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Average Speaking Rate and Words per Minute

November 8, 2022 - Dom Barnard

The speed at which you talk has a huge influence on how the audience perceives you and your speech. It’s important, therefore, to understand your speaking rate and how to alter it depending on the type of speech you are delivering.

In this article, you’ll learn how to calculate your speaking rate and how it compares to the average rate for popular talks to give you some context. Audio samples of speaking rates at the extremes are provided, so you can understand the difference in words per minute.

At the end of the article, exercises are provided to help you develop an adaptive speaking rate.

How to calculate your speaking rate

Speaking rate is often expressed in words per minute (wpm). To calculate this value, you’ll need to record yourself talking for a few minutes and then add up the number of words in your speech. Divide the total number of words by the number of minutes your speech took.

Speaking rate (wpm) = total words / number of minutes

You can record yourself with this  online voice recorder . Once you have the audio of your speech, there are two ways to get the number of words:

• Manually count the words as you listen back to the audio
• Upload the speech recording to a  speech-to-text platform

When you have the speech converted to text format, copy the text into a software package such as Microsoft Word, which provides a useful word count for the document.

Once you have the number of words, convert the time to minutes – for example, if your speech was 4 minutes 30 seconds, you need to divide the number of words by 4.5 (as 30 seconds is half of a minute).

John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, where he slowed his usually very high speaking rate down to below 100 wpm (his average was well above 150 wpm).

What is the average speaking rate?

The average speaking rate changes dramatically for the purpose of your speech. According to the National Center for Voice and Speech, the average conversation rate for English speakers in the United States is about  150 wpm . However, for radio presenters or podcasters, the wpm is higher.

Here is a list of average speech rates for different activities.

Average speech rates

• Presentations : between 100-150 wpm for a comfortable pace
• Conversational : between 120-150 wpm
• Audiobooks : between 150-160 wpm, which is the upper range that people comfortably hear and vocalize words
• Radio hosts and podcasters : between 150-160 wpm
• Auctioneers : can speak at about 250 wpm
• Commentators : between 250-400 wpm

To give these speech rates some context, if the speaking pace is 130 words per minute, you’ll finish reading an A4 page (Calibri, font size 11) in 4 minutes, 51 seconds.

Extremes of speaking rate – world record pace

Steven Woodmore  is a British electronics salesman and comedian known for his rapid speech articulation, being able to articulate 637 wpm, a speed four times faster than the average person.

Woodmore was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s fastest talker, a title which he held for five years, taking the helm from the previous record holder, John Moschitta, Jr.

A comparison of words per minute for popular TED Talks

Let’s compare different presentation styles to show you how speech rates can vary widely. We’ll use popular TED Talks to compare words per minute for different presentations.

We’ve analyzed five TED Talks, ranging from short speeches up to 22 minutes. When we were calculating the length of the presentation, we included time when the audience was clapping and when the presenter changed slides.

We tried to pick from a wide range of speech topics to get an unbiased average.

The average speaking rate was 173 words per minute. The speaking rate ranged from 154 to 201 words per minute.

Popular TED Talk speaking rates

• How great leaders inspire action (Simon Sinek) – 170 wpm
• The power of introverts (Susan Cain) – 176 wpm
• Do schools kill creativity? (Sir Ken Robinson) – 165 wpm
• Why we do what we do (Tony Robbins) – 201 wpm
• The power of vulnerability (Brené Brown) – 154 wpm

What influences your overall speaking rate?

Here are several factors that affect the overall speaking rate, most of which can be controlled by you.

• Regular speaking rate  – this is the result of your environment, where you grew up, your parents, culture, friends around you, and more.
• Nervousness  – you’ve probably noticed it yourself,  when you are nervous , you speak much quicker and take short shallow breaths as you rush through the content.
• Saying something urgent  – understandably, we speak much quicker when there is an emergency, for example calling an ambulance or explaining an incident to the police.
• Mental fatigue  – tiredness affects our thought process, making it harder for us to articulate ourselves, causing us to talk more slowly.
• Complexity of the words  – longer, more complex words will take slightly longer to say, and if you are counting words per minute, it will affect speech pace slightly (although somewhat negligible)
• Complexity of content  – if you are presenting complex content, you’ll want to speak slower than usual to give the audience time to comprehend the concepts and content.
• Verbal pauses  – pauses are a great way to break up the content and give emphasis to what you are saying. Naturally this will slow down your speaking rate. Read  10 Effective Ways to use Pauses in your Speech .
• Event driven pauses  – these are pauses caused by a change in slides, a demo of your product, checking your notes, and so on.
• Audience driven pauses  – these events are caused by your audience, for example, when they laugh and ask questions.

Example audio clips of different speech rates

Example 1 – why we do what we do (tony robbins).

Sample of ‘Why we do what we do’ speech, spoken at 201 wpm.

Example 2 – We Shall Fight on the Beaches (Winston Churchill)

Sample of ‘We Shall Fight on the Beaches’ speech, spoken at 128 wpm.

Tony Robbins giving his TED Talk, Why we do what we do, with an average speaking pace of 201 wpm.

Is speaking rate important?

In short, yes, your rate of speech does have an impact on how the audience perceive you and your message.

Generally, a slower rate is easier to understand for the audience. If you include pauses as well, you give the audience time to absorb the messages of your presentation.

However listening back to the Tony Robbins speech above, which was at over 200 wpm, you’ll probably find you were still able to understand what he was saying. This is because he clearly articulates his words and uses easy to understand language. Clarity is just as important as speech pace.

Try to vary your speaking rate

No matter what your average speaking rate is over the entire speech, you should vary it throughout the speech. Varying your speech makes it more interesting for the audience and adds emotion to the content. Without pace variation, you’re in danger of sounding monotone.

For example, you can speak faster to convey excitement, or slower to reflect sadness or importance.

When to change your speed

• Speaking fast  – indication of passion, urgency, excitement, and emotion
• Speaking slow  – indication of importance, sadness, confusion, the seriousness of a point

When you’re speaking quickly, initially it is exciting for the audience, but after a minute or two, it stops being stimulating and becomes overwhelming.

When you are speaking slowly, it can grab the attention of the audience and help them process every word, but an entire talk at a slow pace will bore your audience: while waiting for you to get to the point they will lose interest.

Remember: The rate we speak at is highly individual

This is an important point to remember. If you take some well-known speeches and change the pace of their delivery, the meaning would be lost. For example, the “ I Have a Dream ” by Martin Luther King was spoken at a slow rate.

The long pauses and carefully spoken words give us time to absorb the information and plenty of time for the audience to applaud throughout. Even if you did not understand the words, the slow pace indicates that the message is important and should be taken seriously.

Cultural differences

Culture plays a big role in the pace we naturally speak at. Even locations within the  same country  can make a difference – people in London typically speak faster than people from Yorkshire for example. Also, if English isn’t the speakers first language, they usually speak a little slower as well.

How to practice: Getting the right speaking pace

Test your speaking pace.

Practice reading a transcript aloud at different paces to better understand how different speeds sound. Learn More

Here are two ways to measure and practice your speaking pace.

Use a metronome

The metronome ticks at a certain rate depending on what you set it to. If you want to speak at 130 words per minute, set the metronome to this value and practice saying a word every tick of the metronome.

This is a good start, however when actually presenting to an audience, you’ll want to vary this pace to emphasise certain points – a speech at exactly 130 wpm throughout would sound very monotone and rehearsed.

Use practice exercises

Online exercises let you practice your speech in a variety of scenarios. Practice presenting at a conference, delivering a sales pitch, answering interview questions, and more. With  VirtualSpeech practice exercises , you can get feedback on your speaking rate after your speech and adjust it accordingly for your next speech.

Example practice exercises you can use to measure your speaking pace during a speech or presentation. See all the  practice exercises here .

5 exercises to develop an adaptive speaking rate

Tips taken from  Quick & easy tips for speaking rate

1. Reading children’s stories

Read a children’s story silently several times to familiarize yourself with the flow. Go through it again, noting which passages would suit taking more quickly and which should be slower. Then read it aloud and listen carefully to how speed alters interpretation. Repeat the exercise altering your speed over particular passages, noting the differences.

Record yourself if possible doing this and all the following exercises. Save all the versions you do. You’ll then have them to refer back to. Recording takes out the guess work as you can hear exactly what you did, rather than what you imagined you did. It doesn’t lie!

2. Read factual reports

Pick an information loaded report from a newspaper or magazine.

Go through it silently to familiarize yourself with the flow of material and then read it aloud. Make a note of which passages need careful or slow reading and which can be taken at a faster rate. Re-read aloud until you feel you have the mix of speeds right.

As an extension exercise, read the report as if you were reading for an audience who knew nothing about the subject. Note what changes you made and why.

3. Experiment with one of your own speeches

Record and time yourself delivering a speech of your own at your current ‘normal’ speaking rate.

Note the time down. Now go through again having marked passages for slower or faster treatment. Note the new time and your new insights.

4. Listen to good speakers

Listen to speakers you admire. They could be radio presenters,  commencement speeches , anybody accustomed to speaking in public. Note the different rates of speech they use over the course of their presentation and the effectiveness and experiment with them for yourself.

5. Play with material you are familiar with

Read or recite part of a text you know well quickly (or slowly). If you can record yourself, do so. If not, listen and note the effect it has on you. If you’ve recorded yourself, play it back.

Ask yourself where was the speed effective? Where was it detrimental? Mark those places on your script. Read again incorporating your changes.

Words per Minute Calculator

Table of contents

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to deliver a speech? Or how much time you need to read a book? This words per minute calculator (or WPM calculator for short) will help you convert between the number of words and the time taken to read or say. This way, you will not only learn how many words is a 5-minute speech but also how long it takes you to read a document with 2000 words.

If you want to know how much time you need to finish a book, head straight to our reading speed calculator !

Words per minute (speech)

In order to determine how long your presentation takes, you first need to find your speaking speed — how many words per minute of speech you can deliver. For example, the average speaking speed in English is 130 wpm (words per minute). If, however, you are frequently told that you speak very slowly or very fast, you should adjust this value accordingly.

You could also measure your speaking speed experimentally. Set a timer to one minute and start reading a passage of text aloud. Once the timer stops, count the words you managed to read. This number is your words per minute speech speed — you can input it directly into our calculator after selecting the radio button Other .

Words per minute (reading)

The same principle as your speaking speed applies to your reading speed — the number of words per minute of reading. The average reading speed for the English language is between 170 and 240 wpm , depending on the text difficulty and your English ability.

Naturally, you can measure your reading speed and input it directly into this reading words per minute calculator. All you have to do is set a timer to one minute and start reading a book (or an e-book ), this time silently. Once the timer rings, count the words you read and input the number into the respective field (below the radio button Other in the reading section).

How many words is a 5 minute speech?

Once you know your speaking and reading speed, the calculations are a piece of cake! All you have to do is input the number of words you have to say into this words per minute calculator, which will tell you how long your presentation should take.

Of course, you can also use this calculator to figure out the maximum number of words in a speech with a limited time frame — for example, 5 minutes. Let's look at how to use this tool in more detail.

Choose whether you will speak to an audience or silently read the text. In this case, we are going to choose speech.

Select your speaking speed . We will stay with the average value of 130 wpm.

Determine the duration of the speech — here, we will pick a 5-minute elevator pitch.

Multiply the reading speed by the time to find out how many words are in a 5-minute speech:

130 × 5 = 650 words

Your speech can have a maximum of 650 words.

How many words per minute in a speech?

The average speaking speed in English is 130 words per minute . However, the average speaking rate changes according to the task before a speaker — for presentations, it goes down to 100-120 wpm, while for YouTubers, it's up to 150-160 wpm. When picking the right pace, you should also consider your audience, e.g., the presence of kids or non-native speakers!

How many words per 10 minute speech?

To deliver a successful ten-minute talk, prepare between 1000-1200 words. The absolute maximum you should have is 1300 words.

How many words are in a five minute speech?

A 5-minute speech should have between 500-600 words. Be careful not to exceed 650 words, or you'll talk too fast and, as a result, lose the audience!

How do I calculate the number of words in a talk?

To determine the number of words in a talk that will last m minutes:

Decide on the speaking rate r :

• Average: 130 wpm (words per minute);
• Slow: 100 wpm; and
• Fast: 160 wpm.

