how many words for an hour presentation

Email Newsletter

Newsletter signup, recent posts from zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance series.

• The importance of using the right tools (Nov 26, 2023)
• Bleeding my brakes (ZAMM series) (Nov 26, 2023)
• Main takeaway: How to incorporate intuitive thinking (ZAMM series) (Dec 1, 2023)
• Why I decided to reread Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (ZAMM series) (Nov 26, 2023)

Recent posts from my AI tech comm series

• Use cases for AI: Synthesize insights from granular data (Aug 27, 2023)
• Use cases for AI: Arrange content into information type patterns (Jul 6, 2023)
• Use cases for AI: Develop build and publishing scripts (Jul 19, 2023)
• AI and APIs: What works, what doesn't (Sep 28, 2023)
• Use cases for AI: Summarize long content (Sep 6, 2023)
• Use cases for AI: Understand the meaning of code (Jul 25, 2023)
• Use cases for AI: Seek advice on grammar and style (Aug 4, 2023)
• Use cases for AI: Create glossary definitions (Sep 4, 2023)
• Use cases for AI: Distill needed updates from bug threads (Aug 6, 2023)
• Use cases for AI: Compare API responses to identify discrepancies (Aug 28, 2023)

Recent blog posts

• Prompt engineering: gathering source input (Mar 20, 2024)
• Prompt engineering: error checking the output (Mar 20, 2024)
• Integrating AI with your content delivery platform and documentation: Zoomin Q&A with Keren Brown (Mar 18, 2024)
• Showcasing your API technical writer portfolio and projects — guest post by Peter Gustafson (Mar 12, 2024)
• Prompt engineering: Reverse engineering the recipe for excellent documentation (Mar 4, 2024)
• Prompt engineering series: Populating documentation templates using AI (Mar 4, 2024)
• Prompt engineering: Task decomposition and complex tree diagrams (Feb 20, 2024)
• Prompt engineering: Creating high-fidelity, thematically organized notes from engineering meetings using AI (Feb 20, 2024)
• Upcoming conference: AI the API docs (Feb 17, 2024)
• Visualizing APIs with tree diagrams, partly generated with AI (Feb 13, 2024)

Popular series

• Reflections on Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
• Journey away from smartphones
• Trends to follow or forget
• Simplifying complexity
• Value arguments for docs and tech comm
• See all series

Search results

The ideal number of slides for an hour-long presentation, and other thoughts on preparing slides, comparing two recent presentations, the right number of slides, font size and bulleted lists, avoiding laundry lists, argument overview slide, a good essay makes for a good presentation.

These past two weeks, I gave two presentations — a keynote at an internal writers conference at SAP, and a keynote at an internal writers conference at Amazon. (Sorry that I can’t post the recordings.) Both presentations filled an hour time slot. Because I’ve been in presentation mode this past month, especially preparing slides, I’d like to share some thoughts I have about how to create slides for presentations.

Hands-down, the best advice for creating slides is Guy Kawasaki’s 10-20-30 rule of PowerPoint , which says you should have just 10 slides , your presentation should last no more than 20 minutes , and your font should be no less than 30 points .

I have aspired to follow Kawasaki’s slide rule for a number of years, but one fear always gets in the way: if I have just 10 slides, what if I run out of things to say after 20 minutes? I mean, usually I have to fill an hour presentation slot, right? In order to guard against running out of time, I have a tendency to add more and more slides, helping me remember points I want to make and ensuring I don’t end early.

With my first keynote presentation, I unfortunately had 50 slides (and got through about 40 of them during the presentation). (Granted, many were “sub-slides,” but they were still slides.) For my second presentation, I had only 14 slides (and got through them all). I felt the second presentation went better than the first.

Here’s the problem with having too many slides: the slides lock you into a fixed, rigid presentation order. The more slides you have, the more locked in you are to a fixed set of topics in a predefined order — which may or may not be the right order you want while presenting. With 50+ slides, you won’t have the freedom and flexibility to flow in a more natural way. The more slides you have, the more fixed the order becomes. Instead of a crutch, these slides become a cast that restricts your movement.

The absolute best presentation I’ve ever attended was by David Crystal at UA Europe , and he had no slides at all. He simply had a stool where he occasionally sat, and he spoke for about an hour and a half. It was the most mesmerizing presentation I’ve ever attended, and much of it focused on grammar (and stories about the origins of language). Crystal is the author of some 100+ books on language , and after the presentation, it was clear to me that he was a complete language genius.

I once gave a 20-minute presentation with no slides at all (at a WordPress conference), and I felt a bit naked. It wasn’t a great presentation, but it didn’t tank either. At some point, I’d like to develop the ability to present with just a few slides. I think such a presentation would resemble that of a stand-up comedian or other performer (like the Moth). I don’t have stage performer skills, so I doubt the slide-less presentation will ever be something I pull off. Still, I think as a general rule, the fewer slides one has, the more knowledge and experience the presenter has. Lots of slides is a red flag that the presenter isn’t an expert.

Until I can go slide-less, I have compromised at what I feel is the ideal number of slides for an hour-long presentation: about 15 slides (including the title and conclusion slides). Kawasaki says to limit the number of slides to 10 because no one can retain any more than 10 ideas in an hour, and though I don’t know what data supports this, I generally agree. I bumped my estimate up from 10 to 15 because Kawasaki’s ideal time of 20 minutes seems too short for the hour-long time slot.

Limiting the number of slides to 15 provides the perfect balance between flexibility and structure. You can pursue your ideas in a more freeform, natural way without being locked into a fixed, rigid order that might not fit the idea journey of your presentation.

You might object and say that if you practice your presentation enough, the slides can exactly match the idea journey you want to tell. Hence, you wouldn’t be locked into a structure you don’t want — instead, the slides would help you follow that desired structure.

Well, maybe. But I’ve given about 90 presentations, and it never seems to work out that way for me. Consider the analogy of a conversation. You want to have talking points that allow you to move about in a more freeform way, not necessarily a rigid order in which each topic must be spoken. If you imagine yourself having a conversation with the audience (rather than presenting a presentation), the talking points idea has more merit.

Another Kawasaki principle is to limit the font to no less than 30 points. This is also key. When I see slides with extensive bulleted lists, I cringe. While these bulleted lists might prompt the presenter with details to say, what ends up happening is the presenter more or less reads the slides and presents the presentation rather than telling a story.

Whenever you present a slide with text, the first thing the audience does is tune you out and start reading the text. As an audience member, it’s impossible not to — the screen is huge and directly in front of you.

If you reveal the bulleted list point by point, it has the same effect as flashing multiple, separate slides on the screen: It locks the presenter into a fixed order that potentially interrupts the natural flow of the story.

Ideally, I think good slides should be idea diagrams or visual sketch notes that demonstrate your ideas. Some presenters just put photos from Flickr on their slides to generally depict an idea, but I like more purposeful concept diagrams that might have multiple ideas going on. For example, like this:

Or like this:

Granted, some font on these slides is less than 30 points, but you don’t see extensive bulleted lists here.

For my second presentation slides , I tried to include about 3 stories per slide depicting concept diagrams like this. My thought was that I could glance at the pictures, and each picture would trigger 3 points to cover for the topic. I could cover the 3 stories/points in whatever order I wanted, so I wasn’t locked into a fixed outline. It more or less worked.

I also had slide notes in the presenter view that I could fall back on, but these presenter notes are challenging to read while speaking, and I think most presenters end up ignoring them. Pictures that trigger thought without interfering with one’s language-speaking functions work much better (for me anyway).

I use The Noun Project and Illustrator to create my concept diagrams, as it allows me to more easily manipulate different objects into the slides I want. The images aren’t spectacular, and they’re mostly black and white, but they aren’t embarrassing either, and I have fun making them. I end up exporting these artboards into my presentation. Each artboard is basically a slide in my presentation.

I use RevealJS for my presentations (and have been for the past several years). RevealJS is an HTML/CSS/JS framework that lets you code your slides with simple HTML syntax. For my second presentation, I put the SVGs as slide backgrounds , leaving ample room on the sides to allow for visibility even when the slide show is not in full screen. This worked quite well.

I also put each RevealJS slide presentation into its own GitHub repo. This makes it easy to update the slides. Kawasaki doesn’t say anything about RevealJS, PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote. It really doesn’t matter which tool you use. (I just added some tool-related details here in case you were curious.)

I’ve given many presentations that turn out to be laundry lists of points — a format I regret. This was the problem with my first keynote presentation. After highlighting a trend, I started listing a number of points that could provide solutions to the challenge. These “laundry list” topics tend to be on a lower-level than topics that provide a fuller, richer argument throughout.

Here’s an example of what I mean by a laundry list. In my first presentation, my argument overview was this:

Technology is getting simpler on the front-end for end-users But the code underneath is becoming increasingly specialized/complex Tech writers are generalists, not specialists To provide value in specialist contexts, tech writers must exploit the gaps These gaps are (1) doc tools/processes, (2) understanding user feedback/experiences, and (3) information usability

Then within the “(3) information usability” section, I covered these points:

Give users a map Make information discoverable as needed Ensure harmony across all docs Reduce and distill to its essence Confirm to genre expectations Reduce language complexity Iterative design of docs

Can you see how the presentation just devolved into a laundry list of points rather than focusing on a more focused idea journey? The laundry list comes into focus with the “(1)”, “(2)”, “(3)” points in the last bullet, followed by the 7 bullets later. When I was a composition teacher, I docked student essays for presenting similar laundry lists of ideas rather than going in depth with one point.

