Reading comprehension exercises.
A short passage, then questions that check you actually understood it — in French, Spanish, English, German, Italian or Swedish, written at exactly your level. Free, and there's one to try further down this page.
What makes an exercise actually work
It sits at your level, not above it
Comprehension research puts the threshold for comfortable reading at knowing roughly 98% of the words. Below that you're decoding, and decoding teaches very little. Every exercise here is generated inside the level you pick.
The questions test meaning, not memory
"Which word means X here?" and "why did she leave?" are comprehension. "What was the third word of paragraph two?" is a search task. Ours are split across grammar, vocabulary and comprehension so one weak area can't hide.
Hints help without spoiling
Each question carries one short hint in your own language that points you at the right part of the text — never the answer itself, and never a translation of it.
The words you miss come back
Getting something wrong once teaches you little. Words you miss are woven into later passages, in new contexts, until you stop missing them.
Try one now — no account
A beginner English exercise. Read it, answer, and see how the feedback works.
Try a real lesson · A1 English
A Day at the Café
Anna sits at a small table. She drinks coffee. It is hot and good. Her friend Tom comes in. Tom sits with Anna. They talk and smile. The café is warm and nice. Anna likes it here.
1. Where does Anna sit?
Hint: Look for the word 'small' in the first sentence.
2. What does Anna drink?
Hint: It is hot and good - Anna drinks this in the café.
3. Who comes in to see Anna?
Hint: A person comes in to sit with Anna - his name is at the start of a sentence.
4. Tom and Anna talk and smile together.
Hint: Do they do these two things? Look at the middle of the story.
5. The café is cold.
Hint: The story says the café is... what temperature?
0/5 answered
Exercises by language
Each language page has its own samples, a reading path and the honest speed bumps to expect.
French
Spanish
English
German
Italian
SwedishExercises by level
Not sure where you sit? Take the free level test — two minutes, no account. Or read our CEFR guide first.
Questions, answered
+What is a reading comprehension exercise?
A short text followed by questions that check you understood it — not just that you recognised the words. A good exercise tests meaning: what happened, what a word means in this context, what the writer implies.
+What level should I practise at?
The one where you already know about 98% of the words. Research on reading comprehension puts the threshold for comfortable, self-sustaining reading right around there; below it, you spend your attention decoding instead of understanding, and little sticks.
+Are these exercises free?
Yes. Every sample on this site is free to try with no account, and LitBook's free plan includes 30 credits a month — enough for a short exercise a day.
+Which languages can I practise?
French, Spanish, English, German, Italian and Swedish, each from A1 through C2.
+Can I get exercises with answers?
Every exercise here is answered and graded the moment you respond, with a hint on each question that nudges you toward the answer without giving it away.
A fresh exercise, every day, at your level.
On topics you choose, graded instantly — and the words you miss come back until they stick.
Start reading — freeFree · no card · 30 credits every month