1.Read intensively if you want to practice the fundamentals and learn vocabulary.

Intensive reading is focused more on individual details of what you’re reading. If you want to practice pronunciation, study grammar, or learn vocabulary, you’ll want to read more slowly and focus more on individual words and sentences

2.Look for just the gist of a text’s meaning.

For intensive reading, it’s not always important to worry about what something means in a deep way. Just trying to get a general sense of what the reading is about. As you read, you’ll focus more on details like spelling, pronunciation, and the rhythm of sentences.^[4]

• Don’t get too caught up in parts you don’t fully understand. If you can summarize the main point of what you’re reading, then you’re doing ok.

3.Read out loud.

This can improve your reading skills because it makes you be involved with the text in two ways: with your eyes, as you look at the words, and with your ears, as you listen to them. Reading out loud is also key if you’re trying to practice pronunciation.

4.Try to guess the meaning of any new words.

When you come to a word you don’t know, try not to reach for the dictionary right away. Instead, try to guess the meaning of the word based on the other words around it (the context).^[5]

• For example, say you read the following sentence and wanted to know what “pessimist” means: My mother is always happy and optimistic, the total opposite of my brother, the pessimist.
• From the sentence, you can gather that “pessimist” means the opposite of happy: being moody and angry.

5.Write down new words you want to learn.

If you come to any words that you can’t figure out, write them down and look up their meaning in a good dictionary. That way, you can study the words later, too.

6.Read as often as you can.

The more you read, the easier it becomes. Practicing for at least 15 to 30 minutes a day, every day, will make a big difference.^[7]

• Read whatever interests you, if you’re just trying to improve your basic skill.
• Rereading things you’ve already gone through can build your confidence.