For my second presentation, I decided to chop out this laundry list of ideas and instead focus more singularly on my trends argument. So my argument overview was as follows:

Technology is getting more specialized/complex. This complexity drives up the value of technical knowledge, making it more prized than writing skills. To handle the complexity, technical writers must play increasingly collaborative roles with engineers to create documentation

And that’s it. No laundry list at all. I instead spent much more time developing, supporting, and exploring each of these parts of my argument.

Speaking of arguments, I also recommend putting up an “Argument Overview” slide right after your intro hook slide (which usually comes after your title slide). In other words, after you introduce the relevance of your topic, present the audience with your overall argument, so they know where you’re going and what you’re arguing for.

Many presentations will omit this argument overview. When they do, I find myself wondering what the presenter’s overall point is, if they even have one, or if they just have a collage of lots of little ideas. People can often take 10-15 minutes working their way up to some point, which they articulate in fuzzy ways.

I think a good presentation mirrors the elements of an essay:

• relevance hook
• argument/thesis

Many other essay elements might be reflected as well.

Kawasaki says to limit your presentation to 20 minutes. His main scenario isn’t presenters at a conference but rather presentations from startups to venture capitalists (VCs), and he doesn’t really give much reason here for the 20-minute length except to sarcastically say that if you have a Windows machine, it will take 40 minutes to troubleshoot the display. My guess is that VCs are executive types who have a lot of questions and don’t want to be lectured at extensively.

For too many presentations I’ve given, I’ve filled the entire time slot, without leaving any time for questions. This has been a mistake, in part due to having too many slides in the first place. For my second keynote, I spoke for only about 40 minutes and then let Q&A dominate the remaining 20 minutes. Although as an audience member I sometimes dislike listening to other audience members ask questions, I do like to ask my own questions.

Further, very few people can sit patiently listening to a lecture for an hour without engaging with more interactive dialogue. My brain isn’t wired to listen to lectures this long, and neither are many other people’s. You have to be pretty interesting to retain my attention for a full hour in an engaging way.

Probably the biggest reason, though, is that the purpose of a conference is not to present lectures — it’s to confer . You come together to confer with other people, and so you need this space to allow time to discuss your ideas.

What if no one has any questions, and you’re done 20 minutes early? Won’t that feel like you didn’t fill the time, that you short-changed what you promised?

If no one asks questions, it might mean you didn’t make a real argument in your presentation, but instead focused on something everyone already agrees on.

Coming back to the essay comparison, a good presentation focuses on an argument. And an argument must be something that people can take different sides on. If everyone already agrees on the position you’re taking, why bother making it in the first place? Are you already telling people something they already know?

I realize that many presentations at conferences are more information-based rather than argument-based, and people come to “learn” rather than to “debate,” but I’d counter that almost every topic has areas of controversy or uncertainty, and I like to see someone taking a position and defending it with evidence. This shows my bias towards the essay format, as I think good essays reflect this focus as well.

At any rate, if you’ve focused on some argument that people can disagree about, then ending 20 minutes early for Q&A should be ideal, as you will have set the stage for a lively discussion — which is one draw to these gatherings in the first place. You’re setting up the discussion and then allowing for the audience to engage in critical thinking.

Additionally, note that as a presenter, you can also be the one to ask questions. A good teacher doesn’t just lecture to students for 20 minutes and then ask them what questions they have. The teacher asks challenging questions to students and invites them to engage. Why can’t presenters at conferences do the same?

A good essay and a good presentation share many similarities. For many presentations I give, I’ll often write out the content as a blog post or essay before hand. For example, for my second keynote presentation, my Tech comm trends - take two post was the essay form of the post. The essay was about 8,000 words, which is about right for an hour-long presentation. For my first keynote, the essay was an earlier version of the same trends topic .

If the essay doesn’t have a good shape and focus (no idea journey, no story arc, no argument, no evidence, no analysis of opposing views, no interesting questions, etc.), then the presentation will probably lack life as well.

The absolute best advice for any presentation is to structure the idea journey as a story. I don’t mean to pepper in anecdotes everywhere (though that is actually great advice). I mean presentations should follow the general story arc. You have some sort of goal, and you encounter challenges to that goal. The bulk of your work is in getting through these challenges, until you finally come to some realization or conclusion. This flow aligns perfectly with the essay format.

Although I’m not a professional presenter and I lack more training and polish, in the presentations I’ve given over the years, fewer slides work better than more slides. Overall, if I can shape the essay right in the first place, it usually eliminates most of the problems with presentations. That’s why I spend about 90% of the time writing the essay first, and then in the last couple of weeks create the slides.

About Tom Johnson

I'm an API technical writer based in the Seattle area. On this blog, I write about topics related to technical writing and communication — such as software documentation, API documentation, AI, information architecture, content strategy, writing processes, plain language, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my API documentation course if you're looking for more info about documenting APIs. Or see my posts on AI and AI course section for more on the latest in AI and tech comm.

If you're a technical writer and want to keep on top of the latest trends in the tech comm, be sure to subscribe to email updates below. You can also learn more about me or contact me . Finally, note that the opinions I express on my blog are my own points of view, not that of my employer.

© 2024 Tom Johnson

• Games, topic printables & more
• The 4 main speech types
• Example speeches
• Commemorative
• Declamation
• Demonstration
• Informative
• Introduction
• Student Council
• Speech topics
• Poems to read aloud
• How to write a speech
• Using props/visual aids
• Acute anxiety help
• Breathing exercises
• Letting go - free e-course
• Using self-hypnosis
• Delivery overview
• 4 modes of delivery
• How to make cue cards
• How to read a speech
• 9 vocal aspects
• Vocal variety
• Diction/articulation
• Pronunciation
• Speaking rate
• How to use pauses
• Eye contact
• Body language
• Voice image
• Voice health
• Public speaking activities and games
• About me/contact
• Speech delivery
• How many words per minute in a speech

How many words per minute in a speech?

A quick guide for slow, average and fast rates of speech.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

If you're preparing a speech or presentation with a strict time limit it’s useful to have an estimate of the number of words you’ll need to fit the number of minutes you've been given.

And it's even more useful to have those guidelines before you rush into writing, only to discover when you’re done, you’ve written far too much. Something I used to do on a regular basis! (And then, I had the tedious job of pruning to fit.)

What's on this page:

How many words are there in a 1-minute speech, how many words are there in a 2-minute speech, how many words are there in a 3-minute speech, how many words are there in a 4-minute speech, how many words are there in a 5-minute speech, how many words are there in a 6-minute speech, how many words are there in a 7-minute speech, how many words are there in an 8-minute speech, how many words are there in a 9-minute speech, how many words are there in a 10-minute speech, how many words are there in a 15-minute speech, how many words are there in a 20-minute speech, how many words are there in a 25-minute speech, how many words are there in a 30-minute speech.

• How to calculate your own speech rate: 2 easy methods
• How many pages is a 4, 7 or 20-minute speech?     

About this quick reference guide

The following table (below) shows the average number of words spoken per minute for speeches from 1 to 30 minutes long. It's a quick reference guide: one only intended to provide general information.

Who, and what, is truly average?

An average word count for any timed speech (one minute, two minutes, three, four, five, six...or more, minutes) is impossible to give. As there really is no such thing as an average person, who uses an average rate of words per minute when they speak.

We are individuals: each of us different. Speech patterns and speech (speaking) rates vary considerably between person to person for a great many reasons. The best you’ll ever get is an educated guess.

Use as an estimate: test yourself to be sure

That aside, the following estimates will give you a handy indication of the number of minutes it takes to say x number of words depending on whether you talk at a slow speed, a medium speed or you're one of the world's fast talkers.

(And, no, it's never a good idea to gabble at a mile a minute to fit everything you've prepared into the length of time you've been given!)

To be absolutely sure what you've done will fit the time allocation you've been given it's a good idea to test yourself to establish your own speaking rate or speed of speech .

How many pages is a 'x' minute speech?

Multiple variations on the question how many pages are needed for a speech are frequently asked. For instance:

• How many pages is a 4-minute speech?
• How many pages is a 7-minute speech?
• How many pages is a 20-minute presentation?

Unfortunately, the answer is not simple. Calculating the number of A4 pages of text you need for a speech of any number of minutes long is tricky for two reasons.

How many words are on an A4 page?

The first reason is that the number of words on an A4 page depends on how the page has been formatted. The answers to the questions below make a very big difference to the total number of pages needed to print a speech.

• What is the font family being used? (Different fonts take up differing amounts of space because of the shape/design of their characters.)  
• What is the size of the font? (The font size you're reading right now is 20px.)
• What is the spacing between each of the letters in a word?
• What is the spacing between each line of text? Is it single spacing, 1.5 or double line spacing?
• What spacing has been set for paragraphs?
• What size have the margins of the page been set at?
• Are there headings? Sub-headings or lists?

On average if the font is plain, (sans-serif, without embellishment), like Arial or Verdana, its size is set for 12px, and the line spacing is set for 1.5, then a page may have between 400-500 words on it.

Speech rate changes how we calculate the number of words we need

The second reason why using the number of pages to gauge how long a speech will take to deliver is problematical is because we speak at different rates. 

A 500-word page may take someone speaking at very slow rate 4 minutes to get through.

Another person, who has a much faster speaking rate, may take about 2.5 minutes to deliver exactly the same text.

Using the number of pages as a guide for a speech that has to fit a time limit is completely unreliable.

If you need to use a 'guesstimate' use the speech rate table below. Forget about counting the pages! 

