How to Stop Subvocalization (Read Faster Without Saying Words in Your Head)
Do you hear words in your head as you read? That's subvocalization—and it's limiting you to 200-250 WPM. Learn how to stop subvocalization and unlock speeds of 500+ WPM with our proven techniques.
What Is Subvocalization?
Subvocalization is the inner voice you hear when reading. It's the habit of silently "speaking" each word in your head—sometimes even moving your lips or throat muscles slightly.
This happens because most of us learned to read by sounding out words as children. It's so ingrained that it feels natural and necessary—but it's not.
You don't need to "hear" words to understand them. With practice, you can learn to process text visually, dramatically increasing your reading speed.
Subvocalization Speed Limit
Why Subvocalization Slows You Down
Your brain can process visual information much faster than you can speak. Subvocalization creates an artificial bottleneck.
Speech Speed Limit
You can only speak about 150-200 words per minute. If you subvocalize, you're locked to this speed ceiling.
Wasted Brain Power
Subvocalization uses cognitive resources for "speaking" that could be used for understanding and remembering.
Unnecessary Step
Visual processing happens instantly. Adding an auditory step is redundant—like writing a letter to yourself about what you're seeing.
7 Proven Techniques to Stop Subvocalization
Practice these techniques daily to reduce your inner voice and unlock faster reading speeds.
1. Forced Speed (RSVP Training)
Use our RSVP mode at speeds faster than you can subvocalize (300+ WPM). When words appear too fast to 'say' them, your brain learns to process them visually instead.
Set RSVP to 400 WPM for 5 minutes. Don't worry about comprehension—focus on seeing, not saying.
2. Counting or Humming
Occupy your 'inner voice' with something else while you read. Count 1-2-3-4 repeatedly or hum a simple tune while reading to prevent subvocalization.
Read a paragraph while counting aloud from 1 to 10 repeatedly. Practice for 5 minutes daily.
3. Chewing Gum
Chewing gum occupies the muscles used in subvocalization. It's a simple trick that many speed readers use during training sessions.
Chew gum while practicing with our speed reader for 15 minutes. Notice how it reduces your urge to 'say' words.
4. Focus on Keywords
Instead of reading every word, let your eyes jump to key content words while skipping over 'filler' words (the, a, is, etc.). Your brain fills in the gaps.
Read a news article focusing only on nouns and verbs. See how much you understand without reading every word.
5. Visual Chunking
Train your eyes to capture 3-5 words at once instead of one at a time. When you see words in chunks, there's no time to subvocalize each one.
Use our chunk mode starting with 2 words, gradually increasing to 3-4. Practice 10 minutes daily.
6. Speed Bursts
Alternate between very fast reading (500+ WPM) and comfortable reading. The fast bursts train your brain to process without subvocalization.
Read at 500 WPM for 1 minute, then at 300 WPM for 2 minutes. Repeat 3 times.
7. Visualization Practice
Instead of 'hearing' words, practice seeing images. When you read 'apple,' picture an apple rather than hearing the word in your head.
Read descriptive passages and actively visualize each scene. This replaces auditory processing with visual.
Does Subvocalization Affect Comprehension?
Many people worry that reading without their inner voice will hurt understanding. Here's the truth:
- For easy content, subvocalization is completely unnecessary
- For complex material, some subvocalization can help—but you can choose when to use it
- Speed reading techniques actually improve focus, which enhances comprehension
- Your brain adapts—initial comprehension dips quickly recover with practice
How Long Does It Take to Stop Subvocalizing?
Reducing subvocalization is a gradual process. Here's a realistic timeline:
You'll start noticing when you subvocalize and experience brief moments without it.
Longer stretches of visual reading become natural. Speed noticeably increases.
You can consciously control subvocalization, using it strategically only when helpful.
Ready to Silence Your Inner Voice?
Our speed reader app is specifically designed to help you reduce subvocalization. Start training today and break through the 400 WPM barrier.