Which reading difficulties commonly contribute to reading fluency issues?

• A. Background knowledge.
• B. Weak decoding skills.
• C. Unfamiliarity with syntax.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: (D)

Reading fluency is about reading with speed, accuracy, and expression, and it depends on several related skills working together. If decoding skills are weak, a reader spends extra time sounding out words instead of recognizing them automatically, which slows reading and disrupts fluency. If someone lacks background knowledge on the topic, the text can feel less predictable and harder to integrate, making it harder to keep a smooth, confident pace. Unfamiliar syntax can make sentence structures feel awkward, interrupting the reader’s rhythm and prosody. Because fluent reading requires quick word recognition, meaningful interpretation, and smooth sentence processing, weaknesses in any of these areas commonly contribute to fluency difficulties.