Yes, for reading speed and understanding; less so for memorising words. In a 2013 study, learners who read each passage five times gained about 45 words a minute on new texts, against 7 for learners who read each passage once. But reviews of study techniques rate rereading low for memory, so add a quick recall step.
What does research say about repeated reading?
Repeated reading was first used, with good results, to help first-language readers read aloud fluently. Paul Nation describes the classic version: a text of about 50–300 words that is only a little above your level, read again within a day and once more a day later, three to five times in all.
The clearest second-language evidence comes from a study by Chang and Millett. Over 13 weeks, 13 learners of English read 26 passages, each five times; another 13 read the same number of passages once each.
| Read each passage five times | Read each passage once | |
|---|---|---|
| Reading speed, practised texts | +47 wpm | +13 wpm |
| Reading speed, new texts | +45 wpm | +7 wpm |
| Comprehension, practised texts | +19% | +5% |
| Comprehension, new texts | +17% | +3% |
The important row is "new texts". Rereading didn't just make learners faster on passages they'd memorised; the gains carried over to text they had never seen. It's a small study, and the authors note the gains were higher than in earlier research, so treat the size of the effect with some caution.
Does rereading help you remember words?
Less than it feels like it does. In 2013 John Dunlosky and colleagues reviewed ten common study techniques and gave rereading a low utility rating, alongside highlighting and summarising. Practice testing and spreading study out over time came top. Dunlosky's advice was to replace rereading with delayed retrieval practice.
That review was about studying textbooks for tests, not learning to read a language, and the two goals differ. Rereading a chapter builds fluency, which is exactly what Chang and Millett measured. Remembering a word next week is a different job, and testing yourself does it better; see spaced repetition. The practical answer is to do both: reread for fluency, recall for memory.
What changes when you read a chapter twice?
Most words in a short text turn up only once, so a single reading gives you a single meeting with them. A second read doubles it. A series gives you a gentler version of the same thing, because the next chapter brings words back.
| Level | Word forms that appear only once in a chapter | Chapter 1 word forms that come back in chapter 2 |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 71% | 37% |
| A2 | 73% | 34% |
| B1 | 76% | 31% |
| B2 | 76% | 29% |
In this Italian A1 series, the fisherman and his fresh fish appear once in chapter 1 and come back in chapter 2:
Di sera, Sandro il pescatore viene a trovare la nonna. Porta il pesce fresco e ha un sorriso gentile.
Sandro arriva. È il pescatore. Porta il pesce fresco.
How should you reread?
- First read: for the story. Don't stop for every word. Find out what happens.
- Second read, the same day: for the words. Tap the ones that blocked you, and notice the ones you guessed right.
- Third read, a day later: for speed. Time it, and compare with the first read. Our page on reading speed shows how to work out words per minute.
- Then recall, don't reread. Review the words you saved as flashcards instead of reading the chapter a fourth time.
- Stop at three to five reads. That's Nation's range. After that, new text teaches you more.
Rereading also suits learners who want to speak: once a chapter is familiar, retelling it is much easier. See input vs output.
Reread yesterday's chapter before you start today's, and time both readings.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
Is rereading a waste of time?
Not for a language learner. Repeated reading improved both speed and comprehension in Chang and Millett's study, including on new texts. It's a weak way to memorise facts or words on its own, so pair it with recall.
How many times should I reread a text?
Three to five times is the range Nation gives for repeated reading. After that the gains shrink, and reading something new at the same level will teach you more.
Should I reread straight away or later?
Both. Nation's version has you reread within a day and again a day later, so the reads are spread over two or three days rather than done back to back.
Should I reread or read something new?
Mix them. Nation describes two kinds of easy reading: new text with about one unknown word in 50, which adds vocabulary, and text with virtually no unknown words, which builds fluency. A reread is the easiest way to get the second kind.