ruben Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 (edited) Hey Lately I've been worrying a bit about my reading skills. It takes some time and effort to comprehend a sentence, and see how it relates to the prior. Sometimes I really feel stuck on a sentence, and I don't want to move on when I don't really get it (while I sometimes even should!) When I don't know a verb (I read in english instead of dutch a lot), it's sometimes hard to guess, so it takes even more time looking words up. Main problem is that I focus a lot on details, and sometimes lose the big picture. All with all, it takes fairly much time to read even say 20 pages. On the other hand: usually I remember fairly much details, and I genuinely like reading; it's one of those things I don't give up despite the barriers. Do you think these difficulties decrease the more you have read? Do you recognize some of my obstacles and what do you do about it?With love, R Edited August 14, 2013 by ruben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Hi Ruben, Is this a problem that you only have when reading English text, or also in your, presumeably, native Dutch? I sometimes find this if I read books, particularily if I'm reading something older or using vocabulary that is unfamilar to me. I can read half a page and suddenly realise that none of what I've read has gone into my brain. I think it's certainly something that could decrease the more you read. I've found that while the start of a book can be difficult, it can become easier as you get used to that author's writing style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakura Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 It sounds like a pretty normal problem when you start reading in a new language. I had similar problems when I started reading more complex English stuff. At first you want to look words up, especially if you can't understand the meaning from the context, but after a while your vocabulary should be vast enough to learn most words from context. You'll also develop a more natural reading tempo over time too. It helps to stay within similar genres at first, since vocabulary can differ quite a lot between lets say sci-fi and historical fiction. But really, the only thing that really helps is practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruben Posted August 14, 2013 Author Share Posted August 14, 2013 Thanks for the replies Hi Ruben, Is this a problem that you only have when reading English text, or also in your, presumeably, native Dutch? It also occurs with Dutch - although less - that I sometimes fail to make some connections and that a sentence becomes just words the first time I read it. So I also have some problems with reading in my native language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Is there a chance it might be down to stress, or you being preoccupied with other things than the book at hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 I have to imagine this is largely due to reading in a different language. I don't speak any language other than English, but I can imagine how difficult it must be. It is probably similar to studying, rather than reading for enjoyment. Sorry, I don't actually have any constructive advice, but hopefully it is something that will get better with practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruben Posted August 14, 2013 Author Share Posted August 14, 2013 @frankie: yes, definitely, I have a complex inner life, which makes me more an artist than a reader, that's for sure @bobblybear: thanks, yes it's much harder. When I read a Dutch book afterwards I read it way faster ('shock effect?') Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 I always find it harder to make sense of a story if I try reading when I have something on my mind. Reading can sometimes be an excellent distraction, but sometimes whatever is on your mind can be an excellent distraction from reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSchultz19 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 I have this problem a lot. My mind likes to wander and sometimes I'll realize that I read 3-4 pages without actually understanding anything in the book and thinking about something completely different. It's extremely frustrating to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I've found that over the years, reading English got easier and easier, up to the point where now I find it easier to read an English book rather than a Dutch one. My boyfriend's British so I speak English on a regular basis these days. I think, unless you have a specific reason of why it's hard to read (ie. a disability), it should get easier over time. If you do it a lot, you'll get better at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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