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  • 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?     

how many words in 20 minutes 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.)

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how many words in 20 minutes speech

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.

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

how many words in 20 minutes speech

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How to prepare a 20-minute ted-like talk.

More and more the call is for short speeches.  Of course, the popularity of TED and TEDx talks is one cause, but the impatience of the times is another, along with our shrinking attention spans and all the other distractions competing for our mindshare.  Keynote speeches, which used to be 90 minutes, are now 60, and our clients regularly report that they are often asked to give a 20- or 30-minute version of their keynote speech – and sometimes on the fly.

So you’d better have a short version of your talk ready to go, along with that splendid, full-bore, detailed, 60-minute masterpiece.  How do you shrink what you have to say into a 20-minute miniature version of itself?

The secret to saying something memorable in 20 minutes is to resist the urge to say too much.  Changing lives in 20 minutes takes focus.  And that’s something that most people have a hard time doing.  In 20 minutes, you can say roughly 2500 words, give or take, and that’s not very many if you’ve set yourself the task of changing the world.  So you’ve got to narrow the field, resist the urge to say it all, and pick your details judiciously.

A good 20-minute talk presents one idea, tells one story, and asks one question. 

Begin by choosing one idea.   Try to make it an idea that has universal interest, but where your specific expertise can usefully be applied.  Then, narrow it down and focus it until you can sum it up easily in an elevator pitch of a few sentences:

As a neuranatomist, I study the difference between normal brains and the brains of the mentally ill.  One morning, I suffered a stroke, and experienced a mental disorder of my own. I was fascinated to learn from the experience.  Here’s what I learned while I was dying, especially about the differences between the right and left hemisphere’s experiences of reality. 

That, roughly speaking, is what Jill Bolte Taylor might use as a guideline for preparing her TED masterpiece on her “stroke of insight.”  It’s one idea, her expertise is highly relevant, it’s focused and it’s inherently interesting.

Next, pick one story to go with the one idea.   Make it a story only you can tell.  And make it a story with a point, or lesson.  In the Taylor example, her story focuses on the drama surrounding the moment of the stroke, and what follows from that.  The insight Taylor brings to bear on her stroke lets her tell the story in a way no one else can.  The lesson she derives from the story is all about learning to live, especially in that right-brain, non-judgmental world of affirmation, and in the end it’s her affirmation in the face of such a harrowing life-event that makes her perspective powerful and unique.

Note that your story doesn’t have to be as dramatic or life-threatening as a stroke, but of course it doesn’t hurt.  The further down you are on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the more viscerally you will grab your audience.  The safety level is the best place to be, but don’t fake it.  If your speech is not about life and death, don’t distort it to try to make it so.  Just tell it in the way that only you can.

Finally, ask one question.   A good talk poses a question, for which it has an answer that might be sketched quickly at the beginning of the talk, but for which the talk itself is the fuller answer.  Don’t be afraid to make it a big question.  In Taylor’s case, the question she asks is “Who are we?” – plenty big – and the answer is that we are boundless beings that channel and embrace the energy of the universe – but that have the physical body to do something with that energy.

Audiences always start out asking why – why should I care, why is this talk important, why should I listen – and it’s good to give a provisional, brief answer at the top of the talk, so that the audience relaxes and listens to the whole talk as the fuller answer.   Taylor cheats a little on this one, opening with the statement that she studies the brain because her brother suffers from mental illness.  So she studies the differences between brains like hers that allow her to dream her dreams and yet bring them into reality, whereas her brother’s dreams never become reality.  That does answer the question why, but her speech is not really about normal v mentally ill brains.  Rather, it’s about the universal and differing experiences of reality offered up by the left and right brains.

But by the time we get to the end of the speech, most of us have forgotten that entry point, so compelling is her story.

One idea, one story, one question.  That’s  how you focus your thoughts to produce a coherent, potentially powerful 20-minute speech.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

About the author: nick morgan.

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Related Posts

How to Structure a Speech or Presentation

35 Comments

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A good 20-minute talk presents one idea, tells one story, and asks one question – that’s a great piece of advice. I have always found that it takes much longer to prepare and write a short speech than longer. The art and skill is knowing what to include, what to leave out and how best to structure the key points. I also think your point above, (The further down you are on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the more viscerally you will grab your audience.) is really helpful in learning how to significantly engage the emotional level of the audience. Pathos Is such a powerful tool in making our speeches stand out. Thanks for the reminder.

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Thanks, Peter, for the comment and point about pathos — it is also a good reminder! If we don’t touch the emotions of our audience, we don’t touch them at all.

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Hi Nick, This is such a helpful post. I’m just in the midst of transforming my 45 minute talk into a 20-minute version. I understood the idea about getting down to the most essential content, but the “one idea, one story, one question” is so valuable. Putting my thinking hat back on, but feeling very focused! Thanks.

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Hi, Liane — great to hear from you and glad it was helpful! Break a leg….

Thanks, Liane — when you focus, the results are always amazing!

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Nick – I’m a bit late coming to this. Nontheless – This is particularly helpful. Brilliant! I’m using it right now for an informal talk I have to give. I’ve been asked to “share my wisdom” with a group of people at a dinner gathering and have been trying to determine 1) if I have any and 2) how best to impart what I’ve learned in a brief and pithy way that can be useful to others. Thanks!

Ruth, you do have wisdom to share, as anyone who knows you will attest, so good luck with the process!

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Ruth Mott. Loved your post – “1) If I have any…” I think you make a great life coach.

Here`s a thing. Who coaches the coach? Best of luck.

liane, I loved your post too – it was succinct.

I have an hour to an hour and a half talk to give in 20 mins on. . . .Global Warming.

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Thank you for this. Very helpful. While I am a presentation trainer, training people every day on presentations and public speaking, it is good to be reminded of the basics. I need to give two big talks in the next few weeks and will use this process. Completely agree about the use of pathos. The greater the emotional buy-in the more powerful the talk. And that is often the hardest part of a talk to get right.

