Every number on this site comes from the same small set of rates, applied consistently. This page documents them so you can judge — and adjust — our figures for your own situation.
The rates we use
| Activity | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Speech — slow | 110 wpm | Formal, deliberate delivery with long pauses |
| Speech — average | 140 wpm | Midpoint of the widely cited 120–150 wpm presentation range |
| Speech — fast | 170 wpm | Energetic delivery; upper bound of comfortable listening |
| Reading aloud | 155 wpm | Consistent with audiobook narration standards (150–160 wpm) |
| Silent reading — average | 225 wpm | Within the 200–250 wpm range reported for adult non-technical reading |
| Silent reading — fast | 300 wpm | Skilled readers on light material |
The formula
Time = word count ÷ rate. A 700-word script at 140 wpm is 700 ÷ 140 = 5 minutes. The calculators use exactly this formula with no hidden adjustments — what you see is the arithmetic.
Known limitations
- Live delivery runs long. Pauses, emphasis, audience reaction, and ad-libs typically add about 10% over the calculated time. Our guides recommend writing slightly short for hard time limits.
- Content difficulty matters. Dense technical text is read and spoken more slowly than the averages above.
- Individual variation is large. Your personal rate can sit anywhere in these ranges — the custom WPM field on both calculators exists for exactly this reason. Our speaking rate guide shows how to measure yours in under a minute.