# Find out how fast you read **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 1, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636 "2014-03-01T22:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/21 "2014-03-02T19:26:40Z")
581 words per minute. 132% faster than the national average. Apparently I can read War and Peace in 16 hours. I don’t think I’ll be trying that. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/22 "2014-03-02T19:47:25Z")
Moved Cafe Society --\> MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/23 "2014-03-03T02:57:31Z")
You read 529 words per minute. That makes you 112% faster than the national average Not too bad, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/24 "2014-03-03T06:14:52Z")
682 words per minute, 173% faster. I’m sure I actually read faster than that when reading a novel - I don’t normally read every word like that, and it felt much more laborious than reading usually does. ---
**Author:** ![Rala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Rala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rala)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/25 "2014-03-03T10:29:38Z")
635 words per minute, 154% faster than the national average. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/26 "2014-03-03T13:35:55Z")
You read 714 words per minute. That makes you 186% faster than the national average. Although it’s kind of a weird thing to test, like trying to tie your shoes while thinking about how to tie your shoes. I spent the whole time trying to focus on reading normally, so I couldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/27 "2014-03-03T14:31:53Z")
On a handful of tests, I scored 168%, 188%, and 205% faster than the national average, on excerpts I recognized as being from _The War of the Worlds_, _Alice in Wonderland_, and _The Wizard of Oz_ respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/28 "2014-03-03T14:40:12Z")
728 wpm/191 % above average 1073 wpm/329 % above average (that was _Alice_) 958 wpm/283 % above average You’d think I’d be smarter. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/29 "2014-03-03T15:32:26Z")
You read 493 words per minute. That makes you 97% faster than the national average. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/30 "2014-03-03T16:39:45Z")
786 WPM, 214% faster than the national average. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/31 "2014-03-04T15:18:36Z")
Anyone look at the sliding scale to see just how fast the world record speed reader goes? Holy Shnikes! 4700 wpm. Gah. Do you actually retain any comprehension at that speed? FTR, I did 152% w/2/3 right, 147% all three while being asked questions on an unrelated matter…didn’t try a third time. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/32 "2014-03-04T20:22:55Z")
82% faster, but I had to guess on the first question. I had to guess on all the “War of the World” questions, so I just gave up. The odd wording had me reading at only 180-ish words per minute, anyways. It was too easy to get lost and have to go back. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/33 "2014-03-04T21:11:30Z")
I decided to experiment with speed and comprehension. I read the first sample at a methodical pace and scored 54% above average, all 3 questions correct. I sped up the next sample and finished 120% above average, all 3 questions correct. The last sample I read as fast as I could without skimming and finished at 196% of average, still got all 3 questions correct. I may go back later and skim a few samples to see how fast I can go without missing key data. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/34 "2014-03-04T21:52:08Z")
Averaged between 350% faster on three tries, got one question wrong out of 9. ETA: I also don’t know if this is a good way to judge. The passages are too short, and speed skimming is easy. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/35 "2014-03-05T08:25:36Z")
560 wpm here. ---
**Author:** ![jerseymule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jerseymule/32/3155_2.png) [@jerseymule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerseymule)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/36 "2014-03-06T17:52:56Z")
You read 548 words per minute. That makes you 119% faster than the national average. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/37 "2014-03-06T22:58:51Z")
I tried three times. 555, 658 and 959 wpm. I changed my position in regard to the screen to improve speed. I imagine that with a book or EReader I am usually around 800 or so when not trying for speed. This monitor is a bitch to read fast on, with my 20 inch at home it’d be easier. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/38 "2014-03-06T23:56:42Z")
I tried twice. Forgot the first score, second was 2009 wpm, 709% higher. I trained myself to read very fast from a very young age. I loved to reread, so I also trained myself to forget what i had read. This sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/39 "2014-03-07T01:41:06Z")
Obligatory _Calvin & Hobbes_ link: [http://thecuriousbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/58e5f6c8250a102d94d7001438c0f03b-1.gif](http://thecuriousbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/58e5f6c8250a102d94d7001438c0f03b-1.gif) ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636/40 "2014-03-07T02:03:13Z")
> [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](#): > > I tried twice. Forgot the first score, second was 2009 wpm, 709% higher. Heck, since the questions are always the same, I got 14,256 wpm the second time I tried it. That seems to be the limit, since it can’t record times less than a second. But at the risk of sounding skeptical, there’s very little evidence that _anyone_ can read (as opposed to skim) at more than about 800 WPM, and some researchers are skeptical of rates much above 600. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-out-how-fast-you-read/682636.md?page=3)