Introduction: Admit It, You Read Too Slowly
If your idea of “reading in English” is dragging your eyes over every single word like you’re decoding a ransom note, we need to talk. That’s not reading. That’s torture.
The good news? Actual readers don’t do that. They skim (sniff out the big idea) and scan (hunt down the juicy details). That’s how they finish IELTS and TOEFL passages in time, or survive 47 back-to-back work emails without weeping.
So, if you’d rather spend less of your precious life buried under texts, stick with me. I’ll show you 5 dead-simple strategies to crank up your English reading speed and comprehension. Spoiler: none of them involve memorizing every word in the dictionary.
1. Headings & First Sentences: Stop Digging, Start Skimming
Want the gist without wasting brainpower? The author literally gives it away in the title, subheadings, and first sentences. You’re welcome.
How to do it:
- Read titles and headings first. They’re neon signs.
- Grab the first sentence of each paragraph. That’s the “main idea.”
- Pretend the rest is background noise until you need it.
Real life: IELTS passage on climate change? The first sentences scream the author’s point before you even look at the sad polar bears.
Extra homework: Still struggling with sentence basics? Maybe this simple sentence guide will save you from future embarrassment.
2. Scan Like You’re Looking for Gossip
Scanning is not reading. It’s hunting. Imagine you’re looking for your crush’s name in a giant WhatsApp chat log — that’s the vibe.
How to do it:
- Lock onto keywords: dates, names, numbers.
- Let your eyes jump, don’t “read.”
- Practice with a timer: 30 seconds to find a fact or bust.
Real life: TOEFL asks: “In which year was the discovery made?” Don’t reread the whole passage. Just scan for numbers. Done.
Level up: Learn collocations. They’ll help your brain spot patterns instead of drowning in individual words.
3. Context Is Basically Free Translation
News flash: you don’t need to know every single word. Context is like the cheat codes of English.
How to do it:
- Skip unknown words. Life is short.
- Peek at surrounding sentences — they usually tell you enough.
- Keep moving. Stopping = death (okay, not death, but you get it).
Real life: “The CEO’s tenure was controversial…” Even if “tenure” makes you cry, context says it’s about how long someone ran the circus. Done.
Pro tip: Beef up your vocab with business phrasal verbs. They pop up everywhere in emails and reports.
4. Train With Timers (Because You Panic in Exams)
Want to survive IELTS reading without sweating through your shirt? Practice against the clock.
How to do it:
- Grab a short article (BBC, NYT, whatever doesn’t bore you to death).
- Set a timer for 5 minutes. Skim only.
- Gradually shorten your time until you can skim faster than you procrastinate.
Real life: IELTS gives you 60 minutes for 3 passages. That’s 20 minutes each — including answering. If you don’t practice with time pressure, enjoy leaving half your test blank.
Side quest: Struggle with fast-talking humans too? Try our listening survival guide.
5. Mix Skimming and Scanning Like a Cocktail
Smart readers don’t just skim or just scan — they mix them, depending on what’s needed.
How to do it:
- Skim for the big picture.
- Scan for the annoying detail questions.
- Skim again to double-check.
Real life: In TOEFL, skim to see the article is about “urbanization problems.” Then scan when they ask, “What percentage of people moved to cities in 1950?” Easy.
Pro tip: Add paraphrasing practice for extra brain muscles. Here’s your rewriting techniques guide.
Conclusion: Stop Reading Like It’s 1890
Skimming and scanning are not fancy tricks. They’re survival skills. They save you time, brain cells, and exam scores.
So here’s your challenge:
- Grab an English news article.
- Skim the gist in 5 minutes.
- Scan for 3 details (date, name, number).
- Brag about it in the comments — because validation feels nice.
If you’re prepping for IELTS or TOEFL, you’ll want this writing strategies guide. If you want the official “rules of pain,” visit IELTS.org or TOEFL’s site.