Words to time
750 words at 150 wpm ≈ 5:00
| wpm | 110 | 130 | 150 | 170 | 190 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 6:49 | 5:46 | 5:00 | 4:25 | 3:57 |
Time to words
Have a time limit? Enter it below to get the word count to write to, at the rate above.
5:00 at 150 wpm ≈ 750 words
Why word count and speaking time do not line up
A script that reads fine on the page can run long or short out loud, because reading speed and speaking speed are not the same thing. Speaking time depends on your pace, your pauses, and how practiced you are with the material, not just the word count.
This calculator uses words per minute (wpm), the standard unit for estimating spoken-word timing in broadcasting, podcasting, video, and public speaking. Pick a rate close to your own, and you get a timing estimate you can actually plan around.
Typical speaking rates, in words per minute
- Slow, deliberate (110-130 wpm)
- Formal presentations, a second language, or material that needs to land clearly on every word.
- Conversational (140-160 wpm)
- Most everyday talking, voiceover narration, and the default rate most people read scripts at out loud.
- Fast, energetic (170-190 wpm)
- Short-form video, ads, and hosts who talk quickly by habit.
- Auctioneer / extreme (250+ wpm)
- Far outside normal speech. Useful only as a sense of the outer limit, not a target.
Timing a script before you record it
If you are cutting a script to a time limit (a 60 second ad, a 2 minute pitch, a 5 minute talk), work backward: set the target time and your rate, and the calculator shows the word count to write to. Trim or pad from there.
Once the script is timed, reading it out loud is the easier half. Atrio is a teleprompter app for iPhone and a voice-activated teleprompter: it follows your voice as you read and holds the line when you pause, so you can read the exact script you just timed, at your own pace, without a stopwatch. Want it to follow your voice while you read? Get Atrio on iPhone.
Questions about timing a script
- What speaking rate should I use?
- Conversational speech averages around 150 words per minute. Use 110-130 wpm for a deliberate presentation or a language you are still learning, and 170-190 wpm for a quick, energetic read. Try a few rates and time yourself once to find your own number.
- How many words is a 1 minute speech?
- At a conversational 150 words per minute, a 1 minute speech is about 150 words. At a slower presentation pace of 130 wpm, aim for about 130 words.
- How many words is a 5 minute speech?
- At 150 words per minute, a 5 minute speech runs about 750 words. At 130 wpm, aim for about 650 words; at 170 wpm, about 850 words.
- Does this calculator work for languages other than English?
- Yes. The math is the same for any language: words divided by your speaking rate. Average speaking rates vary by language, so set the rate field to match how fast you actually talk.
- Is my script sent anywhere when I paste it in?
- No. This calculator runs entirely in your browser with no backend. Nothing you type or paste is uploaded, logged, or stored.