What do you make of audiobooks? Does listening to a book count as reading it?

B Natural answer

I think audiobooks are a solid option, especially if you have a long commute or you like walking and listening. For me, the key question is whether the person is actually following the book, not just letting it play in the background. If you are listening carefully, I don't see why it shouldn't count as reading. The format changes, of course, because you're using your ears instead of your eyes, and that can affect how much you remember. I also think some books work better in audio than others. Memoirs, essays, and novels can sound great, but a dense textbook may be harder to absorb that way. So I would say audiobooks are a legitimate way to experience books, but maybe not always the best way to study them. In the end, the main thing is that you pay attention and come away with the story or the argument in a meaningful way.

Key phrases in this answer

• count as reading — be accepted as an example of reading“Listening to the novel can count as reading if you focus on it.”
• a legitimate way — an acceptable and valid method“Audiobooks are a legitimate way to enjoy literature.”
• pay attention — focus on what is happening“If you pay attention, you'll catch more of the story.”
• while I'm commuting — during the trip to or from work“I listen to podcasts while I'm commuting.”
• take in the same content — receive and understand the same information“Whether I read it or hear it, I take in the same content.”
• the narrator's performance — the way the reader performs the audiobook aloud“The narrator's performance made the character feel more alive.”