Multiply the speaking rate by the time you have in minutes:

The result in 2 is the number of words your talk should contain.

Number of words

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Speaking speed

Speaking time

Reading speed

Reading time

Speaking time calculator

Type or paste your speech to instantly calculate your speaking time

How does this speech timer work

To begin, delete the sample text and either type in your speech or copy and paste it into the editor.

The average reading speed and speech rate is 200 words per minute and is the default setting above. Once you paste your speech, click “Play” and Speechify will analyze your speech by the number of words and generate a time to speak it at the default rate.

You can listen to your speech in various accents or languages. If you are aiming for a specific timeframe for your speech, click edit to either increase or decrease the number of words to see how long it would take to speak them.

You can also increase or decrease the speaking rate to gauge how fast or slow you should speak in order to get to a specific time with the number of words you have in your speech.

To get to that perfect word count to fit with the speech length time, you’ll have to keep editing between words per minute (WPM) and number of words.

The best part is that you can share your speech in audio format to your friends, relatives, or peers to review it. They can simply click play and listen to your speech.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many words are there in a 1 minute speech.

Based on the average speed of speech, there are 150 words in a 1 minute speech.

How many words are there in a 2 minute speech?

There are 300 words per minute in a 2 minute speech. 2 minutes isn’t a long time so when you speak, you could endure the average speaking rate.

How many words are there in a 3 minute speech?

On average there are 450 words in a 3 minute speech. This is based on the average speech rate of 250 words per minute. At the 3 minute mark, even a novice speaker could keep going at the rate they started – with some practice.

How many words are there in a 4 minute speech?

On average there are 600 words in a 4 minute speech. This is based on the average speech rate of 250 words per minute. Still, even a novice speaker could maintain the 150 words per minute rate. Try it in the Soundbite above. Set your words per minute and speak along to see if you could endure consistency over 4 minutes.

How many words are there in a 5 minute speech?

On average there are 750 words in a 5 minute speech. This is based on the average speech rate of 250 words per minute. While this is simple math, we after all are humans and 5 minutes can be pushing the boundaries of a consistent speech tempo and words per minute.

How many words are there in a 10 minute speech?

In a 10 minute speech aim for 1000 words. The math might tell you 1,500 words but consider your speech. You might need pauses, rest for your voice, dramatic effects, and perhaps even audience interaction. Also, it becomes quite difficult to endure a consistent 150 words per minute speech rate for 10 minutes. Consider your listeners. We doubt very few people would want to listen to a precisely 150 words per minute speech for 10 minutes. It wouldn’t be engaging. And in a speech, you should engage and communicate.

Speechify is the #1 text-to-speech reader

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Speechify Chrome extension

Listen to any text on your laptop or desktop. Read aloud with the Speechify text-to-speech extension for Chrome. ​ 

Speechify for iOS​

Get the #1 rated app for text-to-speech in the App Store. Speechify can read books, documents, and articles while you cook, work out, commute, or any other activity you can think of. 

Speechify Android app

Speechify is a text to speech (tts) screen reader that can read any text, PDF, document, book, email, file, or article online out loud on your phone. 

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To access our catalog of 100,000+ audiobooks, you need to use an iOS device.

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Introducing Speech Time Calculate

Estimate how many minutes your speeches, presentations, and voice-over scripts will take based on your words per minute rate!

How To Speech Time Calculate Using This Tool?

If you have a certain number of words or a piece of text you want to time, you can either type in the word count or paste the text into the provided area. This tool will then calculate how long it would take to read that text out loud.

The talk time estimate is calculated using the average speaking speed of adults, which is determined to be 183 words per minute based on scientific studies. If you’re interested in how long it would take to read silently, it’s estimated at 238 words per minute ( This data is also backed by research )

You can adjust the slider to change the words per minute value, which will affect the talk time estimate. However, the silent reading time estimate remains fixed at 238 words per minute.

For ease of use, we’ve also provided reference points for slow, average, and fast reading rates below the slider.

To begin anew, simply click the ‘clear text’ button to erase the content and restore the slider back to its original setting of 183.

Who is This Words to Minutes Converter Tool For?

If you are a student wondering how long is my essay or you’ve been tasked with writing a speech and need to know how many words to aim for and how many minutes will it take to deliver or perhaps you are a podcaster, just starting out, who wants the ability to easily synchronize music and spoken word without having to painstakingly calculate seconds between them, then this Speech Time Calculate is precisely for you!

From now on, instead of spending long hours in front of the computer trying to figure out how many seconds it takes for one phrase or section of dialogue to end and another to begin, you can let our innovative tool do all the work and convert your text to time quickly and accurately. With this powerful tool at your disposal, whether you’re giving a TED talk or just need to nail a business presentation, your life will become a little bit easier.

So keep reading to learn more about what this fantastic words to minutes converter has in store for public speakers, aspiring students, and professional radio producers alike!

Whether you want to read the text silently or speak aloud, you can use this tool as both:

• Reading time calculator
• Talk time calculator

Explanation of the Reading Time

Reading time refers to the duration it takes for an average person to read a written text silently while still comprehending its content. Based on an extensive analysis of 190 studies that involved 18,573 participants , research conducted by Marc Brysbaert in 2019 suggests that the typical silent reading speed for an adult individual is approximately 238 words per minute .

To convert word count to read time for a specific text, you can do so by dividing the total word count of the text by this established value of 238. Here is the mathematical equation for determining the duration of reading time in minutes:

Reading Time = Total Word Count / 238

Explanation of the Speech Time

Speech time refers to the duration it takes for an average person to read a text out loud. Based on data from 77 studies involving 5,965 people , it’s been found that most adults read aloud at a speed of approximately 183 words per minute ( research conducted by Marc Brysbaert in 2019 ). To figure out how long it will take to read a specific piece of text aloud, you can divide the total number of words in the text by this average rate of 183 words per minute.

Of course, it’s important to note that talk time can vary depending on factors such as clarity of speech, pauses for emphasis, and use of visual aids. However, using this tool for converting the number of words to minutes can still provide a helpful guideline for planning and practicing your presentation. By having a better understanding of speech rates, you can ensure that your message is delivered effectively and efficiently.

Benefits of Using a Speech Time Calculate

Time management in presentations.

Effective time management during presentations is crucial to ensure the audience remains engaged and the information is accurately conveyed. This is where our words to speaking time converter comes in handy. By using this tool, presenters can easily determine how many words they need to include in their presentation to stay within the allotted time frame.

Not only does it help with time management, but it also ensures that the pacing of the presentation is consistent, making it easier for the audience to follow. With the use of this presentation time calculator, presenters can confidently deliver their presentations without the worry of running over time or rushing through it.

Estimated speech time for public speaking

Public speaking can be nerve-wracking, especially when you have too little or too much information to fill your time slot. You wonder only if there were an accurate public speaking time calculator available so that you could be able to allocate the appropriate amount of time to each section of your presentation, ensuring that you cover all the necessary points without rushing or going over time.

Effective pacing is key in ensuring your message is delivered with clarity and impact.

Most public speakers target an average of 130-150 words per minute for their spoken content, meaning you should aim to limit your speaking time to roughly one minute per 130-150 words. While this may take some practice to achieve, the end result is a confident, well-timed delivery that keeps your audience engaged from start to finish.

Remember, in public speaking, less is often more—take your time to breathe and emphasize key points. Your audience will appreciate your thoughtful and measured approach. For that, you can use this tool and adjust your words to speech time.

Accurate estimations for audiobooks and podcasts

As more and more people turn to audiobooks and podcasts for their entertainment and information needs, accurate estimations of listening time have become more important than ever. After all, there’s nothing worse than settling in for a quick listen only to find yourself trapped in a story that goes on for hours longer than you anticipated.

That’s why it’s great to see publishers and podcast producers taking estimated reading time seriously, providing listeners with the information they need to choose the right content for their schedule. Whether you’re looking for a quick listen on your daily commute or a lengthy distraction for a lazy Sunday afternoon, accurate estimations using this words to speak time calculator make it easier than ever to find the perfect content.

Some Popular Speech Times

how many words in a 2 minute speech

Almost 300 words

how many words in a 3 minute speech

Almost 450 words

how many words in a 4 minute speech

Almost 600 words

how many words in a 15 minute speech

Almost 2250 words

The speech time is calculated taking 150 words per minute as reference value

Common conversions (average speed)

How long does it take to read 500 words?

3.8 minutes

How long does it take to read 750 words?

5.8 minutes

How long does it take to read 1000 words?

7.7 minutes

How long does it take to read 1200 words?

9.2 minutes

How long does it take to read 1500 words?

11.5 minutes

How long does it take to read 1800 words?

13.8 minutes

How long does it take to read 2000 words?

15.4 minutes

How long does it take to read 3000 words?

23.1 minutes

As the world becomes more fast-paced, time is a precious commodity. Determining how long your script will take to read, whether for a presentation or a video, can make a significant difference in engaging and retaining your audience’s attention.

That’s where our Words to Time Converter comes in handy. It’s a valuable tool for anyone working in various professions, from broadcast journalists to teachers to executives. No matter the industry, time is of the essence, and knowing how long your speech or presentation will take is crucial for effective communication.

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What is the Average Speaking Rate?

What’s the average speaking rate ? Is it better to speak faster or is is better to speak slower?

In this article, we answer these questions and look at the factors which influence your speaking rate , a critical component of your delivery.

• Speech Pauses
• Filler Words (um, ah)
• Speaking Rate
• Vocal Volume
• Vocal Projection
• Vocal Strength Exercises

How to calculate your speaking rate

The most common way to express one’s speaking rate is in words per minute (wpm). To calculate this, simply take the total number of words spoken and divide by the number of minutes it took you to speak them.

Speaking Rate (wpm) = Total words / # of minutes

Another way to measure speaking rate is in syllables per minute (spm):

Speaking Rate (spm) = Total syllables / # of minutes

Why syllables per minute? Not all words are equal. Consider these two sentences:

• Modern readability tests are designed to indicate comprehension difficulty when reading a passage of contemporary academic English. (17 words; 41 syllables)
• Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. (17 words; 19 syllables)

If you were to speak these two sentences at the same rate in words per minute, the first passage would seem considerably faster because you are saying more.

Despite the sensibility of using syllables/minute, the words/minute measure is more commonly used, because it is generally easier to calculate.

How to determine your speaking rate

A really quick estimate of your speaking rate can be obtained by timing yourself while reading a selection of text with a known word count. Then, simply calculate using the method above.

But, this is not really your speaking rate. It’s your reading rate . Even if you read out loud, it’s not the same thing as a speaking rate.

The best way to determine your speaking rate is to time yourself delivering a real speech with a real audience. (Video helps — you can count your words from it too.)

What is the average speaking rate?

The average speaking rate will vary across languages and situations. But, rather than dodging the question entirely, let’s come up an estimate given a fairly narrow speaking situation —  TED talks  — which we often study in Six Minutes  speech critiques.

I analyzed 9 TED talks which have been critiqued on Six Minutes . These talks ranged from just under 7 minutes in length to just under 20 minutes. Some speakers used visuals, some did not. Their topics were widely variable. [Click the links in the table below to view these speeches and read the critiques. Note that the Steve Jobs talk was not delivered at a TED conference, but is included on the TED website.]

• For these 9 talks, the average speaking rate is 163 words per minute .
• Two thirds of the talks are clustered in a narrow range between 153 and 168 words per minute.
• Remember that this average and range do not necessarily apply to all speaking situations.

One can also calculate the speaking rate for the 9 TED talks in syllables per minute, and these results are shown below, sorted in the same order as in the words/minute chart above.

• The most notable difference using the syllables/minute measure is that of Majora Carter. She has a much higher syllables/word count (1.62) compared to the others, which all fall between 1.43 and 1.54. More frequent use of longer words is one factor which contributes to my perception that she’s talking too fast.

What influences your overall speaking rate?

