If you want to enhance your reading speed, you can do a few things to help the process go faster. This article will discuss tips to read faster and apply those takeaways to your reading habits, as reading demands focus and concentration. 

1. Practice reading every day.

Time yourself regularly to keep track of your improvement. Set a timer and record the number of words you read every minute. The more practice you put in, the higher this figure should grow.

2. Try directing your gaze with your finger or a pencil as you read.

Using a pointer keeps you on track and saves you from having to make regressions.

What is regression, exactly? It’s when you realize you haven’t retained anything you’ve read when you reach the end of a page or halfway through an article. Or you come across a specific person or term and have no idea who or what they are. You will have to restart from scratch. 

3. Note any challenging terms and look them up later.

This tip will allow you to read more quickly and avoid becoming trapped in a single word. If you still have difficulties understanding the material, try reading it aloud. Reading aloud causes you to notice details that you would otherwise overlook when reading casually. 

4. Don’t read word for word.

Rather than reading each word individually, scan your gaze from one chunk (of three to five words) to the next group of words. Use your peripheral vision to accelerate around the beginning and finish of each line, focusing on word blocks rather than the first and final words.

5. Use scanning and skimming techniques.

Learning how to scan and skim text is one technique to enhance your reading speed. Scanning and skimming are effective reading techniques, but they should be used under different circumstances. When seeking precise information, scanning is better, but skimming might help you obtain a basic overview of a text.

According to Dartmouth College’s Academic Skills Center, it is an old-fashioned idea that students must read every page of a textbook or article. Unless you’re reading anything important, skip the sections that aren’t relevant to your aim.

6. FOCUS.

Our last tip is to keep outside noise, distractions, and interruptions to a minimum, and pay attention when your thoughts wander while reading.

Applying the tips to read faster above may make the process more efficient while also improving your comprehension. 

Everyone can enhance their reading speed with practice!

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