Speech length by time
| Time | Words at 110 wpm | Words at 130 wpm | Words at 150 wpm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 minute | 110 | 130 | 150 |
| 3 minutes | 330 | 390 | 450 |
| 5 minutes | 550 | 650 | 750 |
| 10 minutes | 1,100 | 1,300 | 1,500 |
| 15 minutes | 1,650 | 1,950 | 2,250 |
| 20 minutes | 2,200 | 2,600 | 3,000 |
| 30 minutes | 3,300 | 3,900 | 4,500 |
Convert any slot with Speaking Time to Words Converter; check a finished script with the Speaking Time Calculator.
Why use 130 words per minute
Studies and practice guides put comfortable public speaking at roughly 120 to 150 words per minute. Conversation is nearer 150; formal speeches and teaching are slower. A figure of 130 balances those. See Average Speaking Speed. Wedding toasts and funeral eulogies run slower still, with long pauses.
Allow for everything that isn’t words
Pauses for emphasis, audience reaction, slide changes, demonstrations, a drink of water and technical glitches all take time. Write to about 85 to 90 percent of the slot. A thirty-minute talk should be written as roughly 3,300 to 3,500 words, not 3,900. Build in a few optional sentences you can drop if you run long.
Rehearse and adjust
The first time you read a script aloud you will usually discover that it is longer than you thought. Time it, count the words, compute your personal pace and adjust. Reading from a prepared text tends to be faster than speaking from notes. For speeches in Urdu, pace varies; use the Urdu Speaking Time Calculator and verify with a stopwatch.
Frequently asked questions
How many words is a 2-minute speech?
About 260 at 130 wpm.
How many words is a 15-minute speech?
About 1,950.
How fast is too fast?
Over about 170 wpm is hard for listeners to follow.