Reading can be seen as an uncool and boring thing to do, but what is the purpose of reading?
The purposes of reading are to gain knowledge and improve vocabulary, comprehension, and writing skills. Reading can also reduce stress and help you sleep better. You can also just read the news or look for some specific information, without touching a book.
In this post, we go through 5 main purposes of reading with examples. Keep in mind that in this post, we are focusing mainly on reading books, but these can apply to other forms of reading and learning as well.
What are the purposes of reading?
The purpose of reading can be different for everybody. One might read to learn about a new topic, whereas someone else can read fiction books just for entertainment.
There are no right or wrong reasons to read. Everybody reads for their own reasons and some people do not read at all.
Let’s go through the 5 main purposes of reading that can motivate you to start reading more books!
1. Read to gain knowledge
One of the main purposes of reading is to gain knowledge that the books contain.
It might have taken someone a lifetime to learn all the lessons and knowledge that they share in one book.
In other words, you can learn a lifetime’s worth of someone else’s lessons in just a few hours by reading their biography or other books.
The knowledge in books is not always ready to be used in the modern world, but even some ancient books contain a lot of valuable lessons, that can be adapted to the modern world. (For example The Art of War)
Gaining knowledge for me is the most important reason for reading. On top of that, it comes with a lot more benefits as well. Some of which we will go through in this post as well.
2. Read to improve vocabulary
Another purpose of reading is to improve vocabulary. Even if you were a native English speaker, reading books can really increase your vocabulary. Even if you knew there was a word for something, reading can bring it up and make your usage of the word more natural.
From time to time, there are completely new words for me as well. I read both Finnish and English books, and reading really helps me to learn more complex and less commonly used words.
3. Read to improve your writing skills
Reading can also improve your writing skills. That might be an important purpose of reading for someone, who wants to become a writer themselves.
When you read a lot, the written text will become more natural for you. You don’t have to think about the perfect word for each sentence anymore, it will start to come automatically.
Kind of like playing badminton, after you get a grasp of it, you don’t have to think about it as much anymore.
Reading can directly affect the text you write in many ways.
4. Read to improve comprehension
Reading can also improve your reading comprehension, and help you understand different kinds of people better.
Books are one of the best ways to wider your view of the world. There are also great alternatives for books if you find it difficult to start reading.
Instead of just sticking to your current beliefs, reading can change the way you see the world and help you understand different people.
5. Read to reduce stress and sleep better
Reading just for entertainment and better sleep is also an option. Picking up a book right before bed can really help you to fall asleep faster.
Instead of watching your phone before bed, where the blue light might keep you awake for longer, reading books can help you to relax, reduce stress and get you asleep faster.
Reading a good fiction book can also be used as an alternative to watching TV.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, the purpose and reason why I read can be completely different from why you might read.
One of the most important purposes of reading is to gain knowledge. There can be so much information compressed into just a few hundred pages that it can completely change the way you see the world or do certain things.
There are books on numerous different topics. Therefore, no matter what your goals are, reading can most likely help you to accomplish them.
Here is a post on how reading can help you to be successful in life.
Hopefully, this was helpful, have a wonderful day!
