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Average Speaking Rate and Words per Minute

November 8, 2022 - Dom Barnard

The speed at which you talk has a huge influence on how the audience perceives you and your speech. It’s important, therefore, to understand your speaking rate and how to alter it depending on the type of speech you are delivering.

In this article, you’ll learn how to calculate your speaking rate and how it compares to the average rate for popular talks to give you some context. Audio samples of speaking rates at the extremes are provided, so you can understand the difference in words per minute.

At the end of the article, exercises are provided to help you develop an adaptive speaking rate.

How to calculate your speaking rate

Speaking rate is often expressed in words per minute (wpm). To calculate this value, you’ll need to record yourself talking for a few minutes and then add up the number of words in your speech. Divide the total number of words by the number of minutes your speech took.

Speaking rate (wpm) = total words / number of minutes

You can record yourself with this  online voice recorder . Once you have the audio of your speech, there are two ways to get the number of words:

• Manually count the words as you listen back to the audio
• Upload the speech recording to a  speech-to-text platform

When you have the speech converted to text format, copy the text into a software package such as Microsoft Word, which provides a useful word count for the document.

Once you have the number of words, convert the time to minutes – for example, if your speech was 4 minutes 30 seconds, you need to divide the number of words by 4.5 (as 30 seconds is half of a minute).

John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, where he slowed his usually very high speaking rate down to below 100 wpm (his average was well above 150 wpm).

What is the average speaking rate?

The average speaking rate changes dramatically for the purpose of your speech. According to the National Center for Voice and Speech, the average conversation rate for English speakers in the United States is about  150 wpm . However, for radio presenters or podcasters, the wpm is higher.

Here is a list of average speech rates for different activities.

Average speech rates

• Presentations : between 100-150 wpm for a comfortable pace
• Conversational : between 120-150 wpm
• Audiobooks : between 150-160 wpm, which is the upper range that people comfortably hear and vocalize words
• Radio hosts and podcasters : between 150-160 wpm
• Auctioneers : can speak at about 250 wpm
• Commentators : between 250-400 wpm

To give these speech rates some context, if the speaking pace is 130 words per minute, you’ll finish reading an A4 page (Calibri, font size 11) in 4 minutes, 51 seconds.

Extremes of speaking rate – world record pace

Steven Woodmore  is a British electronics salesman and comedian known for his rapid speech articulation, being able to articulate 637 wpm, a speed four times faster than the average person.

Woodmore was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s fastest talker, a title which he held for five years, taking the helm from the previous record holder, John Moschitta, Jr.

A comparison of words per minute for popular TED Talks

Let’s compare different presentation styles to show you how speech rates can vary widely. We’ll use popular TED Talks to compare words per minute for different presentations.

We’ve analyzed five TED Talks, ranging from short speeches up to 22 minutes. When we were calculating the length of the presentation, we included time when the audience was clapping and when the presenter changed slides.

We tried to pick from a wide range of speech topics to get an unbiased average.

The average speaking rate was 173 words per minute. The speaking rate ranged from 154 to 201 words per minute.

Popular TED Talk speaking rates

• How great leaders inspire action (Simon Sinek) – 170 wpm
• The power of introverts (Susan Cain) – 176 wpm
• Do schools kill creativity? (Sir Ken Robinson) – 165 wpm
• Why we do what we do (Tony Robbins) – 201 wpm
• The power of vulnerability (Brené Brown) – 154 wpm

What influences your overall speaking rate?

Here are several factors that affect the overall speaking rate, most of which can be controlled by you.

• Regular speaking rate  – this is the result of your environment, where you grew up, your parents, culture, friends around you, and more.
• Nervousness  – you’ve probably noticed it yourself,  when you are nervous , you speak much quicker and take short shallow breaths as you rush through the content.
• Saying something urgent  – understandably, we speak much quicker when there is an emergency, for example calling an ambulance or explaining an incident to the police.
• Mental fatigue  – tiredness affects our thought process, making it harder for us to articulate ourselves, causing us to talk more slowly.
• Complexity of the words  – longer, more complex words will take slightly longer to say, and if you are counting words per minute, it will affect speech pace slightly (although somewhat negligible)
• Complexity of content  – if you are presenting complex content, you’ll want to speak slower than usual to give the audience time to comprehend the concepts and content.
• Verbal pauses  – pauses are a great way to break up the content and give emphasis to what you are saying. Naturally this will slow down your speaking rate. Read  10 Effective Ways to use Pauses in your Speech .
• Event driven pauses  – these are pauses caused by a change in slides, a demo of your product, checking your notes, and so on.
• Audience driven pauses  – these events are caused by your audience, for example, when they laugh and ask questions.

Example audio clips of different speech rates

Example 1 – why we do what we do (tony robbins).

Sample of ‘Why we do what we do’ speech, spoken at 201 wpm.

Example 2 – We Shall Fight on the Beaches (Winston Churchill)

Sample of ‘We Shall Fight on the Beaches’ speech, spoken at 128 wpm.

Tony Robbins giving his TED Talk, Why we do what we do, with an average speaking pace of 201 wpm.

Is speaking rate important?

In short, yes, your rate of speech does have an impact on how the audience perceive you and your message.

Generally, a slower rate is easier to understand for the audience. If you include pauses as well, you give the audience time to absorb the messages of your presentation.

However listening back to the Tony Robbins speech above, which was at over 200 wpm, you’ll probably find you were still able to understand what he was saying. This is because he clearly articulates his words and uses easy to understand language. Clarity is just as important as speech pace.

Try to vary your speaking rate

No matter what your average speaking rate is over the entire speech, you should vary it throughout the speech. Varying your speech makes it more interesting for the audience and adds emotion to the content. Without pace variation, you’re in danger of sounding monotone.

For example, you can speak faster to convey excitement, or slower to reflect sadness or importance.

