just probably try to take things into perspective based on this assumption.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, how do we know what our average reading speed exactly is? And, are there any other considerations that we have <\/span>to bear in mind<\/b><\/a> in doing so?<\/span><\/p>\n

The next section aims to answer these queries in detail.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Calculating WPM for reading in detail<\/b><\/h2>\n

By all means, spending time reading is way better than worrying about why and how your long-term neighbor is still single at the age of thirty-nine and a half.<\/span><\/p>\n

On top of that, knowing how to calculate your reading speed is an even more crucial skill to have. Why is this so?<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, believe it or not, you’ll be able to manage your time gracefully and do more exciting stuff with this rather geeky ability.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Calculating WPM like a pro<\/b><\/h3>\n

Reading without understanding the text is way less efficient than reading at a normal speed but comprehending the content adequately.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, it is quite unrealistic to measure reading speed based only on the number of words we can read per minute without considering the comprehension rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

More so, not only speed and comprehension determine how well we can read because the genre of the textual document also matters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fiction stories are relatively much easier, no to mention more fun, to read than non-fictions. So, our reading speed also varies based on this variable.<\/span><\/p>\n

To calculate reading speed in a more reliable and valid way, we have to understand that <\/span>comprehension rate should also be accounted for.<\/span><\/p>\n

The general population’s average reading speed is 200 words per minute (wpm), while the average comprehension rate is sixty percent (60%).<\/span><\/p>\n

The figures above thereby suggest that an average human being can read and comprehend a total of 120 efficient words per minute (ewpm), at least for those who are literate enough.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s just say that you are slightly better than the normal population and can read 250 words per minute at a 70% comprehension rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

To know your average efficient words per minute, you can simply multiply 250 by 0.75 using a calculator or manually.<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/span><\/p>\n

words per minute   x   comprehension rate =   efficient words per minute<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

 
\nFollowing this formula, the number of efficient words you can read per minute is 177.5.<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/span><\/p>\n

250 words per minute x 0.75 comprehension rate = 177.5 efficient words per minute<\/div>\n

 
\nFor comparison, top readers read at an average of 1,000 wpm with an 85% comprehension rate; thus, voracious readers can efficiently read 850 wpm, which is seven times higher than that of an average reader.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the series of explanations above, we still do not know how to calculate our average word per minute, which is essential in determining our ewpm rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

The next subsection should help you out in exploring the answer to this problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Calculating WPM manually<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you think that calculating like a pro is a bit over the top, you may also manually determine the number of words you can read per minute without considering comprehension rates.<\/span><\/p>\n

To calculate the number of words you can read per minute by hand, you need to obtain an article, count the number of words contained in the text, time yourself while reading, and do some basic maths.<\/span><\/p>\n

More specifically, the first step of the process is to search for at least a one-page text that is neither too easy nor too difficult to understand, just like a feature article from a magazine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next, you need to count the number of words the article contains by counting the number of words per line and multiplying the result by the number of lines the entire text has.<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/span><\/p>\n

number of words per line   x   number of all lines = number of all words in an article<\/div>\n

 
\nFor example, you have 17 words per line and you have 30 lines on the whole page. Multiply these two numbers and you’ll get 510 words in all.<\/span>
\n 
\nExample:<\/span><\/p>\n

17 words per line   x   30 lines = 510 words<\/div>\n

 
\nIf you want to use a more pedantic manual counting process, you can simply count all the words on the entire page one by one.<\/span>
\n 
\nYou have to bear in mind, though, that this can be a really tedious task that may only be useful if and when you do not have any access to technological means.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alternatively, you may simply use a word counter online tool like <\/span>wordcounter.net<\/b><\/a> if you have access to the internet to make things faster.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you are able to know the number of words your chosen article has, you may now grab a stopwatch and time yourself while reading the whole text.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, let’s just say that it took you two (2) minutes and thirty (30) seconds to read a 510-word article from the first down to the last word.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next, you need to convert the amount of time into seconds to obtain a more accurate result. Hence, you would need 150 seconds to read the entire page.<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

  1. \n<\/i><\/i>\n
    2 minutes x 60 seconds per minute = 120 seconds in 2 minutes<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n<\/i><\/i>\n
    120 seconds+<\/span> 30 seconds = 150 seconds<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
     <\/div>\n