If you are a slow speaker, less than 120 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 120 - 160 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 160 - 200 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 240 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 240 - 320 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 320 - 400 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 360 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 360 – 480 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 480 - 600 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 480 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 480 – 640 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 640 - 800 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 600 words,

If you speak at an average speed between: 600 – 760 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 760 - 1000 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 720 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 720 – 960 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 960 - 1200 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 840 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 840 – 1120 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1120 - 1400 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 960 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 960 – 1280 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1280 - 1600 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 1080 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1080 – 1440 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1440 - 1800 words.

If you are a slow speaker a little less than 1200 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1200 – 1600 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1600 - 2000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 1,800 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1,800 - 2,400 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 2,400 - 3,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 2,400 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 2,400 - 3,200 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 3,200 - 4,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 3,000 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 3,000 - 4,000 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 4,000 - 5,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 3,600 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 3,600 - 4,800 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 4,800 - 6,000 words.

Return to Top

Find out more about speech rate

• How to calculate your own words per minute speech rate - two easy methods
• The factors influencing a faster rate or slower rate of speech
• How to develop an ideal rate of speech : one matching content, speech purpose and your audience: six exercises for flexible speaking rate

Words per minute calculator

Lastly here's the link to a useful online words per minutes calculator . Once you've completed your speech enter the total number of words, and select whether you want it to give you an average for a minute of your speech at a slow rate, average or fast rate. Again, it's a 'guesstimate'. ☺

The only really safe way to find out whether your speech fits your time allocation is to say it aloud at an ideal rate or pace: one taking into account the content, and the audience who is going to listen to it, while timing it.

(Use the record function on your phone. It will assist in lots of other ways too! You'll hear where you need more vocal variety, where your pronunciation is blurred ...and, so on. It's super helpful.)

speaking out loud 

Subscribe for  FREE weekly alerts about what's new For more see  speaking out loud  

Top 10 popular pages

• Welcome speech
• Demonstration speech topics
• Impromptu speech topic cards
• Thank you quotes
• Impromptu public speaking topics
• Farewell speeches
• Phrases for welcome speeches
• Student council speeches
• Free sample eulogies

From fear to fun in 28 ways

A complete one stop resource to scuttle fear in the best of all possible ways - with laughter.

Useful pages

• Search this site
• About me & Contact
• Blogging Aloud
• Free e-course
• Privacy policy

©Copyright 2006-24 www.write-out-loud.com

Designed and built by Clickstream Designs

How Many Words Should Be in My Speech? (Based on Number of Minutes)

Crafting a speech? Typically, individuals speak at 125-200 words per minute. For instance, a 5-minute speech is about 625-1000 words. Keep this pace in mind to tailor your speech’s length to your time limit. Familiarity and nerves can also influence speed.

You can use our handy guide to find out how many words should be in your speech, based on the number of minutes you have to speak. We will also discuss the ideal word count for different lengths of speeches. Let’s get started!

At a Glance:

• Average speaking rate is 125-200 words per minute.
• Word count for a 5-minute speech is typically 625-1000 words.
• Speaking speed varies based on personal style, familiarity, and nerves.
• Several factors influence the ideal word count for a given speech duration.
• Regular rehearsal ensures effective speech delivery.

Speech Duration vs. Word Count

Estimating speaking time for a manuscript, factors affecting the word count in your timed speech, number of words based on the number of minutes.

The average person speaks at a rate of about 125 to 200 words per minute, but this can vary depending on your natural speaking style and the context of your speech. Other factors like how well you know your material and how nervous you are can also affect your speaking rate.

When it comes to speeches, many people worry about how many words they should use per minute. The truth is, there is no specific number. However, knowing the average word count for different speech lengths can help you plan and pace your words more effectively.

Here is a breakdown of the average word counts for speeches of different lengths.

To simplify things, let’s look at word counts for standard time intervals:

1-minute speech: 125 – 200 words 5-minute speech: 625 – 1000 words 10-minute speech: 1250 – 2000 words 15-minute speech: 1875 – 3000 words 20-minute speech: 2500 – 4000 words 30-minute speech: 3750 – 6000 words 45-minute speech: 5625 – 9000 words 60-minute (or 1-hour) speech: 7500 – 12000 words

For intermediate minutes, you can use the average rate of 125-200 wpm to estimate.

If you have a written speech or manuscript, you might be curious about its duration when spoken.

Here’s a quick guide based on word counts:

100 words: About 0.5 to 0.8 minutes 200 words: About 1 to 1.6 minutes 250 words: About 1.25 to 2 minutes 500 words: About 2.5 to 4 minutes (And so on, using the average speaking rate of 125-200 wpm.)

Several factors can impact how many words your speech should ideally have for a given time frame. Understanding these variables can help you deliver a presentation that’s both engaging and perfectly timed. Here’s a breakdown of these influential factors:

• Natural Speaking Rate: Every individual possesses a unique speaking pace. Some naturally express thoughts swiftly, clocking in around 200 words per minute or even faster. In contrast, others may speak more deliberately, averaging around 125 words per minute. This inherent rhythm greatly influences the word count of a speech for a given time frame.
• Audience Demographic: Your audience’s age, background, and familiarity with the topic can dictate the speed at which you should present. For example, a technical presentation for industry experts might proceed faster than one for novices, even if the word count remains consistent.

• Topic Complexity: More intricate or challenging subjects demand a slower pace to ensure comprehension. In such cases, even if the speech’s duration is lengthy, the word count might be on the lower side to accommodate pauses and explanations.
• Use of Visual Aids: Incorporating slides, charts, or videos can mean fewer words spoken. Visual elements often require pauses, allowing the audience to process the information visually rather than just auditorily.
• Nervousness: Unsurprisingly, nervousness can speed up one’s delivery. A speaker might rush through their material when anxious, resulting in a higher word count in a shorter time frame.

Crafting a speech that’s both engaging and appropriately timed is an art. While the word count provides a framework, considering the factors above ensures your speech is not just well-timed, but also effective. As you prepare, always prioritize clarity, engagement, and resonance with your audience over sticking rigidly to word counts.

It’s important to know how many words your speech should be so that you can plan and structure it accordingly. We hope this guide will help you determine the number of minutes your speech should be based on the number of words. Keep in mind that this is just a general guideline, and you may need more or less time depending on your content.

So use this as a starting point, and then adjust as needed. And most importantly, practice, practice, practice! The more you run through your speech beforehand, the smoother it will go when you’re up in front of an audience. Thanks for reading!

Related Posts:

University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Presenting Your Research: One Hour Presentations

• Getting Started
• Rapid-fire Presentation Styles
• One Hour Presentations
• Archiving Your Presentation

One Hour Presentation

Long presentations have all the same rules as short presentations, they just take that much longer to prepare for and present.

Carmine Gallo gives us the following tips on long presentations:

Begin with the end in mind. Give your audience a reason to listen. Paint a picture of how your presentation will improve their lives: improving business skills, helping them make or save money, showing them a more effective way of performing a task, etc.

Strike a visual-verbal balance. Many PowerPoint presentations contain charts and graphs to deliver data. While charts are important, you'll rarely hear your audience complain that your presentation had too few of them. If you show a slide that's heavy on data, follow it up with a visual slide that contains little, if any text. If one slide asks the audience to focus on a chart, try following it up with a slide that shows nothing more than an image. This will force the audience to shift its focus to you, the speaker. It will also give everyone's eyes a break.

Organize with 10-minute intervals in mind. Research has shown that our minds tend to wander after approximately 10 minutes. That means during your next presentation, members of your audience are going to tune out at regular intervals to daydream about what they're going to have for dinner or watch on television when they get home. So plan activities designed to draw them back that occur every 10 minutes or so. For example, introduce a second speaker who takes over a small portion of the presentation; insert video clips; ask a question of your audience and get a discussion started; engage them in an activity where they are required to think and write.

Four Steps to a Lively Demo

Read the entirety of this article at The Two Hour Plus Presentation .

Here is an example of a one hour presentation on how to improve PowerPoint presentations .

One way to add meaning to your presentation is to use images.

• You can find images on the web but you should be concerned with copyright law.
• Find photos that are licensed as  Creative Commons (flickr) ,
• Ask permission from the photographer 
• Buy your photos from a stock photo site (e.g.  iStock  ) 
• Take your own photos
• Make sure that you don’t increase the photo from the original size. If you copy and paste the image and it’s too small, enlarging it will only pixilate your photo and it will not look appropriate on your presentation.
• If you are attending a national conference, it is essential that you identify yourself as an affiliate of Illinois If you’d like to use Illinois graphics, they can be found on the  Identity Standards website , or you can find a few in the Library's guide on Research Posters in the  Illinois logo  section.  
• Photos as background images rarely look good. The image tends to overpower the text and make your presentation hard to read. (If you must, you can fade out your image by using image editing software.) Instead, try using a background color or boxes to set off your text and images.

Links to Images

• Creative Commons Licensing - University Library A guide with resources for finding a using creative commons licensed work.
• Phantasm Project An ongoing research project to create a photographic record of the evolution of the University of Illinois.
• Flickr Flickr is an online photo sharing and management website. You can use it to find open source photos or ask permission to use someone's work in your presentation.
• Google images Look up images on any topic using Google Images. Just be careful not to violate and copyright laws.
• Artstor This link opens in a new window Media from museums, archives, scholars, and artists with all rights-cleared for education and research.
• Everystockphoto The advanced search allows you to limit your search by license type.
• FreeImages In the search results, be sure to change "All Results" to "Free Results" to get open-access images.
• Clker.com Archive of royalty-free vector clipart in the public domain
• PDclipart Public Domain clipart in browseable categories
• Image*After Public Domain images which can be searched or browsed by category
• Finding Images- University Library A comprehensive guide on finding images for a variety of different disciplines.
• << Previous: Rapid-fire Presentation Styles
• Next: Archiving Your Presentation >>
• Last Updated: Nov 8, 2023 3:52 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.illinois.edu/presentation

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game New
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Computers and Electronics
• Presentation Software
• PowerPoint Presentations

How to Choose the Right Number of Slides for a Powerpoint Presentation

Last Updated: July 12, 2023 References

Choosing the Right Number of Slides Based on Design Choices

Using time to determine the right number of slides, moving beyond formulaic answers to finding the right number of slides.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 220,096 times. Learn more...