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Hi, just stumbled upon this link! Very informative. I have been asked to share my story to grade 5-6’s about being vision impaired. I have spoken to adults before, but how would you approach talking to kids for 20-30 minutes?!

Hi, Nessa — glad you found the post helpful. For kids, involve them, keep it action-oriented, and pick one point and stick to it.

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One powerful tool with kids (and adults if done really well) is repetition of the key aspects of a story from different perspectives…

Eg (crap simple draft version…) I was on my way to work when realised that I had forgotten my keys. No keys. Uh, oh… What will I do… When I got to work I said to my boss “I was on my here and do you know what? I forgot my keys. I don’t know what I going to do. Then I asked my friend “I found out that I don’t have my keys. I don’t know what I am going to do” etc… builds up the excitement bit by bit, and all the kids start to see the pattern… kids love the sense that they know what is going to come up… and then the surprise when something changes…

(this comes from years of practice with my 7 year old daughter, no guarantee that it will still work when she is 8 or 12 or 16…)

Love this, Conor — great tip, and thanks!

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Hi Nick! I’m a big fan of your writing and ideas – they are thoughtful and grounded and I share them often! I just ran across this particular post, which jumped out because I too just wrote something about the awesome Jill Bolte Taylor talk! Thought you might get a kick out of it: http://www.thismovedme.com/talk-review-jill-bolte-taylor-my-stroke-of-insight/ Thanks again for your work!

Thanks, Sally — I appreciate you continuing the conversation!

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Hello, I am a beginning professional motivational speaker and I just have to say thanks. This post was definately a confidence booster for my 1st speech tomorrow.

Thanks, and good luck, Keith.

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I found this page on google. Such a brilliant article. I’m preparing a TED like speech for freshmen at the faculty of Engineering. As a guest speaker and alumni, I want to draw their attention, share my experience, and leave them aome thought. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us.

Thanks, Chayathorn, and good luck.

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I really appreciate this advice, Nick. I am speaking soon about stuttering, a subject about which I am passionate. I was so tempted to try and fit ‘everything’ in but I will focus on how my personal (and hopefully powerful) story can encapsulate the main issues and on communicating my main argument. Thank you.

Katy, thanks for your comment and good luck!

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sweet advice bruv

Thanks, Ryan.

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I have found that most talks lasting under 45-60 minutes are a total waste of time to attend. With severely linited time, speakers are unable to present their hypothesis and the underlying subject matter properly. They resort to platitudes and uninformative statements that cannot be followed up and verified.

Of course I am referring to proper academic presentations of serious topics. It seems though that most talks nowadays focus on deathly boring, human-(non)-interest anecdotal drivel about the speaker’s personal experience, which has no scientific value whatsoever. I avoid that sort of crap like the plague anyway.

Thanks for your comment, Ammut. I wish you the best of luck in finding talks that fit your description of what’s worthwhile. They are increasingly rare.

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This was c00L m8 XD

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Ha – very useful. Ive just been asked to convert a 13,500 word first chapter of a book about Laozi (written by a Chinese academic that I proofread the English for) into a 30 minute speech. WTF? Anyhoo I found these 3 ideas skimmed the chapter and BOOM there was the outline of the speech I have to write. Check how many words 30 minutes is on Google – Aiming for 2500 and within 30 minutes the speech is on its first draft. Thanks so much.

Thanks for the comment, and good luck with the speech.

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This was a wonderful “focus” lesson to help me better prepare my thinking. I am working on writing a proposal that would encompass a 90 minute period to a group of educators. What are your thoughts as to doing 3 of these “mini” 20 minute sessions into 1 – 90 minute period? It would be like having 3 mini TED Talks with time for questions at the end and/or time for participants to practice what I am presenting. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks in advance.

Hi, Mary — breaking up a 90-minute session into 3 20-minute sessions, with interactive time in between is an excellent idea. When in doubt, get the audience to work with you!

[…] At the start of this post, I said many speaking professionals advise you to use emotion. Here’s another example of that – speaker-coach Nick Morgan puts it this way: […]

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Really great post and what a speech! I need to give a 20-minute speech for Toastmasters and am struggling with finding something to talk about for 20 minutes! Whereas you talk about cutting an hour speech down to 20 mins. I’m looking at it from the opposite direction where we normally give 7 minute speeches and I need to come up with 3 of them! I agree that there needs to be a single central theme to bring it all together and Dr Jill’s speech certainly is a great example of doing that. Thank you for sharing this great info and story. Very helpful.

Thanks, Joe — interesting perspective for me, given that the people I work with are almost always trying to find a way to fit their message into a shorter time-frame. The trend over my working life has been from 90-minute keynotes when I started my business in the Dot Com boom, to 60-minute to 45-minute, and now (thanks to TED) often a 20- minute version. Can 7-minute keynotes be far behind?

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I have typed my talk, but am uncertain whether to memorize it, read it (with looking up, gesturing, etc.), or something in between. What do most good speakers do?

Most people do best by knowing the structure and flow of the speech well, so that they can speak without notes, but not memorizing every word. The danger there is that a memorized speech can sound sing-song. Ideally, it should sound conversational, but you should know (unlike a conversation) where you are at every moment.

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how many words in 20 minutes speech

Public Speaking Podcast

A podcast launched in a time of great change. Just One Question with Dr Nick Morgan has over 50 episodes featuring some of the worlds most elite and accomplished speakers. More importantly the podcast brings light to our industry as we undergo a public speaking and communication reformation. 

how many words in 20 minutes speech

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

how many words in 20 minutes speech

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!

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Number of Words – Online Word and Character Count

How Many Words Are in a 20 Minute Speech?

