Reading Time Calculator - Words to Minutes & Speech Length

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Reading speed:

Speaking speed:

Planning a speech? Target length in minutes:

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Reading time

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Speaking time

Reading Time by Word Count

Silent reading at 238 words per minute and reading aloud at 130 words per minute.

Length	Reading time	Speaking time
300 words	1 min 16 sec	2 min 18 sec
500 words	2 min 6 sec	3 min 51 sec
750 words	3 min 9 sec	5 min 46 sec
1,000 words	4 min 12 sec	7 min 42 sec
1,500 words	6 min 18 sec	12 min
2,000 words	8 min 24 sec	15 min
3,000 words	13 min	23 min
5,000 words	21 min	38 min
10,000 words	42 min	1 hr 17 min

How Many Words for a Speech?

Use this table to size a speech, presentation or video script.

Speech length	120 wpm	130 wpm	150 wpm
1 minute	120	130	150
2 minutes	240	260	300
3 minutes	360	390	450
5 minutes	600	650	750
10 minutes	1,200	1,300	1,500
15 minutes	1,800	1,950	2,250
20 minutes	2,400	2,600	3,000
30 minutes	3,600	3,900	4,500
45 minutes	5,400	5,850	6,750
60 minutes	7,200	7,800	9,000

Where the Numbers Come From

The default reading speed is based on Marc Brysbaert's 2019 meta-analysis How many words do we read per minute? A review and meta-analysis of reading rate (Journal of Memory and Language), which put typical silent reading of English at 238 words per minute for non-fiction and 260 for fiction. Reading speed varies a lot between people and texts, so treat every result as an estimate.

Speaking speeds have no single standard. Around 130 words per minute is a comfortable pace for presentations; conversation is often faster. The best check is to read your script aloud with a timer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is reading time calculated?

Reading time is the word count divided by a reading speed in words per minute (wpm). The default of 238 wpm comes from a 2019 review of 190 studies by Marc Brysbaert, which found that adults read English non-fiction silently at about 238 wpm on average (and fiction at about 260 wpm).

How long does it take to read 1,000 words?

About 4 minutes at an average silent reading speed of 238 words per minute, and about 7 to 8 minutes if you read it aloud at 130 to 140 words per minute.

How many words is a 5-minute speech?

Roughly 650 words at a relaxed 130 words per minute, or 750 words at 150 words per minute. Allow for pauses, applause and slides, and time yourself out loud before the real thing.

What is a normal speaking rate?

Most people present at somewhere between about 120 and 160 words per minute. Slower is easier to follow for complex material or non-native listeners; audiobooks and podcasts are often near the upper end of that range.

Why does the reading time on blogs differ from this tool?

Sites use different speeds, commonly 200, 238 or 250 wpm, and some add time for images. Pick the speed that suits your audience from the menu.