Skimming and Scanning

June 09, 2026

Skimming

Skimming means reading quickly to get the main idea of a text.

Purpose

  • Understand the general meaning.
  • Preview a chapter.
  • Save time.

Example

Reading headings, subheadings, and first sentences of paragraphs.

Scanning

Scanning means looking for specific information without reading everything.

Purpose

  • Find dates, names, facts, or numbers.
  • Locate information quickly.

Example

Looking for a phone number in a directory.

Exercise

Read the passage and answer:

"Pakistan celebrated its Independence Day on 14 August 1947. Every year, people celebrate with flag hoisting ceremonies."

  1. What is the passage mainly about? (Skimming)
  2. On which date is Independence Day celebrated? (Scanning)