The Three Parts of Fluent Reading

Fluent reading combines accuracy, a comfortable pace, and expression.

Fluent readers do three things at once. They read the words correctly (accuracy), they move at a steady speed that sounds like talking (rate), and they let their voice rise, fall, and pause in ways that show meaning (expression). Missing any one part makes reading harder to follow. Try this sentence: 'The storm knocked out the lights, so we ate dinner by candlelight.

' A reader who stops on every word sounds like a robot. A reader who races through it skips the pause after 'lights' and blurs the meaning. A fluent reader says 'The storm knocked out the lights' as one chunk, pauses briefly at the comma, then reads the rest smoothly. When all three parts work together, listeners understand the sentence the first time, and so does the reader.

• 1Accuracy means reading the words correctly.
• 2Rate means a steady pace, like natural talking.
• 3Expression means your voice shows the meaning.