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Quick answer: The average adult reads silently at about 238 words per minute for nonfiction and about 260 words per minute for fiction, according to a 2019 review of 190 studies by psychologist Marc Brysbaert. Reading out loud is slower, about 183 words per minute. That’s roughly one page per minute for a typical paperback.
Quick facts
Adult silent reading, nonfiction: about 238 wpm
Adult silent reading, fiction: about 260 wpm
Adult reading aloud: about 183 wpm
Typical range for most adults: about 175 to 320 wpm
You may have seen older claims that the average adult reads 200 to 300 words per minute, or that speed readers can hit 1,000 or more. Brysbaert’s research combined data from many studies and found that earlier estimates often varied because of different methods. His figures are now some of the most widely cited. Remember that speed alone isn’t the goal. Understanding and enjoying what you read matters more.
Table of Contents
Average Reading Speed for Adults
| Type of reading | Average words per minute |
|---|---|
| Silent reading, fiction | about 260 |
| Silent reading, nonfiction | about 238 |
| Reading aloud | about 183 |
| Skimming | often 400+, with lower comprehension |
Reading Speed for Kids by Grade
For children, teachers usually measure oral reading fluency: the number of words read correctly aloud in one minute. The widely used norms published by Jan Hasbrouck and Gerald Tindal give these approximate median scores at the end of each school year.
| Grade (spring) | Approx. words correct per minute (50th percentile) |
|---|---|
| Grade 1 | about 60 |
| Grade 2 | about 100 |
| Grade 3 | about 112 |
| Grade 4 | about 133 |
| Grade 5 | about 146 |
| Grade 6 | about 146 |
These are averages for reading aloud. Every child develops differently, and comprehension matters as much as speed. If you’re worried about a child’s reading, talk with their teacher.
How to Test Your Reading Speed
- Choose a book at your normal reading level.
- Set a timer for one minute and read normally, not as fast as possible.
- Count the words you read. You can estimate by counting words in a few lines, averaging them, and multiplying by the number of lines.
- Repeat two or three times with different passages and average the results.
- Quiz yourself on what you read to make sure you understood it.
What Affects Reading Speed?
- Difficulty of the text: dense or technical writing slows everyone down.
- Familiarity with the topic: background knowledge speeds reading.
- Vocabulary: unfamiliar words cause pauses.
- Purpose: studying is slower than reading for fun.
- Distractions and fatigue: both lead to rereading.
- Format and font: some readers are faster on paper, others on adjustable e-readers.
How to Read a Little Faster
Read more often, build vocabulary, preview nonfiction before reading and skim sections you don’t need in detail. An e-reader like the Kindle Paperwhite also lets you adjust font size and look up words instantly, which can make reading smoother.
A Book About How We Read
Proust and the Squid by Maryanne Wolf explains how the reading brain develops and why reading is such a remarkable human skill.
Related: how to read faster without losing comprehension and how many pages should you read a day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average reading speed for adults?
About 238 words per minute for nonfiction and 260 for fiction when reading silently, based on a 2019 review of 190 studies. Reading aloud averages about 183 words per minute.
Is 300 words per minute a good reading speed?
Yes. 300 words per minute is faster than average for silent reading, as long as you’re still understanding what you read.
How fast should a 10-year-old read?
Fourth and fifth graders typically read aloud at about 130 to 150 words correct per minute by the end of the school year, according to common fluency norms.