# ESL speed readings — Improve your reading speed

> App to improve reading speed and comprehension with graded stories and quizzes. (iPhone/iPad app by Thomas Boutorwick.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esl-speed-readings/id1587673967 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Thomas Boutorwick](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586795108)
- Category: Education, Entertainment
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 12.4 · 29 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2021-10-11
- Data updated: 2026-06-05
- Monetization: ad-supported
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esl-speed-readings/id1587673967/reviews.md

## What is ESL speed readings?

This app will help you increase your reading speed. When you read faster, you understand better, and reading is more enjoyable. Also, speed reading can increase other skills (Elley & Mangubhai, 1979). A good speed to read is around 250 words per minute (Nation, 2005).

THE STORIES
----------------------
This app has 140 short stories. Each story is written using easy words. For example, the stories at the elementary level are all written using the 500 most-frequent words in English. This level is easier than the intermediate level because the stories at the intermediate level were written using the 1000 most-frequency words in English.

There are a variety of stories. These stories have been collected over many years. Some are famous stories from around the world. The stories are grouped into books. Each book contains twenty short stories.

Each story has a set of questions to answer after reading. Answering these questions makes it easy to check that you are speed reading effectively. You should try to get 70% on the quiz. The more stories you read, the more you will increase your reading speed.

The stories were written by Sonia Millett. Emmy Quinn and Paul Nation wrote the first version of one of the reading books. 

FEEDBACK
------------------
The app measures how long it takes you to read each story. To do so, it uses standard words per minute. It also checks if you are speed reading correctly by giving you feedback. This feedback helps you to continue to practicing speed reading effectively.

For more information: https://eslspeedreading.tjuggles.com

REFERENCES
---------------------
- Elley, W. B., & Mangubhai, F. (1979). A research report on Reading in Fiji. Fiji English Teachers Journal, 15, 1-7.
- Nation, P. (2005). Reading faster. Pasaa, 36, 21-37.

## Key features

- Increase reading speed
- Improve comprehension
- 140 short stories
- Graded vocabulary levels
- Comprehension quizzes
- Progress tracking

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esl-speed-readings/id1587673967/reviews.md

### 5/5 — i love this app.

*2023-02-25*

thanks for you distribute this app

## Frequently asked questions about ESL speed readings

### How does ESL speed readings help improve reading?

ESL speed readings helps users increase their reading speed and comprehension through a collection of 140 short stories. By practicing with these stories and answering comprehension questions, users can track their progress and make reading more enjoyable.

### What are the vocabulary levels in ESL speed readings?

The stories in ESL speed readings are categorized by vocabulary level. Elementary level stories use the 500 most frequent English words, while intermediate level stories use the 1000 most frequent words, making them suitable for different learning stages.

### How does ESL speed readings check comprehension?

After reading each story, users can answer a set of questions to check their understanding. The app aims for users to achieve at least 70% on these quizzes to ensure effective speed reading practice.

### What is the recommended reading speed?

The app references that a good speed to read is around 250 words per minute. It measures your reading speed in words per minute and provides feedback to help you practice effectively.

### Does ESL speed readings have ads?

Yes, ESL speed readings contains advertisements. This is indicated by the 'hasAds' flag being true in the app's data.

### What devices does ESL speed readings support?

ESL speed readings is available on iPhone and iPod devices. It was last updated on March 1, 2025, with version 2.1.

### What is the user rating for ESL speed readings?

ESL speed readings has a rating of 3.0 stars based on 2 ratings. The app is free to download and use.

### What is the age rating for ESL speed readings?

ESL speed readings has an age rating of 12+. This suggests it is suitable for users aged 12 and older.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.1 — 2025-03-01

- Performance updates
- Bug fixes
- Reduced app size
- NOTE: This is a mandatory update because the back-end was also improved.

### 2 — 2025-01-06

Version 2 is released!
NOTE: This version has breaking changes. You will need to update to this version to keep using the app.
Redesigned icons, buttons, and more!
New Stories screen layout
Faster speeds, both in-app and server-side (50% faster on average!)
Better vocabulary test feedback with improved navigation
Other performance enhancements throughout the app
Enjoy!

### 1.11 — 2024-02-06

Fixed a bug with not being able to register
Fixed a bug with the test screen not scrolling enough
Other minor fixes

### 1.10 — 2024-01-18

This is a release for some behind-the-scenes updates including:
  - ads requirements
  - libraries
Also:
- Increased readability of some small fonts
- Reduced codebase slightly
- Minor performance updates

  Thank you for your support!

### 1.9 — 2023-05-23

- redesigned the stories screen:
  - updated the interface
  - colors now match the reading level
  - there are more interactive icons for more helpful information
  - you will now get a trophy when you read a story successfully
- updated the design of the Bookshelf screen
- updated the design of the Test screen
- other minor performance enhancements

Thank you for your support!

## Apps similar to ESL speed readings

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Reading Speed/Fluency Builder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-speedfluency-builder/id1080258925) | 2.3 (7) | Free | Education |
| [English - Grammar Test](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/english-grammar-test/id1055697929) | 4.7 (6) | Free | Education |
| [Basic Japanese OTG](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-japanese-otg/id1503980819) | — | Free | Education |
| [Skill Levels: ESL/EFL Tests](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skill-levels-eslefl-tests/id591024610) | 4.7 (14) | Free | Education |
| [Lagu Anak Kak Zepe 1](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lagu-anak-kak-zepe-1/id1076462000) | — | Free | Education |
| [Haus des Waldes Stuttgart](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/haus-des-waldes-stuttgart/id1053104280) | — | Free | Education |

## More apps by Thomas Boutorwick

- [ShredLog](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shredlog/id1586795106)
- [ESL Speed Reading (Offline)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esl-speed-reading-offline/id1587098114)

All apps by Thomas Boutorwick: https://appshunter.io/developer/1586795108

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-05.*