There are many factors which influence your overall speaking rate:

• Your normal speaking rate This is a product of your birth, your culture, and your history (family, profession, etc.) Some people talk faster. Some people talk slower. Neither is inherently  good or bad .
• Nervousness and stress Speaking under pressure tends to make you speak faster. I am not immune to this trait. If I’m speaking with notes of any kind, I’ll often write “SLOW DOWN” in red ink in the margin as a reminder.
• Mental fatigue If you are tired, you will tend to speak slower. You’ll also tend to make more mistakes which further slows your effective speaking rate.
• Complexity of the words If you’re measuring speaking rate in words per minute, then longer words will usually slow down your speaking rate.
• Complexity of content Longer sentences and more complex speech content means more pauses are necessary, and this will slow down your speaking rate, too. This is desirable because it helps your audience — they need more time to mentally process longer sentences and more complex content. However, it would help them more to simplify your content and shorten your sentences.
• Verbal pauses Insertion of natural pauses in your verbal delivery will slow your speaking rate, but the gains in understandability are worth it!
• Extra pauses induced by you Every time you stop to checking your notes, think to search for a word, show a prop or slide, or demonstrate something, your speaking rate drops. Often, the benefits of doing these things outweighs the drawbacks. [Some of these pauses can be reduced by more thorough preparation.]
• Extra pauses induced by your audience When your audience applauds or laughs, this slows you down too. Larger audiences tend to induce larger delays.
• Extra pauses induced by the environment These are harder to predict, but you should allow for them. For example, loud noises outside the room or other distractions may force you to pause, or repeat yourself.

All but the last two factors are completely within your control, and even those last two factors can be predicted somewhat.

Is it better to speak faster or is is better to speak slower?

It depends, but if you are anywhere close to the range of the speakers analyzed above (133 to 188 words/minute), you’re fine.

Generally, slower is more intelligible than faster speech. Appropriate pauses allow your audience time to digest what you’ve said and begin to process it. However, instead of worrying too much about your numerical speaking rate, it probably would be better to focus on improving your clarity and lowering the complexity of your language.

• Clarity : Good enunciation, sharp pronunciation, and proper stresses will produce clear language and make it easy for your audience to hear each word.
• Complexity : By simplifying words and simplifying your sentences by eliminating unnecessary words, you become much more understandable.

Vary your speaking rate!

No matter what your average speaking rate is over the entire speech, you should always vary it within a speech. Don’t deliver sentence after sentence at the same exact rate. Varying your speech rate adds life to your vocal delivery, and allows you to convey both meaning and emotional content.

For example, you can speak a little faster to convey excitement, or a little slower to reflect sadness or confusion.

Final Thoughts

I know very few people who speak considerably too slow, but many who speak too fast. Because of the common tendency to put too much content into our presentations, we tend to speak at a blazing speed to get through it all. So, in general, slow down!

Like many delivery characteristics, the best way to be aware of whether you are doing it well is to solicit feedback. Ask trusted audience members whether your pace was too slow, too fast, or just right.

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27 comments.

Great post Andrew. I love the analysis. Research shows that Australians generally speak slower than other english speakers, and I recently ( http://wp.me/p2k3hy-Ev ) suggested that we speak around 100 wpm. Quite a difference! Despite this, I have a flash card that I take into every high school speech class and I use it a LOT. It says “slow down”.

Fascinating! I wasn’t aware of the speaking rate difference in Australians. Do you have a reference to the research handy?

it is said that the normalspeaking rate is 140_160 word per minute

Thanks for this post Andrew. I think it also depends on the nature of the speech. My experience in Toastmasters tells me that, when telling stories and trying to convey emotion, I’ll speak much slower than when speaking about plain facts and figures. Is this your case as well?

Yes, it certainly depends on the nature of the overall speech and, as you have pointed out, on the nature of what you are presenting at a given time within the speech.

I agree that emotional content and stories (which have more dramatic pauses) tend to be delivered slower than factual details, but even that isn’t a hard rule.

Andrew, As always I appreciate your thoroughness and your practical approach to dealing with the challenges of public speaking. I agree with this article and thank you for your approach using syllables rather than words to assess rate of speech. One thought, another situation affecting ROS is the fact that people may not practice speaking at the slower pace often enough. This is where it is helpful to read a piece aloud that has the desired number of words in it (or syllables) and time yourself to be able to read it at the correct pace. If you do that often enough, you get the “feel” of that pace and can more easily duplicate it under pressure. And you’ll also notice that when you slow down you are more able to add nuances and variety, making the slower pace actually MORE interesting than the faster one, in case you are worried about boring people when speaking more slowly.

Up to now, I’ve never seen syllables used to express speaking speed, but it makes such sense – as the comparison of sentences with the same word count but vastly different syllable counts clearly shows in this post.

A while ago, I published a piece about using fewer syllables when speaking. It lists 14 terms that people often use when speaking (or writing), and it gives low-syllable equivalents (up to 80% shorter) for each term: http://remotepossibilities.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/minimise-blur-firstframework-part-1m/#bb3

If you make simple changes like those, you can avoid rushing, and your audience can absorb your message far better.

Here’s another tip related to speaking rate, which I’ve found really handy when listening to recorded speeches or webinars: By using Windows Media Player (or a similar tool), you can play recordings slower or faster than normal speed.

Typically, speakers talk too fast. So you can use Media Player to slow down the recording, and/or you can keep clicking Pause to give yourself time to digest what was just said.

Conversely, for slow or well-paced speakers, you can play a recording at (say) 150% speed, so for instance you can hear a 1-hour webinar in only 40 minutes. What a timesaver! (I’m in Australia like Claire, above, but the slowest speaker I’ve come across is actually a well-known CEO from the US. In a live speech, the slow speed lets you absorb what he’s saying, but in a recording it can get frustrating unless you speed it up.)

If your version of Media Player’s like mine, you’ll find the speed control by choosing View > Enhancements > Play Speed Settings. (In Media Player on Windows 7, instead you choose Play > Play Speed, which gives you just 3 speeds to choose from.)

I hope you find that as handy as I have!

Thanks for the tip, Craig. I’ll have to try that out.

Andrew, This is extremely helpful for novice public speakers. I am forever being asked how much can I say in a minute? What’s interesting about the numbers for me is that they look so high. Once you allow time for audience reaction and time to pause to let your points sink in, I always find that even the fastest public speakers struggle to get much more than 140 words per minute. 150 tops. It’s our nervous novices that speak at 180. I’d be interested to know: Why is it that these experienced hands say so many words? Does their experience mean that they can command an audience’s attention and compress more content into less time? Or would they be better if the slowed down?

Without a great deal more data, it’s hard to answer your questions. However, I think it is fair to say that these TED speakers are able to deliver at a higher words/minute rate because [1] they are extremely well-prepared, and thus rarely make any verbal slips which would slow them down and [2] the culture of TED talks tends to allow for a pretty high information density.

As for whether these talks would be better if slowed down, I leave it up to the audience.

As a trainer of professional actors I can assure you that there seems to be more of a correlation of slower speed with “reading” and faster speed with passion. Perhaps the TED speakers are a bit more passionate about their ideas?

Wow. I couldn’t disagree more. If a person is aligning operative words then TEMPO has almost no bearing on the speech. If someone is passionate then they are going to speak at a faster rate (SPM), but they will also hit words in such a way as to convey meaning. Anything between 160-210 (wpm) is common in everyday speech. Why should conveying ideas in a “speech” be different?

Love your pages! However, please take caution when using the word ” slower”. It is an adjective. When speaking of how something is done, the proper use is ” more slowly”. 😉

I agree with you SO much that I filed a federal lawsuit asking court and other public officers to SLOWDOWN. My lawsuit is called Ovitsky v. Washington County, etc. It’s less about money and more about understanding what people are speaking, for me most of the time it is “too fast,” quite literally. Federal relay types about 60 wpm. Court officers speak 100+ wpm. If I can walk away with one non financial gain, it would be a federal order asking the locals to slow down and also asking FCC to hire faster typists to transcribe calls for deaf. I write for myself, I cannot read 100+ wpm, I can read about 80 wpm and I can hear maybe 60 wpm with pauses and repeats, which is why I use deaf telecom, I need a SLOWDOWN more than I need the visual but after seven years, I’m accustomed to doing both. I am in Oregon, not far from where ye hail from? Au Canada? In any event, thank you for your wonderful article and I appreciate your posting it. I re-posted it on my FaceBook page with a link back to this site.

Hi, Andrew, Congratulations for your blog! It’s terrific! I also write about public communication, but I focus on phonetics. I’ll keep reading your posts, thanks!! Carolina (Madrid, Spain)

Ray Hull, Ph.D. recommended 124 wpm.

That was great to read your research Please advise the top 10 speech or speaker in a world

Many Thanks

Nice article, I came here looking to learn what speed I wanted to be able to play guitar at. I was wondering if you might have an article you could direct me to which delves deeper into the mood tone/frequency or as you put it an article that tells me what speed rates convey what sorts of meanings and emotions?

Andrew, thank you! One of the 1st training segments of Accent training ( Not “accent reduction” – rather “Accent Addition”) is to train folks how to monitor their speaking rate. We do this by doing an analysis of TED speakers on the # of words per minute ( WPM). The Syllables Per Minute (SPM) analysis that you have done is phenomenal. A person cannot change how they move their speaking/articulator-voice muscles until they can be attuned to and control the speed of their speaking movements. Additionally, they cannot be attuned to how their listeners are responding or understanding if they cannot use effective pauses. Your analysis of the WPM and SPM of top TED speakers helps others to strategically garner specific tactics to be more effective speakers. Again, Thank you!!!

Thank you for this post Andrew! I learned a lot of details about public speaking while browsing through your blog. It actually inspired me to create an app which estimates the speaker’s speaking rate, pauses, pitch and volume (a digital presentation coach). Now available for free on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quantle/id1241930976 Thanks again for your valuable pages!

a very good job. I hope you will creat a a android version of the app. Thank you.

Hi Andrew. Thank you for your very interesting post on speaking rate. I am interested in doing this at a more academic level, in a paper, for instance. Do you have any papers/references on calculating speaking rate? Thank you in advance for your help.

Interesting that the fact of deafness are not being dealt with enough. Some deaf persons (especially older persons) has big difficulties in following newsreaders. It must be remembered that with the years all functions slow down a little bit with extreme cases here and there.Also older persons tend to listen more to radio and tv and find it very difficult in understanding than in the past.I am very fond of news channels but find that some readers (especially women ) are faster readers than their male colleges.To all out there please speak slower!

Do you have DVDs to help with practice sounds

Recently I reviewed a video where the speaker talked at 230 wpm! (I linked to this post for comparison with other talks.)

You might think that’d be WAY too fast, but in that case I think the speaker pulled it off.

If done well, one benefit of speaking so fast is that it conveys passion for the topic. See what you think…

The reason why Majora Carter’s spw is so much higher is because she says ‘sustainability’, ‘environmental’ and ‘sustainable development’ a lot.

You could also say that: • the avg wpm of those “2/3 between 153 and 168 wpm” is 160; and that • the avg spm of those talks is 274, and 237 amongst without the 3 fast-talking women and slomo Gore.

Personally, I’m more interested in how fast can people listen. Any clues?

Recent Tweets

163 words per minute is an average speaking rate for presentations. http://t.co/Tknk8f0A0O #speaking — @anthea_rowe Sep 10th, 2015

This was helpful to me as I’m preparing a talk: What is the Average Speaking Rate? https://t.co/oA8Scl26sx by @6minutes — @cesarbrea Oct 19th, 2015

@AlexWattsEsq about 90 hours by my very unscientific estimate. Used average speaking rate here: https://t.co/8CHXhuUt5K — @InfiniteClock Dec 2nd, 2015

What is the Average Speaking Rate? Very insightful 🙂 @GitteWBruhn and @SCThatcher https://t.co/UmmT6sa4N3 by @6minutes — @ClaireLauper Dec 18th, 2015

@grace_elliot Varies quite a lot. Some useful info here https://t.co/lXLdUZty91 😊 — @DamianSomebody Apr 20th, 2016

The average speaking rate of English as 1st Language TED speakers in Words & syllables https://t.co/ekitKC9jw6 — @accentcoach Jun 14th, 2016

#TuesdayTips Too fast, too slow, or just right? Good article by @6minutes on pace of speech. https://t.co/hPXErFUsVX — PitchVantage (@pitchvantage) Jul 5th, 2016

.@6minutes Found today. Looking forward to following. https://t.co/yWCQwBzJjg — @realestaterossi Nov 19th, 2016

¿sabías que la velocidad media de hablar óptima en un discurso está entre 153 y 168 palabras? #apor1600kwds https://t.co/bbwrBgo7BU — @DanielRDelPino Oct 17th, 2017

What is the Average Speaking Rate? https://t.co/Th6LajR5J8 — @BigDru Jul 6th, 2018

1 Blog Link

Hearing | Sherry Chandler — Nov 17th, 2012

Featured Articles

• Majora Carter (TED, 2006) Energy, Passion, Speaking Rate
• Hans Rosling (TED, 2006) 6 Techniques to Present Data
• J.A. Gamache (Toastmasters, 2007) Gestures, Prop, Writing
• Steve Jobs (Stanford, 2005) Figures of speech, rule of three
• Al Gore (TED, 2006) Humor, audience interaction
• Dick Hardt (OSCON, 2005) Lessig Method of Presentation

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How Many Words Per Minute Does the Average Person Speak?