• Keep the presentation about you, not the slideshow. [2] X Research source The slides are there to support what you have to say. They should be just one part of your presentation, not the whole thing.

• Go through your entire presentation and ask yourself if you really need a given slide. If the answer is no, or if you find you can deliver the info verbally instead, eliminate it.

• If your presentation ended well before the time limit you’ve been given, try to extend the amount of time you spend on each slide, or add extra slides to expand on the info introduced in the presentation.
• Solicit advice from family and friends during your practice presentation. If they feel there are too many or too few slides, or if they feel certain sections of the presentation felt rushed or slow, adjust your presentation to correct these deficiencies.

• One well-known formulation for PowerPoint presentations is the 10/20/30 rule. This rule dictates that you should use about ten slides for a twenty minute presentation, and each slide should utilize thirty point font. In other words, each slide should be about two minutes in length. [8] X Research source Perhaps the 10/20/30 rule works for you. If it does not, don’t feel as if you’re using the wrong number of slides.
• Others argue that an average slide should be onscreen for no more than two minutes, and can be onscreen for as little as 15 seconds. [9] X Research source

• If, on the other hand, you’re in a more intimate environment and can control the lighting, you might be inclined to utilize a greater number of slides. As always, however, don’t feel obligated to use many slides just because you can.

Community Q&A

• If your slide has embedded video, or you aren’t using one slide for each point of your presentation, you can spend longer on each slide. [11] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Treat each slide on its own merits. If one slide needs to be onscreen for two minutes, so be it. If it needs to be onscreen for ten seconds, that’s fine too. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you have a slide with no pictures but several bullet points, each of which you intend to talk about for fifteen to twenty seconds, you might spend well over a minute on that slide. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• When you take all of these factors (detail, technicality, audience size and awareness, etc.) into consideration, you can see that the only short answer to "how many slides should I use" is: "it depends." Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.virtualsalt.com/powerpoint.htm
• ↑ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2006-06-01/how-to-powerpoint-like-a-pro
• ↑ http://www.shutterstock.com/blog/7-design-tips-for-effective-beautiful-powerpoint-presentations
• ↑ http://www.mrmediatraining.com/2011/03/10/the-five-most-common-powerpoint-mistakes/
• ↑ http://www.free-power-point-templates.com/articles/how-many-slides-for-a-30-minute-presentation/
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/ppt/20071016041310_686.ppt

About This Article

1. Break complex slides into several simple slides. 2. Include audio and video support only as needed. 3. Time your presentation. 4. Match the number of slides to the subject matter. 5. Tailor to your audience. Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Jun 29, 2017

Is this article up to date?

M. Fernandez

Dec 19, 2017

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Keep up with the latest tech with wikiHow's free Tech Help Newsletter

Your Path to Perfect: Guide to Rehearsing a Presentation

by Janice Tomich

• Presentation Planning & Public Speaking Skills

Would you be surprised to hear that practicing a presentation is as important as the words you actually share? And that you should spend as much time rehearsing your speech as you did creating your presentation?

The presenters you admire—the ones that seem so at ease with their effortless delivery—appear polished because of the amount of time they invest in practicing their presentation skills.

Their natural delivery might lull you into thinking they’ve spent little time practicing.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

I’m a professional presentation coach , and I’ve guided over 1000 clients in the process of writing, practicing, and delivering presentations and keynote addresses .

Here are the tips and advice I give my clients on how to effectively rehearse for an upcoming presentation.

Table of Contents

How Much Should you Practice your Presentation Delivery?

As you practice, you’ll find that your presentation will evolve. It will become a more effective presentation as you make tweaks and adjustments. This evolution is likely to take more time than you anticipate.

To ensure you’ve given yourself lots of time to be stage ready, work backwards from the day you will be delivering your presentation, and then schedule in presentation practice time, with practices starting at least two weeks before you plan to walk on stage.

Don’t practice your presentation in the theatre of your mind. It’s only by actually articulating the words out loud that you will understand the messaging that works and the messaging that doesn’t.

I tell my clients they should practice until they get sick of hearing their own voice—that once that happens they’ll know they have practiced enough. They look at me in disbelief, because they usually want the hard numbers.

But there isn’t a prescriptive or magic number of hours your need to practice. It’s a knowing…knowing that you intuitively can speak to all of your content fluidly and you can transition from concept to concept with ease.

I do understand that most people want to know how many hours to schedule into their calendar, so the number that many professional speaking coaches quote is that for a one hour presentation you’ll need 30 hours of practice.

Yes, 30 hours of practice!

However, as I mentioned above, it’s not about a prescriptive amount of time but rather that you must ensure you are practiced enough to deliver your presentation with confidence. The longer the speech the more time you’ll need to practice. New presentations (ones which are not an adaptation of a previous one) also require more practice time. New public speakers often need more practice than seasoned ones, because experienced speakers know what to expect and how to adjust if things don’t go according to plan. New speakers are still honing their presentation skills.

You should also know that professional public speakers tend to spend more time practicing than business professionals. After all, a professional public speaker has a whole career and income around speaking. They need to deliver top-tier presentations that will influence and engage their audiences, and they treat presentation practice like the professionals they are.

“I was preparing for four presentations and although already comfortable with speaking in front of an audience, I was looking to hone my skills. We worked through all of the presentations together and I felt confident and prepared as I delivered them. “

​​​​Deanna Sparling Director of Operations – Barberstock System

Tips for Effective Presentation Practice

1. don’t memorize your speech.

My first rule of thumb is not to be tempted to memorize your presentation word for word. Audiences can tell when a speaker has memorized their presentation. It’s obvious because there is a flavour of performance art—the delivery is a bit disassociated from the words.

Memorized presentations sound robotic because it’s hard to instil passion in them—they lose their fresh, conversational vibe.

Rote memorization also sets you up for a big problem. Forget one word and you’ll look like a deer in headlights and be grappling for what to speak to next.

2. Pull Out the Key Concepts of the Presentation

Instead of memorizing your speech, follow these guidelines instead:

• Practice your full script once or twice out loud.
• Gather a stack of note cards.
• Scan through your presentation and write down key concepts – one concept per card.
• Do a few practice run throughs (again, out loud) expanding from the key points on your cards.

You’ll be surprised at how much you know and remember using this technique.

Many speakers have a hard time letting go of their notes. Notes are like a pacifier. When my clients toss them, I know it’s one of the toughest leaps of faith they need to take.

What’s the benefit to tossing your notes? You’ll sound natural, at ease, and confident.

3. Use Visual Cueing to Help You Remember Your Key Points

One of my very first clients was scheduled to deliver at a conference with a few months to prepare. Sadly, the previous year she had been in a massive car wreck and suffered a brain stem injury that affected her memory. First we worked together on the content, and then I created a method to help her deliver her words.

We used the key concepts technique above, but for each key concept, we associated it with a visual aid—an image which aligned to each key concept. For each concept we used an image that would trigger its meaning. Some of the images made no sense to me but it was the right trigger for her.

She practiced from these visual vies and once she had made a solid connection she memorized the images in order. It wasn’t easy—it took a lot of work. And she pulled it off beautifully.

I tell this story to demonstrate the real value in aligning concepts with visual cues. When I practice presentations, I’m usually in my living room. In a clockwise motion I attach each key concept to a piece of furniture … chair, credenza, couch, etc. I practice with each piece of furniture triggering my memory and then riff off of the key concepts.

Some clients find this too discombobulating. For some, having to retrieve the images conjured up from their home while standing on a stage is too confusing. For those clients, I recommend they use their own body from the top of their head to the tip of their toes as visual markers, assigning one key message per body part.

If you’re lost and unsure about how to make your presentation compelling, I can help.

4. Only Practice the Parts of the Speech You Trip Over

As my requests to speak at events grew, I soon realized that practicing a presentation from start to finish each time was time consuming. Many new public speakers fall into this trap as well. A better approach, once you have your presentation in good shape, is to only practice the parts which challenge you. This technique does double duty. It saves lots of time, and it also prevents over learning/memorizing.

And while you’re practicing…

5. Record Yourself Rehearsing Your Presentation

Many people shy away from recording themselves and then critiquing the playbacks. Once I got out of my own way, I realized how valuable video and audio recordings are. My clients say the same thing. Watching a video or audio recording of your own speech is one of the richest possible forms of public speaking feedback .

The trick is to remove your ego. Put your critiquing hat though you’re watching or listening to someone you don’t know.

Review Your Presentation Recordings and Answer These Self-Critique Questions

• Does your opening hook your audience in within the first 30 seconds?
• Have you established a solid through line? Is it obvious during your entire presentation?
• Is your content persuasive? Have you established common ground and then inched your audience along to influence them?
• Does each concept flow well into the next? Are the transitions smooth?
• Is your audience inspired by your close? What will they do because of your presentation?
• Are you using the full power of your voice and mannerisms that communicate engaging body language?
• Are you relying on too many filler words?
• Did you pace your content well—will your audience be able to easily follow your arguments?
• Do you appear relaxed? Are you presenting confidently ?

