Words to Time Calculator

How long will your speech, script, or presentation take? Paste your text or enter a word count.

Tool 04/05converts: words ↔ timeruntime: instantupload: none

Speaking time at 140 words per minute

5 min

700 words

≈ lightning-talk length

Where next

01How fast do you actually talk?30-second mic test — then this page uses your real pace02Draft your speech at talking speedSpeakmac — offline dictation for Mac. Free to try, pay once, no subscription.

Minutes to words

Writing to a time limit? See how many words fit your slot.

550

words at slow pace (110 wpm)

700

words at average pace (140 wpm)

850

words at fast pace (170 wpm)

Speech length cheat sheet

Words needed for common speech lengths, by speaking pace.

Speech lengthSlow (110 wpm)Average (140 wpm)Fast (170 wpm)
1 minute110 words140 words170 words
2 minutes220 words280 words340 words
3 minutes330 words420 words510 words
5 minutes550 words700 words850 words
10 minutes1,100 words1,400 words1,700 words
15 minutes1,650 words2,100 words2,550 words
20 minutes2,200 words2,800 words3,400 words
30 minutes3,300 words4,200 words5,100 words
1 hour6,600 words8,400 words10,200 words

How we calculate

Speaking time = word count ÷ pace. Most people hold 120–150 words per minute in conversation; we use 140 wpm as the average. Formal speeches run slower (100–130 wpm) because of pauses and emphasis, which is why the slow preset exists. Reading aloud averages about 183 wpm, and adults silently read non-fiction at roughly 238 wpm.

A tip from a dictation app

The fastest way to draft a speech is to say it, not type it. You speak around 140 words per minute but probably type 40. Speakmac turns your voice into text on your Mac — offline, in any app — so you can draft at talking speed and check the timing here. Curious how fast you talk? Take the speaking speed test.

Common questions

How many words is a 3 minute speech?

A 3 minute speech is about 420 words at an average speaking pace of 140 words per minute. If you speak slowly (110 wpm) plan for around 330 words; at a fast pace (170 wpm) you can fit roughly 510 words.

How many words is a 5 minute speech?

A 5 minute speech is about 700 words at an average pace of 140 words per minute. Slow speakers should plan for around 550 words, fast speakers can fit about 850.

How many words is a 10 minute speech?

A 10 minute speech is about 1,400 words at an average pace of 140 words per minute. At a slow, deliberate pace it is closer to 1,100 words; at a fast pace around 1,700 words.

How many minutes is 1,000 words?

Speaking 1,000 words takes about 7 minutes at an average pace of 140 words per minute. Reading 1,000 words silently takes roughly 4 minutes at a typical 238 words per minute.

What is the average speaking speed?

Most people speak at 120-150 words per minute in conversation. Formal presentations tend to run slower at 100-130 wpm, while podcasters and energetic speakers often reach 160-180 wpm.

Is reading faster than speaking?

Yes. Adults silently read non-fiction at around 238 words per minute on average - roughly 1.7x faster than conversational speech. Reading aloud sits in between at about 183 words per minute.

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