Speech timer: how long is my speech?

How many words for each length of speech

Most people speak at about 130 words a minute when giving a speech. Use the steady column unless you know you speak particularly slowly or quickly.

Timing it properly

A word count is a good guide, but the only reliable way to time a speech is to read it out loud, standing up, at the pace you will use on the day. Most people read faster at home than they speak in front of a room, so if you come in exactly on your limit, trim a little.

Leave room for pauses. Laughter, a toast or a moment to collect yourself can add most of a minute to a five-minute speech. If your speech is meant to last five minutes, aim for about 600 words.

If your speech is too long

• Cut the story that makes the same point as another one.
• Shorten the thank-yous by thanking groups of people together.
• Take out explanations after a story. If it works, people understand it without being told.
• Keep the ending. It is usually the part people remember.

If you would like help, Speechmade can write your speech from your own answers at the length you choose. It's written with AI, and you can read the opening before you decide.