What is a common trait of poor readers regarding syntax?

Poor readers often struggle with syntax, which affects their overall reading comprehension and fluency. Processing sentences word by word indicates a laborious, linear reading approach. This means that such readers are focused on each individual word without being able to efficiently grasp the meaning of phrases and sentences as a whole. This struggle can result in slower reading rates and difficulties in understanding the context, necessitating a more effortful reading process.

In contrast, proficient readers are typically able to chunk phrases and recognize patterns within sentences, allowing them to read more fluidly and comprehend meaning more easily. They may also make accurate predictions about text based on context and prior knowledge. Therefore, processing sentences word by word is a characteristic that highlights the challenges faced by poor readers with syntax and overall reading efficiency.