Speaking & reading
Reading Aloud Practice
Real passages, a timer, a WPM history and a missed-word check.
About the Reading Aloud Practice
Reading aloud is one of the quickest ways to improve fluency, rhythm and confidence. This page offers 12 original passages across four levels, from short everyday paragraphs to dense, formal text, so there is always something at the right difficulty.
Time yourself to get your words per minute, or turn on the microphone check: your browser's speech recogniser listens while you read, and the page highlights the words it did not hear. Your WPM history is saved so you can watch your pace and consistency improve.
Reading aloud trains different skills than conversation: you can focus on sounds, stress and rhythm without searching for ideas. Choose a passage a level below your comfort for fluency work, and one level above for stretch. Re-reading the same passage several times is not wasted effort; it is how smooth phrasing becomes automatic.
How to use it
- 1Choose a level and a passage.
- 2Press Listen to hear a model reading if you want one.
- 3Press Start reading. Read aloud, then press Finish.
- 4Check your WPM, duration and (if enabled) the missed-word highlights.
Practice tips
- Read the passage silently once first.
- Look ahead: read the next phrase while saying the current one.
- Don't chase speed; try to stay smooth and consistent.
- Re-read the same passage for a week and watch your WPM stabilise.
What it measures, and what it doesn’t
WPM comes from the time between Start and Finish. The optional missed-word check compares text from your browser's recogniser (in Chrome and Edge this is processed by an online service) with the passage. It checks words, not accent or intonation.
What your browser needs: Optional: a Chromium-based or Safari browser with speech recognition for the missed-word check.
Progress is saved in your browser only. See the privacy policy.
Reading Aloud Practice FAQ
Why does the microphone check need internet?
In Chrome and Edge the recogniser sends audio to an online speech service. We say so on the page; you can use the timer without it.
Why were correct words marked missed?
Recognisers sometimes mis-hear names, rare words or quiet speech. Treat the highlights as hints, not a judgement.
What WPM should I aim for?
Between 130 and 170 WPM when reading aloud is comfortable for most listeners, but clarity matters more than speed.