Unless you’re an audiobook narrator or a frequent public speaker (or you have some other job involving the relationship between time and speech), you might not have any idea how many words people tend to utter in a given minute.

First off, it depends on what kind of speaking you’re doing: a presentation, a norm conversation, etc. But even when you break it into separate categories, words-per-minute estimates vary widely. If you’re casually talking to a friend, some sources claim that you’re probably saying somewhere between 100 and 130 words per minute, while others cite the range as 120 to 150 words. According to professional speech training firm Successfully Speaking , conversational speech is typically in the 150-180 ballpark. 

Whatever the average conversational speech rate may be, it’s generally agreed that presentations should be spoken more slowly than that. Improve Podcast estimates that the average falls between 100 and 150 words per minute. But speeches are fairly often given at a quicker pace. VirtualSpeech crunched the numbers on five popular TED talks of various lengths and found that the speaking rates actually fell between 154 (delivered by Brené Brown) and 201 (Tony Robbins) words per minute, for an average of 173 wpm.

On the whole, audiobook narrators, radio hosts, and podcasters supposedly speak slightly faster than they would during a regular chat: around 150 to 160 words per minute. Auctioneers are in a class of their own, clocking roughly 250 words per minute. And commentators, who need to keep up with fast-paced play, may even outpace auctioneers.

But when it comes to the fastest talker of all, nobody’s ever done it better than Sean Shannon, who holds the Guinness World Record for ‘ fastest talker .’ In 1995, Shannon recited the 260-word ‘To be or not to be’ speech from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in 23.8 seconds—which works out to 655 words per minute.

Have you got a Big Question you'd like us to answer? If so, let us know by emailing us at [email protected].

Module 8: Delivering Your Speech

Articulation, pitch, and rate, learning objectives.

• Identify techniques to use effective articulation.
• Identify effective rates of speaking.

Articulation

Once you’ve mastered controlling your breath as you speak, next let’s look at how you speak. If you have ever had someone ask you to repeat a word, you may suffer from poor diction.  Articulation , or diction , is what helps the listener not just hear the spoken word but also understand it.

Articulation is how clearly the speaker pronounces words. When some sounds are slurred together or dropped out of a word, the word may not be understood by the audience. To use proper articulation, a speaker must use their articulators : tongue, teeth, and lips. When a speaker uses improper diction, the hearer cannot make out the word spoken and often requests a repeat of what was said. In public speaking, a hearer cannot request a repeat and therefore poor articulation can make a listener tune out. It is important to say all parts of the word in order to speak clearly. This often requires slowing down your speaking pace , more on that topic to follow, and using your lips, teeth, and tongue to their full capacity.

Tongue twisters are a great way to force the speaker to slow down and pronounce each part of the word. Try saying, “Seven silly swans swam silently seaward” three times quickly. If that was easy for you, s’s may be your forte! Each individual speaker will struggle with certain sounds specific to them, or have developed a regionalism that makes them pronounce a word the way they’ve always heard it that doesn’t work in other parts of the country. A technique to making sure your speech isn’t affected by problem words is to note which sounds are struggles and circling the parts of the word on the speech outline. This serves as a reminder to take extra care when speaking that word out loud. Identifying these barriers to communication will improve the understanding of the audience and give polish to your speech.

In addition to speaking clearly, finding vocal variety in your speaking voice will help the audience stay awake. A voice that lacks variety can be described as monotone. In comedies, teachers are often portrayed as having a monotone voice, as in this famous scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off :

You can view the transcript for “Bueller Bueller Bueller” here (opens in new window) .

When the audience hears a monotone voice, they don’t stay engaged.

Much like a keyboard, your voice has many notes to it called pitches. Your voice can speak on higher notes and lower notes much like when someone sings. To explore the notes in your voice, try this exercise. Stand up on your toes and lift your hands in the air. Say ah at the highest point of your voice, which makes sound come out, and drop your wrists, elbows, and head over as you slide down to your lowest note. Reverse it and come back up trying to go higher and lower each time. Having discovered how much pitch variety you have to work with, you can now put arrows into your speech outline reminding you to raise the pitch or lower it on some words or phrases to be more effective.

Chicago rapper Twista can clock 280 words per minute or 598 syllables in 55 seconds (a Guinness record). Don’t try to do this in your speech.

Next to being loud enough, the most commonly identified speech problem is speaking too quickly. Raise your hand if you’ve ever been told you’re a fast talker. Controlling the rate at which one speaks is often one of the most challenging things a speaker has to do. When nerves kick in, it can be really hard to pull back on the speed that you’re talking at as sometimes you just want to finish and get out of the spotlight. Speaking too quickly can also make your audience tune out from listening to the speech. You’ve put all this time into the speech, so let’s make sure the audience hears it. According to The National Center for Voice and Speech, the average speaking rate for English speakers in the U.S. is around 150 words per minute. In a public speaking situation, you’ll want to speak slower than average, around 125–150 words per minute.

One of the ways to control your rate of speech is to make sure you are taking enough breaths. As we discussed before, if you lose control of your breathing, the rate of speech also gets out of control. One of the ways to make sure you breathe enough is to place a mark next to the word in a sentence on your outline to remind yourself to breathe there. A backwards slash (/) is a good signal to use. In order to see if the breaths selected work, read it out loud. If you find yourself gasping for air at the end of that sentence, there should be another breath added. Punctuations are the clues for where to breathe in a sentence too, so let those be your guide.

Recording yourself is one way to get a sense of how quickly you’re going. Play the recording back and listen to see if you can hear and understand every word. If not, write notes on your notecards that say SLOW DOWN or BREATHE to remind yourself to do so. Once you’ve mastered a controlled rate of speech, then you are able to play with speeding up and slowing down certain sections. Finding this variety of speed will further engage your audience. Think about telling the climax of a story. Sometimes you pause at certain moments to build suspense. That’s what you want to do in public speaking too. Sometimes you speed up to tell a story with momentum so the audience goes along for the ride too. Finding variety in your rate can be thrilling and the icing to a great speech.

To watch: Rébecca Kleinberger, “Why you don’t like the sound of your own voice”

In this talk, MIT voice expert and researcher Rébecca Kleinberger talks about the three voices humans have: the outward voice, the inward voice, and the inner voice. Kleinberger’s account here helps to explain why our own voice—which we hear all the time—sounds so unfamiliar to us when we hear it in a recording. It also speaks to the need to  practice listening to your voice in recordings.

You can view the transcript for “Why you don’t like the sound of your own voice | Rébecca Kleinberger” here (opens in new window) .

What to watch for:

Kleinberger’s speech is fascinating, and offers a great deal of insight into the way we perceive (or fail to perceive) our own voices. Interestingly, although she speaks at length about why we don’t recognize  our voice, Kleinberger doesn’t really answer the question of why we don’t  like  our voices. At the end of the speech, some listeners may still be wondering why they don’t like the voice they hear in recordings of themselves, and what they could do about it. This should serve as a reminder that if you have a catchy title with a question in it, you have to make sure you answer the question in your speech!

• Twista. Authored by : Adam Bielawski. Located at : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twista#/media/File:Twista_101109_photoby_Adam-Bielawski.jpg . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Bueller Bueller Bueller. Authored by : blc3211. Located at : https://youtu.be/f4zyjLyBp64 . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Why you don't like the sound of your own voice | Rebecca Kleinberger. Provided by : TED. Located at : https://youtu.be/g3vSYbT1Aco . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Articulation, Pitch, and Rate. Authored by : Misti Wills with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

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Quick & easy tips for speaking rate

- how to pace your speech for maximum impact.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

If you know you habitually speak too fast, or too slowly, and want to communicate well, it's time to learn more about adapting your rate of speech to meet the needs of your audience and your content.

What you'll find on this page:

• an overview of the result of speaking too fast or too slowly
• w hy flexible speaking rates have more impact
• how speech rate is interpreted
• 6 exercises to develop an effective speaking rate
• links to more articles on speech rate : how to calculate it - 2 easy methods and a quick reference guide on the average number of words per minute in speeches 1 through to 10 minutes long.  

 You need these tips if you speak too quickly

If you've ever been called a motor-mouth, you'll know it's because the words rocket out of your mouth.

Maybe it's because you have so many ideas you want to share, and maybe you need to get them out quickly because there are so many more coming up fast behind them!

It's fun and exciting to listen to fast speech, for a while.  However, when your speech stops being stimulating and starts being uncomfortable, ears switch off.

And you need them if you speak too slowly

Slow word-by-very-slow-word turns ears off too.

People wait-and-wait for you to get on with it, eventually losing interest.

The answer is variety - developing a flexible speaking rate

The solution to the speaking too fast or too slowly problem is not the middle ground.

(A person speaking consistently at a moderate pace would become tedious to listen too.)

Rather it is to vary your speaking rate: to match it to meet the needs of your audience and, your content.

Let's imagine your speech as a journey

Picture in your mind the layout of your speech.

You'll have an introduction, followed by a series of main ideas with supporting examples or illustrations. To finish there'll be a conclusion.

Now think of the thread, (the theme, the main ideas), linking it altogether.

That thread is similar to a road.  When you give a speech you are taking your audience on a journey, a road trip.

Your mouth is the vehicle carrying both your message and your audience along.  And you are its driver.

You are in complete control of how you deliver, or drive your speech from beginning to end.

Making choices on how you deliver your speech

As the driver you make choices affecting your message, and your audience.

Choosing to deliver your speech too fast

You can whirl them through your speech so fast the scenery blurs. So while you're busy negotiating a series of complicated hair pin bends at full throttle, that is rattling off a complex series of ideas with examples, your poor audience is gazing out the back window trying to work out what they've missed and where they are.

One by one your listeners will get dizzy and exhausted through the effort they're making to keep up with you. Then they'll close off their ears and sit quietly waiting for the ride to stop.

Choosing to speak too slowly

Or by contrast you can proceed so cautiously your passengers want to get out and walk. Listening to your speech is unadulterated tedium.

Becoming a responsive speaker

If you were a responsive driver (speaker) you would be continually adjusting your speed to meet the road conditions (your speech content) and the needs of your passengers (audience).

There would be places to slow, and perhaps even stop, for the audience to catch their breath. There would also be places where a quick burst of acceleration would give an exciting thrill.

Interpreting speech rate

A FASTER speaking speed signals urgency, excitement, passion or raw emotion. 

In contrast a SLOWER speaking rate signals importance, seriousness or significant ideas. Slow says: 'LISTEN UP! YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS.'

A new concept or complex information may need to be delivered slowly to give the audience time to grasp it before moving on. 'Slow' is also useful for summarizing material.

The combination of slow, fast, and medium speeds makes your speech easier to listen to.

Negative connotations of going too fast or too slow 

Both fast and slow rates of speech can be interpreted negatively by those listening to it.

Speaking too quickly could be seen as evidence of anxiety or fear.

Speaking too slowly could be interpreted as a lack of intelligence or, a lack of knowledge about the speech subject.  

6 exercises to develop flexible speaking rate

1. reading children's stories.

Read a children's story silently several times to familiarize yourself with the flow. Go through it again noting which passages would suit taking more quickly and which should be slower. Then read it aloud and listen carefully to how speed alters interpretation. Repeat the exercise altering your speed over particular passages, noting the differences.

Record yourself if possible doing this and all the following exercises. Save all the versions you do. You'll then have them to refer back to. Recording takes out the guess work as you can hear exactly what you did, rather than what you imagined you did. It doesn't lie!

2. Read factual reports

Pick an information loaded report from a newspaper or magazine.

Go through it silently to familiarize yourself with the flow of material and then read it aloud. Make a note of which passages need careful or slow reading and which can be taken at a faster rate. Re-read aloud until you feel you have the mix of speeds right.

