- \n
- Find a quiet, comfortable spot with bright lighting to sit.<\/li>\n
- Get everything you might need ready before you sit down, such as a pen, notebook and something to drink.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Decide how long you will read.<\/li>\n
- Put\u00a0all your electronics on silent mode (or turn them off) and put them away.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you have a specific process for reading practice, then your brain will know when you\u2019re about to work on your comprehension. As a result, you’ll be more focused before you even start.<\/p>\n
2. Use a Good Dictionary<\/h2>\n
If you’re a beginner learner, choose an English dictionary that\u00a0translates words into your native language. There are also learner’s dictionaries, which explain words using simple terms.<\/p>\n
For more advanced learners, I recommend using a\u00a0monolingual<\/em>\u00a0dictionary\u2014one that has definitions only in English with no translations. Monolingual dictionaries force you to\u00a0think in English<\/a>\u00a0rather than relying on your native language.<\/p>\n
For a dictionary that translates English into multiple languages<\/strong>, check out\u00a0WordReference<\/strong><\/a>. It covers dozens of languages, such as French, German, Russian, Japanese and Dutch. WordReference also has a monolingual English dictionary.<\/p>\n
For online content, you can use LingQ<\/strong><\/a>‘s built-in translation features. LingQ allows you to choose unknown words in any text, get an automatic translation<\/strong> and then convert those words to flashcards.<\/p>\n
3. Use Context Clues<\/h2>\n
Just because you find a good dictionary doesn’t mean you should look up every single new word!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Using context clues means trying to understand a new word by looking at what\u2019s around it. If you\u2019re stuck on a word you don\u2019t know, try looking at the whole sentence for a hint about what it means<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t stop to look up every new word. It\u2019s harder to focus on your reading if you keep interrupting it. You can write down the word and look it up later. Only look up a word if without it, you can\u2019t understand what you\u2019re reading.<\/p>\n
4. Learn to Read English with the Right Books<\/h2>\n
When you\u2019re choosing books (and other texts) to read, keep two things in mind:<\/p>\n
1. What you\u2019re interested in<\/p>\n
2. Your reading level<\/p>\n
Whenever you can, you should read things that you enjoy. You should also choose books that are at an English level just above the one you\u2019re most comfortable with<\/strong>. You want to challenge yourself enough to learn new things, but not so much that you frustrated with your reading.<\/p>\n
You can use this test from the British Council\u2019s Learn English website<\/a> to get a general idea of your reading level:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Beginners<\/strong> should aim for texts specifically made for beginner learners<\/a>. These include dialogues, short readings about common topics or children\u2019s books.<\/li>\n
- Intermediate learners<\/strong> can read longer texts, news articles and popular novels with simpler language.\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Advanced learners<\/strong>\u00a0can read almost anything, but should approach some classic literature such as Shakespeare\u2019s plays with caution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Not sure where to start? There are lots of places online where you can find recommendations for books to learn English reading:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Listopia<\/a><\/strong> on Goodreads is full of lists created by people just like you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- What Should I Read Next?<\/a><\/strong> gives you book recommendations based on a book that you like or even a list of your favorites.\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Jellybooks<\/a><\/strong> helps you discover new books and sample 10%, which means you can try the book and see if it’s a good fit for you.<\/li>\n
- Whichbook<\/a><\/strong> is a very different kind of website\u2014you choose the kinds of things you\u2019re looking for in a book (happy\/sad, beautiful\/disgusting) and the website gives you suggestions based on that.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
I’ve also added a detailed list of reading recommendations per level<\/strong> at the end of this post.<\/p>\n
5. Check the Difficulty Level<\/h2>\n
Once you’ve picked a book, double-check its difficulty level by making sure that it has no more than 10% unknown words<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Count the number of words on a page or paragraph, and then count the number of words you don\u2019t recognize. Divide the number of unknown words by the number of total words, multiply by 100, and you\u2019ll see what percentage of words you don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n
Here’s a rough guide:\u00a0<\/p>\n
- \n
- 0-2% new words: <\/strong>The text is too easy for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- 4%-6% new words:<\/strong>\u00a0The text is just right.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- 8% new words:<\/strong>\u00a0This text might be too hard for you. (You might try it anyway if it\u2019s something you really want to read.)<\/li>\n
- 10% (or more) new words:<\/strong>\u00a0This text is too hard right now. Set it aside for later, when you\u2019ve learned more English words.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
6. Do Both Intensive and Extensive Reading<\/h2>\n
There are two kinds of English reading that you have to practice: Intensive reading and extensive reading.<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
