How Many Words Is a 5-Minute Speech?
A 5-minute speech is about 650 words at a calm pace of 130 words per minute. At 150 words per minute, the average rate of speech, it is about 750 words.
The number of words in a speech is the speaking time in minutes times the speaking rate in words per minute. This guide gives a table for speeches of 1 to 60 minutes, explains which rate to use and shows how to measure your own.
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
| Pace | Words per minute | Words in 5 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Slow, with long pauses | 110 | 550 |
| Calm speech | 130 | 650 |
| Average rate of speech | 150 | 750 |
The figure of 150 comes from the National Center for Voice and Speech, which gives about 150 words per minute as the average rate of speech for English speakers in the United States.
A prepared speech is usually slower than a conversation, because the speaker makes pauses and the audience needs time. So 650 words is a safe target for five minutes.
Words in a speech from 1 to 60 minutes
| Speech length | At 110 wpm | At 130 wpm | At 150 wpm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 minute | 110 | 130 | 150 |
| 2 minutes | 220 | 260 | 300 |
| 3 minutes | 330 | 390 | 450 |
| 5 minutes | 550 | 650 | 750 |
| 7 minutes | 770 | 910 | 1,050 |
| 10 minutes | 1,100 | 1,300 | 1,500 |
| 15 minutes | 1,650 | 1,950 | 2,250 |
| 20 minutes | 2,200 | 2,600 | 3,000 |
| 30 minutes | 3,300 | 3,900 | 4,500 |
| 45 minutes | 4,950 | 5,850 | 6,750 |
| 60 minutes | 6,600 | 7,800 | 9,000 |
The abbreviation wpm means words per minute. Each number is minutes times rate, so you can work out any other length the same way.
How long does a speech of 500, 1,000 or 2,000 words take?
The same sum works the other way round: the speaking time is the number of words divided by the rate.
| Words | Time at 130 wpm | Time at 150 wpm |
|---|---|---|
| 250 | 1 min 55 sec | 1 min 40 sec |
| 500 | 3 min 51 sec | 3 min 20 sec |
| 750 | 5 min 46 sec | 5 min |
| 1,000 | 7 min 42 sec | 6 min 40 sec |
| 1,500 | 11 min 32 sec | 10 min |
| 2,000 | 15 min 23 sec | 13 min 20 sec |
So a script of 1,000 words does not fit a 5-minute slot at any normal pace. It needs about seven minutes.
Which speaking rate should you use?
Use 130 words per minute if you do not know your own rate. It leaves room for pauses, and a speech that ends a little early is better than one that is cut off.
- Use a lower rate for a formal speech, a large room, a difficult topic or an audience that listens in a second language.
- Use a higher rate for a short update to people who know the topic.
- Take time off for extras. Slides, a video, laughter or questions use minutes that have no words in the script.
For a 5-minute slot with one minute of slides or applause, write for four minutes: about 520 words at 130 words per minute.
How to find your own speaking rate
- Take a text of which you know the word count, for example 300 words.
- Read it aloud the way you would on the day, and time it with a stopwatch.
- Divide the words by the minutes. 300 words in 2 minutes and 30 seconds is 300 divided by 2.5, which is 120 words per minute.
Then multiply your rate by the length of your slot. At 120 words per minute, a 5-minute speech is 600 words.
How to check the length of your speech
Paste the script in the word counter. It shows the number of words and a Speaking time, which is the word count divided by 130 words per minute.
| Words in the script | Speaking time shown by the tool |
|---|---|
| 260 | 2 min 0 sec |
| 650 | 5 min 0 sec |
| 1,000 | 7 min 42 sec |
The speaking time is an estimate. Your own rate from the test above is more exact, so use the word count with your own number when it matters.
To see how much paper the script takes, read the guide on words per page. For written work, the guide on essay length does the same for essays.
How to shorten a speech that is too long
- Cut a whole point, not single words. Removing one example saves more time than trimming every sentence.
- Keep the opening and the ending. The middle is where a cut is noticed least.
- Do not speak faster. A faster pace saves little time and makes the speech harder to follow.
- Count again. After each cut, check the word count against your target.
Frequently asked questions
- How many words is a 3-minute speech?
- About 390 words at 130 words per minute, or 450 words at 150 words per minute.
- How many words is a 10-minute speech?
- About 1,300 words at 130 words per minute, or 1,500 words at 150 words per minute.
- How many minutes is a 1,000-word speech?
- About 7 minutes and 42 seconds at 130 words per minute, or 6 minutes and 40 seconds at 150 words per minute.
- What is the average speaking rate?
- The National Center for Voice and Speech gives about 150 words per minute for English speakers in the United States.
- How does the Word Counter estimate speaking time?
- It divides the number of words by 130 words per minute.