As an extension exercise read the report as if you were reading for an audience who knew nothing about the subject. Note what changes you made and why.

3. Experiment with one of your own speeches

Record and time yourself delivering a speech of your own at your current 'normal' speaking rate.

Note the time down. Now go through again having marked passages for slower or faster treatment. Note the new time and your new insights.

4. Practice with a partner

Practice with a partner. Go through any of the exercises above. Explain what you doing and ask them to listen for effectiveness. Get them to note examples where you did well and where you needed to alter your speech rate and why.

5. Listen to good speakers

Listen to speakers you admire. They could be radio presenters, preachers ... anybody accustomed to speaking in public. Note the different rates of speech they use over the course of their presentation and the effectiveness and experiment with them for yourself.

6. Play with material you are familiar with 

Read or recite part of a text you know well quickly (or slowly). If you can record yourself, do so. If not, listen and note the effect it has on you. If you've recorded yourself, play it back. Ask yourself where was the speed effective? Where was it detrimental? Mark those places on your script. Read again incorporating your changes.

Exercise patience

And lastly, be patient with yourself. Changing your normal speaking rate is challenging. The habitual speed of words leaving our mouths is deeply ingrained. As children we are very effective sponges. We soak up everything around us, including the speech rates used by our significant adults. What was their normal speech speed becomes ours. It feels natural, comfortable and right!

Altering rate is not impossible but it does require awareness, effort and PRACTICE!

Related pages:

Developing a flexible speech rate is only PART of the skill set used by a successful speaker. You can put more in your tool box.

The magic of silence

Remember the image of your mouth as the driver? When your tongue is high revving, it's accelerating away. When you're stuck in first gear, it's crawling forward one little word at a time.

Now you've got control over rate, it's time to turn your attention to the brakes. Skilled use of the brakes are the key to effective silence.

Find out how to use the  Power of the Pause .

PS. More on speaking rate!

Did you know the average 'natural' (ordinary conversational speech) speaking rate ranges between approximately 130-200 words per minute?

Speaking rate has multiple variations including regional and national. Listen to what is regarded as 'normal' to make any adjustments needed  before  you speak in public.  To find out more click  speech rate .

Speech rate and words per minute

When you have a speech to give with a strict time limit it's useful to have an estimate of how many words will fit comfortably into the time allocated, before you begin to write.

For more see:  How many words per minute in a speech: a quick reference guide  for 1 through to 10 minute speeches.  

• Return to top of quick and easy effective tips for speaking rate

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Tools for Clear Speech

Intelligibility : Fluency : Communication

Speaking Rate

Rhythm & thought groups, linking & connected speech, what is an effective speaking rate.

It might seem like the faster you are able to speak a second language, the clearer and “more native-sounding” your speech will be. Actually, this is not the case! Speech that is too fast will often be harder to understand than speech that is spoken at a more moderate rate. This is particularly true when one’s speech is difficult to understand at a moderate rate; just speeding up the rate of speech will not necessarily solve the problem. 1 On the contrary, it may make one’s speech even harder to understand. 1, 2, 3

On the other hand, speaking too slowly may also have a negative impact on your intelligibility. If you think your speaking rate might be affecting your intelligibility, we recommend that you speak just slightly slower than the average English speaker (about 150 words per minute). That means that you might want to aim for about 140 words per minute. 4 That sounds like this:

Approximately 143 Words Per Minute :

Actually that reminder of my daughter brings me to the beginning of my story. 1996, when I gave my first TEDTalk, Rebecca was five years old and she was sitting right there in the front row. I had just written a book that celebrated our life on the internet and I was about to be on the cover of Wired magazine. In those heady days, we were experimenting with chat rooms and online virtual communities. We were exploring different aspects of ourselves. And then we unplugged. I was excited. And, as a psychologist, what excited me most was the idea that we would use what we learned in the virtual world about ourselves, about our identity, to live better lives in the real world. Now fast-forward to 2012. I’m back here on the TED stage again. My daughter’s 20. She’s a college student. She sleeps with her cellphone, so do I. Connected, but alone? | Sherry Turkle

What factors affect speaking rate?

Your speaking rate is likely to change based on the type of speaking and the context. For example, you should probably speak at a slightly slower rate when giving a presentation than when you are having a normal conversation. It’s also normal for nervousness to affect speaking rate, which is why rehearsing for public speaking events is crucial ( come practice with us! ).

In addition, individual speaking rates naturally vary. Some people speak at a faster or slower rate than others, and that is perfectly okay! The goal is only for your speaking rate not to affect your intelligibility. We provided more examples of different speaking rates below .

How can I figure out my average speaking rate?

The formula for calculating speaking rate is number of words divided by number of minutes (# words/# mins) . Here are some suggested steps for figuring out your average speaking rate:

How can I practice modifying my speaking rate?

We highly recommend incorporating shadowing practice into your daily pronunciation and speaking practice. Shadowing is the action of imitating a speech sample as closely and as quickly as possible. With or without a transcript, you follow “just behind” a recording. It’s a good idea to pick a specific feature of intelligibility to focus on when shadowing, and speech rate is one option. Try it with the TED Talks above or below, and check out our other suggested resources for shadowing !

In addition, if you want to change your speaking rate, it’s a good idea to be mindful of your pausing . Short pauses between thoughts are normal and expected in spoken American English. However, pausing too often or for too long can make speech harder to understand. 5 Our sections on Thought Groups will introduce you to focus words and pausing, and will give you helpful tips on how to pause appropriately to improve your intelligibility.

More examples of speech that is spoken at other, also intelligible rates:

Approximately 120 words per minute :.

In 1991, I went to my first lecture on brain SPECT imaging. SPECT is a nuclear medicine study that looks at blood flow and activity, it looks at how your brain works. SPECT was presented as a tool to help psychiatrists get more information to help their patients. In that one lecture, my two professional loves, medical imaging and psychiatry, came together, and quite honestly, revolutionized my life. Over the next 22 years, my colleagues and I would build the world’s largest database of brain scans related to behavior on patients from 93 countries. The most important lesson from 83,000 brain scans | Daniel Amen | TEDxOrangeCoast

Approximately 165 Words Per Minute :

I’m a storyteller, and I would like to tell you a few personal stories about what I like to call the danger of the single story. I grew up on a university campus, in eastern Nigeria. My mother says that I started reading at the age of two, although I think four is probably close to the truth. So I was an early reader, and what I read were British and American children’s books. I was also an early writer, and when I began to write at about the age of seven, stories in pencil with crayon illustrations that my poor mother was obligated to read, I wrote exactly the kinds of stories I was reading. All my characters were white and blue-eyed; they played in the snow; they ate apples; and they talked a lot about the weather, how lovely it was that the sun had come out. Now this despite the fact that I lived in Nigeria, I had never been outside Nigeria. We didn’t have snow; we ate mangoes; and we never talked about the weather because there was no need to. The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

What do you do now?

First , visit our section on Thought Groups to learn more about how pausing affects your intelligibility. We also recommend practicing your rhythm and connected speech , both of which will help you improve your fluency and intelligibility overall.

Second , as we noted above, we highly recommend incorporating shadowing into your daily pronunciation and speaking practice. Shadowing is the action of imitating a speech sample as closely and as quickly as possible. With or without a transcript, you follow “just behind” a recording. It’s a good idea to pick a specific feature of intelligibility to focus on when shadowing, and speech rate is one option. Check out our list of recommended TED Talks for shadowing on our Helpful Links & Resources page .

Third , make an appointment with a Speech Consultant to discuss your speaking rate and get personalized recommendations that fit your intelligibility goals.

References: 1 Anderson‐Hsieh, J., & Koehler, K. (1988). The effect of foreign accent and speaking rate on native speaker comprehension. Language learning , 38 (4), 561-613. 2 Munro, M. J., & Derwing, T. M. (2001). Modelling perceptions of the comprehensibility and accentedness of L2 speech: The role of speaking rate. Studies in Second Language Acquisition , 23 (4), 451-468. 3 Llurda, E. (2000). Effects of intelligibility and speaking rate on judgements of non-native speakers’ personalities. IRAL-International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching , 38 (3-4), 289-300. 4 The National Center for Voice and Speech. (n.d.). Voice Qualities. Retrieved April 20, 2020 from http://www.ncvs.org/ncvs/tutorials/voiceprod/tutorial/quality.html 5 Kang, O. (2010). Relative salience of suprasegmental features on judgments of L2 comprehensibility and accentedness. System , 38 (2), 301-315.

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Free Online Words to Minutes Calculator

How long should your 5 minutes speech be? How many words should your essay be to take 5 minutes reading?

To find an answer, you need words to minutes calculator. IvyPanda Experts prepared this post, where you will find 10 free words to minutes converters, find out how to measure your speaking rate, and how long your X-minute speech has to be.

🏆 Top 10 Free Words to Minutes Converter

🎤 how long does a 4-minute speech have to be, ⏱ how to measure your speech length, 1. speech in minutes.

This is a free-to-use speech calculator to measure how long it takes to deliver your speech. To use this tool, you need to enter the word count and choose the reading speed: from slow (100 words per minute) to fast (160 words per minute). No registration is needed.

2. Words to Time

Words To Time as an ad-free text to speech calculator that will provide you with the number of minutes immediately. You can type the number of words you want to convert or paste your text and grab the result. Don’t forget to pick up the reading speed!

3. The Word Finder

This is a free speech length estimator. No sign-up, no ads, or captcha. Type the word count, choose speaking speed, and grab the result immediately. There are also available various cool apps like Font Generators, Backwards Text Converter, Time Calc, etc.

4. EdgeStudio

Edge Studio, the voice recording company, developed a free online script timer. Depending on the data available, you can put the words count, paste your text, or type the average words per line. You will get a result instantly after you click the button “Submit.” On the tab “Statistics,” you can find out stats about reading speed, word, and line count.

5. Copywritely

At this website, you can measure the time of reading your text within a couple of clicks using its words to minutes calculator. Paste your text, and at the bottom of the field, you will see the word count and the approximate speech time.

The tool is available in English, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch. Also, there are available Grammar Checker, Alphabetizer, Words to Pages, and other apps that will become handy for any writing purpose.

6. Read-O-Meter

Read-O-Meter is a simple and hassle-free word to minutes calculator to estimate the reading time. All you have to do is just type or paste the text you want to calculate the speech or article length and press the button “Estimate Reading Time.”

7. TheVoice Realm

This speech length calculator was designed by the online voice casting company. To use it, you need to paste your text or the word count and find out the estimated time. The page also contains background information about the speaking speed and how many minutes in 300, 900, and more words.

To use the Words to Time Conversion tool, you need to know the word count of your text. To get the estimated speech time, you need to type the number of words and adjust reading or speaking time, and you will get an immediate result. The tool is free and contains no ads.

9. Debatrix

This is another ad-free word to minute speech calculator to find out how long your speech will take. To measure the estimated time, you need to paste the text. The online app will count the number of words and speech duration.

10. TextConverter

The website provides plenty of tools that will be useful for students, SEO specialists, and writers.

Choose the text type: speech or locution, reading rhythm, and get the estimated time for your project. The app also will count the number of words and characters.

On the website, you can also find other utilities: Text Randomizer, Upper and Lower Case converters, E-mails Extractor, Hashtags, etc. The site is available in English and Portuguese languages.

Why do we need to measure the reading or speaking time?

There can be a variety of reasons. For example, you should prepare a 5-minute speech, or your post should not exceed 10 minutes of reading.

Speaking or reading time depends on the person who is going to read the text. Below, you will find a table that will help you quickly determine the duration of the content. The table is divided into two parts. The first one gives you reference information of minutes to words conversion. The second one shows the inverse correlation.

This table provides only the estimated information. The actual speech duration depends on your speaking pace, pauses, and so on. Below you will find out what impacts and how to measure your speaking rate.

Keep reading!

In this post, we will share with you how to measure how long your speech will be. Also, you will find out what impacts your speaking pace and how to practice it.

Determine the Word Count

First things first, so let’s determine the number of words you want to turn to minutes. If you use the Microsoft Word or Open Office, you will find out the word count on the status bar at the bottom of the screen.

In Google Docs, you can click Tools>>Word Count, or use the shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+C. If you use other word processors, refer to the help system of the tool.