Answer:  At a typical speaking pace of 130 words per minute, a 20 minute speech will be about 2,600 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 twenty minute speech uses about 2,500 to 3,000 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:

Speech LengthSlow (100 wpm)Average (130 wpm)Fast (160 wpm)
minute100 words130 words160 words
minutes500 words650 words800 words
minutes1,000 words1,300 words1,600 words
minutes1,500 words1,950 words2,400 words
minutes2,000 words2,600 words3,200 words
minutes2,500 words3,250 words4,000 words
minutes3,000 words3,900 words4,800 words
minutes4,500 words5,850 words7,200 words
minutes6,000 words7,800 words9,600 words
minutes12,000 words15,600 words19,200 words

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Free Online Words to Minutes Calculator

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

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

🏆 Top 10 Free Words to Minutes Converter

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

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

2. Words to Time

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

3. The Word Finder

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

4. EdgeStudio

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

5. Copywritely

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

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

6. Read-O-Meter

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

7. TheVoice Realm

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

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

9. Debatrix

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

10. TextConverter

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question Answer
130 words
260 words
390 words
520 words
780 words
910 words
1040 words
1170 words
1300 words
1950 words
2600 words
4 minutes
6 minutes
8 minutes
10 minutes
12 minutes
14 minutes
16 minutes
20 minutes
25 minutes

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

Keep reading!

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

Determine the Word Count

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

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

Determine the Speech Pace

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

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

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

What Impacts Your Speaking Rate?

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

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

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

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

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

how many words in 20 minutes speech

Source: National Center for Voice and Speech

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

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

How to Practice Your Speaking Rate?

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

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

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

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

Read children’s books aloud.

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

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

Read scientific reports.

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

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

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

Read your own class speeches.

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

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

Listen to various speakers.

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

Read texts you are familiar with.

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

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

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

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

How to Make the Speech Memorable

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

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

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

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

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

Updated: Oct 25th, 2023

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Your complete guide to writing a better speech

how to write a better speech

Reading time:  Just over 6 minutes

Here is everything I know about how to write a better speech and some detailed thoughts on how to deliver a better one as well….

I love TED talks,  and perhaps you do as well, but be aware of the significant problem they’ve created in our society. Everyone now expects  all  public speakers to be as charming, interesting, funny and breathtakingly articulate.  Ken Robinson ,   Elizabeth Gilbert   and  Susan Cain  have set a mighty high bar for the rest of us to try to clear.

I run lots of workshops  and I try to make them engaging and informative but I don’t consider myself the  ne plus ultra  of public speakers. Still, I have written many speeches for industry leaders and CEOs. I’m also a debate coach at my local high school and spend two hours each week helping grade 8 to 12 students become more comfortable with speaking — arguing, really — in public. So here is my comprehensive guide on how to write and deliver a better speech or presentation:

10 ways to write a better speech

1-Learn your time limit and calculate your word count.  The average person speaks at somewhere between 125 and 150 words per minute. It’s almost always better to speak more slowly than too quickly. Thus, if you’re speaking for 20 minutes, you want a total word count of somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 words. Be careful! I once got the math wrong and saddled a good friend with a 48-minute speech when he was trying for 30. Yikes!

2-Once you have experience as a speaker,  work hard to avoid word-for-word speeches unless you have a teleprompter. Your delivery will be more interesting and more natural if you speak from notes or an outline rather than a script. Memorize an introduction if you like, to help get yourself going but use just notes for the rest. Yes, your speech may not be “perfect.” But having a few mistakes is okay if they help you improve your delivery. Your ability to be interesting and to engage with the audience will make up for any small lapses.

3-No matter how long the speech, always divide it into five parts:   an introduction, point 1, point 2, point 3 and a conclusion. Or, in other words, tell people what you’re  going  to tell them, tell them what you  want to say  and then wrap up by telling them  what you just said.  This format is adaptable to a speech of just about any length but I’d divide a 20-minute speech as follows:

Introduction: 2 minutes (250 words)

Point 1: 5 minutes (625 words)

Point 2: 5 minutes (625 words)

Point 3: 5 minutes (625 words)

Conclusion: 3 minutes (375 words)

Total word count: 2,500 words (20 minutes)

If you’re thin on ideas for the three points, consider using a  mindmap  to help you. Mindmapping is the best way for you to make your speech more interesting, more personal and more coherent.

4-Shower your audience with  stories  rather than drown them in facts.  If you have a story (anecdote or example) to illustrate each of your three points, so much the better. Stories are “sticky” — that is, people remember them. I once interviewed a CEO for whom I’d been hired to write a speech. The man was utterly  bereft  of stories. I was at my wit’s end until I decided that I’d have to lard his speech with some stories of my own that I could carefully repurpose to make them sound as though they’d come from him. Don’t tell me that business people don’t want to hear stories. Of course they do! Have you ever listened to  Warren Buffett   speak? Or  Bill Gates ?  Or  Josh Linkner ?  Stories are the spoonful of sugar that make the medicine (facts) go down. Think about the worst speech you’ve ever heard in your life. Now, reflect on the best. I can guarantee that the former was filled with facts and the latter with stories. Human beings are hardwired to appreciate stories and the sooner you stop fighting that fact, the sooner you’ll be able to write a memorable speech

5-Have a purpose but make it a modest one.  Don’t expect your audience to be able to walk away reciting your 10-point corporate plan. Instead, express the  single  key message of your speech — the one important thing you want your audience to be able to remember, for sure — as a single sentence. Write it on a piece of paper and stick it to your bulletin board so you can see it as you’re writing your speech. Keep this purpose at the top of your mind at all times.

6-Understand that repetition is mandatory  because speaking is analogue, not digital. People don’t listen to speeches in the same way they read books. You talk, your words travel into their ears and if they happen to be thinking about what to make for dinner that night, your message will not get through. Worse, your audience has no “rewind” button they can hit. (If their attention has strayed while reading, they can flip back in the book.) This is why you MUST repeat the points you are trying to make at least three times: once in the intro, once when you make them and once again in your conclusion. It may seem overly repetitious to you, but it won’t to your audience.

7) Don’t waste your opening.  I see speakers do this in three primary ways. First, they spend too much time shuffling paper. Don’t do this! Be organized and ready to go as soon as you take the stage. The second mistake is they spend the first 45 seconds thanking an endless number of people. No! Don’t do that! The first 45 seconds are your most precious chance to grab the attention of your audience. Thank the person who introduced you with one brief sentence and then dive into an attention-getting opening. (You can give thanks to others, if you need to, towards the end of your speech.) Finally, some people feel obliged to begin with lame opening jokes that are unrelated to the actual speech topic. These always feel fake and tacked on. You want humour to be organic — that is, related to the topic you’re covering. The best way to begin a speech is with an interesting fact or an attention-getting story. No exceptions!