When to change your speed

• Speaking fast  – indication of passion, urgency, excitement, and emotion
• Speaking slow  – indication of importance, sadness, confusion, the seriousness of a point

When you’re speaking quickly, initially it is exciting for the audience, but after a minute or two, it stops being stimulating and becomes overwhelming.

When you are speaking slowly, it can grab the attention of the audience and help them process every word, but an entire talk at a slow pace will bore your audience: while waiting for you to get to the point they will lose interest.

Remember: The rate we speak at is highly individual

This is an important point to remember. If you take some well-known speeches and change the pace of their delivery, the meaning would be lost. For example, the “ I Have a Dream ” by Martin Luther King was spoken at a slow rate.

The long pauses and carefully spoken words give us time to absorb the information and plenty of time for the audience to applaud throughout. Even if you did not understand the words, the slow pace indicates that the message is important and should be taken seriously.

Cultural differences

Culture plays a big role in the pace we naturally speak at. Even locations within the  same country  can make a difference – people in London typically speak faster than people from Yorkshire for example. Also, if English isn’t the speakers first language, they usually speak a little slower as well.

How to practice: Getting the right speaking pace

Test your speaking pace.

Practice reading a transcript aloud at different paces to better understand how different speeds sound. Learn More

Here are two ways to measure and practice your speaking pace.

Use a metronome

The metronome ticks at a certain rate depending on what you set it to. If you want to speak at 130 words per minute, set the metronome to this value and practice saying a word every tick of the metronome.

This is a good start, however when actually presenting to an audience, you’ll want to vary this pace to emphasise certain points – a speech at exactly 130 wpm throughout would sound very monotone and rehearsed.

Use practice exercises

Online exercises let you practice your speech in a variety of scenarios. Practice presenting at a conference, delivering a sales pitch, answering interview questions, and more. With  VirtualSpeech practice exercises , you can get feedback on your speaking rate after your speech and adjust it accordingly for your next speech.

Example practice exercises you can use to measure your speaking pace during a speech or presentation. See all the  practice exercises here .

5 exercises to develop an adaptive speaking rate

Tips taken from  Quick & easy tips for speaking rate

1. Reading children’s stories

Read a children’s story silently several times to familiarize yourself with the flow. Go through it again, noting which passages would suit taking more quickly and which should be slower. Then read it aloud and listen carefully to how speed alters interpretation. Repeat the exercise altering your speed over particular passages, noting the differences.

Record yourself if possible doing this and all the following exercises. Save all the versions you do. You’ll then have them to refer back to. Recording takes out the guess work as you can hear exactly what you did, rather than what you imagined you did. It doesn’t lie!

2. Read factual reports

Pick an information loaded report from a newspaper or magazine.

Go through it silently to familiarize yourself with the flow of material and then read it aloud. Make a note of which passages need careful or slow reading and which can be taken at a faster rate. Re-read aloud until you feel you have the mix of speeds right.

As an extension exercise, read the report as if you were reading for an audience who knew nothing about the subject. Note what changes you made and why.

3. Experiment with one of your own speeches

Record and time yourself delivering a speech of your own at your current ‘normal’ speaking rate.

Note the time down. Now go through again having marked passages for slower or faster treatment. Note the new time and your new insights.

4. Listen to good speakers

Listen to speakers you admire. They could be radio presenters,  commencement speeches , anybody accustomed to speaking in public. Note the different rates of speech they use over the course of their presentation and the effectiveness and experiment with them for yourself.

5. Play with material you are familiar with

Read or recite part of a text you know well quickly (or slowly). If you can record yourself, do so. If not, listen and note the effect it has on you. If you’ve recorded yourself, play it back.

Ask yourself where was the speed effective? Where was it detrimental? Mark those places on your script. Read again incorporating your changes.

September 12, 2024

Finding your speaking rate: A guide to words per minute for speeches and presentations

Planning a speech or presentation? We’ll show you the target words per minute and tools you can use to reach your speaking rate goal.

Ever wonder if you talk too fast or too slow when giving a speech or presentation? We’ll offer suggestions on the number of words per minute you should target along with several ways to find out if you should speed up or slow down your speaking rate.

About speaking rate aka words per minute

As you know, everyone speaks at a different pace and when it comes to public speaking, it can vary even more. Some people feel comfortable speaking and maintain a steady, conversational pace while others become nervous and tend to speak faster and rush their words.

An average American speaks at the rate of 120 to 150 words per minute for conversational speeches and 100 to 150 words per minute for presentations.

Remember, these numbers aren’t set in stone but are good targets to keep in mind. And, it’s also common to fluctuate your speaking rate.

For example, when explaining something important or complicated, most speakers slow down their pace. But if they’re expressing excitement or urgency, they may speed up the pace. Both are normal in the course of a speech or presentation, but obviously affect the overall speaking rate and time.

Other things that can affect the pace for a presentation or speech include waiting for slides to transition or looking at your speaker notes .

How to calculate words per minute

To find out if you’re on track with your speaking rate, there are a few tools you can use to determine your words per minute.

First, there is a formula you can use to calculate your speaking rate for a presentation or speech.

Total Words / Number of Minutes = Speaking Rate (WPM)

To obtain the values for the formula, you can first use a voice recorder or timer to get the number of minutes you speak. Then, find the total number of words by counting them, or better yet, use a built-in word count feature. You can get the word count in applications like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint or follow our instructions for checking the word count in Google Slides .

Pop your numbers into the equation to obtain your speaking rate and see if it matches the words-per-minute suggestions.

For example, if you have a 1,000-word presentation and it takes you eight minutes to present it, then your speaking rate is 125 words per minute (1000 / 8 = 125).

Online speech calculators.

Alternatively, you can check out a couple of online tools to help you calculate the overall speech or presentation time based on speaking rate. You can then make adjustments to reach the time or pace you need.