Determine the Speech Pace

If you don’t know how many words you speak per minute, there are a couple of options to find out it. Check them below!

Use the sample text. Here is how it works: take your sample text, start the timer, and begin reading it aloud. When the minute is up, use your word processing app to figure out how many words you read. This will be your speed of speech.

Record yourself. Another way to find out your speaking pace is to record your speech. Set a timer for a minute, read any text, or talk about any topic while recording it. Then, listen to it and count the words you spoke. You can count it manually or use the software, for example, IBM Speech to Text calculator .

What Impacts Your Speaking Rate?

The speaking rate is individual. There are many factors that influence it. Here are some of them:

• Pauses, and rhetorical devices. The more it has, the slower your speaking rate will be.
• Condition of the speaker. If you’re angry, excited, or in a hurry, you will probably speak faster than usual. On the other hand, when you are tired, it makes it harder to speak quickly.
• Urgency. Here’s the deal: in emergencies, we are more likely will speak quicker than in a calm environment.
• Mental issues. Some mental conditions may lead to a slower or faster speech rate.
• Audience and event. For example, if you are recording audio for a radio ad, you will speak faster, since you are limited by the time. Another example is when you are trying to explain the complicated term to students. More likely, you will slow down your speech. During the presentation, you can also make pauses while changing the slides or checking your notes.
• Environment. Yes, your background directly impacts your speaking pace: your dialect, family, culture, friends, and neighbors, etc.
• Words and content complexity. The long and complex words also impact your speaking pace, making it slower. The same can be said about complex content—it requires more time to deliver it to the audience. Remember about this if you are limited by time.
• Language. Depending on the language you speak, your speaking rate will vary. In 2011, the University of Lyon researchers asked volunteers to read twenty texts in their native languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, and Italian. The purpose of studies was to find out how the density of syllables impacts the rate of communication.

Here’s what they found: the Mandarin language is the slowest one, with 5.18 syllables per second. However, it has the highest information density. The fastest language is Japanese, with its 7.84 syllables per second rate. English language speaking rate is 6.19 syllables per second.

Another interesting fact about the speaking rate is the world record shattered by Steve Woodmore . He articulates 637 words in one minute!

If you are wondering about the average speaking rates, check the table below:

Source: National Center for Voice and Speech

But what about reading? Is the reading pace the same as speaking?

On average, people read 180-300 words per minute. However, speed readers can read 1000+ words per minute.

How to Practice Your Speaking Rate?

You might have met people called a motor-mouth — they speak too fast, and words seem rocket out from their mouths. Others, on the opposite, speak too slowly. You can compare them with sloths from the movie Zootopia:

Both these cases can be fun for a while. However, the too fast and too slow speech will make the listeners lose their interest.

The solution is to practice your speaking rate, making it flexible, and adapting to your audience’s needs.

Below, you will find five easy exercises that will help you to develop a flexible speaking rate:

Read children’s books aloud.

Here’s the deal: when you read stories to a child, you might notice that some passages require you to speak faster, while others must be read at a slow pace.

Read a story several times aloud to become familiar with the text and its passages. If it is possible, record yourself. Then, try reading the text and change the pace. Listen to the records to hear the differences. Think of how the speaking rate impacts the comprehension of the text.

Read scientific reports.

You may find this exercise boring, but yet it will be helpful for delivering complex things in your future speeches.

First, pick up the newspaper or magazine. For example, you can try a Science magazine website — there are plenty of interesting topics, reports, and articles to discover. After you select the report, read it silently to familiarize yourself with the material. The next step is to read it aloud (don’t forget about recording yourself!), noting which parts of the text should be read at a slow pace, and which — faster.

You can extend this exercise and image that you read the article to someone who knows nothing about this topic. Listen to the records and pay attention to the changes you made.

Read your own class speeches.

Make a series of experiments with one of your old class speeches. First, record it delivering the speech at your normal speaking pace. Check the time it took to deliver.

The next step is to mark down some passages to read at slower and others — at a faster rate. Now, read it aloud again while adhering to the marks. Listen to the records; note how changed the time and overall speech comprehension.

Listen to various speakers.

Watch the movie, listen to the news on TV, and watch the classical play. Compare the speech rates of the speakers. You will notice the rhetorical devices they use and how effective their speech is. Then, experiment with your own speech and see how it changes.

Read texts you are familiar with.

Read the text you already know at a quicker or slower pace than usual. Record yourself and play it back. Note the places where your speaking rate was effective and where it wasn’t. Then, mark these places and reread the text again, implementing these changes and recording yourself. See how your speech has changed.

These simple exercises will help you to produce effective speeches for various audiences.

There are a couple of things you need to remember when you speak:

• Fast speaking indicates urgency, passion, and emotions. If you want to stimulate and excite the attention of your listeners, speak quickly. However, you should remember that after a couple of minutes of listening to fast speech, it becomes overwhelming.
• Slow speaking, on the other hand, indicates the seriousness of your point, its importance. Use this approach to grab the attention of your audience. The slow pace also will help them to easier process the information you want to deliver. Similar to fast speaking, too slow pace in your entire speech also can overwhelm and bore your listeners.

How to Make the Speech Memorable

Pace yourself to highlight the most important parts of the speech, and your audience will memorize what you said. The key to any great speech is the retention of the audience. Check the IvyPanda expert advice to make your talks memorable :

• Tell stories. Interesting examples not only illustrate your speech but also help listeners to recall what you said. Humor and short stories from your life will also help you to grab the attention of your audience. Important notice: tell only relevant ones and don’t overuse them.
• Use pauses and breaks. Just like a novel is broken into chapters and paragraphs, pauses in your speech serve as a signal of the end of one point and transition to another.

Use simple and short sentences and phrases. Short sentences and simple language will help you to maximize the engagement and comprehension of your audience. Avoid complex words unless you are talking about specific tech terms in front of the professionals in this sphere.

• Engage your audience with questions. At the beginning of the speech, ask your audience a question or two. This method will give them a hook and grab their attention.
• Review your speech after you wrote it. Check if everything is clear. Rehearse it in various rates and note places where you need to speed up your speech and where to slow it down.

Now you know how to find out the length of your speech, have all the tools to convert words to minutes, and advice on how to practice your speaking rate. Don’t forget to check our other tools to write outstanding speeches.

Updated: Oct 25th, 2023

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Curious about how long it will take to read your text? IvyPanda's online words-to-minutes calculator instantly converts your word count into an estimated reading time. Here, you will also find tips on measuring your speaking rate and making your speech memorable.

Speech calculator:  how long does it take to deliver your speech?

With this speech calculator, you can easily calculate how long it will take you to deliver a speech.

How many words per minute?

In the English language, people speak about 140 words per minute. A fast speaker will get to 170 words per minute, a slow speaker will use around 110 words.

Professional speechwriters use this speech calculator to find out how long a speech takes.

Copy your full text and paste it in the box below:

The entire analysis happens within your browser. The text will NOT be stored and NOT be sent over the web.

Word count:

Your speech rate:

Speech duration:

FAQ’s

How many words is a 3 minute speech  .

A speaker with an average speaking speed will need 420 words for a 3 minute speech. A fast speaker will need 510 words while a slow speaker will only need 330 words.

How many words is a 5 minute speech?  

A speaker with an average speaking speed will need 700 words for a 5 minutes speech. A fast speaker will need 850 words for the same speech length. A slow speaker will only need 550 words.

Is this a word count calculator?  

The speech calculator is a word count calculator. Insert your text and the tool will automatically calculate the word count.  It will then also calculate the speech length depending on the selected talking speed.

How to best select the right speaking speed?

Fast, average or slow? The answer depends on the speaker, the speech type and the speech setting.

The speaking speed of the speaker

Some speakers are natural fast or slow speakers. The best speakers keep a variance during their speeches. They speed up to keep momentum and slow down to put special emphasis on other parts.

The speech type

The type of speech matters a lot in selecting the right speech speed. If you read the whole speech word for word from paper then your average speech speed will be lower. If you intend to use the written speech as speaker notes then your average speaking speed will be much higher.

The speech setting

An informal setting will have a faster average speaking speed compared to a more formal setting.

Keeping all three factors in mind you will able make a better judgement about selecting the right speech speed in the speech calculator.

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Do you wonder how long it takes to deliver your speech?

This website helps you convert the number of words into the time it takes to deliver your speech, online and for free. This tool is useful when preparing a speech or a presentation. The number of minutes you will take is dependent on the number of words and your speed of speech, or reading speed.

Note: This calculator provides an indication only.

Enter details below

The overview below provides an indication of the minutes for a speech (based on an average reading speed of 130 words per minute):

• Words in a 1 minute speech 130 words
• Words in a 2 minute speech 260 words
• Words in a 3 minute speech 390 words
• Words in a 4 minute speech 520 words
• Words in a 5 minute speech 650 words
• Words in a 10 minute speech 1300 words
• Words in a 15 minute speech 1950 words
• Words in a 20 minute speech 2600 words
• How long does a 500 word speech take? 3.8 minutes
• How long does a 1000 word speech take? 7.7 minutes
• How long does a 1250 word speech take? 9.6 minutes
• How long does a 1500 word speech take? 11.5 minutes
• How long does a 1750 word speech take? 13.5 minutes
• How long does a 2000 word speech take? 15.4 minutes
• How long does a 2500 word speech take? 19.2 minutes
• How long does a 5000 word speech take? 38.5 minutes

Average Words Per Minute Speaking: Why It Matters

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• Last Updated On: August 14, 2024

Understanding your speaking pace can unlock new levels of communication effectiveness and personal insight. While many overlook the importance of speaking speed, it plays a crucial role in connecting and conveying our messages to others.

This exploration delves into the nuances of your average speaking rate, providing actionable advice to refine your verbal delivery and overall presentation skills.

Let’s explore the common pitfalls in speech delivery and master the art of impactful communication, backed by research indicating that influential speakers adjust their speed to match their message and audience.

📝 Key Takeaways

• 📊 Ideal speeds vary from 100-150 WPM for presentations to 250-400 WPM for commentators.
• 🕰️ Time yourself reading aloud to identify your average pace and areas for improvement.
• 📈 Your cultural background, confidence, and public speaking comfort significantly impact your speaking speed.
• 💻 Practice, feedback, and technology can help you fine-tune your speaking rate for clearer communication.

What Is The Average Words Per Minute For Speaking?

One may wonder, “How many words does the average person speak per minute?”

The average speaking rate is 150-160 words per minute (WPM) for podcasters. This can vary with context and individual differences, ranging from 110-250 WPM . Radio presenters or podcasters may speak faster than the average rate.

Average Words Per Minute (WPM) by Speaking Context:

Words to Minutes Calculator – Podcast Episode Timing

Planning your podcast episode ? Use this simple calculator to determine how long your script will take to deliver. Enter your script length and choose your average speaking speed.

Get results instantly to help manage your episode timing perfectly. This free tool is great for podcasters who want to plan their episodes and keep their audience engaged.

How to Determine Your Speaking Rate

Calculating this and adapting your average WPM can greatly enhance communication skills and ensure effective information delivery.

• Select a passage or piece of text that is around 200-300 words long. This length is ideal because it’s long enough to get an average rate but short enough to be manageable.
• Before you start reading, set a timer. Smartphones usually have a stopwatch function that works perfectly for this.
• Read the passage out loud, just as you would in a conversation or presentation. Do not rush or deliberately slow down; aim for a natural pace.
• Once you’ve finished reading, stop the timer and note down the time taken.
• To determine your speaking rate in words per minute (WPM), divide the number of words in the passage by the time taken in minutes to read it.
• Your speaking rate can vary depending on context, mood, or the complexity of the content. Repeating the process with different types of passages (e.g., technical content vs. casual conversation) might help you get a range of your average speaking speed.
• If your speaking rate is too fast or slow for your intended audience or purpose, practice adjusting it. Using a metronome can help maintain a consistent pace.
• Sometimes, we do not judge our speaking pace best. It can be beneficial to get feedback from peers or mentors. They can provide insights into whether you’re speaking too fast, too slow, or just right.
• Several apps and online tools can automatically calculate your speaking rate by analyzing a recorded speech sample.

Remember, while determining your speaking rate is useful, paying attention to clarity, intonation, and enunciation is also essential. The goal is to communicate effectively; sometimes, that might mean adjusting your pace to ensure comprehension.

