Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test (FAST)

A brief bedside screen for aphasia, typically 3 to 10 minutes.

Clinician-administered; 3 to 10 minutes.
Four subtests: comprehension, expression, reading, and writing.
Total score from 0 to 30; higher is better.

What it measures

The FAST has four subtests: comprehension (understanding pictures and commands), expression (picture description and object naming), reading (matching text to pictures), and writing (copying and writing to dictation). It is designed for the acute hospital setting where time is limited.

What the result tells you

The total score (0 to 30, higher is better) indicates whether aphasia is likely. A score at or above the cut-off suggests aphasia is not present. The FAST is a screen; a positive result should prompt full aphasia testing.

Used for

Aphasia

Evidence, psychometrics and provenance

Psychometrics

Sensitivity≈ 73%

Specificity≈ 90%

Inter-rater reliabilityr > 0.95

Each value on a scale of 0 to 1. Higher is better.

References

1.Enderby P, Wood V, Wade D. Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test: validity and reliability for clinical use. Int J Rehabil Res. 1987;10(4):457-463.

This assessment uses a validated instrument and is reference information, not a diagnosis.