Answer Wiki. Certainly the results will vary from study to study, depending on the language and many other factors. In a 1998 paper by Keith Rayner, a study is cited, where students were asked to read in their optimum reading rate, to be tested for reading comprehension. The average reading speed was 308 wpm (Words Per Minute). The fastest reader's result was 380 wpm, while the slowest speed was 230 wpm. Of course, there are also various forms of speed reading. Readers in the same study, who were asked to skim the text read at rates around 600-700 wpm.