Reread Counter
Going back over a line feels small. This counts every time you do it and adds up what it costs, so you can see how much of it you needed.
How it works
- You read a short story one line at a time. Only the line you are on is sharp.
- Press Next to move on. Press Back whenever you need a line again. Read for meaning, there is a short quiz.
- Then you read a second story with the RSVP method, and see both results.
You went back 7 times. It cost you 14 seconds, 18% of your reading time.
Story length
Keyboard: down arrow or space for next, up arrow for back.
Quick check.
Now try the RSVP method.
A new story at the same length. Words appear one at a time, so there is no line to go back to. Keep your eyes on the red letter. Tap to pause.
Questions about rereading
Why do I keep rereading the same sentence?
Usually because attention slipped for a moment while your eyes kept moving, so the words passed without being taken in. Going back is the repair. Reading researchers call these regressions, and in ordinary reading they make up roughly one in every ten eye movements. See the guide on rereading the same paragraph.
How much time does rereading cost?
It depends on the reader and the text, which is why this tool measures it for you. It times every moment you spend on a line you had already passed and reports it as seconds and as a share of your reading time.
How do I stop rereading?
First separate the two kinds. Going back over a hard sentence helps you understand it, and research on eye movements shows that blocking it can hurt comprehension. The costly kind is going back over a line you would have understood if your attention had been on it. A steady pace leaves attention less room to slip, which is why this test ends with an RSVP round for comparison. In the reader you can still jump back a sentence when you need to.