Speaking time calculator
Paste your script or type a word count to get the time as minutes and seconds. Three typical paces are shown, and you can add your own pace in words per minute.
Runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How to use it
- Paste your speech, or type the number of words.
- Read the time at the slow, average and fast paces.
- Optionally enter your own words-per-minute pace.
How it works
Seconds = words ÷ pace × 60. The three preset paces of 100, 130 and 160 words per minute are common planning figures, not measurements of any one speaker.
Worked example
A 650-word talk takes 5:00 at 130 words per minute, 6:30 at 100 and 4:04 at 160.
Tips
Aim to finish a little under your time limit, and practise out loud: your own pace is the number that matters.
Frequently asked questions
How is speaking time calculated?
Time = words ÷ words per minute. 1,300 words at 130 words per minute take 10 minutes. The result is shown as minutes and seconds, rounded to the nearest second.
What pace should I use?
The three paces here are typical rules of thumb: 100 words per minute slow, 130 average and 160 fast. Real speakers vary, and pauses, slides and questions add time. Read part of your speech aloud with a timer to find your own pace.
How are words counted?
Runs of letters and digits count as words, and an apostrophe, hyphen or dot inside a run keeps it as one word, so "don't", "well-known" and "3.5" each count once.
Does the time include pauses?
No. It is the speaking time at a steady pace. Add time for pauses, emphasis, slides, demonstrations and questions.