How Many Words Is a 5-Minute Speech? (Free Chart)
A 5-minute speech is about 650 words at a calm pace, or 600 to 800 depending on speed. See a chart for 1 to 60 minutes and check yours with a free word counter.
Published · 4 min read
A 5-minute speech is about 650 words at a calm, clear pace of 130 words per minute. Most speakers land somewhere between 600 and 800 words for five minutes, depending on how fast they talk and how often they pause. Paste your script into the free word counter and it shows the speaking time as you write, so you can trim or add until it fits.
Speech length matters more than people expect. Run over at a wedding, a school assembly or a work presentation and you lose the room; finish early in a timed competition or interview task and you can lose marks. Writing to a word count is the simplest way to hit the time.
Speech length chart
Speaking speed is usually 120 to 160 words per minute. The middle column, 130 wpm, is the pace the word counter uses for its speaking time.
| Speech length | Slow (120 wpm) | Calm (130 wpm) | Brisk (150 wpm) | Fast (160 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 minute | 120 words | 130 words | 150 words | 160 words |
| 2 minutes | 240 | 260 | 300 | 320 |
| 3 minutes | 360 | 390 | 450 | 480 |
| 5 minutes | 600 | 650 | 750 | 800 |
| 7 minutes | 840 | 910 | 1,050 | 1,120 |
| 10 minutes | 1,200 | 1,300 | 1,500 | 1,600 |
| 15 minutes | 1,800 | 1,950 | 2,250 | 2,400 |
| 20 minutes | 2,400 | 2,600 | 3,000 | 3,200 |
| 30 minutes | 3,600 | 3,900 | 4,500 | 4,800 |
| 60 minutes | 7,200 | 7,800 | 9,000 | 9,600 |
The formula: words = minutes × words per minute. Five minutes at 130 wpm is 5 × 130 = 650 words. To go the other way, divide: a 1,000-word script at 130 wpm is 1,000 ÷ 130 = 7.7 minutes.
Which pace should you plan for?
- Slow (around 120 wpm): formal speeches, eulogies, toasts with emotional pauses, speaking in a second language, or a large hall with an echo.
- Calm (around 130 wpm): most presentations, school speeches and wedding speeches. A safe default.
- Brisk (around 150 wpm): confident presenters, conversational talks, podcasts.
- Fast (160 wpm and up): energetic speakers and many people when they're nervous. Fast is harder to follow, so it's rarely the goal.
If you don't know your pace, plan for the calm column and leave a little slack. It's easier to slow down than to cut a paragraph live on stage.
Allow for things that aren't words
A script's word count only covers what you say. Real speeches also include:
- Pauses after a key point or a joke, and for laughter or applause.
- Slides or demos where you stop to let people look.
- Audience questions or interaction.
- Introductions and thank-yous you might add on the day.
A good rule is to write for about 90% of your slot. For a strict 5-minute limit, aim for 550 to 600 words at a calm pace rather than the full 650.
How to time your script
- Paste your draft into the free word counter.
- Look at Speaking time under the text box. It's the word count divided by 130, rounded to the nearest minute.
- Check the Words count at the top against the chart above for your target length.
- Edit and watch both numbers update.
Because speaking time is rounded to whole minutes, use the word count for fine-tuning. A 5-minute target at 130 wpm means about 650 words; at 150 wpm, about 750.
Then rehearse out loud with a stopwatch at least once. Reading silently is roughly twice as fast as speaking, so a script that "feels" like five minutes in your head is usually much longer spoken. See how long it takes to read 1,000 words for the difference between reading and speaking time.
Tips for cutting a speech to length
- Check the most used words. The word counter lists the words you repeat most. Repeated filler like "really" or "basically" is the easiest to cut.
- Keep one idea per paragraph. If a paragraph makes two points, keep the stronger one.
- Cut long lists to three examples. Audiences remember three; seven blur together.
- Read sentences aloud. If you run out of breath, split the sentence. Shorter sentences are easier to say at an even pace.
If you're preparing written material alongside the speech, such as a handout, how many pages 1,000 words fills helps you picture it on paper. For limits set in characters, like a speaker bio for an event page, use the free character counter.
Check your speech now
Paste your script into the free word counter to see the word count and speaking time together. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
- How many words is a 5-minute speech?
- About 650 words at a calm 130 words per minute. A slower speaker needs about 600, and a brisk one about 750.
- How many words is a 3-minute speech?
- About 390 words at 130 words per minute, or 360 to 480 depending on your pace.
- How many words is a 10-minute speech?
- About 1,300 words at a calm pace, or 1,200 to 1,600 words depending on how fast you speak.
- How long is a 1,000-word speech?
- About 7 to 8 minutes at 130 words per minute, or under 7 minutes at a brisk 150 words per minute.
- What speaking speed does the word counter use?
- 130 words per minute, a calm presenting pace. The speaking time is shown under the text box, rounded to whole minutes.
- Should I write for the full time?
- Aim for about 90% of your slot so there's room for pauses, laughter and a slower pace on the day.
Text tools
Try the Word Counter
Free, no sign-up, works in your browser. Paste or type your text to count words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences and paragraphs as you type, plus reading time, speaking time and your most used words.