Reading High-Frequency Words in Phrases

Read common upper-grade words like toward, among, and several as whole phrases.

By grades 3 to 5, you meet a new set of very common words, such as toward, among, several, whole, certain, against, and usually. They appear in almost every book, so reading them instantly frees your brain to think about meaning. A strong way to practice is to read them in short phrases instead of alone, because that is how they show up in real books.

Read these quickly: 'toward the island', 'among the trees', 'several hours later', 'the whole class', 'against the wall'. Notice that each phrase is one quick chunk of meaning. When you can read a phrase like 'usually early' in one glance, your reading sounds smoother and you understand more.

• 1Upper-grade high-frequency words appear in almost every text.
• 2Practice them in short phrases, the way books use them.
• 3Instant word reading frees your mind for meaning.