Reading · Unit 4: Band 7 to 8.5
R39: Read faster without losing accuracy
Target band 7.5 to 8.5
Strategies help you use time well. But at some point, your basic reading speed matters too. If you read English slowly, every strategy feels rushed. The good news is that reading speed can be trained, like running. This lesson gives you simple drills to build speed while keeping understanding.
Why this matters
Faster reading gives you more time for careful reading where it counts. It also reduces stress. When you're not racing the clock, you make fewer careless mistakes.
Step 1: Measure your speed
- Choose an English article at a medium level.
- Read for exactly one minute at your normal pace, understanding as you go.
- Count the words you read.
That's your words per minute (wpm). Write it down. For many students, getting comfortably above 150 to 200 wpm in English makes IELTS timing much easier.
Step 2: Find what's slowing you down
| Habit | What it looks like | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Going back | Your eyes jump back to reread lines | Use your cursor or finger to keep moving forward |
| Word by word | You read each word separately | Read in chunks (R20) |
| Translating | You turn sentences into Bangla | Easy reading practice (R20, R40) |
| Saying words in your head | Every word is "spoken" silently | Read slightly faster than you can speak |
| Stopping at every new word | You pause on unknown words | Guess from context, keep going (R16) |
Step 3: Speed drills (10 minutes a day)
Drill 1: The one-minute sprint. Read an easy article for one minute, as fast as you can while still understanding. Count the words. Try to beat your score tomorrow.
Drill 2: The pacer. Move your cursor or a pen under each line, a little faster than is comfortable. Your eyes will follow it and stop jumping back.
Drill 3: Reread for speed. Read a short article once normally. Then read it again, trying to finish in half the time. This trains your eyes to move faster on familiar text.
Drill 4: Summary check. After a fast read, write the main idea in one sentence. If you can't, slow down a little. Speed without understanding is useless.
Step 4: Track it
| Week | Words per minute |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 |
A gain of 10 to 20 percent over a month is a good, realistic goal.
Try it yourself
Read this paragraph once at normal speed, then answer the question without looking back.
Lighthouses once needed keepers to light the lamps each night and keep the lenses clean. Today, most lighthouses are automated. Lamps switch on by themselves when it gets dark, and engineers visit only for repairs.
Who looks after modern lighthouses?
Show the answers
Engineers, who visit only for repairs. The lamps work automatically.
Honest note
Speed grows slowly. Don't expect to double your speed in a week. And never let speed drills replace careful reading in the test. In IELTS, accuracy wins.
Your task today
Measure your reading speed today and write it down. Do Drill 1 for five days, then measure again.