8-Write for the ear rather than the eye.   Make sure the language you use is easy to say — even if you’re writing the speech for someone else. Say it out loud many times, so you can check to ensure there are no stumbling blocks. For example, the line “a lower-cost alternative to traditional plans” is harder to say than it looks (try it). Change that kind of language, fast. Use concrete, everyday words (for example, “use” instead of “utilize”) and make sure your sentences are short enough that you don’t have to gasp for breath in the middle of them. Be sure to use contractions, because that’s how real people speak. And throw in the occasional rhetorical question (“Why would I say that?”) to engage the audience.

9-Be yourself.   Barack Obama   and  Winston Churchill  are/were both excellent speakers. They’re also totally different. While you can gain pointers from observing great speakers, you need to be true to yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. And if you are writing a speech for someone else, it’s important you spend significant time interviewing them and learning  their   speech patterns — as well as their stories. Are there any expressions that they use regularly? Can you work them into the speech?

10-Be brief.  If you’re asked to speak for 60 minutes, make it 45 or 50. If the goal is 20, make it 18. If the target is five, aim for 3.5. In the history of the world, no one ever complained about a speech that was too short. Your audience will love you for this.

7 ways to  deliver  a better speech

1-Practice more than once.  I know this is hard, particularly if the speech is long, but I spoke once with a TED talk deliverer and she told me that she’d spent more than three weeks, full time, writing and practicing her speech. In fact, she had delivered it more than 48 times before the big day. Was she confident? You bet! (For anything less than a TED talk, you don’t need 48 practice times. Three times might be enough for a long one; five to seven times for a short one.) Whatever you do, remember the expression: Professionals practice in private; amateurs practice in public.

2-Record yourself.  Many of us pad our speeches with verbal filler such as “umm,” “ahh,” “you know,” “like,” etc. The prime minister of my own country,  Justin Trudeau  does this with “uh” and I cringe almost every time I hear him speak. To ensure you don’t make this mistake, record yourself using your cell phone. If you discover you’ve used verbal fillers then slow down your speech and try to be mindful of  not  using them. Slow, careful speaking is the answer. This is been a project of mine for the last two years. I used to be addicted to “umm” and now I use it dramatically less frequently.

3 – Arrive early on delivery day.  Don’t rush to the podium at the very last minute. Instead, get to your venue a good 15 to 30 minutes early so you can scope out the room, become familiar with it and maybe test the sound system. Then — this is the important advice — position yourself in the audience and start talking to people  as they arrive . This will surprise and disarm them and give you a chance to get to humanize them a little bit.

4-Calm your nerves.  For many people, public speaking is more fear-inducing than the idea of death. Here’s how to get over that idea: Practice your speech beforehand. If you have practiced adequately then your body will already know what to do, even if your nervous system is vibrating. Pay attention to your breathing when speaking. If we take shallow, inadequate breaths then our bodies start to panic — I can’t breathe! I might die! Talk yourself through slow, deep belly breaths to help calm your nerves. Have your notes on firm paper so it won’t shake. (Cardstock is better than regular paper for this reason.) Finally, many people have discovered that pressing their index finger to their thumb is also a calming manoeuvre (it’s known as  gyan mudra ). No one in the audience will ever notice you doing it.  

5-Use your eyes effectively.  We all have the same two powerful public speaking tools in our arsenals: our eyes. Many speakers waste this ammunition by looking directly  above  the heads of their audience or by fanning their eyes vaguely across the group as a whole. Instead, I suggest you look directly in the eyes of ONE of the people in the audience. Do this for at least a full sentence at a time, longer if you can bear it. Then switch to another person and do exactly the same thing. Be sure to move to different parts of the room as you do this. And what happens if the person becomes embarrassed and looks away? Move on to someone else. This human-to-human contact should be every speaker’s secret weapon. Also, remember to smile. People enjoy seeing cheerful speakers.  

6-Vary your speaking speed.  Audiences sometimes get bored listening to speeches — even good ones — and that’s why you should try to make your delivery as interesting and varied as your words. One of the ways you can do that is to change your speed. If you have a story or statement that excites you then speak quickly so that the speed of your talking matches your excitement. If you’re saying something important or dramatic, then S-L-O-W down for emphasis.

7-Be careful with your volume.  Some speakers seem to like to shout or shriek. Recently, I was obliged to watch a debate where the speaker spoke far too loudly for the rather small room. I spent the entire time thinking, “please, dial back your volume” and I missed almost all of her content because my ears were too busy quivering. This is another good reason for arriving early in the room so you can test your volume. Just remember that once the room becomes stuffed with people, their bodies will act like a sound buffer and you may need to speak up.

Becoming an effective speaker  can increase your sales, improve your effectiveness and boost your career. It’s worth investing your time to develop this crucial skill.

* My video podcast last week  answered a question about how to budget your writing time effectively. See it  here  and consider subscribing. If you have a question about writing you’d like me to address, be sure to send it to me by  email , twitter or Skype and I’ll try to answer it in the podcast.

How do you keep your speeches or presentations interesting and relevant? We can all learn from each other so, please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the “comments” section below. Anyone who comments on today’s post  (or any others) by March 31/17, will be put in a draw for a copy of  Ifferisms , by Mardy Grothe. Please, scroll down to the comments, directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. Note that you don’t have to join the commenting software to post. See  here  to learn how to post as a guest.

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

how many words in 20 minutes speech

Common conversions (average speed)

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Convert words to time

Word per minute speech

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

Word Counter

Paste your text here to find out the word count

Word Count: 0

Online Stopwatch

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

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

Savvy Calculator

Speech Length Calculator

About speech length calculator (formula).

