A Detailed Guide on Words per Minute to Ace Presentations and Speeches
We have all heard that it’s best not to talk too fast or slow in your speech or presentation.
Why?
Talk too slowly, and people might get bored.
Speak too fast, and the audience might not understand your message.
Timing is a critical element when it comes to public speaking.
The speed with which you speak will significantly impact your message’s receptivity and perception.
Therefore, it is essential to understand your speaking rate and how to adjust and modify it according to your speech type.
This article is a detailed guide on effective speaking rates for presentations and speeches. We will also detail the average rate for popular talks and provide practical tips to help you develop an adaptive speaking rate.
Let’s explore.
How to Calculate Speaking Rate?
Your speaking rate refers to the number of words you speak per minute (WPM). The following steps will help you successfully get your speaking rate.
- Record yourself speaking for a few minutes. There are plenty of online voice recorders that can be used to get audio recordings of your speech.
- Once you receive the audio, the next step is to get the number of words. Here’s how.
- Listen to the audio and manually count the number of words.
- Convert your speech to text with speech-to-text platforms.
- Once you have the text, copy it into software like Google Docs or MS Word to obtain a word count.
- Convert your time to minutes to perform the division. For instance, a speech of 3 minutes and 30 seconds would be 3.5 minutes, as 30 seconds is half a minute.
- Now, add the number of words or take note of the word count in Microsoft Word.
You will get your WPM or speaking rate by dividing this Word count by the time of speech. To put it into a formula –
Speaking rate/WPM = Total words/Number of minutes
Note – You can also use online speech calculators like the Omni Calculator. Enter the number of words and pick your speaking speed. The platform will display the time it will take you to finish the speech (in minutes). You can use the information to adjust various aspects of your speech according to the time limit.
What is the Average Speaking Rate?
The purpose of your speech determines the speaking rate, as it significantly depends on the topic. Let’s have a look at a few of them.
- Presentations – 100 – 150 WPM
- A standard academic presentation, typically around 8 minutes in length, would be approximately 880-960 words.
- A corporate presentation of 8 minutes would be approximately 960-1120 words.
- A wedding toast of 4 to 5 minutes would be around 520 to 640 words.
- A graduation speech of 10 to 12 minutes would be around 1300-1500 words.
- Conversations – 120 – 150 WPM
- Radio hosts – 150 – 160 WPM
- Commentators – Between 250 – 400 WPM
- Audiobooks – 150 – 160 WPM
- Auctioneers – Around 250 WPM
Although the rate varies depending on various factors, the average conversational range is approximately 130 to 160 WPM, with 150 WPM cited as a comfortable standard for public speech.
Since this pace aligns with the natural conversational tone, the audience won’t feel overwhelmed or disengaged while listening to the speaker.
However, the rate isn’t rigid.
Technical jargon, dense data, or a complex topic will benefit from a slow rate, such as 130, to give people time to learn.
Similarly, a lively narrative or motivational speech could be delivered at a faster pace of 170 WPM, engaging the audience nonetheless.
A study found that people who spoke at a standard rate of 140 WPM were perceived as more credible and knowledgeable than those who spoke faster or slower.
Different speech lengths for ensuring effectiveness-
- A 3-minute speech would be around 400 words.
- A 5-minute speech would be about 650 words.
- An 8-minute speech would be around 1040 words.
- A 10-minute speech would be approximately 1300 words.
- A 15-minute speech would be around 1950 words.
Why is WPM Important in a Speech?
- The correct rate of speech will aid comprehension and retention by making people follow the message with ease.
- A varied speaking pace will boost engagement, keeping people interested throughout.
- The right speaking pace is crucial for managing time, especially in presentations where there is a time constraint.
Factors that Influence Your Overall Speaking Rate
Here is a list of factors that may influence your overall speech. However, they are controllable, which means you can adjust them to deliver an eloquent speech.
1. Regular Style
Everyone speaks in a way that’s peculiar to them. The factors that shape and influence our regular speaking rate include childhood conditioning, the environment and place where we grew up, our parents, relatives, friends, culture, and so on.