Omni Calculator helps you find the number of minutes it should take you to speak a specific number of words. This is handy if you think you’ve been speaking too fast or too slow.

• Visit the Omni Words Per Minute Calculator page.
• Enter the number of words in the Speaking section at the top.
• Choose your Speaking speed .

You’ll then see how many minutes it should take you based on those values. You can adjust the Speaking Speed to arrive at the total time needed and then have a number to hit for words per minute with your next practice.

Another option is the Debatrix speech calculator. With this tool, you can paste in the text you plan to speak. It then counts the number of words for you and provides the output.

• Visit Debatrix Speech Calculator page.
• Copy the text from your application and paste it in the box on the left. You’ll see the word count to the right.
• Also on the right, choose Your speech rate .

You’ll see how many minutes the presentation or speech should take. Once you receive the output, you can make adjustments in this tool as well. You may want to shorten the text if you must meet a certain amount of time or change Your Speech Rate to see how many words per minute you need to reach the target time.

Practice presentations in PowerPoint

If you’re presenting a slideshow using Microsoft PowerPoint, you can use a built-in feature to obtain the words per minute.

With the Presenter Coach, you walk through your presentation as a practice session. As you speak and advance the slides, you can opt to see tips from the coach to help you continue. When you finish, you’ll not only see the speaking rate, but other helpful tips to improve your oral presentation.

• To use the feature, open your slideshow in PowerPoint and go to the Slide Show tab.
• Select Rehearse with Coach .

• You’ll see your presentation begin and a pop-up window near the bottom right corner.
• Optionally, check the box to Show real-time feedback if you want tips as you speak.
• Click Start Rehearsing when you’re ready to begin.

• Wait for the pop-up window to display “Listening” before you start speaking. Then, present the slideshow as you plan to do for your audience.

When you finish presenting, the Coach stops automatically. You’ll then see Your Rehearsal Report . In the sample report below, you can see we did pretty well with a Pace of 130 words per minute.

You can also view a Summary, Fillers, Repetitive Language, Inclusiveness, Pitch, and Originality. These additional sections can help you polish your oral presentation.

Click Rehearse Again to do exactly that or use the X on the top right to close the report.

Make your content more presentable with Plus AI

Maybe someone else created the slideshow and added terms you’re unfamiliar with or maybe you’ve included too many lengthy lines and would like to tighten up the text. Things like this can have a big impact on not only your speaking rate but how well you present the slideshow.

Plus AI is an add-on that works with both PowerPoint and Google Slides , so you can use whichever tool you prefer. Simply use it to rewrite portions of text or entire slides to make the content easier to present and more digestible for your audience.

Select Plus AI’s Edit option and choose to Rewrite text. You can then pick from a preset update like Shorten or you can enter custom instructions on how to rewrite it.

Once Plus AI provides the text, see how much it helps you present the updated content. Are you more comfortable with the edited text? Can you speak to it better and with more confidence? Are you now able to meet the time limit you were given for the presentation?

Take the tool for a test drive by visiting the Plus AI website . You can check out the features for creating new presentations, editing options for existing slideshows, the template gallery, and more.

For additional assistance look at ideas for informative speeches or these persuasive speech topics , or check out how to give a great presentation and then our tips for more effective presentations .

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What is the Average Speaking Rate?

What’s the average speaking rate ? Is it better to speak faster or is is better to speak slower?

In this article, we answer these questions and look at the factors which influence your speaking rate , a critical component of your delivery.

• Speech Pauses
• Filler Words (um, ah)
• Speaking Rate
• Vocal Volume
• Vocal Projection
• Vocal Strength Exercises

How to calculate your speaking rate

The most common way to express one’s speaking rate is in words per minute (wpm). To calculate this, simply take the total number of words spoken and divide by the number of minutes it took you to speak them.

Speaking Rate (wpm) = Total words / # of minutes

Another way to measure speaking rate is in syllables per minute (spm):

Speaking Rate (spm) = Total syllables / # of minutes

Why syllables per minute? Not all words are equal. Consider these two sentences:

• Modern readability tests are designed to indicate comprehension difficulty when reading a passage of contemporary academic English. (17 words; 41 syllables)
• Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. (17 words; 19 syllables)

If you were to speak these two sentences at the same rate in words per minute, the first passage would seem considerably faster because you are saying more.

Despite the sensibility of using syllables/minute, the words/minute measure is more commonly used, because it is generally easier to calculate.

How to determine your speaking rate

A really quick estimate of your speaking rate can be obtained by timing yourself while reading a selection of text with a known word count. Then, simply calculate using the method above.

But, this is not really your speaking rate. It’s your reading rate . Even if you read out loud, it’s not the same thing as a speaking rate.

The best way to determine your speaking rate is to time yourself delivering a real speech with a real audience. (Video helps — you can count your words from it too.)

What is the average speaking rate?

The average speaking rate will vary across languages and situations. But, rather than dodging the question entirely, let’s come up an estimate given a fairly narrow speaking situation —  TED talks  — which we often study in Six Minutes  speech critiques.

I analyzed 9 TED talks which have been critiqued on Six Minutes . These talks ranged from just under 7 minutes in length to just under 20 minutes. Some speakers used visuals, some did not. Their topics were widely variable. [Click the links in the table below to view these speeches and read the critiques. Note that the Steve Jobs talk was not delivered at a TED conference, but is included on the TED website.]

• For these 9 talks, the average speaking rate is 163 words per minute .
• Two thirds of the talks are clustered in a narrow range between 153 and 168 words per minute.
• Remember that this average and range do not necessarily apply to all speaking situations.

One can also calculate the speaking rate for the 9 TED talks in syllables per minute, and these results are shown below, sorted in the same order as in the words/minute chart above.

