Which statement is most accurate about reading fluency, word decoding, and reading comprehension?

• A. Fluency develops before decoding
• B. Strong word recognition foundations should be established before fluency instruction
• C. Comprehension depends only on decoding
• D. Fluency is the only predictor of comprehension

Answer: (B)

In reading development, accurate word recognition serves as the foundation for fluent reading and comprehension. When learners have solid decoding and word recognition, they can read more smoothly, which frees cognitive resources for understanding the text. Fluency grows best once these word-recognition skills are well established, so focusing on building strong word recognition before intensive fluency instruction makes sense.

Fluency doesn’t have to come before decoding, because fluent reading relies on being able to recognize words quickly and accurately. Comprehension isn’t determined solely by decoding; even with good decoding, a reader may struggle if vocabulary or background knowledge is weak. And fluency isn’t the only predictor of comprehension—think of how vocabulary, prior knowledge, and text structure also play crucial roles.