Speech Time Calculator: How Long Will Your Speech or Presentation Take?

How long will my speech take?

Speaking time depends on how many words you say and how fast you say them. Most people speak between 110 and 170 words per minute. A relaxed conversational pace is about 130 words per minute, and many presentations are delivered at around 150. At 130 words per minute, a 1,000-word speech takes about 7 minutes and 40 seconds before any pauses.

This calculator turns that into a plan. Paste your script to count the words, pick a pace, and add a percentage for pauses, slides, audience reactions and breaths. The result is a realistic running time, and the same settings can be reversed to tell you how many words fit in the time you were given.

How to use the speech time calculator

1. Choose I have a script (words) or I have a time slot (minutes).
2. Enter the word count, or paste the script into the text box so the words are counted for you.
3. Pick a speaking pace. If you are not sure, use conversational at 130 words per minute.
4. Set extra time for pauses and slides. Ten percent is a sensible starting point.
5. Read the speaking time, or the number of words you can say, and compare the table of typical talk lengths.

Choosing a speaking pace

• 110 words per minute is slow and deliberate. It suits formal speeches, eulogies, big rooms and audiences who are listening in a second language.
• 130 words per minute is conversational. It works for most talks, wedding toasts and team updates.
• 150 words per minute is a typical presentation pace for a confident speaker.
• 170 words per minute is fast. It suits trained broadcasters and short, energetic scripts, but it can tire listeners.

Planning for pauses, slides and questions

A word count alone leaves out everything that is not speech: pauses for emphasis, time to change slides, laughter, applause, demonstrations and audience questions. Add ten to twenty percent for a talk with slides, and more if you plan to take questions. If your slot is strict, practice with a timer and aim to finish a minute early, because nerves usually speed people up, while unexpected moments slow them down.

Tips for fitting a speech into the time you have

• Read your script aloud once with a timer, then adjust the pace setting to match your real speed.
• Keep one main message. Short talks work best with three points or fewer.
• Cut anything you would not miss. It is easier to add a story than to rush through a long script.
• Mark the places where you will pause, and count them in the extra time.
• Prepare a short version and a long version so that you can adapt if you are asked to speed up.

Words you can speak in a given time

Frequently Asked Questions