# What is my speaking time?

Works out how long a speech or script takes to say from its word count and your speaking rate in words per minute, or how many words fit in a time.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/everyday-life/speaking-time-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/everyday-life/speaking-time-calculator.json
- Version: 5df4bae8bf98

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (Words 500, Speaking rate (words per minute) 130): 500 words at 130 words per minute take 3.85 min (3:51).

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| w | Words | How many words the speech or script has. |
| wpm | Speaking rate (words per minute) | How many words you say in a minute: about 150 in conversation, 125 to 150 in a speech. |
| t | Speaking time | How long the speech takes to say. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| words | Words | The word count: speaking time in minutes × words per minute. |
| rate | Speaking rate (words per minute) | Words per minute: words ÷ speaking time in minutes. |
| time | Speaking time | How long the speech takes: words ÷ words per minute, in minutes. |
| clock | Minutes and seconds | The speaking time as minutes:seconds (hours:minutes:seconds from one hour), to the nearest second. |
| perSecond | Words per second | The speaking rate ÷ 60. |

## Method

Speaking time (minutes) = words ÷ words per minute; words = minutes × rate; rate = words ÷ minutes.

## Assumptions

- The rate is an average over the whole speech, pauses included; it does not change from one part to the next.
- Typical rates: about 150 words per minute in US English conversation, 125 to 150 in a speech (Lumen Learning).

## Worked examples

1. w = 750, wpm = 150 gives t = 300, clock = 5:00, perSecond = 2.5. Source: Lumen Learning, Public Speaking, Articulation, Pitch, and Rate (average US English rate about 150 words per minute), https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-publicspeaking/chapter/articulation-pitch-and-rate/, retrieved 2026-10-02.
2. w = 500, wpm = 130 gives t = 230.769231, clock = 3:51.
3. t = 600, wpm = 125 gives w = 1,250.
4. w = 2,600, t = 1,200 gives wpm = 130.

## FAQ

### How do I work out how long my speech is?

Divide the number of words by your speaking rate in words per minute. A 750-word speech at 150 words per minute takes 750 ÷ 150 = 5 minutes.

### How many words per minute do people speak?

In US English conversation, about 150 words per minute. For a speech, a slower 125 to 150 words per minute is easier to follow. Time yourself reading one page aloud to find your own rate.

### How many words is a 5-minute speech?

At 130 words per minute, 5 × 130 = 650 words. At 150 words per minute it is 750 words. Fill the time and the rate, and leave the words empty, to get your own number.

### How long is a 1,000-word speech?

At 130 words per minute, 1,000 ÷ 130 = 7.69 minutes, which is 7 minutes 42 seconds. At 150 words per minute it is 6 minutes 40 seconds.

### Do pauses count?

Yes, if you measure your rate the same way. A rate found by timing a full read-through, pauses included, gives a time that includes them too. Add extra time for slides, questions, or applause.

### How do I find my speaking rate?

Read a passage of known length aloud and time it. Words ÷ minutes is your rate: 2,600 words in 20 minutes is 130 words per minute. The calculator does this when you fill the words and the time.

## Sources

- Lumen Learning, Public Speaking, Articulation, Pitch, and Rate (average US English speaking rate about 150 words per minute; 125 to 150 for a speech), retrieved 2026-10-02. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-publicspeaking/chapter/articulation-pitch-and-rate/