    Then, you have to divide the number of words (510) by the number of seconds (150) obtained to get your average result. With the figures we are using, you would get 3.4 as a quotient.<\/p>

    Example:<\/span><\/p>

    510 words  \/ 150 seconds = 3.4 words per second<\/div>

     
    \nSince your result is still in seconds format, you will still have to multiply 3.4 by 60 to get your words-per-minute reading speed.<\/span><\/p>

    Example:<\/span><\/p>

    3.4 words per second   x   60 seconds per minute = 204 words per minute<\/span><\/i><\/div>

     
    \nTherefore, your reading speed is 204 words per minute without considering your comprehension rate.<\/span><\/p>

    If you think this process is just a little too dreary, then you may use the next hack to make your life a lot easier.<\/span><\/p>

     <\/p>

    Calculating WPM the easiest way<\/b><\/h3>

    The third and the last way to calculate your words per minute for reading is to simply take a free reading speed test available online, just like <\/span>SwiftRead<\/b><\/a> and the like.<\/span><\/p>

    Conveniently speaking, online tests are inarguably the most efficient and even the most practical tools you can use for calculating your reading speed because they have already been set by prodigious technophiles.<\/span><\/p>

    However, relatively speaking, it is still better to know the basics so we don’t become excessively dependent on technology.<\/span><\/p>

    Besides, calculating reading speed is also not really that complicated. <\/span><\/p>

    In fact, you could have done this easily even at a grade-school level if you paid attention to basic calculation operations.<\/p>

     <\/p>

    Some benefits of quick reading<\/b><\/h2>

    Reading virtuosity could save lives in the sense that a person with this skill can quickly recognize texts without taking much time to process a piece of information.<\/span><\/p>

    For example, speed reading can help police officers acknowledge the license plate of an offender who is running away from a suspected crime scene.<\/span><\/p>

    Or, a member of the airforce team could easily tell an enemy from an ally apart particularly because he or she can read the aircraft’s name at the speed of a Tuatara.<\/span><\/p>

    To take it further, students who possess above-average reading and comprehension speed can also enjoy more leisure time since they can finish their tasks sooner.<\/span><\/p>

    If you are working in a corporate setting, speed reading would also make you spare more time for other valuable activities like taking a trip, exercising, and other recreational activities.<\/span><\/p>

    All in all, reading at a relatively quicker speed together with a good to better comprehension rate can make lives more convenient and less stressful.<\/span><\/p>

    And, most importantly, reading in itself may also decrease the risk of developing dementia, especially if done consistently.<\/span><\/p>

     <\/p>

    How to improve reading speed and comprehension<\/b><\/h2>

    To improve reading speed, all you need to do is to spend more time patiently doing it and making sure that you track your progress along the way.<\/span><\/p>

    You can start doing this by taking advice from books, attending speed reading seminars or training programs, and, of course, sticking to it.<\/span><\/p>

    Whether your mother tongue is English or any other language, you can certainly improve your reading speed by simply exerting time and effort in this activity.<\/span><\/p>

    That said, you will have to spend less time processing information that is represented using technical language structure and higher-level vocabulary.<\/span><\/p>

    So, the next time you wonder what to do within thirty minutes to one hour of your free time, you can consider grabbing opening a book instead of your social media accounts.<\/span><\/p>

     <\/p>

    Frequently Asked Questions on “Calculating Words Per Minute for Reading”<\/b><\/h2>

     <\/p>

    How can we calculate reading accuracy?<\/b><\/h3>

    To calculate reading accuracy, we need to multiply our average reading speed and comprehension rate. The average reading speed of a literate adult is 200 wpm with a 60% comprehension rate.<\/span><\/p>

     <\/p>

    How can calculate words per minute when reading aloud?<\/b><\/h3>

    The number of words that are read orally can be determined by diving the number of words in the entire text by the amount of time spent reading.<\/span><\/p>

     <\/p>

    How fast is fast reading?<\/b><\/h3>

    The average reading speed of a college-educated adult is 200 to 400 words per minute. Thus, you could read faster than a normal, literate adult if you go beyond this speed.<\/span><\/p>

     <\/p>

    Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>

    Reading saves lives, or better yet, helps in preventing neurocognitive disorders from occurring in the elderly age.<\/span><\/p>

    So, it is safe to assume that reading is a fundamental language skill that every person should have the right to learn, especially from the early childhood stage.<\/span>
    \n