• The most notable difference using the syllables/minute measure is that of Majora Carter. She has a much higher syllables/word count (1.62) compared to the others, which all fall between 1.43 and 1.54. More frequent use of longer words is one factor which contributes to my perception that she’s talking too fast.

What influences your overall speaking rate?

There are many factors which influence your overall speaking rate:

• Your normal speaking rate This is a product of your birth, your culture, and your history (family, profession, etc.) Some people talk faster. Some people talk slower. Neither is inherently  good or bad .
• Nervousness and stress Speaking under pressure tends to make you speak faster. I am not immune to this trait. If I’m speaking with notes of any kind, I’ll often write “SLOW DOWN” in red ink in the margin as a reminder.
• Mental fatigue If you are tired, you will tend to speak slower. You’ll also tend to make more mistakes which further slows your effective speaking rate.
• Complexity of the words If you’re measuring speaking rate in words per minute, then longer words will usually slow down your speaking rate.
• Complexity of content Longer sentences and more complex speech content means more pauses are necessary, and this will slow down your speaking rate, too. This is desirable because it helps your audience — they need more time to mentally process longer sentences and more complex content. However, it would help them more to simplify your content and shorten your sentences.
• Verbal pauses Insertion of natural pauses in your verbal delivery will slow your speaking rate, but the gains in understandability are worth it!
• Extra pauses induced by you Every time you stop to checking your notes, think to search for a word, show a prop or slide, or demonstrate something, your speaking rate drops. Often, the benefits of doing these things outweighs the drawbacks. [Some of these pauses can be reduced by more thorough preparation.]
• Extra pauses induced by your audience When your audience applauds or laughs, this slows you down too. Larger audiences tend to induce larger delays.
• Extra pauses induced by the environment These are harder to predict, but you should allow for them. For example, loud noises outside the room or other distractions may force you to pause, or repeat yourself.

All but the last two factors are completely within your control, and even those last two factors can be predicted somewhat.

Is it better to speak faster or is is better to speak slower?

It depends, but if you are anywhere close to the range of the speakers analyzed above (133 to 188 words/minute), you’re fine.

Generally, slower is more intelligible than faster speech. Appropriate pauses allow your audience time to digest what you’ve said and begin to process it. However, instead of worrying too much about your numerical speaking rate, it probably would be better to focus on improving your clarity and lowering the complexity of your language.

• Clarity : Good enunciation, sharp pronunciation, and proper stresses will produce clear language and make it easy for your audience to hear each word.
• Complexity : By simplifying words and simplifying your sentences by eliminating unnecessary words, you become much more understandable.

Vary your speaking rate!

No matter what your average speaking rate is over the entire speech, you should always vary it within a speech. Don’t deliver sentence after sentence at the same exact rate. Varying your speech rate adds life to your vocal delivery, and allows you to convey both meaning and emotional content.

For example, you can speak a little faster to convey excitement, or a little slower to reflect sadness or confusion.

Final Thoughts

I know very few people who speak considerably too slow, but many who speak too fast. Because of the common tendency to put too much content into our presentations, we tend to speak at a blazing speed to get through it all. So, in general, slow down!

Like many delivery characteristics, the best way to be aware of whether you are doing it well is to solicit feedback. Ask trusted audience members whether your pace was too slow, too fast, or just right.

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27 comments.

Great post Andrew. I love the analysis. Research shows that Australians generally speak slower than other english speakers, and I recently ( http://wp.me/p2k3hy-Ev ) suggested that we speak around 100 wpm. Quite a difference! Despite this, I have a flash card that I take into every high school speech class and I use it a LOT. It says “slow down”.

Fascinating! I wasn’t aware of the speaking rate difference in Australians. Do you have a reference to the research handy?

it is said that the normalspeaking rate is 140_160 word per minute

Thanks for this post Andrew. I think it also depends on the nature of the speech. My experience in Toastmasters tells me that, when telling stories and trying to convey emotion, I’ll speak much slower than when speaking about plain facts and figures. Is this your case as well?

Yes, it certainly depends on the nature of the overall speech and, as you have pointed out, on the nature of what you are presenting at a given time within the speech.

I agree that emotional content and stories (which have more dramatic pauses) tend to be delivered slower than factual details, but even that isn’t a hard rule.

Andrew, As always I appreciate your thoroughness and your practical approach to dealing with the challenges of public speaking. I agree with this article and thank you for your approach using syllables rather than words to assess rate of speech. One thought, another situation affecting ROS is the fact that people may not practice speaking at the slower pace often enough. This is where it is helpful to read a piece aloud that has the desired number of words in it (or syllables) and time yourself to be able to read it at the correct pace. If you do that often enough, you get the “feel” of that pace and can more easily duplicate it under pressure. And you’ll also notice that when you slow down you are more able to add nuances and variety, making the slower pace actually MORE interesting than the faster one, in case you are worried about boring people when speaking more slowly.

Up to now, I’ve never seen syllables used to express speaking speed, but it makes such sense – as the comparison of sentences with the same word count but vastly different syllable counts clearly shows in this post.

A while ago, I published a piece about using fewer syllables when speaking. It lists 14 terms that people often use when speaking (or writing), and it gives low-syllable equivalents (up to 80% shorter) for each term: http://remotepossibilities.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/minimise-blur-firstframework-part-1m/#bb3

If you make simple changes like those, you can avoid rushing, and your audience can absorb your message far better.

Here’s another tip related to speaking rate, which I’ve found really handy when listening to recorded speeches or webinars: By using Windows Media Player (or a similar tool), you can play recordings slower or faster than normal speed.

Typically, speakers talk too fast. So you can use Media Player to slow down the recording, and/or you can keep clicking Pause to give yourself time to digest what was just said.

