300 wpm test
Can you read 300 words a minute?
300 words a minute is 1.3 times the adult average of 238. It is 2 times the pace of speech, and the pace of a quick, practiced reader. This test shows you 272 words at exactly that speed in 54 seconds, then checks what you kept.
Read 272 words at 300 words a minute
One word at a time, about 54 seconds. Keep your eyes on the red letter. Four questions follow.
300 words a minute.
| Book | At your speed |
|---|---|
| The Great Gatsby | |
| 1984 | |
| The Hobbit | |
| Pride and Prejudice | |
| War and Peace | |
| The King James Bible |
What 300 words a minute feels like
Slightly faster than most people ever read. Your inner voice is still keeping up, just.
How long books take at 300 wpm
| Book | At 238 wpm | At 300 wpm |
|---|---|---|
| The Great Gatsby | 3.3 hours | 2.6 hours |
| 1984 | 6.2 hours | 4.9 hours |
| The Hobbit | 6.7 hours | 5.3 hours |
| Pride and Prejudice | 8.5 hours | 6.8 hours |
| War and Peace | 41.1 hours | 32.6 hours |
| The King James Bible | 54.8 hours | 43.5 hours |
Questions
Is 300 words a minute fast?
300 words a minute is 1.3 times the adult average of 238 for non-fiction (Brysbaert (2019), a review of 190 studies, Journal of Memory and Language). It is the pace of a quick, practiced reader.
How long does it take to read a book at 300 wpm?
At 300 words a minute, The Great Gatsby (about 47,000 words) takes 2.6 hours and 1984 (about 89,000 words) takes 4.9 hours. At the average 238, they take 3.3 hours and 6.2 hours.
Can I learn to read at 300 words a minute?
Yes, most adults can with a little practice. Take the test above, and if the answers hold, move up a step.