1,500 words at 130 words a minute
11 min 32 s.
Speech time calculator
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Speaking pace is taken as 100 words a minute for slow, 130 for average and 160 for fast. Pauses, slides and audience reactions add time, so leave a margin.
I know the
Speaking pace
Speaking time
11 min 32 s
1,500 words at 130 words a minute. Silent reading at 238 words a minute takes 6 min 18 s.
Slow, 100 wpm15 min 00 s
Average, 130 wpm11 min 32 s
Fast, 160 wpm9 min 23 s
Time for 1,500 words
| Pace | Time |
|---|---|
| Slow, 100 wpm | 15 min 00 s |
| Average, 130 wpm | 11 min 32 s |
| Fast, 160 wpm | 9 min 23 s |
| Silent reading, 238 wpm | 6 min 18 s |
Writing a speech to fit the time
Speech slots are set in minutes, but scripts are written in words. The link between them is your speaking rate. At an average 130 words a minute, a 1,500-word speech runs about 11 minutes 32 seconds, and a 5-minute toast holds about 650 words.
Pace changes the answer a lot. The same 1,500 words take 15 minutes at a slow 100 words a minute and under 9 and a half minutes at a quick 160. Nerves usually speed people up, while pauses for laughter, slides and questions slow the talk down.
A practical approach is to aim for 90% of the time you have. For a 10-minute slot, write about 1,170 words at an average pace rather than 1,300. That leaves room for a pause or two and an unscripted remark.
The best number is your own. Read a page of the script aloud with a timer, divide the words by the minutes and set that as your pace. Wedding toasts, eulogies and best-man speeches feel right at 3 to 5 minutes; conference talks are often 15 to 20.
Sources
What this calculator does not account for
- Pauses, slides, applause and questions.
- Your own speaking pace unless you enter it.
- Languages other than English.
How this is calculated
Formula: Speaking time
minutes =words ÷ words per minuteWhat the symbols mean
- words per minute100 slow, 130 average, 160 fast.
Good to know
- To find the words for a time slot: words = minutes × words per minute.
- Count your script first with the word counter.
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Worked examples
Each example is worked out by the same code as the calculator above.
A 5-minute speech at an average pace
About 650 words.
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<iframe src="/embed/speech-time-calculator" title="Speech time" width="100%" height="720" style="border:0;max-width:42rem" loading="lazy"></iframe>Questions
How long is a 1,500-word speech?
About 11 minutes 32 seconds at an average 130 words a minute. A slow speaker takes 15 minutes and a fast one about 9 minutes 23 seconds.
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
About 650 words at an average pace, 500 if you speak slowly and 800 if fast.
What is a normal speaking rate?
Most conversational English runs at 120 to 160 words a minute. Presentations and speeches tend to be slower, 100 to 130, with pauses.
How many words is a 10-minute presentation?
About 1,300 words at 130 words a minute. If you use slides or take questions, write less.
Should I time myself?
Yes. Read the script aloud once with a timer. Your own pace is the best figure to use.