Conversely, for slow or well-paced speakers, you can play a recording at (say) 150% speed, so for instance you can hear a 1-hour webinar in only 40 minutes. What a timesaver! (I’m in Australia like Claire, above, but the slowest speaker I’ve come across is actually a well-known CEO from the US. In a live speech, the slow speed lets you absorb what he’s saying, but in a recording it can get frustrating unless you speed it up.)

If your version of Media Player’s like mine, you’ll find the speed control by choosing View > Enhancements > Play Speed Settings. (In Media Player on Windows 7, instead you choose Play > Play Speed, which gives you just 3 speeds to choose from.)

I hope you find that as handy as I have!

Thanks for the tip, Craig. I’ll have to try that out.

Andrew, This is extremely helpful for novice public speakers. I am forever being asked how much can I say in a minute? What’s interesting about the numbers for me is that they look so high. Once you allow time for audience reaction and time to pause to let your points sink in, I always find that even the fastest public speakers struggle to get much more than 140 words per minute. 150 tops. It’s our nervous novices that speak at 180. I’d be interested to know: Why is it that these experienced hands say so many words? Does their experience mean that they can command an audience’s attention and compress more content into less time? Or would they be better if the slowed down?

Without a great deal more data, it’s hard to answer your questions. However, I think it is fair to say that these TED speakers are able to deliver at a higher words/minute rate because [1] they are extremely well-prepared, and thus rarely make any verbal slips which would slow them down and [2] the culture of TED talks tends to allow for a pretty high information density.

As for whether these talks would be better if slowed down, I leave it up to the audience.

As a trainer of professional actors I can assure you that there seems to be more of a correlation of slower speed with “reading” and faster speed with passion. Perhaps the TED speakers are a bit more passionate about their ideas?

Wow. I couldn’t disagree more. If a person is aligning operative words then TEMPO has almost no bearing on the speech. If someone is passionate then they are going to speak at a faster rate (SPM), but they will also hit words in such a way as to convey meaning. Anything between 160-210 (wpm) is common in everyday speech. Why should conveying ideas in a “speech” be different?

Love your pages! However, please take caution when using the word ” slower”. It is an adjective. When speaking of how something is done, the proper use is ” more slowly”. 😉

I agree with you SO much that I filed a federal lawsuit asking court and other public officers to SLOWDOWN. My lawsuit is called Ovitsky v. Washington County, etc. It’s less about money and more about understanding what people are speaking, for me most of the time it is “too fast,” quite literally. Federal relay types about 60 wpm. Court officers speak 100+ wpm. If I can walk away with one non financial gain, it would be a federal order asking the locals to slow down and also asking FCC to hire faster typists to transcribe calls for deaf. I write for myself, I cannot read 100+ wpm, I can read about 80 wpm and I can hear maybe 60 wpm with pauses and repeats, which is why I use deaf telecom, I need a SLOWDOWN more than I need the visual but after seven years, I’m accustomed to doing both. I am in Oregon, not far from where ye hail from? Au Canada? In any event, thank you for your wonderful article and I appreciate your posting it. I re-posted it on my FaceBook page with a link back to this site.

Hi, Andrew, Congratulations for your blog! It’s terrific! I also write about public communication, but I focus on phonetics. I’ll keep reading your posts, thanks!! Carolina (Madrid, Spain)

Ray Hull, Ph.D. recommended 124 wpm.

That was great to read your research Please advise the top 10 speech or speaker in a world

Many Thanks

Nice article, I came here looking to learn what speed I wanted to be able to play guitar at. I was wondering if you might have an article you could direct me to which delves deeper into the mood tone/frequency or as you put it an article that tells me what speed rates convey what sorts of meanings and emotions?

Andrew, thank you! One of the 1st training segments of Accent training ( Not “accent reduction” – rather “Accent Addition”) is to train folks how to monitor their speaking rate. We do this by doing an analysis of TED speakers on the # of words per minute ( WPM). The Syllables Per Minute (SPM) analysis that you have done is phenomenal. A person cannot change how they move their speaking/articulator-voice muscles until they can be attuned to and control the speed of their speaking movements. Additionally, they cannot be attuned to how their listeners are responding or understanding if they cannot use effective pauses. Your analysis of the WPM and SPM of top TED speakers helps others to strategically garner specific tactics to be more effective speakers. Again, Thank you!!!

Thank you for this post Andrew! I learned a lot of details about public speaking while browsing through your blog. It actually inspired me to create an app which estimates the speaker’s speaking rate, pauses, pitch and volume (a digital presentation coach). Now available for free on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/quantle/id1241930976 Thanks again for your valuable pages!

a very good job. I hope you will creat a a android version of the app. Thank you.

Hi Andrew. Thank you for your very interesting post on speaking rate. I am interested in doing this at a more academic level, in a paper, for instance. Do you have any papers/references on calculating speaking rate? Thank you in advance for your help.

Interesting that the fact of deafness are not being dealt with enough. Some deaf persons (especially older persons) has big difficulties in following newsreaders. It must be remembered that with the years all functions slow down a little bit with extreme cases here and there.Also older persons tend to listen more to radio and tv and find it very difficult in understanding than in the past.I am very fond of news channels but find that some readers (especially women ) are faster readers than their male colleges.To all out there please speak slower!

Do you have DVDs to help with practice sounds

Recently I reviewed a video where the speaker talked at 230 wpm! (I linked to this post for comparison with other talks.)

You might think that’d be WAY too fast, but in that case I think the speaker pulled it off.

If done well, one benefit of speaking so fast is that it conveys passion for the topic. See what you think…

The reason why Majora Carter’s spw is so much higher is because she says ‘sustainability’, ‘environmental’ and ‘sustainable development’ a lot.

You could also say that: • the avg wpm of those “2/3 between 153 and 168 wpm” is 160; and that • the avg spm of those talks is 274, and 237 amongst without the 3 fast-talking women and slomo Gore.

