Reading comprehension test
Read one passage from start to finish, then answer four questions from memory. You’ll see how well you understood it and how fast you read.
Read the 331-word passage at your normal pace and press “I’ve finished” at the end. Then answer four questions.
Why speed and understanding belong together
Reading faster is easy if you stop caring what the words mean. That’s why a speed score on its own can mislead. This test reports effective speed: your words per minute multiplied by the share of questions you answered correctly. A reader at 220 wpm who gets every question right has an effective speed of 220. A reader at 400 wpm who gets half right has an effective speed of 200.
The questions mix three types: a main-idea question, detail questions and one that asks you to connect two parts of the text. Those are the same skills reading exams test.
Improving comprehension
- Skim the title and first sentence of each paragraph before reading closely.
- At the end of each paragraph, say its main point to yourself in a few words.
- Look up words that come up more than once. They usually carry the topic.
The passages
Six original non-fiction and story passages, two at each level:
- Easy: the invention of braille; a class lunch swap.
- Medium: the honeybee waggle dance; how railways standardised time.
- Harder: the Fresnel lighthouse lens; how tardigrades survive.
Want to check how hard a text is before you give it to a class? Paste it into the readability checker.
Questions people ask
How is this reading comprehension test scored?
You read a full passage at your normal pace, then answer four multiple-choice questions without looking back. You get a percentage correct, your reading speed in wpm, and an effective speed (wpm × percentage correct).
What is a good comprehension score?
Scoring 3 or 4 out of 4 (75–100%) shows you kept the main ideas and key details. If you score lower, try reading the next passage a little more slowly; effective speed often goes up when raw speed comes down.
Are the passages suitable for students?
Yes. Each passage is original, 310–350 words long, and labelled Easy, Medium or Harder. Easy passages suit upper primary readers, Medium suit secondary students and Harder suit older students and adults.
Can I look back at the passage while answering?
No. Hiding the passage tests what you actually understood and remembered, which is what matters for studying and exams.