ScriptfoxHow many words in a 5-minute speech?
A 5-minute speech is about 750 words at an average speaking pace of 150 words a minute: around 625 words if you speak slowly (125 a minute) and up to 875 if you speak fast (175).
Target 5:00 is about 750 words at this pace.
Conversational: most YouTube talking heads
Trims or stretches it to about 750 words, in your voice. Free, three a day.
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What fits in 5 minutes
Five minutes is about 750 words, the most-asked-about length of all: the standard class presentation, the length of a best man speech that lands, and the sweet spot for a YouTube explainer.
Shape it as an introduction (30 seconds), three main points (about 75 seconds each), and a close (30 seconds). That is roughly 75 words, then three blocks of 190, then 75.
If it is a speech to a room, write 650 words, not 750. Laughter, pauses and a nervous start all take time, and finishing early is always forgiven.
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 five-minute speech?
About 750 words at an average pace of 150 words a minute. Spoken slowly it is about 625 words; spoken fast, about 875.
How many pages is a five-minute speech?
About three pages double-spaced, or a page and a half single-spaced, in a 12-point font. Count words rather than pages: a page can hold 250 or 500 words depending on the layout.
How many words is a five-minute best man speech?
Plan about 600 to 650 words. A wedding crowd laughs, claps and interrupts, and a speech written at 750 words runs six or seven minutes in the room.
How many words a minute do people speak in a presentation?
Between 120 and 150 in a formal presentation, around 150 in conversation, and 160 to 180 when excited or on a tight video. Most people speak faster than they think they do when nervous.
Written. Timed. Now read it to the camera.
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