Personally, I’m more interested in how fast can people listen. Any clues?

Recent Tweets

163 words per minute is an average speaking rate for presentations. http://t.co/Tknk8f0A0O #speaking — @anthea_rowe Sep 10th, 2015

This was helpful to me as I’m preparing a talk: What is the Average Speaking Rate? https://t.co/oA8Scl26sx by @6minutes — @cesarbrea Oct 19th, 2015

@AlexWattsEsq about 90 hours by my very unscientific estimate. Used average speaking rate here: https://t.co/8CHXhuUt5K — @InfiniteClock Dec 2nd, 2015

What is the Average Speaking Rate? Very insightful 🙂 @GitteWBruhn and @SCThatcher https://t.co/UmmT6sa4N3 by @6minutes — @ClaireLauper Dec 18th, 2015

@grace_elliot Varies quite a lot. Some useful info here https://t.co/lXLdUZty91 😊 — @DamianSomebody Apr 20th, 2016

The average speaking rate of English as 1st Language TED speakers in Words & syllables https://t.co/ekitKC9jw6 — @accentcoach Jun 14th, 2016

#TuesdayTips Too fast, too slow, or just right? Good article by @6minutes on pace of speech. https://t.co/hPXErFUsVX — PitchVantage (@pitchvantage) Jul 5th, 2016

.@6minutes Found today. Looking forward to following. https://t.co/yWCQwBzJjg — @realestaterossi Nov 19th, 2016

¿sabías que la velocidad media de hablar óptima en un discurso está entre 153 y 168 palabras? #apor1600kwds https://t.co/bbwrBgo7BU — @DanielRDelPino Oct 17th, 2017

What is the Average Speaking Rate? https://t.co/Th6LajR5J8 — @BigDru Jul 6th, 2018

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Hearing | Sherry Chandler — Nov 17th, 2012

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• How many words per minute in a speech

How many words per minute in a speech?

A quick guide for slow, average and fast rates of speech.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

If you're preparing a speech or presentation with a strict time limit it’s useful to have an estimate of the number of words you’ll need to fit the number of minutes you've been given.

And it's even more useful to have those guidelines before you rush into writing, only to discover when you’re done, you’ve written far too much. Something I used to do on a regular basis! (And then, I had the tedious job of pruning to fit.)

What's on this page:

How many words are there in a 1-minute speech, how many words are there in a 2-minute speech, how many words are there in a 3-minute speech, how many words are there in a 4-minute speech, how many words are there in a 5-minute speech, how many words are there in a 6-minute speech, how many words are there in a 7-minute speech, how many words are there in an 8-minute speech, how many words are there in a 9-minute speech, how many words are there in a 10-minute speech, how many words are there in a 15-minute speech, how many words are there in a 20-minute speech, how many words are there in a 25-minute speech, how many words are there in a 30-minute speech.

• How to calculate your own speech rate: 2 easy methods
• How many pages is a 4, 7 or 20-minute speech?     

About this quick reference guide

The following table (below) shows the average number of words spoken per minute for speeches from 1 to 30 minutes long. It's a quick reference guide: one only intended to provide general information.

Who, and what, is truly average?

An average word count for any timed speech (one minute, two minutes, three, four, five, six...or more, minutes) is impossible to give. As there really is no such thing as an average person, who uses an average rate of words per minute when they speak.

We are individuals: each of us different. Speech patterns and speech (speaking) rates vary considerably between person to person for a great many reasons. The best you’ll ever get is an educated guess.

Use as an estimate: test yourself to be sure

That aside, the following estimates will give you a handy indication of the number of minutes it takes to say x number of words depending on whether you talk at a slow speed, a medium speed or you're one of the world's fast talkers.

(And, no, it's never a good idea to gabble at a mile a minute to fit everything you've prepared into the length of time you've been given!)

To be absolutely sure what you've done will fit the time allocation you've been given it's a good idea to test yourself to establish your own speaking rate or speed of speech .

How many pages is a 'x' minute speech?

Multiple variations on the question how many pages are needed for a speech are frequently asked. For instance:

• How many pages is a 4-minute speech?
• How many pages is a 7-minute speech?
• How many pages is a 20-minute presentation?

Unfortunately, the answer is not simple. Calculating the number of A4 pages of text you need for a speech of any number of minutes long is tricky for two reasons.

How many words are on an A4 page?

The first reason is that the number of words on an A4 page depends on how the page has been formatted. The answers to the questions below make a very big difference to the total number of pages needed to print a speech.

• What is the font family being used? (Different fonts take up differing amounts of space because of the shape/design of their characters.)  
• What is the size of the font? (The font size you're reading right now is 20px.)
• What is the spacing between each of the letters in a word?
• What is the spacing between each line of text? Is it single spacing, 1.5 or double line spacing?
• What spacing has been set for paragraphs?
• What size have the margins of the page been set at?
• Are there headings? Sub-headings or lists?

On average if the font is plain, (sans-serif, without embellishment), like Arial or Verdana, its size is set for 12px, and the line spacing is set for 1.5, then a page may have between 400-500 words on it.

Speech rate changes how we calculate the number of words we need

The second reason why using the number of pages to gauge how long a speech will take to deliver is problematical is because we speak at different rates. 

A 500-word page may take someone speaking at very slow rate 4 minutes to get through.

Another person, who has a much faster speaking rate, may take about 2.5 minutes to deliver exactly the same text.

Using the number of pages as a guide for a speech that has to fit a time limit is completely unreliable.

If you need to use a 'guesstimate' use the speech rate table below. Forget about counting the pages! 

If you are a slow speaker, less than 120 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 120 - 160 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 160 - 200 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 240 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 240 - 320 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 320 - 400 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 360 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 360 – 480 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 480 - 600 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 480 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 480 – 640 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 640 - 800 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 600 words,

If you speak at an average speed between: 600 – 760 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 760 - 1000 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 720 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 720 – 960 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 960 - 1200 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 840 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 840 – 1120 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1120 - 1400 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 960 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 960 – 1280 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1280 - 1600 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 1080 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1080 – 1440 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1440 - 1800 words.

