Fact · Typing and writing speed
238words per minute
The average silent reading rate for adults in English is 238 words per minute for non-fiction and 260 for fiction.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“we estimate that the average silent reading rate for adults in English is 238 words per minute (wpm) for non-fiction and 260 wpm for fiction”
How many words do we read per minute? A review and meta-analysis of reading rate, Marc Brysbaert, Journal of Memory and Language, 2019, Abstract.
Open the original (DOI 10.1016/j.jml.2019.104047)- What it measures
- The estimate comes from 190 studies with 18,573 participants.
- What it does not show
- An average across studies. Reading rates are lower for children, older adults and people reading in a second language.