Once you answer these questions, take note of the problems you’ve identified and apply them to your next practice round. It’s doing the hard work and learning these nuances that support masterful delivery during your actual presentation.

Body Language: Practicing Gestures

When you practice and deliver your presentation with passion, confidence, and conviction as you would do as a speaker for TED Talk, your gestures and body language will naturally be in tune with your words.

There may be a few gestures you want to use for emphasis but to memorize each gesture will have you looking stilted and awkward.

Knowing When You Are Ready to Present

Your first practices should be on your own until you are confident in your content and how you’ll deliver it.

Once you’re in a solid place, I recommend practicing in front of colleagues that have lots of public speaking experience. Better yet, work with me —I’m a communication specialist and public speaking coach who has worked with over 1000 clients to get them prepared to stand behind a podium or on stage.

But don’t work until the last minute. It’s important to block concentrated scheduled presentation practice time … and also have rest time to integrate the learning.

“To join the stars, do less. But do the work with absolute, intense, and hard focus. And when you’re done, be done, and go enjoy the rest of the day.” Amir Afianian

An overburdened mind is not capable of efficiently learning a presentation (cramming for exams in uni didn’t work either.)

If you are up against a time crunch, I recommend you at least practice and learn the start of your presentation and conclusion of your presentation . Embed to memory the logical flow of your key points and from there, as time permits, practice ‘riffing’ off your points.

I’ve never delivered a presentation or had a client report back after a presentation saying they wished they’d practiced less.

The passion for your craft or industry shines through when you invest the time in practicing your presentation that shines a light on you as a professional public speaker.

Do You Need Help With Your Next Presentation?

Developing and creating a presentation on your own without professional feedback is challenging. If you’re stuck on how to clearly communicate your message, book a 1-hour presentation strategy session with me. I’ll help you get on track to deliver a presentation that is interesting, exciting, and engaging.

If you need support to create a presentation from a few scribbled notes on a napkin, I can help you with that too -> Prepare For Your Upcoming Presentation, Speech, or Talk .

Share this post:

Related Posts

How Much Should I Charge to Give a Keynote Speech?

Someone has just asked you how much you charge to give a keynote speech. What should you answer? It depends. I’m a public speaking coach. That gives me an insider’s view of keynote speaking costs

7 Public Speaking Books Actually Worth Your Time

Most people dislike public speaking. In fact, the stats say 73% of people fear delivering presentations or talks. If you are one of the 73%, you don’t have to be. There is an abundance of standout books

Yes, Anyone Can Become a Charismatic Speaker. Here’s how.

Is it possible to become a charismatic speaker if you weren’t born with the talent?  Someone asked me that question at one of the first workshops I delivered as a public speaking coach. And it

Janice Tomich Site Map

Testimonials

Social Media

© 2023 Janice Tomich. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Use

Give the keynote. Without the nerves.

Services by software

PowerPoint presentation >

Remarkable Powerpoint presentations

Keynote presentation >

Presentations in software Keynote

Google Slides presentation >

Professional Google slides presentation

ALL SERVICES

• Pitch deck design
• Google slides redesign
• Investor deck design
• Marketing Presentation
• Sales Presentation
• Keynote redesign
• PowerPoint redesign
• Prezi presentation
• Executive Presentation
• Corporate presentation
• Pitch deck redesign
• Thesis presentation
• Investor Presentation
• Presentation For Event
• Branded email designs that convert
• Corporate Overview Presentation

My availability status:

Currently accepting work

Start a project

• January 8, 2022

Slides Count for 1 Hour Presentation – Here’s How Many Slides You Need

Written by Tom Caklos

Presentation designer

It doesn’t matter if you are a student, entrepreneur, or teacher.

At some point, you will stumble upon timing issues when it comes to your presentation.

You’re maybe asking: How many slides for a 60-minute presentation?

One slide in most cases takes up to around 2 minutes of your presentation time. With that being said, on average you will need around 30 slides to make your presentation 60 minutes long. But there’s no set limit on how many yours will require, as the length of the individual slides depends on the complexity of your presentation.

Some presentations require you to be quick, and their slides contain just a few punch lines – while some extensive research presentations will require you to get your hands dirty on slides that will take up anything from 5 – 10 minutes.

Overwhelming right?

But it doesn’t have to be!

I help individuals and companies to nail their presentations with remarkable design, so in case you need a hand, feel free to reach out!

How many slides for a 2-hour presentation?

For 2 hour presentation, you will need around 60 – 90 slides, depending on the complexity and nature of your topic. However, there’s no set limit on how many yours will require, but most of the time a good rule of thumb is 60 to 90 slides.

If I can chime in one tip in this article, it would be to take a bottle of water with you.

Two hours is a very long time – and as you will present, your mouth will get dry very quickly. Do not underestimate this part of the preparation as well!

Here is a longer list that you can always reffer to:

Just keep in mind, that the actual length of your presentation will be different. It really does depend on the topic of your presentation.

If you found this information helpful, feel free to check out my other articles:

6 Design Tips for Creating Remarkable PowerPoint Presentations

How much do presentation designers charge updated rates 2022.

• 4 Main Differences Between Good and Bad Presentation

Thanks for reading my article! When I write, I always try to bring as much value as I can. If you're having any questions, or if you need any help, feel free to reach out to me!

Did you learn something new? Share it with your network!

Creating Titles for Your PowerPoint Slides: Tips & Tricks

Let's get to work.

Oravicka 423 027 12 Vitanova Slovakia

[email protected] +421 903 958 162 Linked In

@Tom The Designer 2021

Speech writing tips – How many words in a speech?

When I first started writing speeches, I struggled to know how many words to write for a speech of a given length.  The only way I would know was to rehearse the speech and time how long it lasted.

I have since learned that I typically speak at an average of  80-100 words per minute (wpm) when presenting in public. This knowledge allows me to calculate quickly how many words I need to write  i.e. 400-500 words for a five-minute speech.

Now not everybody speaks at the same pace.   Some books quote the average speaking rate as around 125 words per minute but remember that there is a significant difference between normal conversation and public speaking.   The best public speakers tend, on average to speak a bit slower so I would recommend that you start off with around 100 wpm and see how you get on.   Most word processors have a word count function built into them, so it's easy to check how much you have written.

Of course, it goes without saying that when writing a speech of any length don't  forget the basics.  You need an engaging opening , a powerful conclusion and relevant body content . You also need to  remember to rehearse it out loud .  Give as much time to planning the delivery as you do to planning the content.

And now that you know how many words to use, you'll want to know what sort of content to put into your presentation for maximum impact.  Enter your email address in the form below and we’ll send you a free  copy of our  practical guide to great presentation content  plus regular presentation tips.

"I just wanted to leave you a quick testimonial about the presentation guide.   I have a session I am running at an international conference this month and although I have done many presentations the word count calculator along with your very clear framework has given me a really good way of evaluating if I am on the right tracks. Thank you for a concise and really useful guide" -  Sheryl Andrews

Just enter your first name and email and you'll receive a download link to my FREE presentation structure guide.

PS. We NEVER share or sell our list with ANYONE!

Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.

16 Comments

[…] How many words? […]

Your style is unique compared to other folks I have read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this blog.

Thanks John I appreciate your feedback. Unlike public speaking where you can see your audience and sense their response, blog writing can feel a bit detached at times, so it’s great when people take the time and trouble to comment. If you have any specific questions, or would like me to write about a topic that it of interest to you, please feel free to get in touch.

can i have 150 words all in all?

Thanks for your comment. I’d love to respond but I am not entirely sure what you mean? Could you tell me more?

good note, i am having to do 40 mins in china, so i think i will plan for 3,500 word / max 4,000 as i need to go slow for translators and i will have 50 or so slides ? any view

Thank Greg. Working with a translator brings a whole new dimension and you certainly do need to slow down plus you need to also insert more pauses so that the translator can do their stuff. I think you may need to go for even fewer words! Whilst this can be a chalenge, the discipline of editing your content down to the essentials is often very useful. I recall being a delegate at a 3 day workshop in Japan where the trainer was Amercian and half of the 100 delegates were Japanese! He had a live interpreter so he would say a piece, step back and then she would translate. When he first started, I thought the gaps for translation would be a real pain but actually, it gave me more time to think about what we were being taught and it worked really well.

“Of course it goes without saying…” So why say it?

Thanks for taking the time to comment Rod

What's the maths fomulua behind your calculator?

The formula seems to be: time*speed*nervousness.

Speed is either 1 (slow), 1.2, 1.4 (fast). Nervousness is 1 for “I’m cool”, 1.25 for “I’m nervous”.

Correction: Forgot to add a scaling factor: 10*time*speed*nervousness.

Hi Tom Thanks for sharing your speech words calculator. I am sure that many readers will find it a useful tool to help them prepare their presentations and speeches.

Great tip Gavin. I’ve heard many different estimates of average words per minute, but if people can find their own speech pace, they can easily time their presentation. Thanks!

how can you write a speech?

Hi, Edna. Thanks for posting your question. Here are some more articles that relate to your question about how to write a speech. https://www.inter-activ.co.uk/category/speech-writing/ in particular, you may find this specific article of help https://www.inter-activ.co.uk/presentation-skills/how-to-write-a-speech-in-ten-minutes/ . Let me know how you get on.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Notify me by email when the comment gets approved.