The Speech Length Calculator is a tool used to estimate the duration of a speech or presentation based on the number of words and the speaking rate. The formula for calculating speech length is as follows:

Speech Length = Number of Words / Words per Minute

  • Speech Length: The estimated duration of the speech or presentation, usually measured in minutes.
  • Number of Words: The total number of words in the speech.
  • Words per Minute: The average rate at which the speaker delivers words, typically measured in words per minute (wpm).

This calculation helps presenters and speakers plan their speeches and allocate appropriate time for each segment. It also ensures that the speech fits within a given time limit, enhancing the overall effectiveness of communication.

The Speech Length Calculator is particularly useful for event organizers, public speakers, educators, and anyone delivering a presentation. By using this tool, speakers can manage their time effectively, engage the audience, and convey their message clearly and concisely. It’s important to consider factors like pauses, audience interaction, and potential questions when planning speech length.

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The Word Finder

Convert Speech Words to Minutes

How long will my speech be? Use the calculator below to convert your words to minutes. 1) Enter the number of words your speech is. 2) Choose your speaking style/speed 3) Find your speech length.

The following table below provides an indication of the minutes for a speech (based on an average reading speed of 125 words per minute):

  • How many words are in 1 minute speech? 125 words
  • How many words are in 2 minute speech? 250 words
  • How many words are in 3 minute speech? 375 words
  • How many words are in 4 minute speech? 500 words
  • How many words are in 5 minute speech? 625 words
  • How many words are in 10 minute speech? 1,250 words
  • How many words are in 15 minute speech? 1,875 words
  • How many words are in 20 minute speech? 2,500 words
  • How many words are in 30 minute speech? 3,750 words
  • How long does a 500 word speech take? 4.0 minutes
  • How long does a 1000 word speech take? 8.0 minutes
  • How long does a 1250 word speech take? 10.0 minutes
  • How long does a 1500 word speech take? 12.0 minutes
  • How long does a 1750 word speech take? 14.0 minutes
  • How long does a 2000 word speech take? 16.0 minutes
  • How long does a 2500 word speech take? 20.0 minutes
  • How long does a 3000 word speech take? 24.0 minutes
  • How long does a 4000 word speech take? 32.0 minutes

Welcome to our conversion tool - Words to Minutes! We are here to help estimate the duration of any speech for conventions, zoom calls, weddings, special celebrations, business presentations, graduations, classroom demonstrations, performances, you name it. Use the Convert Speech Words to Minutes calculator to better prepare yourself for your next presentation.

How to use Convert Speech Words to Minutes

  • Enter Word Count: Enter the number of words in your speech. You can find your word count by copying and pasting your speech in Wordcounter.net or Google Docs. In Google Docs go to TOOLS --> Word Count to see how many words.
  • Choose Speed of Speaker: Choose your speaker pace from the options available: slow speaker, average speed speaker or fast speaker.

Make sure to choose your speech speed as it can have a major impact on your timing. Remember you will likely speak fast at times, and slow as well. Thus, average is typically a good indicator as to how long your speech or presentation will take. Whether you are making a wedding speech or giving a business presentation, this conversion of words into minutes should hold true.

Now you have an idea of how many minutes your speech will take to deliver, and can make any modifications if necessary. Also be sure to add time for audience participation if your speech calls for that.

Why should I use the Convert Speech Words to Minutes?

Do you know how many minutes are in a 5-minute speech, or maybe how long does a 2000 word speech take?

Using the words to minutes converter tool is crucial while preparing for a speech or presentation, especially when you are given limited time to convey your message and wrap up your ideas. Although the time may vary according to the delivery speed of each individual, converting words to minutes is a good indication of the length of your content and if it is suitable for the time frame you were given. That is how you know if you should work on your content length. Keep in mind that according to the National Center for Voice and Speech , the average rate of conversational talk in the US is around 150 words per minute (wpm), which means that balancing content, the number of words and reading speed does matter when preparing your speech.

How to craft an outstanding speech

Whether you are preparing content for a speech presentation for a business meeting, a graduation celebration of a wedding, the content does matter. While speaking in public does require a good amount of confidence, when you prepare yourself in advance, you will empower yourself with tools that will assure you are ready for it. With your speech, your main goal is to engage with your audience, catch their attention and delivery a message that will convey your idea in a clear and effective way. Here are some tips to help:

  • Write using the first person. Use a conversational tone.
  • Start by briefly introducing yourself.
  • Prepare a striking outline/opening statement.
  • Construe your speech in structural steps.
  • Start with a topic sentence in every paragraph.
  • Do not feel too shy to express your honest opinion.
  • Practicing ahead of time will help tremendously. It helps with confidence, knowing the material, comfortability, and much more. This is our top tip!

In order to engage with your audience, try to include personal stories, share your personal experiences and do not feel constrained to share your personal opinion. Good luck, you got this!

What do you think about our Convert Speech Words to Minutes tool? Was it helpful? We want to hear from you.

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Debatrix International

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

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

How many words per minute?

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

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

speech calculator

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

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

Word count:

Your speech rate:

Speech duration:

FAQ’s

How many words is a 3 minute speech  .

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

How many words is a 5 minute speech?  

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

Is this a word count calculator?  

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

How to best select the right speaking speed?

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

The speaking speed of the speaker

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

The speech type

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

The speech setting

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

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

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how many words in 20 minutes speech

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how many words in 20 minutes speech

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 long does it take to read 500 words? 3.8 minutes
How long does it take to read 650 words? 5 minutes
How long does it take to read 1000 words? 7.7 minutes
How long does it take to read 1300 words? 10 minutes
How long does it take to read 1500 words? 11.5 minutes
How long does it take to read 1950 words? 15 minutes
How long does it take to read 2500 words? 19.2 minutes
How long does it take to read 3900 words? 30 minutes
How long does it take to read 7800 words? 60 minutes

Convert Words To Time

Number of words

Reading speed

Are you having issues creating a speech?

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What is a Words to Time Calculator?

A word to time calculator is a tool that helps voice actors or any other user estimate their speaking rate to the script related to the job they are completing or responding to. Mastering the number of words you will speak per minute will enable you to estimate the time it will take to read a script, guiding you in determining the correct price for the job.