For instance, people residing in London speak more quickly than those in Yorkshire. Or a speech in a language that’s not native to the presenter could result in a slower speech.
2. Anxiety and Nervousness
Anxiety and nervousness affect our speaking. We tend to speak much faster to compensate with short, shallow breaths. Nervous speaking is characterised by rushing through something and quickly getting over it. It can result in a speech that’s faster than we usually speak.
3. Wanting to Highlight Something Urgent
There is an urgency to speak more quickly and relay everything we know in urgent situations, such as calling an ambulance or explaining an incident to someone in authority. Urgent matters often prompt us to speak much more quickly than usual.
4. Mental Fatigue
We have all experienced tiredness, mental fog, brain fatigue, or, in general, when our mind feels slow or zoned out. In such cases, we may find it challenging to articulate ourselves clearly, resulting in a slower-than-usual speech.
5. Complexity of the Words or Content
Complex or lengthy words might take some time to say, resulting in a slight delay. The WPM, in this case, can look slightly different from usual.
Similarly, complex concepts require the presenter to speak a little slowly and allow time for the audience to comprehend the idea.
6. Pauses in Your Speech
Pauses in a speech are crucial to enhance the effectiveness of the presentation and the presenter. It helps the presenter emphasise something important, recollect their thoughts, and speak with more assurance, giving the audience time to internalize the message and is a great way to break up the content.
Pauses in a speech will naturally affect the words spoken, slowing down the speaking rate.
- Micro pauses of around 0.5 to 1 second could be used as a gap after you say something important.
- Use standard pauses of 1-2 seconds when you shift from a section or are between two big ideas.
- Dramatic pauses of 2 to 4 seconds help when you are about to drop something heavy.
7. Audience
The makeup of the audience can affect the speaking rate; for instance, an audience unfamiliar with the topic might require a slower pace. Factors such as the audience’s age, awareness of the topic, and cultural background can affect the optimal speaking rate.
8. Pauses Caused by the Audience or the Event
Audiences can interrupt the flow of your speech in scenarios such as when they ask questions or applaud.
Similarly, event-driven pauses are like when you are changing slides, showing a demo or illustration of the product, referring to your notes, and so on.
These pauses will affect your overall speaking rate, slowing it down.
9. Purpose of the Speech
The goal and purpose of a speech affect the pace at which it is delivered. For instance, a persuasive speech could utilize speed variation for emphasis, while an informative speech would benefit more from a slower pace to help people absorb the message more easily.
Similarly, a presentation with a senior manager could benefit from a formal speech delivered at a medium pace. An internal team presentation would be excellent, with a varied pace and an informal tone.
Why is Speech Variation Important?
No matter what your general or average speaking rate is, the wise thing to do is always vary it in the speech. Variation will save you from sounding monotonous and help people avoid losing interest.
Your content will have a particular emotion and life, which speech variation will help enhance and amplify.
For instance,
- When to speak fast – You can increase the speed of your words when conveying excitement, emotion, passion, and urgency. Imagine telling something positive with a somber tone and pace. Will it seem exciting to people?
- When to speak slowly – Speak slowly to make your speech more effective when conveying sadness, confusion, gravity, or the importance of a matter, etc. Imagine telling sad and grave news with a chirpy and quick voice and tone. Will it not confuse people as to what to believe?
When you babble, initially, it might be exciting for people, and they listen to you intently to catch everything. Still, after a couple of minutes, the speech can quickly become overwhelming if it continues.
Similarly, a slow speech will initially make people wonder and be focused, but if you choose to deliver the entire presentation at that pace, the audience can become bored. It might lose interest before you can even get to the point.
Therefore, the pace change should be conscious and in congruence with your speech, keeping people engaged throughout.
Pro Tip – Always remember that the speaking rate is highly individual and personal to the presenter. If we were to change the pace of delivery for some well-known speeches, their meaning would be lost.
Words per Minute for Popular Speeches and Record Holders
Speech rates can vary widely across different presentation styles. We have enumerated a list of popular TED talks to get an understanding of the word count for various types of speeches. The TED talks span from short speeches to 22-minute talks, including the time presenters took to change slides or pause during audience applause.
The range was from 154 to 201 WPM, with an average speaking rate of around 173.
