Struggling with Reading Speed? 3 Key Strategies to Finish Faster

1. Why Is Reading Comprehension Slow?

Serious learners often try to understand everything perfectly, from the first sentence to the very last word.
But exams are always a race against time.
Instead of aiming for a perfect score and running out of time, it is more effective to switch to a reading method that focuses on key points and helps you pick out the correct answer efficiently.

2. Three Key Points That Dramatically Increase Reading Speed

Point 1: The Main Claim

(What is the writer really trying to say?)

Pay attention to phrases such as “in other words,” “to sum up,” and “the important point is.”
The writer’s main message often appears right after these expressions.
Once you catch that, the overall structure of the passage becomes much clearer.

Point 2: The Reason

(Why can the writer say that?)

Look carefully at phrases like “because,” “the reason is,” and “this is because.”
Many reading questions ask you to identify the reason behind a statement.
If you get into the habit of linking the main claim with its reason, you will be able to answer questions more confidently.

Point 3: Contrast

(Not A, but B)

Words such as “however,” “on the other hand,” and “but” often signal contrast.
These are also common sources of trap choices in reading questions.
If you clearly separate the opinion the writer rejects (A) from the one the writer supports (B), you can avoid many careless mistakes.

3. Conclusion: Focused Reading Leads to Faster Reading

Just by paying attention to these three points, you can reduce unnecessary overthinking and improve your accuracy naturally.

“I still can’t instantly tell which conjunctions matter.”

If that sounds familiar, start with just 10 questions a day on Rapid Japanese.
Once you learn the sentence patterns that shape the structure of a passage, you will begin to predict what comes next, and your reading speed will improve dramatically.

Try your reading basics for free