ScriptfoxHow many words in a 20-minute speech?
A 20-minute speech is about 3,000 words at an average speaking pace of 150 words a minute: around 2,500 words if you speak slowly (125 a minute) and up to 3,500 if you speak fast (175).
Target 20:00 is about 3,000 words at this pace.
Conversational: most YouTube talking heads
Trims or stretches it to about 3,000 words, in your voice. Free, three a day.
ScriptFox scrolls as you speak, so you keep your eyes on the camera. Free, no card.
What fits in 20 minutes
Twenty minutes is about 3,000 words: a full conference slot, a long tutorial, a sermon. It is the length at which a speaker without structure loses the room and one with it does not.
Write the first and last two minutes with care and the middle in sections of three to four minutes, each with a clear change of subject. Tell the audience where they are ('that is the second of four') and they stay with you.
Words at every pace
Slow is 125 words a minute, average 150, fast 175. This length is marked; the others link to their own pages.
| Length | Slow (125 wpm) | Average (150 wpm) | Fast (175 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 seconds0:30 | 63 | 75 | 88 |
| 1 minute1:00 | 125 | 150 | 175 |
| 2 minutes2:00 | 250 | 300 | 350 |
| 3 minutes3:00 | 375 | 450 | 525 |
| 5 minutes5:00 | 625 | 750 | 875 |
| 8 minutes8:00 | 1,000 | 1,200 | 1,400 |
| 10 minutes10:00 | 1,250 | 1,500 | 1,750 |
| 15 minutes15:00 | 1,875 | 2,250 | 2,625 |
| 20 minutes20:00 | 2,500 | 3,000 | 3,500 |
| 30 minutes30:00 | 3,750 | 4,500 | 5,250 |
Frequently asked questions
How many words is a twenty-minute speech?
About 3,000 words at an average pace of 150 words a minute; about 2,500 spoken slowly and 3,500 spoken fast.
How many pages is a twenty-minute speech?
About twelve pages double-spaced, or six single-spaced, in a 12-point font. Few speakers read twenty minutes from pages; a teleprompter or a sectioned outline is the usual tool.
How many words is a twenty-minute sermon?
About 2,600 to 3,000 words. Sermons run slower than conversation, with pauses and repeated lines, so plan 130 words a minute rather than 150.
Written. Timed. Now read it to the camera.
ScriptFox follows your voice so you never lose your line. Free to try, no card required.