 By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. All information collected with this form will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy . *

Ultimate 5 Minute Speeches & Presentations (A-Z Guide)

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Speech Topics

“If you want me to give you a two-hour presentation, I am ready today. If you want only a five-minute speech, it will take me two weeks to prepare.”  ― Mark Twain

Delivering presentations and speeches can be challenging, especially if you have a short time. Covering the essential information you wish to convey and making an impact in these 5 minutes requires much backend work. The good news is that individuals are more likely to retain succinct but significant content than a long but tedious speech.

It’s important to remember some things when delivering a 5-minute speech, such as developing a thorough overview, allocating time for each slide, refraining from memorizing or monotonously reciting your information, using actions rather than words, including compelling visuals, sharing supplementary information for use after the speech, and practicing a lot more—at least three times more—than usual.

How Many Words are there in a 5-Minute Presentation?

Considering that an average person talks 120 to 160 words per minute, a five-minute presentation will typically be between 600 and 800 words long. When you deliver such a brief presentation, a few pointers need to be kept in mind –

• Every statement you make during a brief presentation should be related to your main idea and the message you want to get through.
• It is beneficial to avoid wasting time and make sure that the audience has only one clear takeaway by keeping your scope narrow and utilizing your words sparingly.

While this is just an average, it can vary depending on the speed at which you speak, the topic that you choose, and your thoroughness with the content. To know how many words you will be needing in a 5-minute presentation, you can –

• Find out how many words are read in 5 minutes by timing yourself as you read a speech or an article.
• Use useful internet resources like the Speech Calculator to determine how many words you will require based on your speech rate.

Tips to keep in mind for your 5-minute Presentation:-

1. give a comprehensive overview.

When you have just 5 minutes to give an interview, diving deep into the topic won’t help. Instead, providing an overview of the subject and subtopics can help introduce each point and not take up all the precious minutes. 

How to give an overview?

When giving an overview, there are some questions to tick that can help you know if you have covered the basics; such as:

• What does this topic mean in 1-2 sentences? 
• When can this information be useful to someone?
• What impacts does this topic have in 1-2 sentences?
• Where can you see its practical/theoretical application? 
• How is this going to benefit my audience?

These are some basic questions, and if you notice, cover the basic WH questions . Thus, following the WH Pattern is helpful when you want to give a brief overview.

2. Structuring The Presentation with Time Allocation 

Structuring your presentation is extremely important, irrespective of the style and pattern of presentation you opt for or the time you are allowed, since it provides a framework for your subsequent preparation. And when you have just 5 minutes, structuring it according to the time becomes more critical. 

Steps to Structure your Presentation

A general outline that progresses from the fundamentals to the particular should be used when preparing a presentation or speech. This will give those less familiar with the subject a quick overview of the topic before delving further. Here are some steps you may take if you’re wondering how to budget time and logically format your content –

• General introduction of the content (1 minute) 
• Aim/Objectives or the motives (1 minute) 
• Body wherein you discuss the main content such as pros and cons, how it helps etc. (2 minutes)
• Conclusion and feedback (1 minute) 

You can follow this general template; however, it is important to tailor it to your specific topic and style. To prevent running out of time, don’t forget to multiply your estimated time by the number of minutes.

If you’re seeking ideas on how to organize your speech, visit our blog 3 Ways To Structure A Speech The Professional Way where we help you plan out your next speech more professionally.

3. Avoid memorizing or monotonously speaking your content

Memorizing or reading from the content could seem like a good approach when you are short on time, but it is the opposite. Reading or learning the material is not advised because the audience may lose interest and zone out within the first 30 seconds. An improved strategy is understanding and presenting the material as a narrative or story. 

What can you do instead of memorizing? 

If you’re someone who needs chits or keywords to refer to, just speaking might be a difficult task for you. In such cases, you can complement your speech by –

• Showing a slideshow of visuals that compliment your speech.
• Make slips with keywords for each subtopic, so you know what to elaborate upon.
• Storytell – Share personal life anecdotes and relate your content to them.

When you speak in a narrative style rather than reading, you grab the audience’s attention more and are better able to connect with them, determine whether they can understand the topic from their non-verbal cues, and adjust your delivery accordingly. As a result, genuinely comprehending your topic is considerably more beneficial for you and the audience than simply reading it from a piece of writing.

4. Use actions more than words

It is much said that actions speak louder than words, which is one trick to stick to when you have much less time and comments to express. Actions here include non-verbal gestures, body language, and facial expressions that convey the intensity of the message that you want to deliver. 

What are the different types of actions that you can use

A} non-verbal gestures.

Non-verbal gestures refer to the complimentary use of your hand expressions and body language to support a verbal point. As they are frequently accurate predictors of what you are saying, these behaviours are accorded a great deal of weight. Thus, if you want to draw the audience’s attention to any particular or central point, it is helpful to use hand gestures to imply them effectively.

There are various gestures that imply certain meaning, such as –

• Pointing a finger to stress a particular word. 
• Circling your hands to show a sign of moving to the next topic. 

Here is a video that tells you 10 hand gestures, their meaning, and how to use them effectively!

B} Facial expressions

Facial expressions refer to using your facial appearance to amplify your spoken words. Compared to a neutral expression, having a smile, making eye contact, or even having a shocking expression to a point has a lot greater impact. The audience is least likely to pay attention to what you’re saying and lose interest if you maintain a static expression.

Imagine if you had to look at a face that had a neutral look for 5 minutes and one with a jolly expressionist face.

Who would you most like look forward to and be interested to listen?

Your answer right there tells you the importance of facial expression.

Actions speak louder than words; you must use them effectively in these 5 minutes!

5. Include Visuals 

Five minutes is too short a time to speak about every detail, and that’s when visuals and graphics take the stage. Much like the famous quote, a picture is worth 1000 words, correctly chosen illustrations can complement your verbal speech and enhance the intensity by large.

Guidelines to follow when adding visuals 

It’s not difficult to add images and videos, but it’s crucial to pick the one that best conveys your message while also standing out. Thus, the following are some things to keep in mind when adding a photo or any other visuals:

• Is this photo self-explanatory, or do I have to allocate time to explain it?
• Are the videos easy to comprehend and cover the basics of my topic? 
• Have I added at least one picture to each subtopic I will cover? 
• Lastly, does the picture in any way hurt any sentiments? 

Visual communication can engage and attract the readers because they have something to look at when you are speaking. Thus, when both the modes of delivery are combined, it leads to a much better understanding and retention of the audience. 

6. Share additional post-speech resources

As much as you try, you cannot cover all the information you would if you had a 20-minute presentation against a 5-minute one. But now that you do have this task, it is a good idea to share some helpful post-speech resources that can help the audience delve deep into the topic if they wish to. 

Ways in which you can share additional information 

A} Videos: Recommending videos is one of the quickest and most effective ways to give some extra information. When researching your content, if you come across any videos that are too long to use in your presentation but are a valuable source of knowledge, linking them in the last to share it with the audience is a helpful thing, which in some ways can also convey the message that you are invested in the topic and want the audience to know more about it.  

B} Brochure : Although this might seem like a bit of work or a step forward, this is another excellent takeaway you can give. Brochures filled with a summary and more information on the topic can be a helpful guide for the audience to return to if they wish to explore the matter further.

7. Rehearse 3x times more  

It goes without saying that you should practice your speech or presentation, but given the time limit, it is advisable to practice for longer. This is because multiple rounds of practice will give you the following benefits –

A} Let you see if you finish the content structured in 5 minutes – The first time you practice the speech, you might be unable to complete it in the allotted time. Still, subsequent practice sessions will allow you to determine whether you are running on time or not, without rushing and efficiently covering all the points. Thus, if you finish late, you will have a lot to work on, such as speeding up or reducing the content, and if you finish early, you have precisely the opposite.

B} Allows you to become thorough with the content – The more you practice, the more you will become adept at knowing your material inside and out. This is advantageous because you will be able to describe it in terms that are much simpler to understand, create a narrative around it, provide instances to support it, and reiterate it if necessary.

C} You can see if your speech is understandable – When we prepare a speech, we may at times believe that it is logical and runs smoothly. However, by regularly practicing, especially in front of friends and coworkers, you can determine whether the material and flow are coherent and simple to follow, giving you time to correct and alter if there are any gaps or missing pieces as per the feedback.

Structure of a 5-minute Presentation

Your presentation should also be organized similarly to how a speech is – with a beginning, middle, and an end.

When you have just a few minutes to present, it’s important to have a captivating and attention-drawing statement that can keep the audience hooked to the latter part of the presentation. In such cases, you can –

• open up with strong statements that might take the audience by awe – when you start a speech with some powerful and provocative statements on the topic, it can lure the audience into it because they might hold similar or different views and thus pay attention to support or argue their point.
• start with a reflective question that puts the audience into thinking – if your topic was an investment and its returns, questions like “what would you do if you had 1 cr when you were 70” or “do you dream of a trip after your retirement?” such personal and reflective questions make the audience think that the speaker is going to answer a way to make them true, which can, in turn, tune them into the talk.

Thus, having an impactful beginning is vital to get the audience to stick around and focus for the rest of the talk.

With regards to the speech’s body, due to time constraints, it is crucial to keep the substance brief. When you have just a few minutes to cover the content, it is important to – refer to and follow the WH Question Rule that can help you cover all the basics of a topic in a short period of time.

What should be kept in mind though should be that – you should not try to delve deep into any sub-topic and stick to the basics only. Here the WH Questions help as they checklist all the basic questions that need to be answered in a 5-minute presentation.

In about the last 60 seconds, you should conclude your speech. Whilst delivering this, you must very effectively use the quality of Repetition – that is reiterate the main or central theme that you wish to stick with the audience. It is helpful to say one impactful line rather than summarizing more than the need and not letting the main point stand out.