If you are a slow speaker a little less than 1200 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1200 – 1600 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1600 - 2000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 1,800 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1,800 - 2,400 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 2,400 - 3,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 2,400 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 2,400 - 3,200 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 3,200 - 4,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 3,000 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 3,000 - 4,000 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 4,000 - 5,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 3,600 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 3,600 - 4,800 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 4,800 - 6,000 words.

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Find out more about speech rate

• How to calculate your own words per minute speech rate - two easy methods
• The factors influencing a faster rate or slower rate of speech
• How to develop an ideal rate of speech : one matching content, speech purpose and your audience: six exercises for flexible speaking rate

Words per minute calculator

Lastly here's the link to a useful online words per minutes calculator . Once you've completed your speech enter the total number of words, and select whether you want it to give you an average for a minute of your speech at a slow rate, average or fast rate. Again, it's a 'guesstimate'. ☺

The only really safe way to find out whether your speech fits your time allocation is to say it aloud at an ideal rate or pace: one taking into account the content, and the audience who is going to listen to it, while timing it.

(Use the record function on your phone. It will assist in lots of other ways too! You'll hear where you need more vocal variety, where your pronunciation is blurred ...and, so on. It's super helpful.)

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How Many Words Per Minute Does the Average Person Speak?

Unless you’re an audiobook narrator or a frequent public speaker (or you have some other job involving the relationship between time and speech), you might not have any idea how many words people tend to utter in a given minute.

First off, it depends on what kind of speaking you’re doing: a presentation, a norm conversation, etc. But even when you break it into separate categories, words-per-minute estimates vary widely. If you’re casually talking to a friend, some sources claim that you’re probably saying somewhere between 100 and 130 words per minute, while others cite the range as 120 to 150 words. According to professional speech training firm Successfully Speaking , conversational speech is typically in the 150-180 ballpark. 

Whatever the average conversational speech rate may be, it’s generally agreed that presentations should be spoken more slowly than that. Improve Podcast estimates that the average falls between 100 and 150 words per minute. But speeches are fairly often given at a quicker pace. VirtualSpeech crunched the numbers on five popular TED talks of various lengths and found that the speaking rates actually fell between 154 (delivered by Brené Brown) and 201 (Tony Robbins) words per minute, for an average of 173 wpm.

On the whole, audiobook narrators, radio hosts, and podcasters supposedly speak slightly faster than they would during a regular chat: around 150 to 160 words per minute. Auctioneers are in a class of their own, clocking roughly 250 words per minute. And commentators, who need to keep up with fast-paced play, may even outpace auctioneers.

But when it comes to the fastest talker of all, nobody’s ever done it better than Sean Shannon, who holds the Guinness World Record for ‘ fastest talker .’ In 1995, Shannon recited the 260-word ‘To be or not to be’ speech from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in 23.8 seconds—which works out to 655 words per minute.

Have you got a Big Question you'd like us to answer? If so, let us know by emailing us at [email protected].

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Harmonizing the Art and Science of Vocal Expression

Mastering Rate Of Speech In Communication: A Comprehensive Guide

October 27, 2023 By David V. Risner Leave a Comment

Have you ever seen people talk fast or slow? that is their rate of speech. 

In this blog, we will explore the rate of speech in communication and how it affects our ability to connect with others.

Rate Of Speech In Communication

The rate of speech in communication is how many words you say per minute.  

Ever had a chat with someone who talks like a turbocharged motor?

Or maybe you’ve met the slow-motion speaker who takes forever to get to the point? 

Speech speed can impact how well we understand and engage in conversations.

Example:  Imagine you’re at a coffee shop ordering your favourite brew. The barista asks if you want whipped cream. 

If they rattle off options at lightning speed, you might end up with an unexpected latte topping.

On the flip side, if they take ages to finish their sentence, your order could turn into a novella.

Importance Of Rate Of Speech In Communication

Speaking rate is important in communication. Here’s why:

1. Understanding: If you talk too fast, people might not understand you. If you talk too slowly, they might get bored.

2. Clarity: Speaking at the right speed helps people understand you better.

3. Engagement: The right pace keeps people interested in what you’re saying.

4. Expression : How you speak can show your emotions. Talking quickly can show excitement while speaking slowly can show seriousness.

5. Audience: You should adjust your speed to fit your audience. Different groups may need different speeds.

Speaking at the right rate is crucial for clear communication. It helps people understand and stay engaged with your message.

What Effects Rate Of Speech In Communication

Your speaking speed depends on many things:

1. Context and Purpose:  Where and why you’re talking matter. For example, formal presentations need a different speed than casual chats.

2. Topic Complexity:  How hard the topic is affects your speed. Complicated stuff might need slower talking for clarity.

3. Audience:  Who you’re talking to matters. Experts might want faster talk, but beginners need it slower.

4. Emotion and Tone:  Feeling excited makes you talk fast, but serious things slow you down.

5. Clear Words:  Making sure your words are clear is important. Speaking too fast can make it unclear.

6. What People Think:  People see slightly faster talkers as more skilled and likeable.

7. Personal Stuff:  Your physical traits, like how you talk and your training, influence your speed.

8. Cultural Ways:  Your region’s communication style can also play a part.

Your talking speed can change, and understanding these things helps you talk effectively.

Average Speech Rates In Different Types of Speech

Speech rates change depending on where and why you’re talking. Here’s the speed you’d typically talk at in different situations:

1. Casual Chats:  In everyday talks with pals, you’d speak at about 125-150 words per minute (WPM) . It’s comfy and helps everyone follow along.

