How many words per minute in a speech

A handy reference guide for 1–30-minute speeches, plus an invitation

If you're preparing a speech 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.)

So, here’s a handy reference guide for speeches from one to thirty minutes long speaking at a slow, average or fast rate.

Go to How many words per minute in a speech

Happy New Year! May 2023 treat us all kindly.

Susan

PS. I am pulling together notes for a new post on why speech classes are important.
Your opinions on the topic are welcome! Teacher, trainer, speaker or student I’d love to hear from you. Please either reply to this email or contact me through the form on my about me page.