Speaking Rate (WPM) of Professional Speakers

The average speaking rate of professional speakers is 167 words per minute (WPM).

It’s important to note that while Steve Jobs’ talk isn’t from the regular TED conferences, it’s featured on the TED website. This presentation, given by the late visionary, is a masterclass in capturing the audience’s attention and delivering a poignant message.

Tony Robbins, the fastest speaker on our list, epitomizes that speed need not compromise clarity. His crystal-clear articulation and lucid language ensure his message is understood, irrespective of the brisk pace.

Speakers must adjust their speaking rate to match their audience’s listening comfort . Racing through content might lose listeners, while a languid pace could let their attention drift. The art lies in striking that perfect equilibrium.

Optimal Script Length for Podcast Episodes

As podcasting continues to gain traction as a favored medium for content delivery, understanding the ideal script length for varying episode durations can be invaluable.

The table below provides a guideline for scriptwriters and podcasters to ensure content remains engaging and concise for listeners.

By aligning the script length with the intended duration, creators can better plan, structure, and deliver their content for maximum impact. Dive in to discover the recommended word count for your next episode!

➡️ How Long Should a Podcast Be ?

Factors That Influence The Speed Of Speech Of The Average Person

Many factors influence the speed at an average person speaks, including:

The Culture You Were Raised In

It might sound crazy, but the culture you were raised in can significantly impact your average speaking speed. Some cultures and languages naturally speak much faster than others, which can seriously impact your average WPM.

If you grew up speaking a first language that is naturally fast-paced, such as Spanish or Italian, then it is likely that you will speak at a faster rate than someone who grew up speaking a language with slower speech rates, such as English.

Slower speakers might take two seconds to say a word, while faster speakers could say the same in half a second. This difference may not seem like much, but it can increase over time. If you speak for five minutes, you will likely say twice as many words as the slow speaker.

Additionally, if you are used to hearing the average person speak quickly, you may find adjusting to slower speech patterns difficult. Slow speakers can often be frustrating for natives who speak faster, who may find themselves impatient or lost.

The good news is that you can learn to speak slower if necessary, no matter your natural speech rate.

Just remember to take your time and focus on speaking rather than worrying about the number of words you say. With practice, you can find the perfect balance for you.

How Confident You Feel

Your confidence level also has a huge effect on your speaking speed. If you feel confident, you’ll naturally speak slower and more evenly than if you feel insecure.

If you are nervous, you are more likely to rush your speech with faster-than-average speaking speed and trip over your words. A good speaker can control their speed and use it to their advantage.

World Fastest Speaker

Stephen Peter Woodmore (13 December 1959 – 6 February 2023) was a British salesman recognized for his extraordinary speech speed, articulating at 637 words per minute (wpm) — four times faster than average.

From August 1990, he held the Guinness World Record for the world’s fastest talker, succeeding John Moschitta Jr. However, in 1995, Sean Shannon from Canada surpassed him with a speed of 655 wpm.

How Comfortable You Are With Public Speaking

Finally, your comfort level when speaking in public can significantly impact your speaking rate. If you are not used to being in front of large groups of people, you may struggle to keep up a steady pace, thus speaking faster and rushing your speech.

Good speakers, such as those from popular Ted talks, often have extensive practice and experience in public speaking , which has helped them become more comfortable and confident when addressing large audiences.

Tips To Improve The Speed Of How The Average Person Speaks

As you can see from our list above, several different aspects affect the speed of your speech. However, there are some simple things that you can do to improve your speaking rates.

Slow Down When Talking About Difficult Topics

When discussing difficult topics, such as politics or religion, it is important to think carefully about what you say. If you speak too quickly, you risk making mistakes and sounding awkward .

Instead, try to speak slowly and deliberately, and make sure that you pause between each sentence.

Practice Before Giving Presentations

Practice makes perfect, and this applies to speaking as well. If you plan on giving a presentation, practice speaking slowly and pausing frequently.

Avoid rushing through your speech and focus on getting all your points across without any mistakes. This will help you feel more confident and relaxed and allow you to speak more easily.

➡️ Which Lapel Mic For Podcast Should I Choose?

Practice Reading Out Loud

Reading aloud is one of the best ways to improve your talking speed because it forces you to slow down and pay attention to how you speak, especially when reading complicated words.

It also helps you to learn to control your breathing , another factor affecting your speaking speed.

Speak Clearly And Slowly

You should always aim to speak slowly and comfortably—even if you are nervous. If you speak too fast, you are more likely than ever to trip over your words, increasing your stress levels and mental fatigue.

As we mentioned earlier, nerves can cause you to breathe faster, so take note of your breath rate and try to slow it down slightly.

Take Deep Breaths

Taking deep breaths before talking will help you relax and give you time to prepare for your presentation. People speak more quickly when nervous or anxious, so it is essential to stay calm.

If you are tackling complex content, it can be helpful to slow down your thoughts by taking a few moments to pause and think about what you want to say before speaking. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure you say what you want.

Taking deep breaths will also help you calm down, reduce the chances of you tripping over your words, and maintain a regular speaking rate.

Why Does Speaking Speed Matter?

When you are speaking publicly, the speed of your speech is important and can offer you several advantages when delivering a speech. These include:

Increasing Your Credibility

If you have a high speaking rate, you risk sounding like you are trying to convince everyone around you that you know what you are talking about.

Many speakers would want to avoid this, but if you speak at an appropriate pace, you can be seen as credible and trustworthy.

Radio hosts and TED Talk speakers are known for speaking slowly and deliberately, which helps them engage the audience and build trust .

Improving Your Audience’s Attention Span

Speaking too quickly can cause your audience to lose interest. They may find themselves nodding off or looking bored, meaning they won’t pay close attention to what you say.

By contrast, speaking slowly lets them listen carefully and absorb everything you say.

➡️ How To Make Your Podcast Popular ?

Avoiding Slips Of The Tongue

Speaking too quickly can make you more likely to slip up and accidentally say something embarrassing.

For example, if you talk about your favorite movie and say, “I love watching movies with my friends,” you could say, “I love watching movies alone.” This slip-up is unacceptable, and it is easy to see why.

FAQs: Average Words Per Minute Speaking

How fast does the average podcaster speak.

The average podcaster speaks approximately 150 to 160 words per minute, while the average professional speaker is slightly higher at 167 WPM (words per minute).

How Fast Does the Average Person Talk?

The average person speaks at a rate of approximately 125 to 150 words per minute.

How many words is a 5 minute speech?

A 5-minute speech would be around 750 to 800 words using the average speaking rate.

Is 100 words per minute fast speaking?

Speaking at 100 WPM is slightly below the average conversational rate, so it’s not considered fast.

Is 150 wpm speaking fast?

Speaking at 150 WPM is about average for most people, especially in presentations and general conversations.

Is speaking 200 words a minute fast?

Speaking at 200 WPM is faster than average and is typically seen in enthusiastic or rapid conversations.

How long is a 700 word speech?

A 700-word speech would last roughly 4.5 to 5 minutes at an average speaking rate.

Is 150 words per minute good for a speech?

Yes, 150 WPM is a good rate for a speech as it’s comfortable for listeners and ensures clarity.

Is it possible to speak 300 words per minute?

Speaking at 300 WPM is extremely fast. While some individuals, like certain record-holders, can achieve it, it’s beyond the average speaking rate for most people and can challenge comprehension.

How long is a 2 minute speech?

A 2-minute speech is typically 300 to 320 words, based on an average speaking rate of 150-160 words per minute (WPM).

Final Thoughts On How Many Words You Can Say Per Minute

Your speaking speed isn’t fixed; it can change with time. Utilizing our guidelines, you can determine your words-per-minute rate and refine your speech to be more composed, captivating, and effective for your listeners.

Other sources :

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How long will it take to read a speech or presentation?

Enter the word count into the tool below (or paste in text) to see how many minutes it will take you to read. Estimates number of minutes based on a slow, average, or fast paced reading speed.

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Reading speed

Common conversions (average speed)

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Convert words to time

Word per minute speech

Enter the number of words in the box below to find out how many minutes it will take you to give your speech.

Word Counter

Paste your text here to find out the word count

Word Count: 0

Online Stopwatch

Time your speech on a timer for the actual time it takes you to deliver your speech, practice.

Our tool comes in handy when you are preparing for a speech or creating a presentation. The length of your speech depends on the amount of text and your speaking or reading speed.

Words per Minute Calculator

Related converters.

Table of Content

The amount of time being carried out for reading or speaking a particular set of words can be easily determined with the help of words per minute calculator. This can help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses as a reader and speaker.

What does WPM mean?

“The rate at which a person reads or speaks is called WPM.

How Fast Should I Speech?

Speech rate actually the speed at which you can speak. You need to determine the speaking speed to know how long your presentation takes. It is determined by the number of words that are spoken in a minute. 

Speech Rate:

• Slow less than 110 wpm
• Average between 130 wpm to 140wpm 
• Fast more than 160 wpm 
• Podcasters speed of speaking about 140 to 160 
• Commentators speak between 250 to 350 wpm 

Average Oral Speed:

A normal person can speak 130 words of English within a minute. It depends on whether you speak slowly or quickly. Our initiative words per minute calculator determines the average reading and speaking speed of any individual.

Speaking words per minute can be deduced by dividing the total word count by 130.

Speaking Time = Total Word Count / 130

How Fast should I Read?

A person who takes time to read a piece of text is known as reading speed. The same principle as your speaking speed applies to your reading speed. 

Reading Rate:

• Slow less than 170 wpm
• Average between 180 wpm to 200 wpm 
• Fast more than 230 wpm 

Average Reading Speed:

The average words per minute speed depends on various factors like education, purpose of reading, materials difficulty, and your level of comprehension. In general, the average speed for the English language that allows you to read efficiently is about 200-250 words per minute.  

Reading Time Formula = No of Words / 200

How our WPM Calculator Function?

The measure of a person's reading and speaking speed within a minute can be tracked easily by our words per minute calculator. To determine quickly how much you fluently speak and read insert the below values and get instant calculations:

Input Values:

• Put the values for Speaking and Reading
• Insert the number of Words or Paragraphs
• Speaking speed with respect to seconds, minutes, hours, and days 
• Reading speed with respect to seconds, minutes, hours, and days 

How Many Words is a 5-Minute Speech?

In order to enhance the word rate, it's essential to strike a balance between conveying the intended message clearly and audience engagement. 

An individual person voices about at the rate of 130 words per minute but the speech will vary depending on the speaker’s speaking pace, audience attention span, and the type of speech. Let’s take a look at the calculations that you need to make:

1 minute = 130 Words 

5 minute = 130 x 5 

650 words of speech 

How Much Time is Required to Read 1,000 Words?

As we know from the words per minute speech calculator, an individual can read about 200 words per minute. So by substituting the values in the formula, we can get:

1000/200 = 5

So, we evaluate that any individual can take about 5 minutes to read 1,000 words.

How Much Time do you Need to Speak 5,000 Words?

As we know the reading comprehension of a common person hence, we see how long five thousand words can be spoken. 

5000 / 130 = 38.47

So, manually it is determined that any individual can take about 38 minutes and 47 seconds to speak 1,000 words.

Wikipedia: Words per minute , Alphanumeric entry, Stenotype, Reading and comprehension, Speech and listening.

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Studies mathematics sciences, and Technology. Tech geek and a content writer. Wikipedia addict who wants to know everything. Loves traveling, nature, reading. Math and Technology have done their part, and now it's the time for us to get benefits.

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Speech Time Calculator

Calculate how long your speech script will take

Characters (with spaces): 0

Characters (without spaces): 0

Word count: 0

Presentation (PT)

In a business presentation, knowing how many words are in your script can help calculate the time needed for your speech. Use the speech time calculator to estimate how long it will take to deliver your presentation. This tool allows you to convert the number of words into minutes, ensuring you stay within your allotted speaking time. Test different WPM settings to see how varying speaking speeds affect your total time.

YouTube Script

When creating a YouTube script, it's crucial to calculate how long the video will be. By entering your script into the speech time calculator, you can estimate the video length based on your words per minute rate. This helps in planning and editing your content to fit your desired time frame. Whether you're speaking quickly or slowly, this tool will convert your script's word count into an accurate time estimate.