Intensive reading is when you try to understand every word on the page<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This is the kind of reading you do when you have some time to focus. Most of the tips below are about how to make the most out of intensive reading.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When you practice intensive reading, pick a fairly short text that interests you. If you have a really long text\u2014or you just don\u2019t care about the topic\u2014you might give up before you finish.<\/p>\n
Aside from intensive reading, you also need to do extensive reading, which simply<\/strong> means casually reading anything you see in English<\/strong>. Don\u2019t stress. Don\u2019t worry about what every word means.<\/p>\n
Read a new recipe. Read an email. Read a blog post.<\/p>\n
Read billboards along the highway. Read newspaper headlines.<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t matter\u00a0what\u00a0<\/em>you read\u2014just read in English. Anything. Everything.<\/p>\n
The more extensive reading you do, the more comfortable you\u2019ll be with reading in English.\u00a0<\/p>\n
7. Read More Smoothly with Sight Words<\/h2>\n
Fluency is how smoothly you can read. When you read in your head, you should have a certain rhythm to the words, understanding full sentences rather than going one word at a time. The words should flow together naturally, like when somebody is talking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To improve your fluency, look out for “sight words.” These are words that you should know by sight<\/strong> and should not have to think about how to read them.<\/p>\n
Find a good list of sight words, like this one<\/a>,\u00a0and take about a minute or two every day to read the words as fast as you can.<\/p>\n
8. Get Familiar with English Spelling Conventions<\/h2>\n
English spelling often doesn\u2019t reflect the actual sounds of a word<\/strong>. When you read in English, the voice in your head can get stuck on new words that you don\u2019t know how to pronounce.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t be discouraged!<\/p>\n
By learning common spelling conventions, that reading voice will maintain the flow of English and you\u2019ll improve your overall reading ability:<\/p>\n
- \n
- kn:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0The\u00a0kn-<\/em>\u00a0at the beginning of a word is pronounced as simply\u00a0n<\/em>,\u00a0as in the words \u201cknow\u201d and \u201cknife.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- wh:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0The\u00a0-h-<\/em>\u00a0in\u00a0wh-<\/em>\u00a0words such as \u201cwhat\u201d or \u201cwhen\u201d is silent and isn\u2019t pronounced.<\/li>\n
- c<\/strong><\/em>:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0This letter typically sounds like\u00a0s<\/em>\u00a0before the vowels\u00a0e, i<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0y,<\/em> like in the word \u201ccity.\u201d Otherwise, it typically sounds like\u00a0k,<\/em>\u00a0like in the word \u201ccat.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
9. Focus on Repeated Words<\/h2>\n
It’s important to be smart about which words you look up as you read. I recommend looking up words that are repeated more than three times in a passage<\/strong>, or words that appear crucial to the meaning of a sentence.<\/p>\n
In other words, don\u2019t look up every single unknown word while you\u2019re reading. Think about it\u2014it\u2019ll get boring and break up the flow of reading.<\/p>\n
When you read a text for the first time, underline or highlight unknown words<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Once you’re done reading, go back and identify the repeated words and words that are crucial to understanding. Now you can look those up and write down translations or definitions.<\/p>\n
Finally,\u00a0read the text again with your word list and watch as you\u00a0understand the text more fully.<\/p>\n
10. Remember Vocabulary with Flashcards<\/h2>\n
A great way to build up your vocabulary and reading fluency is to create flashcards of important words. But don\u2019t just stop there: Review these flashcards often<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
While reading, keep your word lists or flashcards handy. You can refer to these if that word comes up again while reading for fast translation.<\/p>\n
As you come across these words while reading new content, move them to the back of your flashcard pile. This counts as review, and you don\u2019t need to review words if you feel you\u2019ve already learned them!<\/p>\n
Anki<\/a> is a great app<\/a> for creating your own digital flashcards<\/a><\/strong> and accessing them on the go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
11. Make a Language Journal<\/h2>\n
Aside from making flashcards, you can use a language journal<\/em> (notebook) for practice.<\/p>\n
In the pages of your journal, try writing sentences with your new English vocabulary<\/strong>. Make your own definition for each English word you\u2019ve learned. Use colored pencils to draw pictures of what the words mean.<\/p>\n
Every once in a while, look back at older pages in your language journal. Review words to keep your memories of them strong. And feel proud of how much you\u2019ve learned!<\/p>\n
12. Ask Yourself Questions\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Taking notes and asking yourself questions can help you really understand an English text.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before you read<\/strong>, here are a few questions you can ask yourself to prepare:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Are there any words in bold <\/b>or italics<\/i>?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Are there titles or subtitles?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- What are some of the names mentioned?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Is there a lot of dialogue?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Are the paragraphs short or long?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