Samples and Examples of a 5-minute speech

Despite the fact that there are plenty of 5-minute speeches and presentations online, some of them are incredibly well-written and presented. Here are a few videos you can watch to get an idea of what a five-minute presentation should be like.

The danger of silence by Clint Smith

What If I Had Three Minutes To Change The World? by Asia Greene

5-Minute Presentation Topics

Presentation topics on science.

• Greatest Scientists and their discoveries
• Human Evolution and progress of Man
• Is there a parallel dimension?
• Physics in everyday life
• Emerging fields of Biology

Presentation topics on Technology

• Android vs. Apple
• Technology and its Evolution
• Trends in Technology
• Technology and its link to science, media, and other fields of education
• Careers in the field of Technology

Presentation topics on Finance

• What is Stock Market?
• Financial Freedom and how to achieve it?
• Investments in your life – from your 20’s to your 80’s
• Basics of demand and supply
• History and Future patterns of the economy

Presentation topics on Humanities and Arts

• Positive Psychology
• Gender Studies and its importance
• Branches of Social Science and its advent
• Careers in the field of Social Science
• Literature – why humans crave reading and writing

Presentation topics on Media

• History of Media and its Founders
• Employment in the field of Media
• Print Media vs Digital Media
• Use vs. Abuse of Media
• Is media the future?

Is Public Speaking Hard?

Speeches and Presentations are an integral part of our professional lives no matter what career we choose. Compelling presentations can be extremely helpful and effective provided all the necessary steps are taken beforehand.

Overall, public speaking can initially be a difficult task but it is not an impossible one; if all the stages and steps are followed, giving a speech can be a fairly simple undertaking.

If you are almost set to prepare your presentation but want to know more about the 5-minute presentation, ways to present, key tips, and much more, watch this video where we give you a visual guide to your next speech!

We hope that after this article, you’re all set to start your 5-minute presentation preparation!

If you are looking for a guide to your 30-minute or 10-minute presentation, then head onto our blog where we tell you everything you need to know from writing, topics, and delivery for your next speech!

Happy Presenting!

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

Call or Text? Deciphering the Best Communication Method for Every Situation

Spontaneous Speaking Skills for Any Situation

Keep Your Cool: 8 Strategies to Control Emotions While Speaking

• [email protected]
• +91 98203 57888

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

Kindly drop your contact details so that we can arrange call back

Select Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria AmericanSamoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Rwanda Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe land Islands Antarctica Bolivia, Plurinational State of Brunei Darussalam Cocos (Keeling) Islands Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Guernsey Holy See (Vatican City State) Hong Kong Iran, Islamic Republic of Isle of Man Jersey Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Lao People's Democratic Republic Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Mozambique Palestinian Territory, Occupied Pitcairn Réunion Russia Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Somalia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tanzania, United Republic of Timor-Leste Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S.

Words To Time Converter

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

Words per Minute: 183

How To Convert Words to Minutes 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.

I. 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 words to time converter (or speech time calculator-you may call it if you are a public speaker) 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

II.I 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

II.II 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.

III. Benefits of Using a Words to Time Converter

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 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 tool, 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 speaking time calculator make it easier than ever to find the perfect content.

IV. Some Popular Speech Times

V. conclusion.

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.

convert words to time .

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.

Number of words

Reading speed

Common conversions (average speed)

Other tools.

Prepared.FYI - Find deals on emergency preparedness, camping, and survival products and equipment 🏕️

Grammarly - Grammar, plagiarism, and spell checker.

Hemingway - Editor to make your writing bold and clear.

Power Thesaurus - Simple crowdsourced thesaurus.

Wake Up Time - Fall asleep and actually wake up refreshed.

Copy Arrow - An organized set for easy copying.

Micron Pens - Amazing pens for writing and illustration.

Block Rocker - Portable event speaker with microphone 🎤

TED Talks - The official TED guide to public speaking.

These tools are awesome, and the affiliate income helps keep the site online.

If you've found this tool helpful, please consider paying it forward to keep it ad free!

As a bonus you'll go down in history listed on one of the coolest sites around :)

Want to learn how to make websites like this?

There's some really cool stuff in the works... Enter your email to be the first to know when it's ready!

Enter your email to be the first to know when some really cool stuff is ready...

Enter your email to be notified of some really cool stuff that's in the works...

My name is Spencer, and I actually work here ↑

Looking for the easiest way to grow your business in 2020?

Get more traffic, more sales, and more reviews effortlessly.

Boost your online reviews and become the obvious choice for new customers.

Convert Words to Time

Calculate how long it will take to read a speech or presentation

Enter the word count of your speech below to see how long it will take you to read. Estimate the number of minutes based on a slow, average, or fast speaking pace.

Number of words

Reading speed, common conversions (average speed).

How Many Words Are in a One Hour Speech?

Answer:  At a typical speaking pace of 130 words per minute, a one hour speech will be about 7,800 words.

Speech and publication coach  Daphne Gray-Grant  says that the average person speaks at about 125 to 150 words per minute (wpm) which means a one hour long speech uses about 7,500 to 9,000 words. Use our online word count tool to quickly count how many words are in your speech.

How can you measure your spoken words per minute?

An easy way to measure how many words you can speech per minute is to write a 650 word essay. Then get out a stopwatch and measure how long it takes you to speak all of the words.

Divide 650 words by the number of minutes in decimals and you’ll get how many words per minute you speak.

For example, if it takes you 4.5 minutes to speak 650 words, you would do 650 divided by 4.5 and get 144 words per minute.

Word Count per Speech Length

The following table will tell you how many words a typical speech has depending on the length. If you’re looking to quickly understand how many words you need to write for a speech depending on your speaking speed, just check the table below:

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

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.

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

Install anywhere and sync your data everywhere

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. 

Only available on iPhone and iPad

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

Coming to Android soon...

Join the waitlist

Enter your email and we will notify you as soon as Speechify Audiobooks is available for you.

You’ve been added to the waitlist. We will notify you as soon as Speechify Audiobooks is available for you.

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

• AI Title Generator
• Poem Title Generator
• Book Title Generator
• YouTube Title Generator
• Essay Title Generator
• Title Rewriter
• Title Capitalization
• Sentence & Paragraph Rewriter
• Essay Writer
• Book Title Wizard
• Character Name Generator
• Name Generators
• Pokemon Name Generator
• Character Backstory Generator
• Song Generator
• Poem Generator
• Word Search Puzzles
• Ideation Articles
• Random Topic Generator
• Writing Prompt Generator
• Random Essay Title Generator
• Writing Articles
• Online Word Counter
• Online Grammar Checker
• Headline Analyzer
• Best Book Writing Software and Book Writing Apps
• 150 Best Resources for Writers
• Productivity
• English Language
• Grammar Tips
• Headline Analyzer Tool
• Title Capitalization Rules
• For WordPress
• Publishing Articles
• Email Marketing
• Book Articles
• How to Get A Book Published
• Best Literary Agencies
• How To Self Publish a Book

How Many Words Are in a 20 Minute Long Speech?

Answer: At the normal speaking rate of 130 words per minute (wpm), a 20 minutes long speech will have about 2,600 words .

Speech and publication coach Daphne Gray-Grant  found that, on average, people speak at a rate of 125 to 150 wpm so a 20 minutes long speech uses between 2,500 to 3,000 words.

You can use our word counter tool to see how long on average your text will take to speak.

How can you measure your spoken words per minute?

To quickly know what your speaking rate is, write a 650-word essay and then get out a stopwatch. Time how long it takes you to speak all of the words in the essay.

Once you’ve finished, divide the word count (650 words) by the number of minutes in decimals (30 seconds = 0.5 minutes) and you’ll get an estimate of your words per minute speaking rate.

For example, if it takes you 4.5 minutes to speak 650 words, you would do 650 divided by 4.5 and get 144 words per minute.

Word Count per Speech Length

To quickly find out how many words a typical speaking length requires, see the table below. You can quickly map word counts to typical speaking rates:

• Accessibility

Forgot your password?

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive mail with link to set new password.

Back to login

Watch CBS News

New report clears Uvalde police in school shooting response

Updated on: March 7, 2024 / 8:43 PM EST / CBS/AP

An investigation Uvalde city leaders ordered into the  Robb Elementary School shooting  put no blame on local police officers and defended their actions Thursday, despite acknowledging a series of rippling failures during the fumbled response to the 2022 classroom attack that left 19 children and two teachers dead.

Several family members of victims walked out in anger midway through a presentation that portrayed Uvalde Police Department officers of acting swiftly and appropriately, in contrast to scathing and sweeping state and federal past reports that faulted police at every level.

The investigator who presented the report blamed families who rushed to the school that day for compromising the police response, prompting an eruption of anger from several families and some stormed out. Law enforcement took more than an hour to get inside the classroom and kill the gunman, even as children inside the classrooms called 911, begging police to rescue them.

Jesse Prado, an Austin-based investigator and former police detective who made the report for the Uvalde City Council, said Thursday that the responding local officers acted in "good faith."

"You said they did it in good faith. You call that good faith? They stood there 77 minutes," said Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose daughter was among those killed in the attack, after the presentation ended.

Another person in the crowd screamed, "Cowards!"

Prado, though, described several failures by responding local, state and federal officers at the scene that day: communication problems, poor training for live shooter situations, lack of available equipment and delays on breaching the classroom.

"There were problems all day long with communication and lack of it. The officers had no way of knowing what was being planned, what was being said," Prado said. "If they would have had a ballistic shield, it would have been enough to get them to the door."

