The main lesson
7 practical strategies to improve your English reading skills.
You don't need to use all seven strategies every time. Select the ones that match your reading goal, and practise them on texts you genuinely want to understand.
1
Decide why you're reading.
Start with a purpose. Are you looking for one fact, trying to understand someone's opinion, or reading for pleasure? This decision helps you choose where to focus your attention.
Try thisYou receive a work email about a meeting. Before reading, ask: “Has the time changed? Is there anything I need to do?” Now you know which information matters most.
How to practise: Before reading, look at the title, sender or headings. Predict what the text will tell you, then check your prediction as you read.
2
Skim to understand the main idea.
Skimming means reading quickly to discover what a text is mainly about. Look at its title, subheadings, opening sentences and important repeated words. Don't stop to translate every unfamiliar expression.
Example“Many companies now offer flexible working hours. Employees say this helps them manage family responsibilities, while managers are exploring ways to keep teams connected.”
Main idea: Flexible working brings benefits and challenges. You don't need to understand every detail to identify that idea.
How to practise: Give yourself 30–45 seconds to skim a short article. Then complete this sentence: “This text is mainly about…”
3
Scan for specific information.
Scanning is useful when you're searching for one detail, such as a departure time, a price, a deadline or an address. You don't need to read every sentence in order.
Example“Registration closes on Thursday at 5 p.m. The workshop starts on Saturday at 10 a.m.”
If you need the registration deadline, look for the word registration and the time connected to it: Thursday at 5 p.m.
How to practise: Write one question first, such as “When does it close?” Move your eyes through the text until you find the relevant information.
4
Read in chunks and notice connecting words.
Some sentences feel difficult because they contain several ideas. Divide them into smaller meaning groups, and notice words such as however, because, although, therefore and as a result. These show how ideas relate.
Notice the change“The hotel is close to the station. However, the walk is difficult with heavy luggage.”
The first sentence sounds positive. However introduces a contrast: the location is convenient, but the walk may still be a problem.
How to practise: Underline connectors in one paragraph. Ask whether each connector introduces a reason, a result, a contrast or an example.
5
Guess unknown words from context first.
Stopping for every new word can interrupt your understanding. Instead, read the whole sentence, check the sentences around it, and make a sensible guess. Look the word up afterwards if it is important or still unclear.
Work it out“The restaurant was fully booked, so we had to postpone our dinner until next Friday.”
What might postpone mean? The words until next Friday suggest moving something to a later time. The sentence provides a clue.
How to practise: Circle up to three unfamiliar words in a passage. Try to guess each meaning, then check a dictionary and reread the sentence.
6
Check what you understood.
Understanding every word is not the same as understanding the message. After reading, ask yourself: What is the main idea? What details support it? What does the writer want me to know, think or do?
A useful habitClose the text and explain its message in one or two English sentences. If that feels difficult, look back for the main point rather than translating everything.
How to practise: Write a one-sentence summary, followed by one important detail. Check both against the original passage.
7
Read regularly at a useful level.
Choose material that interests you and is challenging without being exhausting. Short articles, recipes, reviews, emails and graded readers are all useful. You can read carefully for detail on some days and simply enjoy a longer text on others.
It's helpful to know the difference between two common approaches:
Intensive reading
Read a short text carefully to understand details, sentence structure and meaning. Good for practising comprehension.
Extensive reading
Read more widely, often for enjoyment, while following the overall meaning. Good for building a sustainable habit.
How to practise: Read one short text carefully this week, then choose something you would happily read just for interest. Both have a place.
A
A reading tip from Adriana
If I gave you a long restaurant menu and asked you to find a vegetarian dish, you wouldn't carefully read every word from the beginning. You'd look for the information you need. Use that same practical thinking when you read in English.
Try it: Pick any real English text today and decide whether you need to skim, scan or read closely before you begin.