Interview Self-Introduction

For an interview self-introduction, it's important to keep your speech concise and to the point. By using the speech time calculator, you can determine how many words fit into a 30-second or 1-minute time slot. This ensures that your introduction is well-timed and impactful. Practice speaking at different rates to find your ideal pace and refine your script accordingly.

When preparing for a public speech, knowing the length of your script is essential. The speech time calculator helps you estimate the duration of your speech by converting the word count into minutes. This tool assists in planning your presentation to fit within the given time limits. Adjust the WPM settings to see how changes in your speaking speed can impact the overall time required.

Press Conference

In a press conference, managing your time effectively is key. Use the speech time calculator to estimate how long your responses will take based on your script's word count. This helps you prepare concise and clear answers, ensuring you stay on schedule. By testing different words per minute rates, you can adjust your speaking speed to deliver your message within the allotted time.

• TypingMaster 11
• Speech Test

How fast do you speak and type?

What is your Speech Rate? Compare your speaking speed to your typing speed. Test your wpm. Play top-notch typing games. Find it all from TypingMaster! The average speaking speed for English speakers in the USA is about 150 wpm and the average typing speed is 40 wpm. Professional typists can exceed 100 wpm.

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TypingTest.Pro is an easy-to-use, quick and customizable online typing test maker that you can use for all your business recruitment and training purposes. Our online assessment app has been on the market since 2002 and we are focused on providing a reliable solution! Take the easy way to assess job applicants’ text entry skills and view summary reports with Typing Test Pro. Test drive our easy-to-use, quick and customizable online wpm testing tool for all your business recruitment and training purposes. You can subscribe to TypingTest Pro and pick the subscription (starting $49/mo) that best suits your requirements. Premium subscription allows you manage five different tests at a time. These can be taken by up to 500 test takers per month. Lite subscription allows you to manage only one test. Fill in your details and get started instantly. We believe that when you're ready to start using TypingTest Pro, there's no need to wait! Typist Exam

What is online speaking speed test?

How to speak faster.

• Practice speaking at a faster pace by setting a timer and trying to fit as many words as possible into the allotted time.
• Record yourself speaking and listen to the recording to identify areas where you tend to slow down or hesitate.
• Take a public speaking course or find a speaking coach to help you improve your pacing and delivery.
• Try to speak in a clear and confident voice, this will help you to speak faster.
• Use contractions when speaking. This will help you to speak faster and make you sound more natural.

How to calculate the speech speed rate?

Rate of Speech Speed can be calculated in words per minute (wpm) just like the typing speed. The average Speaking Speed Rate is 150 wpm (2.5 words per second). Traditionally you had to calculate your speech tempo manually by recording yourself talking for a minute and then counting the number of words in your speech. After you divide the number of words by the minutes your speech took, you can get the WPM score. Nowadays you can easily test your English Speaking Speed with TypingMaster's Free Speech Test above. This web page uses an automatic voice speech recognition features of your web browser to analyze your speed. Just follow the easy on-screen instructions carefully and remember to enable both your microphone and speakers. If the speed test does not work properly please use the latest Chrome Browser on your desktop device or mobile phone.

Are you speaking quickly or slowly?

What is the average speaking speed.

• Less than 110 wpm - slow speech rate
• 120-160 wpm - Normal Conversational speech speed
• 100-150 wpm - Presentation speech speed
• Over 150 wpm - Radio Podcast speech speed
• Over 250 wpm - Commentator speech speed

How fast should I speak?

The ideal speaking rate varies depending on the context and audience, but generally, a speaking rate of around 150-160 words per minute is considered to be a good target for most speakers. This rate is fast enough to keep the audience engaged, but not so fast that it becomes difficult for them to understand you. However, it's important to note that the rate at which you speak should be tailored to your audience and the situation. For example, if you are giving a lecture, you may want to speak slightly slower to ensure that the audience has time to take notes. On the other hand, if you're giving a presentation at a fast-paced industry event, you may want to speak slightly faster to keep the audience engaged. Speaking slowly and clearly makes your articulation more clear and your audience stays more engaged in your presentation.

How fast do you speak? What is your Speech Rate? Speaking Speed Test for Chrome/Edge

Speed test not working how to fix voice recognization speed test problems.

• Please make sure your speakers are not muted when you start this test
• If you hear "HELLO" multiple times, please enable your Microphone from the upper left corner
• If you do not hear "HELLO" once, please turn your volume up
• Microphone should be approximately 6 to 12 inches away from your face
• Do not mumble - be clear enough so that your words are easy to understand
• Avoid running words together
• Speak slightly louder than the average
• Speak using the lower-end of your voice range
• Start testing your speaking at a moderate pace
• Please use the latest Chrome or Edge browser

BREAKING: CDC confirms first person in U.S. infected with bird flu without known animal contact

'Incoherent word salad': Trump stumbles when asked how he'd tackle child care

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump stumbled through a question about his child care plan on Thursday when asked if he'd prioritize the issue and how he would handle it if elected president.

The GOP presidential nominee's full response fell short of offering a coherent vision or policy for how he'd address child care needs, as he pivoted to promoting his proposed tariffs on imported goods to the U.S. and touting the revenue they would bring in.

Asked if he would “commit to prioritizing legislation to make child care affordable” and “what specific piece of legislation” he would support during a Q&A session at the Economic Club of New York Thursday, Trump said:

“Well, I would do that, and we’re sitting down. You know, I was somebody — we had, Senator Marco Rubio, and my daughter Ivanka, was so impactful on that issue. It’s a very important issue.

"But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I’m talking about — that, because look, child care is child care, couldn’t — you know, there’s something — you have to have it in this country. You have to have it. But when you talk about those numbers, compared to the kind of numbers that I’m talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that they’re not used to. But they’ll get used to it very quickly. And it’s not going to stop them from doing business with us. But they’ll have a very substantial tax when they send product into our country. Those numbers are so much bigger than any numbers that we’re talking about, including child care, that it’s going to take care. We’re going to have — I look forward to having no deficits within a fairly short period of time, coupled with the reductions that I told you about on waste and fraud and all of the other things that are going on in our country.

"Because I have to stay with child care. I want to stay with child care. But those numbers are small relative to the kind of economic numbers that I’m talking about, including growth, but growth also headed up by what the plan is that I just — that I just told you about. We’re going to be taking in trillions of dollars. And as much as child care is talked about as being expensive, it’s, relatively speaking, not very expensive compared to the kind of numbers will be taking in.

"We’re going to make this into an incredible country that can afford to take care of its people. And then we’ll worry about the rest of the world. Let’s help other people. But we’re going to take care of our country first. This is about America first. It’s about make America great again. We have to do it because right now, we’re a failing nation. So we’ll take care of it. Thank you. Very good question. Thank you.”

Trump's response went viral online after the clip and transcript were shared, sparking criticism from the campaign of Democratic presidential rival Kamala Harris and leaving policy experts across the ideological spectrum baffled.

“Somewhere in that incoherent word salad was a claim that the proposed tariffs could both balance the budget and pay for free child care across the country, which is of course mathematically absurd,” said Brian Riedl, an economic policy expert with the conservative Manhattan Institute and a former policy adviser to prominent Republicans. “Trump sounded like the student who hadn’t studied for the test and was making up numbers.”

The Harris campaign responded by attacking Trump's tariffs while highlighting her proposals to expand the child tax credit .

“Billionaire-bought Donald Trump’s ‘plan’ for making child care more affordable is to impose a $3,900 tax hike on middle class families,” Harris campaign spokesperson Joseph Costello said, citing estimates from two think tanks on the impact of Trump's tariff plan. “The American people deserve a President who will actually cut costs for them, like Vice President Harris’ plan to bring back a $3,600 Child Tax Credit for working families and an expanded $6,000 tax cut for families with newborn children.”

The Harris proposal is less aggressive than what the Biden White House has endorsed for families with children, which includes capping child care expenses for the middle class at 7% of income, as well as universal preschool. The Harris campaign didn't respond when asked if she'd push for those provisions if elected president.

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates mocked Trump's answer during a Friday interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

“If you have any idea what the hell that answer means, you’re a better detective than I am,” Bates said, before citing analyses by nonpartisan experts that Trump's tariffs would limit economic growth.

Reshma Saujani, who asked Trump the child care question at the Economic Club of New York, told NBC News after the event that the former president's answer “kind of blew my mind.”

“He basically said that child care was not that expensive or that tariffs would solve it,” said Saujani, who is a member of the board and said the club had invited her to ask Trump a question. “That demonstrates to me how out of touch he really is. If you’re talking to parents and moms and families on the campaign trail, they’re talking about child care and the cost of it.”

In her question to Trump, Saujani, a founder of the groups Moms First and Girls Who Code, cited statistics showing that child care costs a total of $122 billion a year and described it as “one of the most urgent economic issues facing our country.”

She asked him to mention a specific piece of legislation he would advance to address the problem.

Trump did not answer her directly. Instead, he talked about the amount of money that would come into the U.S. through tariffs on foreign countries. He seemed to be suggesting that those sums could more than pay for child care needs, although he did not outline a plan for how the government should cover them.

For her part, Saujani believes Trump was making a different point that she called “shocking”: that the cost of child care is not that a big problem for the U.S. when compared to the sums involved in tariff collection.

Asked to clarify his response, Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt replied: “President Trump’s first-term economic policies uplifted families by putting more money in our pockets, while making expanded access to childcare and paid family leave top priorities in his Administration. Now in Kamala Harris’ America, hardworking families are struggling to buy basic groceries, diapers, and baby formula for their children. President Trump will make America strong, safe, and prosperous again for struggling American families when he returns to the White House.”

Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

Peter Nicholas is a senior White House reporter for NBC News.

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Harris Tells the Business Community: I’m Friendlier Than Biden

The vice president on Wednesday proposed an increase on the capital gains tax that was far less than what President Biden has floated, one of several moves meant to win over business owners.

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By Nicholas Nehamas Andrew Duehren and Reid J. Epstein

Nicholas Nehamas reported from North Hampton, N.H., and Andrew Duehren and Reid J. Epstein from Washington.

• Sept. 4, 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday sought to put daylight between herself and President Biden on tax policy, making it the first issue on which she is trying to stand apart from an administration in which she holds a key role.

Stepping up her efforts to win over the business community, Ms. Harris announced that she would increase the capital gains tax at a far lower rate than what Mr. Biden had proposed — a move that came after pressure from her campaign’s biggest donors to back off some of its most aggressive tax proposals.

Ms. Harris’s proposal, which she introduced at a campaign event in New Hampshire, was directed squarely at business owners and wealthier Americans who are skeptical of Democrats and have gravitated toward former President Donald J. Trump. In the same speech, she rolled out her new plan for an expanded tax break for start-ups .

Mr. Biden had proposed taxing capital gains at 39.6 percent for Americans who make more than $1 million a year. Ms. Harris said on Wednesday that she would tax investment income for those Americans at a rate of 28 percent, a reversal from her earlier support for the tax increases included in the White House budget released this spring .

“If you earn a million dollars a year or more, the tax rate on your long-term capital gains will be 28 percent under my plan,” Ms. Harris said at a brewery in North Hampton, N.H. “Because we know when the government encourages investment, it leads to broad-based economic growth and it creates jobs, which makes our economy stronger.”

Ms. Harris’s proposed rate of 28 percent does not include an additional surtax on investment income, according to two people familiar with the campaign’s proposal. One of those people said a 5 percent surtax would apply on top of the 28 percent, bringing the total rate to 33 percent. With the surtax, Mr. Biden’s proposal would have raised the top capital-gains rate to 44.6 percent. The top capital-gains tax rate now is 23.8 percent, inclusive of a 3.8 percent surtax.

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Former President Trump Remarks at the Economic Club of New York

2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump discussed his economic plan for the country at the Economic Club of New York. His plan inc… read more

2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump discussed his economic plan for the country at the Economic Club of New York. His plan included: imposing automobile tariffs, eliminating 10 old regulations for every new regulation, lowering the corporate tax rate from 21% to 15% for companies that make their products in the U.S., making the 2017 tax cuts permanent, and creating a task force headed by Elon Musk that would conduct “a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government and making recommendations for drastic reforms.” Regarding his criminal indictments he said, “two can play the game,” and commented on Russian President Vladimir Putin ’s endorsement of his opponent in the election, Vice President Kamala Harris (D). close

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