However, the number of words you speak per minute may vary depending on the stylistic decisions. For example, if you are using an announcer read or the character you represent speaks in a relaxed voice. But this word-to-time calculator will get you into the proximity.

Our online homework helpers are ready to craft the right speech for you. Just fill in a few details and you are good to go.

What is Read Time?

Read time is the time you take to read a text or script silently while maintaining reading comprehension. According to research involving more than 18000 participants and 100's studies, the approximate words per minute for an average silent reading adult is 238 words.

How Do I Use This Word to Time Tool?

Enter the number of words in your script or paste in text from your document in the special box for auto counting.

Secondly, choose your reading speed. To get the exact or correct time, you have to choose your reading speed between slow, average, and fast, as it greatly impacts your timing.

The word to time tool will give you the exact time to read a specific document. Whether making a business presentation or a wedding speech, word conversion to time should be correct.

If you find your content is longer than expected, feel free to use our free summarizer tool to condense your content so it fits the time required.

Common Conversion (Average Speed)

Below is a preview of the result you should expect from our word-to-time converter assuming your reading speed is average.

  • How long does it take to read 500 words? 3.8 minutes
  • How long does it take to read 800 words? 6.2 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

If you need to know the number of pages in your speech, you can use the words to pages tool to determine the number of words.

  • How many words are in a 1 minute speech? 125 words
  • How many words are in a 2 minute speech? 250 words
  • How many words are in a 3 minute speech? 375 words
  • How many words are in a 4 minute speech? 500 words
  • How many words are in a 5 minute speech? 625 words
  • How many words are in a 10 minute speech? 1250 words
  • How many words are in a 15 minute speech? 1875 words
  • How many words are in a 20 minute speech? 2500 words
  • How many words are in a 30 minute speech? 3750 words

Why should I Use the Convert Speech Words to Minutes?

Using the word to time calculator is vital while preparing for a presentation or speech , specifically when you have limited time to relay your message and conclude your ideas. Converting word to minute lets you know the length of your content and whether the time frame is enough. However, the time may vary depending on your delivery speed.

Knowing your content's minutes lets you decide if you should adjust your content length. When preparing your speech, you should balance the reading speed, the number of words, and the content.

How to Craft an Outstanding Speech?

The content of your speech is crucial whether you are making a wedding or graduation speech or a presentation for a business meeting. Public speaking requires you to be confident, prepare in advance and equip yourself with the necessary tool that helps you deliver your speech. The main aim of your speech is to catch your audience's attention, engage with them and convey a message that will deliver your ideas effectively and clearly. Follow the following tips when crafting your speech:

  • Use the first person when writing and use a conversational tone.
  • Briefly introduce yourself at the beginning of your speech.
  • Prepare a striking open statement/outline.
  • Analyze your speech in structural steps.
  • Begin every paragraph with a topic sentence.
  • Do not shy off from expressing your opinions.
  • Practice your speech before delivering it. It will help you know the content and build your confidence and comfort.

Please share your experiences, including personal stories, and do not hesitate to share personal opinions, as it helps engage with your audience. If you are having challenges crafting your speech, you can engage speech writing services as you concentrate on other important matters.

Alternatively, you can use our speech generator tool to create content for your speech. It's fast easy and free!

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how many words in 20 minutes speech

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In later years, I also wrote speeches for industry leaders and CEOs. So when a friend emailed to request advice on how to write speeches, I decided to summarize the seven things I know.

The average person speaks at somewhere between 125 and 150 words per minute. It's always better to speak more slowly than quickly. Thus, if you're speaking for 20 minutes, you want a total word count of about 2,500 words. Be careful! I once got the math wrong and saddled a good friend with a 48-minute speech when he was trying for 30!

be to work in some sort of interactive component. Invite questions or give the audience tasks to do. The TV and the Internet have ruined our ability to sit quietly and listen to a talking head for very long.

an introduction, point 1, point 2, point 3 and a conclusion. Or, in other words, tell people what you're to tell them, tell them and then wrap up by telling them This format is adaptable to a speech of just about any length but I'd divide a 20-minute speech as follows:

If you're thin on ideas for the three points, consider using a mindmap to help you. (Anyone who subscribes to my receives an ebook on mindmapping at no charge.)

If you have a story to illustrate each of your three points, so much the better. Stories are "sticky" — that is, people remember them. Unless you're a scientist, always prefer sticky stories to statistics.

I hate opening jokes that are unrelated to the actual speech topic — they feel so fake and tacked on. You want humor to be organic — that is, related to the topic you're covering. Also be sure to avoid any comments that could be considered even remotely vulgar, or sexist, racist, ageist, etc. But if you're one of those people who can't quite pull off a joke, don't try. No humor is better than lame humor or bad delivery.

Make sure the language is easy to say — even if you're writing the speech for someone else. Say it out loud many times, so you can check to ensure there are no stumbling blocks. For example, the line "a lower-cost alternative to traditional plans" is harder to say than it looks (try it!). Change that kind of language, fast.

Barack Obama and Winston Churchill are/were both excellent speakers. They're also totally different. While you can gain pointers from observing great speakers, you need to be true to yourself. Don't try to be someone you're not! And if you are writing a speech for someone else, it's important you spend significant time interviewing them and learning speech patterns — as well as their stories. Are there any expressions that they use regularly? Can you work them into the speech?

Finally, as a kind of a P.S., let me say that I use PowerPoint in my speeches or presentations. I know not everyone agrees with this philosophy — but most will concur that if you use PowerPoint you need to be skilled and practiced with it. It's not a good tool for beginners.

A former daily newspaper editor, Daphne Gray-Grant is a writing and editing coach and the author of . She offers a free weekly newsletter on her website .
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How Many Words Are in a Speech?