While you’re reading<\/strong>, try asking these questions:\u00a0<\/p>\n
- \n
- What’s happening now?<\/li>\n
- Who’s speaking here?<\/li>\n
- Why did he do that?<\/li>\n
- What is she thinking?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
After reading<\/strong>, the questions below can also get you think about what you did and did not understand:<\/p>\n
- \n
- What was the text about?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- What are the most important things that happened in the text?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Did anything confuse you?<\/li>\n
- Did anything surprise you?<\/li>\n
- Are there any parts you didn\u2019t understand?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
13. Look for Clues to \u201cGet the Gist\u201d<\/h2>\n
The\u00a0gist<\/em> is the overall meaning. Practice using clues to get the gist of a text quickly and effectively. Use these tips to improve your overall understand of what you’re reading.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For example:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Use a highlighter to\u00a0identify important information or main ideas<\/strong>\u00a0in the text.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Pay attention to verb tenses<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0so that you understand the timeline of the story. (Are past, present or future events being described?)<\/li>\n
- Examine any images<\/strong> that accompany the text. These images often give vital information and can help your understanding.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
14. Break Up Readings into Chunks<\/h2>\n
Reading can be tiring, so break it up into manageable chunks<\/em><\/strong> (pieces). Aim for between one and three paragraphs to start.\u00a0As you build your skills, you can start reading with longer and longer chunks of text.<\/p>\n
You can also simply break up your reading by time. In particular, I recommend trying the Pomodoro method<\/a><\/strong>. For every 25 minutes of reading, take a five-minute break to give your brain a rest.<\/p>\n
15. Write a Summary<\/h2>\n
After reading a text, you can write a short summary of what you\u2019ve read. This can just be a<\/strong>\u00a0couple of sentences that present the main ideas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Writing a summary is a great way to reinforce what the text was about as well as use new vocabulary in context. I like to write summaries down in my notebook and then underline the new vocabulary that I learned from reading the text.<\/p>\n
Writing summaries will also help you notice any parts of the text that you didn\u2019t fully understand, so you can go back and re-read.\u00a0<\/p>\n
16. Discuss the Text<\/h2>\n
Call upon an English-speaking friend or conversation partner to help you understand what you read.<\/p>\n
You can explain the text to them. Your friend could then ask you questions about what you\u2019ve read.<\/p>\n
By talking about what you\u2019ve read with a fluent English speaker<\/strong>, you can make sure that you understood the text. Another bonus is that you\u2019ll practice listening and speaking in English.<\/p>\n
17. Reread Short Articles<\/h2>\n
Sometimes reading a text just once isn’t enough to understand it. Rereading is great for finding things you might have missed the first time and reviewing new words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Try these out:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Choose something that takes less than five minutes to read<\/strong>. This can be a story or a news article.<\/li>\n
- Read the text at your own pace,<\/strong> then write down everything you can remember\u2013every little detail, even parts of sentences if you remember them.<\/li>\n
- Read the text again <\/strong>and write down what you can remember. Do you see how much more you remember the second time around?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Every time you read something, you understand more of it. When you want to get the most out of your reading, try reading three or more times:<\/p>\n
- \n
- The first time, focus on understanding the words.<\/li>\n
- The second time, focus on the meaning.<\/li>\n
- The third time, you can start asking deeper questions like \u201cwhat is the author really trying to say?\u201d or \u201chow does this news affect the rest of the world?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
18. Do Reading Comprehension Exercises<\/h2>\n
For more structured practice, you can do reading comprehension exercises, which are designed to test how much you understand and improve your reading ability.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Generally, these exercises start with a short text. Then you have to answer multiple choice or fill-in-the-blanks questions, or even longer written responses about the text.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whatever your level, here are some useful places to find online reading comprehension exercises:<\/p>\n
- \n
- AgendaWeb<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0offers texts for all levels of English\u00a0as well as short stories and fairy tales that include audio.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- My English Pages<\/strong><\/a> has hundreds of exercises for various topics including science, history and biographies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- The\u00a0ESL Lounge<\/strong><\/a> also has exercises broken into four levels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
