How to Use the Calculators to Evaluate Your Reading Speed

Step 1: Calculate Your Average Lines per Page

The Average Lines Per Page Calculator helps you find the average number of lines per page for the book or text you are reading. Here's how:

1. I usually recommend that my students count the number of lines in three full pages, but that applies to paperback or hardback books of fiction. Sometimes if the book has a larger format or has columns - I recommend counting lines in 5-6 pages to be certain that the average lines per page is accurate.
2. Count the number of lines in three full pages from your book. (Or more if needed.)
   • Example: If the three pages have 30, 33, and 30 lines, the total is 93 lines.
3. Action Point: Use the Average Line Calculator above to calculate your average line.

4. Write down this number (your Average Lines per page) somewhere handy—it will be used for all calculations when using that text. Keep in mind that you don't need to calculate this each time you exercise. Only when you start exercising in a new text or book.

Step 2: Calculate Your Average Words per Line

The Average Words per Line or your Average Line helps you find the average number of words per line for the book or text you are reading. Here's how:

1. If you have progressed past the One Minute Drills - and have started reading for longer than a minute, you should have this part down. You probably know the AL already - or have used the WPM Calculator often.
2. I usually recommend that my students count the number of words in three full lines, but that applies to paperback or hardback books of fiction. Sometimes if the book has a larger format or has columns - I recommend counting words in 5-6 lines to be certain that the average words per line is accurate.
3. If you don't have this >> Count the number of words in three full lines from your book. (Or more if needed.)
   • Example: If the three lines have 10, 13, and 10 lines, the total is 33 lines.
4. Action Point: Use the Average Line Calculator here to calculate your average line.

5. Write down this number (your Average Words per Line) somewhere handy—it will be used for all calculations when using that text. Keep in mind that you don't need to calculate this each time you exercise. Only when you start exercising in a new text or book.

Step 3: Count the Pages You Read

Next, you’ll count how many pages you read from ‘A’ - start to ‘X’ - stop - or Start to Finish - during the reading session. Here’s how:

1. Read for Extended Time and count the total pages you read.

2. Adjust for short pages:
   • Count two half-pages as one full page.
   • Count three very short pages as one full page.
3. Action Point: Write down the total number of pages you read.

Step 4: Calculate Your Words Per Minute (WPM)

Use the Words Per Minute Multi-minute Calculator to find out how fast you read. Here’s how:

1. Use the results from earlier:
   • Your AVERAGE LINES per PAGE (Step 1)
   • Your AVERAGE WORDS per LINE (Step 2)
   • The number of PAGES you read from A-start to X-stop (Step 3)
2. Action Point: Use the Words Per Minute Multi-Minute Calculator to calculate your WPM.

I highly encourage you to find out your WPM each time you do the exercise and write the results down each time to see how you are progressing. You can use this worksheet to monitor your results - PDF in button below - or your Google Docs link here!