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 divide 650 by 4.5 to 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:

Speech LengthSlow (100 wpm)Average (130 wpm)Fast (160 wpm)
minute100 words130 words160 words
minutes500 words650 words800 words
minutes1,000 words1,300 words1,600 words
minutes1,500 words1,950 words2,400 words
minutes2,000 words2,600 words3,200 words
minutes2,500 words3,250 words4,000 words
minutes3,000 words3,900 words4,800 words
minutes4,500 words5,850 words7,200 words
minutes6,000 words7,800 words9,600 words
hours12,000 words15,600 words19,200 words
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September 12, 2024

Finding your speaking rate: A guide to words per minute for speeches and presentations

Planning a speech or presentation? We’ll show you the target words per minute and tools you can use to reach your speaking rate goal.

how many words in 20 minutes speech

Ever wonder if you talk too fast or too slow when giving a speech or presentation? We’ll offer suggestions on the number of words per minute you should target along with several ways to find out if you should speed up or slow down your speaking rate.

About speaking rate aka words per minute

As you know, everyone speaks at a different pace and when it comes to public speaking, it can vary even more. Some people feel comfortable speaking and maintain a steady, conversational pace while others become nervous and tend to speak faster and rush their words.

An average American speaks at the rate of 120 to 150 words per minute for conversational speeches and 100 to 150 words per minute for presentations.

how many words in 20 minutes speech

Remember, these numbers aren’t set in stone but are good targets to keep in mind. And, it’s also common to fluctuate your speaking rate.

For example, when explaining something important or complicated, most speakers slow down their pace. But if they’re expressing excitement or urgency, they may speed up the pace. Both are normal in the course of a speech or presentation, but obviously affect the overall speaking rate and time.

Other things that can affect the pace for a presentation or speech include waiting for slides to transition or looking at your speaker notes .

How to calculate words per minute

To find out if you’re on track with your speaking rate, there are a few tools you can use to determine your words per minute.

First, there is a formula you can use to calculate your speaking rate for a presentation or speech.

Total Words / Number of Minutes = Speaking Rate (WPM)

To obtain the values for the formula, you can first use a voice recorder or timer to get the number of minutes you speak. Then, find the total number of words by counting them, or better yet, use a built-in word count feature. You can get the word count in applications like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint or follow our instructions for checking the word count in Google Slides .

how many words in 20 minutes speech

Pop your numbers into the equation to obtain your speaking rate and see if it matches the words-per-minute suggestions.

For example, if you have a 1,000-word presentation and it takes you eight minutes to present it, then your speaking rate is 125 words per minute (1000 / 8 = 125).

Online speech calculators.

Alternatively, you can check out a couple of online tools to help you calculate the overall speech or presentation time based on speaking rate. You can then make adjustments to reach the time or pace you need.

Omni Calculator helps you find the number of minutes it should take you to speak a specific number of words. This is handy if you think you’ve been speaking too fast or too slow.

  • Visit the Omni Words Per Minute Calculator page.
  • Enter the number of words in the Speaking section at the top.
  • Choose your Speaking speed .

how many words in 20 minutes speech

You’ll then see how many minutes it should take you based on those values. You can adjust the Speaking Speed to arrive at the total time needed and then have a number to hit for words per minute with your next practice.

Another option is the Debatrix speech calculator. With this tool, you can paste in the text you plan to speak. It then counts the number of words for you and provides the output.

  • Visit Debatrix Speech Calculator page.
  • Copy the text from your application and paste it in the box on the left. You’ll see the word count to the right.
  • Also on the right, choose Your speech rate .

how many words in 20 minutes speech

You’ll see how many minutes the presentation or speech should take. Once you receive the output, you can make adjustments in this tool as well. You may want to shorten the text if you must meet a certain amount of time or change Your Speech Rate to see how many words per minute you need to reach the target time.

Practice presentations in PowerPoint

If you’re presenting a slideshow using Microsoft PowerPoint, you can use a built-in feature to obtain the words per minute.

With the Presenter Coach, you walk through your presentation as a practice session. As you speak and advance the slides, you can opt to see tips from the coach to help you continue. When you finish, you’ll not only see the speaking rate, but other helpful tips to improve your oral presentation.

  • To use the feature, open your slideshow in PowerPoint and go to the Slide Show tab.
  • Select Rehearse with Coach .

how many words in 20 minutes speech

  • You’ll see your presentation begin and a pop-up window near the bottom right corner.
  • Optionally, check the box to Show real-time feedback if you want tips as you speak.
  • Click Start Rehearsing when you’re ready to begin.

how many words in 20 minutes speech

  • Wait for the pop-up window to display “Listening” before you start speaking. Then, present the slideshow as you plan to do for your audience.

When you finish presenting, the Coach stops automatically. You’ll then see Your Rehearsal Report . In the sample report below, you can see we did pretty well with a Pace of 130 words per minute.

how many words in 20 minutes speech

You can also view a Summary, Fillers, Repetitive Language, Inclusiveness, Pitch, and Originality. These additional sections can help you polish your oral presentation.

how many words in 20 minutes speech

Click Rehearse Again to do exactly that or use the X on the top right to close the report.

Make your content more presentable with Plus AI

Maybe someone else created the slideshow and added terms you’re unfamiliar with or maybe you’ve included too many lengthy lines and would like to tighten up the text. Things like this can have a big impact on not only your speaking rate but how well you present the slideshow.

Plus AI is an add-on that works with both PowerPoint and Google Slides , so you can use whichever tool you prefer. Simply use it to rewrite portions of text or entire slides to make the content easier to present and more digestible for your audience.

Select Plus AI’s Edit option and choose to Rewrite text. You can then pick from a preset update like Shorten or you can enter custom instructions on how to rewrite it.

Once Plus AI provides the text, see how much it helps you present the updated content. Are you more comfortable with the edited text? Can you speak to it better and with more confidence? Are you now able to meet the time limit you were given for the presentation?

Take the tool for a test drive by visiting the Plus AI website . You can check out the features for creating new presentations, editing options for existing slideshows, the template gallery, and more.

For additional assistance look at ideas for informative speeches or these persuasive speech topics , or check out how to give a great presentation and then our tips for more effective presentations .