To find even more online, look up \u201cESL reading comprehension quiz.\u201d<\/p>\n
19. Read Many Kinds of Texts<\/h2>\n
Today we don\u2019t just read books and newspapers. We read blogs, emails, Tweets and chats. The more you read anything<\/i> in English, the better you’ll get at the language.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Magazine Line<\/a><\/strong> is a good place to go to find digital or print magazines on just about any subject. They give you lower prices on magazine subscriptions, and you may be able to save even more if you’re a student<\/a>.<\/p>\n
You can also check out aggregators<\/strong>\u2014websites that take news and interesting articles and put them together for you to look through. A couple of useful aggregators are Mix<\/a><\/strong>, which helps you find new websites based on your interests, and\u00a0Digg<\/a><\/strong>, which\u00a0collects interesting stories from around the Internet onto one page.<\/p>\n
20. Read and Listen with Subtitles<\/h2>\n
It might seem strange, but another great way to practice reading is to watch English videos with subtitles or transcripts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
That way, you will read the words while hearing how a native speaker says them. Because English is not a phonetic language, the subtitles remind you how to spell a certain word, regardless of the sound.<\/p>\n
Watching movies and videos is probably the most fun and interactive way of learning English. I don\u2019t know about you, but I spent a lot of my younger years watching \u201cFriends\u201d and learned\u00a0a lot<\/em>\u00a0of English from the TV show.<\/p>\n
You can do similar things with\u00a0TED Talks<\/a><\/strong> or Netflix<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n
FluentU<\/a><\/strong> videos also have full, accurate subtitles as well as transcripts. You can pick a video that you’re interested in to make this a more engaging experience.
FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n
<\/p> \r\n
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n
P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n
![\"FluentU](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/4\/SimpleText.jpg\")
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- The\u00a0ESL Lounge<\/strong><\/a> also has exercises broken into four levels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- My English Pages<\/strong><\/a> has hundreds of exercises for various topics including science, history and biographies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- AgendaWeb<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0offers texts for all levels of English\u00a0as well as short stories and fairy tales that include audio.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Read the text at your own pace,<\/strong> then write down everything you can remember\u2013every little detail, even parts of sentences if you remember them.<\/li>\n
- Examine any images<\/strong> that accompany the text. These images often give vital information and can help your understanding.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Pay attention to verb tenses<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0so that you understand the timeline of the story. (Are past, present or future events being described?)<\/li>\n
- Use a highlighter to\u00a0identify important information or main ideas<\/strong>\u00a0in the text.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- What are the most important things that happened in the text?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- What was the text about?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Are the paragraphs short or long?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Is there a lot of dialogue?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- What are some of the names mentioned?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Are there titles or subtitles?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- c<\/strong><\/em>:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0This letter typically sounds like\u00a0s<\/em>\u00a0before the vowels\u00a0e, i<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0y,<\/em> like in the word \u201ccity.\u201d Otherwise, it typically sounds like\u00a0k,<\/em>\u00a0like in the word \u201ccat.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- wh:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0The\u00a0-h-<\/em>\u00a0in\u00a0wh-<\/em>\u00a0words such as \u201cwhat\u201d or \u201cwhen\u201d is silent and isn\u2019t pronounced.<\/li>\n
- 10% (or more) new words:<\/strong>\u00a0This text is too hard right now. Set it aside for later, when you\u2019ve learned more English words.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- 8% new words:<\/strong>\u00a0This text might be too hard for you. (You might try it anyway if it\u2019s something you really want to read.)<\/li>\n
- 4%-6% new words:<\/strong>\u00a0The text is just right.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Jellybooks<\/a><\/strong> helps you discover new books and sample 10%, which means you can try the book and see if it’s a good fit for you.<\/li>\n
- What Should I Read Next?<\/a><\/strong> gives you book recommendations based on a book that you like or even a list of your favorites.\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Intermediate learners<\/strong> can read longer texts, news articles and popular novels with simpler language.\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Beginners<\/strong> should aim for texts specifically made for beginner learners<\/a>. These include dialogues, short readings about common topics or children\u2019s books.<\/li>\n