2. Public Speaking:  When giving speeches or TED Talks , you’d aim for 150-160 WPM . This keeps the audience engaged without feeling rushed.

3. Clear Teaching:  In teaching or broadcasting, speech slows down to about 150 WPM . This clarity ensures everyone understands the message.

4. High-Energy Chat:  In exciting settings like sports commentary, you might go as fast as 170 WPM . It matches the action.

5. Audiobooks and Podcasts:  Narrating audiobooks or hosting podcasts, you’d stick to 150-160 WPM . It’s a balance of storytelling and understanding.

6. Slow and Precise:  For things like instructions or announcements, a slower pace of 100-120 WPM lets the audience grasp every detail.

Different situations call for different speaking speeds. It’s all about keeping things clear and engaging for your audience.

Perfect Rate Of Speech In Communication

Finding the ideal speech rate is essential for effective communication . Here’s how you can develop a perfect rate of speech:

1. Practice Daily:  Practice speaking at different speeds, from slow to fast. This helps you become comfortable with various rates and adapt to different situations.

2. Record Yourself:  Use a recording device or app to record your speech. Listen to the recordings to identify areas where you can improve your pace and clarity.

3. Metronome:  Try using a metronome to set a consistent pace. It’s like music for your speech. Practice speaking in sync with the metronome to develop a consistent rate.

4. Get Feedback:  Seek feedback from others, such as teachers, peers, or mentors. They can provide valuable insights into your speech rate.

5. Read Aloud:  Read books, articles, or scripts aloud at different speeds. This enhances your ability to adjust your pace while maintaining clarity.

6. Analyze Great Speakers:  Study the speech rates of effective communicators, like TED Talk speakers. Look at how they pace their speech to engage the audience and convey their message.

7. Use Pauses:  Incorporate deliberate pauses in your speech. Pauses can emphasize key points and allow the audience to absorb information.

8. Adapt to the Audience:  Consider your audience’s preferences and needs. Adjust your speech rate according to your listeners.

9. Stay Relaxed:  Nervousness can lead to speaking too quickly. Focus on staying calm and relaxed, which can help maintain a steady pace.

10. Get Professional Help:  If you’re struggling, consider a speech coach for personal guidance. 

Remember, the perfect rate of speech in communication, adaptability is key. Developing a wide range of speech rates will serve you well in different situations.

5 Exercises To Improve Your Rate Of Speech In Communication

These exercises will help you adjust your speaking speed for effective communication. 

1. Reading Children’s Stories

– Read a children’s story silently to get a sense of the flow.

– Identify passages to speak faster and slower.

– Read aloud, noting how speed affects interpretation.

– Record yourself to review and learn from your performance.

2. Reading Factual Reports

– Choose an information-rich report from a newspaper.

– Familiarize yourself with the content and read it aloud.

– Identify sections for slow or fast reading.

– Practice until you find the right mix of speeds.

– Imagine explaining the report to a novice audience for added practice.

3. Experiment with Your Speech

– Record your speech at your usual rate.

– Time yourself and note the duration.

– Revisit the speech, marking areas for speed adjustments.

– Record it again and note the changes in time and insights.

4. Listen to Skilled Speakers

– Listen to accomplished public speakers, like radio hosts etc.

– Observe their varying speaking rates during their presentations.

– Experiment with different rates inspired by what you observed.

5. Work with Familiar Material

– Recite a well-known text at different speeds.

– Record if possible or listen and assess the impact.

– Identify where speed was effective and where it wasn’t.

– Adjust your script accordingly and practice.

How To Make Your Speech Interesting?

To make your speech interesting, change how fast you talk. Don’t talk at the same speed all the time.

It can make your speech boring. Instead, switch between talking fast and talking slow.

Talking Fast:  Use this when you want to show excitement or urgency. It adds emotion to your speech. But if you talk fast for too long, it can become too much for your audience.

Talking Slow:  This is good for important or serious parts of your speech. It helps people focus on what you’re saying. Yet, if your whole speech is slow, it might make your audience lose interest.

So, mix it up. Talk fast when you need to, and slow down when it’s important. This keeps your audience engaged and adds feeling to your speech.

How to Calculate Rate Of Speech In Communication

To calculate it, you’ll need a stopwatch and a transcript of what you said. Here’s how it works: 

1. Get a Timer : First things first, grab your phone or a good old-fashioned watch – something with a timer.

2. Choose a Sample : Next, pick a piece of text, like a paragraph from a book or even this article.

3. Time Yourself : Start the timer and read the text out loud. Stop the timer once you’re done.

4. Count the Words : Count the words you read. Let’s say it’s 150 words.

5. Do the Math : Now, divide the number of words (150 in our example) by the number of minutes it took you to read. So, if it took you 2 minutes, the rate would be 150 words divided by 2 minutes, which equals 75 words per minute (wpm).

The way you speak can make a big difference in how well your message comes across.

We’ve looked at what speech rate is, why it matters, and how to improve it.

Remember, it’s important to find the right balance in your speech rate. Don’t talk too fast or too slow.

Varying your pace can make your message more interesting.

As you continue communicating with others, keep these tips in mind.

Effective communication isn’t about what you say, but how you say it. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is prosody and the rate of speech .

Prosody is the way we express feelings through elements like rhythm, and tone in our speech. It’s like the melody of language. 

The rate of speech is how fast or slow we talk.

Prosody and speech rate are important because they help us convey emotions, and make sure others understand us. 

If we talk too fast, it can be hard for people to follow, but if we talk too slowly, it might get boring. 

What Is The Best Rate Of Speech? 

The best speaking rate is approximately 143 words per minute. This pace allows you to communicate effectively without rushing or becoming boring. 

But, it’s essential to adapt your rate based on the context and audience.

Practice is key to finding your optimal speaking rate and adjusting it for different situations. 

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