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Announcing Plus AI for PowerPoint

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IMAGES

  1. Free Online Words to Minutes Calculator

    how many words in 20 minutes speech

  2. Words to time calculator. Words to Time Calculator for the Professional

    how many words in 20 minutes speech

  3. Speech timer calculator

    how many words in 20 minutes speech

  4. Words To Minutes

    how many words in 20 minutes speech

  5. Words To Minutes

    how many words in 20 minutes speech

  6. Converts the number of words in a presentation or speech to how many

    how many words in 20 minutes speech

VIDEO

  1. 20 Minutes Practice English Speaking & Listening Skills

  2. 20 Minutes Practice English Speaking & Listening Skills

  3. Speak American English in 30 Minutes || Improve Daily Life Pronunciation || Learn English

  4. Speech On Value of Time in English

  5. 10 of the Greatest Speeches Ever

  6. Sixty Minutes : Official Trailer 2024 HD

COMMENTS

  1. 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 . Conquer your fear of public speaking. Own your presence. 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 and ...

  2. How many words per minute in a speech: a quick reference guide

    How many words are there in a 9-minute speech? If you are a slow speaker less than 1080 words. If you speak at an average speed between: 1080 - 1440 words. ... How many words are there in a 20-minute speech? 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. ...

  3. Speech Time Calculator

    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 ...

  4. Convert Words to Minutes

    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.

  5. How Many Words is a 20 Minute Speech

    How Many Words is a 20 Minute Speech. Words. Words per minute. 2000. 100 (Slow) 2600. 130 (Average) 3200. 160 (Fast)

  6. How many words in 20 minutes?

    Slow Speaking Rate. If you speak slowly, you'll typically use about 110 words per minute. For a 20 minute speech, you'd need approximately 2,200 words. This pace is suitable for speeches where clarity and comprehension are crucial.

  7. How to prepare a 20-minute TED-like talk

    Check how many words 30 minutes is on Google - Aiming for 2500 and within 30 minutes the speech is on its first draft. Thanks so much. Nick Morgan September 29, ... Really great post and what a speech! I need to give a 20-minute speech for Toastmasters and am struggling with finding something to talk about for 20 minutes! Whereas you talk ...

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

    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 ...

  9. How Many Words Are in a 20 Minute Speech?

    Answer: At a typical speaking pace of 130 words per minute, a 20 minute speech will be about 2,600 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 twenty minute speech uses about 2,500 to 3,000 words. Use our online word count tool to quickly count how many words are in your speech.

  10. Free Online Words to Minutes Calculator

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

  11. Ten ways to write a better speech

    10 ways to write a better speech. 1-Learn your time limit and calculate your word count. The average person speaks at somewhere between 125 and 150 words per minute. It's almost always better to speak more slowly than too quickly. Thus, if you're speaking for 20 minutes, you want a total word count of somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 words.

  12. Convert Words to Time

    Quickly convert the number of words in a talk, presentation, or speech to how many minutes it will take to read. 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 ...

  13. Words to Time Conversion Calculator (Free), word per minute speech

    Word per minute speech Enter the number of words in the box below to find out how many minutes it will take you to give your speech. Number of Words: Speed per Minute: Average (130 wpm) Slow (100 wpm) Fast (160 wpm) Calculate

  14. Speech Length Calculator

    The formula for calculating speech length is as follows: Speech Length = Number of Words / Words per Minute. Where: Speech Length: The estimated duration of the speech or presentation, usually measured in minutes. Number of Words: The total number of words in the speech. Words per Minute: The average rate at which the speaker delivers words ...

  15. Convert Words to Minutes

    Use the calculator below to convert your words to minutes. 1) Enter the number of words your speech is. 2) Choose your speaking style/speed 3) Find your speech length. 0 Minutes. The following table below provides an indication of the minutes for a speech (based on an average reading speed of 125 words per minute): How many words are in 1 ...

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

    A fast speaker will get to 170 words per minute, a slow speaker will use around 110 words. Professional speechwriters use this speech calculator to find out how long a speech takes. Copy your full text and paste it in the box below: The entire analysis happens within your browser. The text will NOT be stored and NOT be sent over the web.

  17. Convert Words to Time

    19.2 minutes. How long does it take to read 3900 words? 30 minutes. How long does it take to read 7800 words? 60 minutes. Speech length calculator. Enter the word count of your speech to see how long it will take you to read. Estimate the number of minutes based on a slow, average, or fast speaking pace.

  18. Words To Time Converter

    How many words are in a 20 minute speech? 2500 words; How many words are in a 30 minute speech? 3750 words; Why should I Use the Convert Speech Words to Minutes? Using the word to time calculator is vital while preparing for a presentation or speech, specifically when you have limited time to relay your message and conclude your ideas ...

  19. Words per Minute Calculator

    To determine the number of words in a talk that will last m minutes: Decide on the speaking rate r: Average: 130 wpm (words per minute); Slow: 100 wpm; and. Fast: 160 wpm. Multiply the speaking rate by the time you have in minutes: r × m. The result in 2 is the number of words your talk should contain. Audiobook Speed Calculator.

  20. Seven Ways to Write a Better Speech

    This format is adaptable to a speech of just about any length but I'd divide a 20-minute speech as follows: Introduction: 2 minutes (250 words) Point 1: 5 minutes (625 words) Point 2: 5 minutes (625 words) Point 3: 5 minutes (625 words) Conclusion: 3 minutes (375 words) If you're thin on ideas for the three points, consider using a mindmap to ...

  21. How Many Words Per Minute in a Speech?

    How many words in a 20 minute speech: 2700-3000; Plan in time for technical delays, Q&A, needing to elaborate on parts, impromptu ideas. Rather than plan for the maximum amount of words per minute in a speech, start with a lower amount or fewer number of minutes and plan in time for inevitable interruptions.

  22. How Many Words Are in a Speech?

    12,000 words. 15,600 words. 19,200 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 60 minutes long speech uses between 7,500 to 9,000 words.

  23. Finding your speaking rate: A guide to words per minute for speeches

    For example, if you have a 1,000-word presentation and it takes you eight minutes to present it, then your speaking rate is 125 words per minute (1000 / 8 = 125). Online speech calculators Alternatively, you can check out a couple of online tools to help you calculate the overall speech or presentation time based on speaking rate.