How to Read a Long Chapter Book in Two or Three Hours

Co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD

Last Updated: December 25, 2023 Approved

It’s fun to read for pleasure but sometimes you don’t have the ability to choose how much time you get to read a book. If you need to read a book and only have 2 or 3 hours to do so, you can still get through it with some good preparation ahead of time. As you’ll see, preparing to read quickly is just as important as reading itself.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Previewing the Text

Download Article

First, look at the table of contents. Take note of how many chapters or sections there are and how many pages are in each. Flip through the book and take notes of charts, pictures, or subsections. Take a stab at what the book will cover ahead of time, this will assist with “active reading” later.
For example, if there are fifteen chapters and you have three hours, you should divide 180 (60 minutes x 3) by fifteen. In this example, each chapter will take, on average, 12 minutes. Whatever the amount of time you calculate, this is not a hard and fast time, it is just a tool to help you keep track of your time and progress. You need to factor in times for breaks and also understand that some chapters will take longer amount of time and some will take a shorter amount of time to complete.

Advertisement
Knowing your goals will help you pay attention to the right things and not waste time on irrelevant aspects of the book.^{[1]
X
Research source} Are you going to be quizzed on the material? Are you trying to learn a specific skill from the pages? Are you supposed to be paying attention to certain aspects of the book (a character, the way the author uses language, etc.)? Knowing exactly what you need to get out of the reading will help you focus on what’s important and not waste time reading and retaining something immaterial to your goal.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Reading Faster

Download Article

Whether you use your finger, a piece of a paper, a bookmark, or a pen, a pointer will help guide how much you read. Hold it up to the word or line of text and move it as you complete reading.^{[2]
X
Research source} Sometimes you will want to read faster, sometimes you will want to read slower. The more you use it, the more it will guide how quickly you can read.
Don’t wait for the story to come to you. Anticipate what is going to happen and what you need to retain, and look for those, whether they are facts, plot points, or important themes.^{[3]
X
Research source}^{[4]
X
Research source}
Instead of reading every sentence, let your eyes grab onto the major words. After time you will find that you can take in the bigger meaning of the paragraph with just these few words. You can always quickly rescan if you want to retain more information.^{[5]
X
Research source}
Instead of your eye tracking every single word, take advantage of your peripheral vision to see what is coming ahead of time. Begin to see text as a group of words that you can take in all at once.^{[6]
X
Research source}
Subvocalization is when you see a word and then think of the entire word in your head. If you stop doing this, you will save a lot of time while reading. In order to turn off this part of your mind, you can occupy it with something else, like you can chew gum, counting from one to ten over and over again, or keep repeating a-e-i-o-u in your head.^{[7]
X
Research source}^{[8]
X
Research source}
Speed reading is a specific skill that takes practice and dedication. There are many apps and books you can get to help you do this, but it might not be worth it if you need to read a chapter book in 2-3 hours today. Keep in mind that sometimes speed-reading can affect your comprehension, so there is a trade off.^{[9]
X
Research source}
Occasionally you will come across an important part of the book. At these places it is important to stop skimming and read more deeply so you will retain more. Reading an important part closely is as important as reading a lot of parts not closely. If you can tell it is an important part of the book, you may want to mark it with a pen, highlighter, pencil, bookmark, or turning the page down.^{[10]
X
Research source}

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Reading in a Productive Environment

Download Article

Instead of squeezing your reading time into an already full day, set aside in 2-3 hours of reading like it was an activity or event you need to show up at.^{[11]
X
Research source} By dedicating specific time to reading, you will limit distractions and interferences.
You will want to read in a quiet place with no distractions, not a convivial area where you might begin a conversation or get distracted by conversations around you.^{[12]
X
Research source} You might want to go to a library or stay in your house when it is empty. Avoid places that will trigger interruptions or disturbances—you may fall asleep in your bed, you may look for food in a kitchen.^{[13]
X
Research source}
3
Make yourself comfortable. Because you will be in one place for several hours, you will want to make sure you are not in pain and will remain comfortable for a long amounts of time.
- Pay attention to your posture.
- Make sure the lighting is good so you will not strain your eyes.
- Make sure you have lower back support, either from a chair, a pillow, or a rolled-up sweatshirt.
It will be very tempting to put down the book and do something else. You must resist these distractions and plan for them ahead of time. Turn off your phone. Stay away from a computer, handheld device, video games, or television.^{[14]
X
Research source} Even food can be a distraction. Make sure you have eaten ahead of time or have a snack on hand so that you will not get up and go somewhere else.
If you are reading in a short amount of time, you will need to stay focused. You should read the book during the time of day you feel most alert.^{[15]
X
Research source} For example, do not begin reading right before you typically go to sleep, or you risk falling asleep. You can also try drinking caffeine or drinking cold water.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How do I read 749 pages between Monday and Friday?

Rey Starchaser

Top Answerer

Divide it up! Since you have 749 pages to read and five days to read them, shoot for about 150 pages a day. That may seem like a lot, but don't tackle it all at one time. Read a little bit of the book throughout the day, and you should have you pages read in no time!

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 38
Question

I have to read a 755-page chapter book in a week. Any suggestions?

Community Answer

I suggest you read 107 pages a day. If my calculations are correct, you should finish the book by a week.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 9 Helpful 26
Question

How can I read 3000 pages in two days?

Giddygamergirl

Community Answer

Read as must have as you can. Any opportunity you have to read, read. Read at lunch, dinner, in the car (as long as you are not driving), and any breaks you have.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 23

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Reading at night can make you sleepy, try reading in the morning or early afternoon.
Try to establish a deadline and check in with yourself routinely to make it.
Drink a glass of water if reading is making you tired.

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!