Reading, levels and exams
How reading actually builds a language, what the levels mean, and what the research says when it disagrees with the advice.
Everything here is written for adults learning to read in a second language on their own. The recurring questions are the same ones: how hard should the text be, how many words do I need, why am I still slow, and what should I do differently six weeks before an exam.
Where there is evidence, it is cited and the limits are stated. Where there is not, that is said plainly rather than dressed up as a rule. Several of the articles disagree with advice you will find everywhere, and they explain why rather than asserting it.
Extensive vs Intensive Reading: How to Split Your Time
Two reading methods, two different jobs. A practical guide to what each one actually gives you and how much of each you need.
Read the articlePractise on passages at your own level
LingoRead generates reading passages at the CEFR level you choose, with comprehension questions and a vocabulary list built from the passage itself — so the difficulty stops being a guess.
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