Reading Exercises

Why read?

You probably know that reading is considered important even in your native language. Because reading is interesting and educational, it can open new worlds, enrich life, improve hand-eye coordination and improve social skills.

But when learning a foreign language, in this case English, reading in that language has additional important benefits that help you learn the language faster and more completely.

Reading is an essential skill for language learners. As your reading skills improve, your listening, speaking, and writing skills will also improve. Here are some specific reasons why English learners are encouraged to read in English.

Constantly repeating words and patterns while reading helps you learn and memorize vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Reading helps you get used to the rhythm of English. Over time, it will feel natural and you will begin to notice sentences and phrases that don’t seem right.
Unlike speaking, reading can be done alone.
Reading isn’t expensive and is often free. Having good reading comprehension will improve your other language skills as well. Before you can write, you must learn to read.
Reading is the best way to learn and memorize the correct spelling of words.
Listening while reading can help improve your pronunciation.
If you want to improve your English, start liking reading in English. Good readers often get the best grades, jobs, and opportunities.

What to read?

Are you overwhelmed by the amount of reading material available to you?

Find printed texts (library books, magazines, newspapers), online resources (websites and blogs), and e-books (on your mobile device) without spending a dime. You can read it.

Think about what you enjoy reading in your native language.

Can you find these materials written in English? 

Read at a slightly lower level than you understand.

No need to look up lots of words. It’s okay to look up some words.
Make reading a ritual. Choose a time and place to read daily or weekly. Treat this reading time like work.
Read what interests you.

Understand what you are being tested on.

If you’re training your reading comprehension for a specific test, be sure to research that test. Tests may require reading certain formats, such as advertisements.

Visualize what you read.

Some people try to imagine they are reading a movie or an educational video. Listen and read. Find a podcast or a video with a transcript and read along silently. You can also read out your recordings.

Apply what you read to your own life.

How does what you read apply to you? Think about authors and journalists. If you were the author, how would you read it differently? 

Reading level

It is important to read texts at the appropriate level for you, neither too easy nor too difficult. You need to know what your reading level is. Note that your reading level may not match your overall level of English. For example, your reading level is usually higher than your writing level, which is usually higher than your overall level.

Ask your teacher to help you determine your reading level. If you don’t have a teacher, try reading some texts at different levels. If you have to look up many words in the dictionary, the sentence is too difficult for you. Text is too easy if you don’t have to look up words. Try something at a lower or higher level. Teachers, librarians, and booksellers can help you find easy and difficult books.

You can also try reading comprehension tests to determine your reading level.

Decide where and when you will read each day. Your reading level will increase over time.