The city's report is just one of several probes into the massacre. Texas lawmakers found in 2022 that nearly 400 local, state and federal officers rushed to the scene but waited more than an hour before confronting the gunman. A  Department of Justice report in January criticized the "cascading failures" of responding law enforcement.

But Prado said his review showed that officers showed "immeasurable strength" and "level-headed thinking" as they faced fire from the shooter and refrained from shooting into a darkened classroom.

"They were being shot at from eight feet away from the door," Prado said.

Prado also said the families who rushed to the school hampered efforts to set up a chain of command as they had to conduct control with parents trying to get in the building or pleading with officers to go inside.

"At times they were difficult to control," Prado said. "They were wanting to break through police barriers."

Family members erupted when Prado briefly left after his presentation.

"Bring him back!" several of them shouted.

Prado returned and sat and listened when victims' families cried and criticized the report, the council and the responding officers.

"My daughter was left for dead," Ruben Zamorra said. "These police officers signed up to do a job. They didn't do it."

A criminal investigation by Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell's office into the law enforcement response in the May 2022 shooting remains open. A grand jury was summoned earlier this year and some law enforcement officials have already been asked to testify.

Tensions remain high between Uvalde city officials and the local prosecutor, while the community of more than 15,000, about 85 miles southwest of San Antonio, is plagued with trauma and divided over accountability.

Uvalde City Council member Hector Luevano said he was "embarrassed" and "insulted" by the city's report.

"These families deserve more. This community deserves more," Luevano said. "I don't accept this report."

The city report comes after a nearly 600-page report by the Department of Justice in January found massive failures by law enforcement, including acting with "no urgency" to establish a command post, assuming the subject was barricaded despite ongoing gunfire, and communicating inaccurate information to grieving families.

"Had law enforcement agencies followed generally accepted practices in active shooter situations and gone right after the shooter and stopped him, lives would have been saved and people would have survived," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said when the federal report was released.

The DOJ reported that 48 minutes after the shooter entered the school, UPD Acting Chief Mariano Pargas "continued to provide no direction, command or control to personnel."

The city report notes the agency's SWAT team had not trained consistently since before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Three UPD officers who were present in the hallway during the shooting "were the leadership of the SWAT team and had the most experience with Uvalde PD."

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott initially praised the law enforcement response, saying the reason the shooting was "not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do." He claimed that officers had run toward gunfire to save lives.

But in the weeks following the shooting, that story changed as information released through media reports and lawmakers' findings illustrated the botched law enforcement response.

Pete Arredondo, the former school police chief and on-site commander the day of the shooting, was fired in August 2022. No officers have faced criminal charges.

Of the 25 Uvalde Police Department officers who responded to the shooting, none have been terminated.

"You fire those officers," one man who attended Thursday's meeting told CBS News. "You fire them. And you do so with your head held high because you know that is the right thing to do."

• School Shooting

More from CBS News

At least 2 killed, several injured in crash involving school bus in Texas

New World Water Day report shows dwindling supply could amplify conflict

Garland dismisses "absurd" criticism that he should have altered Hur report

Georgia carries out first execution in more than 4 years

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

F.A.A. Audit of Boeing’s 737 Max Production Found Dozens of Issues

The company failed 33 of 89 audits during an examination conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines jet in January.

By Mark Walker

Reporting from Washington

A six-week audit by the Federal Aviation Administration of Boeing’s production of the 737 Max jet found dozens of problems throughout the manufacturing process at the plane maker and one of its key suppliers, according to a slide presentation reviewed by The New York Times.

The air-safety regulator initiated the examination after a door panel blew off a 737 Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight in early January. Last week, the agency announced that the audit had found “multiple instances” in which Boeing and the supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, failed to comply with quality-control requirements, though it did not provide specifics about the findings.

The presentation reviewed by The Times, though highly technical, offers a more detailed picture of what the audit turned up. Since the Alaska Airlines episode, Boeing has come under intense scrutiny over its quality-control practices, and the findings add to the body of evidence about manufacturing lapses at the company.

For the portion of the examination focused on Boeing, the F.A.A. conducted 89 product audits, a type of review that looks at aspects of the production process. The plane maker passed 56 of the audits and failed 33 of them, with a total of 97 instances of alleged noncompliance, according to the presentation.

The F.A.A. also conducted 13 product audits for the part of the inquiry that focused on Spirit AeroSystems, which makes the fuselage, or body, of the 737 Max. Six of those audits resulted in passing grades, and seven resulted in failing ones, the presentation said.

At one point during the examination, the air-safety agency observed mechanics at Spirit using a hotel key card to check a door seal, according to a document that describes some of the findings. That action was “not identified/documented/called-out in the production order,” the document said.

In another instance, the F.A.A. saw Spirit mechanics apply liquid Dawn soap to a door seal “as lubricant in the fit-up process,” according to the document. The door seal was then cleaned with a wet cheesecloth, the document said, noting that instructions were “vague and unclear on what specifications/actions are to be followed or recorded by the mechanic.”

Asked about the appropriateness of using a hotel key card or Dawn soap in those situations, a spokesman for Spirit, Joe Buccino, said the company was “reviewing all identified nonconformities for corrective action.”

Jessica Kowal, a spokeswoman for Boeing, said the plane maker was continuing “to implement immediate changes and develop a comprehensive action plan to strengthen safety and quality, and build the confidence of our customers and their passengers.”

In late February, the F.A.A. gave the company 90 days to develop a plan for quality-control improvements. In response, its chief executive, Dave Calhoun, said that “we have a clear picture of what needs to be done,” citing in part the audit findings.

Boeing said this month that it was in talks to acquire Spirit , which it spun out in 2005. Mr. Buccino said on Monday that Spirit had received preliminary audit findings from the F.A.A. and planned to work with Boeing to address what the regulator had raised. He said Spirit’s goal was to reduce to zero the number of defects and errors in its processes.

“Meanwhile, we continue multiple efforts undertaken to improve our safety and quality programs,” Mr. Buccino said. “These improvements focus on human factors and other steps to minimize nonconformities.”

The F.A.A. said it could not release specifics about the audit because of its active investigation into Boeing in response to the Alaska Airlines episode. In addition to that inquiry, the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating what caused the door panel to blow off the plane, and the Justice Department has begun a criminal investigation .

During the F.A.A.’s examination, the agency deployed as many as 20 auditors at Boeing and roughly half a dozen at Spirit, according to the slide presentation. Boeing assembles the 737 Max at its plant in Renton, Wash., while Spirit builds the plane’s fuselage at its factory in Wichita, Kan.

The audit at Boeing was wide ranging, covering many parts of the 737 Max, including its wings and an assortment of other systems.

Many of the problems found by auditors fell in the category of not following an “approved manufacturing process, procedure or instruction,” according to the presentation. Some other issues dealt with quality-control documentation.

“It wasn’t just paperwork issues, and sometimes it’s the order that work is done,” Mike Whitaker, the F.A.A. administrator, said at a news conference on Monday. “Sometimes it’s tool management — it sounds kind of pedestrian, but it’s really important in a factory that you have a way of tracking tools effectively so that you have the right tool and you know you didn’t leave it behind. So it’s really plant floor hygiene, if you will, and a variety of issues of that nature.”

One audit dealt with the component that blew off the Alaska Airlines jet, known as a door plug . Boeing failed that check, according to the presentation. Some of the issues flagged by that audit related to inspection and quality-control documentation, though the exact findings were not detailed in the presentation.

The F.A.A.’s examination also explored how well Boeing’s employees understood the company’s quality-control processes. The agency interviewed six company engineers and scored their responses, and the overall average score came out to only 58 percent.

One audit at Spirit that focused on the door plug component found five problems. One of those problems, the presentation said, was that Boeing “failed to provide evidence of approval of minor design change under a method acceptable to the F.A.A.” It was not clear from the presentation what the design change was.

Another audit dealt with the installation of the door plug, and it was among those that Spirit failed. The audit raised concerns about the Spirit technicians who carried out the work and found that the company “failed to determine the knowledge necessary for the operation of its processes.”

Other audits that Spirit failed included one that involved a cargo door and another that dealt with the installation of cockpit windows.

Mark Walker is an investigative reporter focused on transportation. He is based in Washington. More about Mark Walker

Boeing: A Company in Turmoil

Boeing is weathering a particularly difficult period: two fatal crashes, a loose panel that blew out during a flight, quality concerns and production slowdowns..

United’s Planes : An engine fire sparked by plastic packaging wrap, a tire lost shortly after takeoff and a plane veering off the runway: These are among several incidents that have occurred over two weeks  on Boeing flights operated by United Airlines.

Alaska Airlines Flight 1282: After a section of a plane headed for Ontario, Calif., blew out  10 minutes after it took off , there was increased scrutiny  on the plane’s manufacturer: Boeing . The Justice Department has since launched a criminal investigation .

Quality Control Issues: An audit that was initiated by the Federal Aviation Administration after the Alaska Airlines incident found dozens of problems  throughout Boeing’s manufacturing process and one of its key suppliers.

Whistleblower’s Death: John Barnett, a former quality manager for the company, was found dead in Charleston  in March with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was set to testify in a lawsuit in which he accused Boeing of retaliation for his complaints about quality and safety.

At Fault: A report released in February by the Federal Aviation Administration said that Boeing’s safety culture remains flawed , despite improvements made after two fatal crashes  in 2018 and 2019.

Solving an Enduring Crisis: The Federal Aviation Administration has asked Boeing to produce an action plan  to address quality control issues. We asked experts how Boeing should try and fix its longstanding problems .