Effective Techniques to Increase Reading Speed for CLAT Comprehension

Being one of the toughest exams conducted in India, CLAT requires students to have time bound good English speaking skills. While tackling complex legal issues and subjects the most required skill is fluency in English. Moreover to clear the CLAT exam, it is not just comprehension that will help you but along with it, speed is what matters the most. As per many toppers and academicians, they suggest that a good score in CLAT will require you to speak 300 to 350 words per minute. Mostly they recommend you to start by reading at least 2 newspapers on a daily basis alongside reading legal articles on a regular basis. Now let's get started with how to increase reading speed for CLAT.

Also Read: Simple Steps to Create a Daily Current Affairs Journal for CLAT 2025

How to Increase Reading Speed for CLAT

You can check the points below to develop your reading speed.

• Take care of your Reading Habits - In order to improve your reading skills you need to first eliminate your bad reading habits. Do not re-read sentences unless required. Moreover, try to avoid sub-vocalisation i.e. reading word to word, instead group 3 to 4 words / phrases and read at a time.
• Skimming Lines - Another technique to improve your CLAT reading speed is to skim through the lines of the paragraph. Read the first and the last line of the paragraph as it will contain the primary idea. Now while reading the comprehension read in phrases and not word to word.
• Use of Your Finger or Pen - Mostly students practice this technique to improve their passage reading skills for the CLAT exam. It is advised that once you start reading the passage use your pen or finger and glide through the lines. Once your finger / pen aligns with your eyes the reading speed will automatically increase. Keep on practising this technique on a daily basis.
• Use Practice Passages - Mostly, you will find many academicians advocating this technique to students. You can read one passage familiar to you number of times. Suppose for the first time you read 150 words per minute, now the second time try to improve by reading 180 to 190 words per minute. The art of practise will ultimately help to read 350 to 400 words per minute.
• Improve your Vocabulary - One of the most important tips that every academician will give you is to improve your vocabulary.For this you can use a dictionary or an app and keep on learning new words. It is important that you learn at least 2 to 3 words on a daily basis.
• Summarise Passages - You can pick up 3 to 4 editorials per day or law commentary and read the passage within 10 to 15 minutes. Once completed try to extract the central ideas and write it down without re-reading it.
• Reading Speed vs Comprehending Speed - One choice that is very important to make for CLAT is to understand what is more important. Is it the reading speed or comprehending speed? As per academicians it is the comprehending speed that has an upper hand. You need to get a solid grip on the passage in the first instance. This will enable you to have good command over the comprehension and extract the central idea behind the passage.
• Be Selective - While reading a passage you need to know what can be left out. Once you start leaving out lines which are not important you can save time. For example you need to read 25 pages and you start leaving out 4 to 5 lines per page you can save a good amount of time.
• Try reading on diverse topics related to the current world scenario so that topics in the passage do not look very new to you or you have not heard of. A topic that is known to you will automatically improve your comprehending speed and also enable you to focus on keyword / key ideas that are there in the passage.

Daily Routine to Improve Reading Speed for CLAT

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You must follow this routine on a daily basis.

• Pick up editorials from newspapers like Indian Express, The Hindu and start reading on a daily basis. For both these newspapers complete the editorial part within 20 to 25 minutes as you have got 5 to 6 topics. Now after completing, write down the summary in your own words.
• Focus on long form articles i.e. from The Economist, BBC Features, Harvard Business Review .
• Follow opinion pieces on social issues, social justice, current events etc.

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