A few statistics –
- The speaking rate for “Why We Do What We Do” by Tony Robbins was 201 words per minute (WPM).
- “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” by Simon Sinek had a count of 170 wpm.
- “The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown was recorded at a rate of 154 words per minute.
- A Guinness Book of World Records holder, Steven Woodmore, with a record of 637 WPM, holds the title of world’s fastest talker. He can speak at a speed 4 times faster than an average person.
How to Practice Getting the Right Speaking Pace?
The following tips will help you optimize your speaking rate to what resonates with the audience.
(i). Test Your Pace
Read something aloud at a varying pace to understand how it sounds.
Use a metronome to measure your speed. The metronome is designed to tick at a certain speed that you can set to the value of your choice. For instance, if you want to say 100 words per minute, you can set the value and say one word at every tick of the metronome.
However, remember to vary your speed when presenting to an audience. Maintaining a steady pace of 100 or 150 words per minute can make your speech monotonous, rehearsed, and dull.
(ii). Leverage Practice Exercises
There are numerous online practice exercises where you can practice your speech in various scenarios, such as delivering a speech at a conference, giving a sales pitch, or answering questions.
Get feedback after you are done to refine your approach for the following speech accordingly.
(iii). Learn to Control Your Speed for Impact
Once you have calculated your WPM, it becomes your baseline and foundation for strategic adjustments.
Techniques that will help you slow down without sounding boring
- Identify and mark natural breathing points in your speech text.
- Mark 2 to 3 words in every paragraph to highlight and emphasize.
- Practice with a metronome set on a slower value than your average rate.
Techniques to increase the rate without sounding rushed
- Remove unnecessary phrases and filler words like – you know, umm, actually, like, etc., from your speech.
- Record sections and figure out where you can increase the tempo to compensate.
Vary your pace intentionally for the most effective speech following these tips-
- Start at your natural pace for ease and comfort.
- Slow down 10-15% more than your usual pace to share complex information and data.
- Speed up 10-15% while sharing anecdotes, stories, examples, case studies, etc.
- Slow down dramatically when sharing key takeaways and insights.
- Return to your natural pace for the conclusion, and again, take it a little slow while sharing the CTA (Call to Action).
(iv). Practice in Front of Others
Practice in front of your family, friends, mentors, peers, and others to get a sense of your speaking rate. Ask for objective feedback on your pacing, clarity, enunciation, tone, and overall delivery. Modify your overall speed or in different sections based on their input to enhance your speaking skills.
You can also tweak and curate your content based on the feedback. If you are going over the time limit or finishing way earlier than the required time – consider trimming less critical information or adding more detailed explanations to fit the time limit.
A Few Tips to Inculcate an Adaptive Speaking Rate
a). Read Books or Reports
Read a children’s book of your choice several times silently to familiarise yourself with the flow. The target is to internalize the write-up in a way that you get an understanding of which passage would benefit from a faster recital and which from slow speech.
Then, you can read it aloud to see how speed changes the interpretation. Change your speed across different passages to learn the difference and see which speed mix suits your needs best.
Similarly, you can review information-loaded reports from a book or magazine. Familiarize yourself with the flow of the material and read it aloud for an audience who knows nothing about the subject. Identify the changes and see why you made them.
Pro Tip: Record yourself during these practice exercises and save all the versions. That way, you will have something tangible to refer back to and make the necessary changes.
b). Take Help of One of Your Past Speeches
Record yourself reciting one of your past speeches at your current normal speaking rate. See if you have any insights regarding which parts could gain from variation. Make a mental note of what your new recording sounds like.
Note: You can also recite a write-up you know well at your pace. See how effective the speed was and where changes needed to be made. Incorporate the changes and re-record yourself to see whether the improvisations enhance your speech.
c). Listen to Others
Listen to your favorite orators, be they radio presenters, TED Talks speakers, commencement speakers, or anyone with experience in public speech. Assess their speech and make note of the alterations and modifications you can make in your speech.
In a Nutshell
Speaking rate, though highly personal, is a crucial aspect of successful speech delivery and underlines a speaker’s efficacy.
Correct pacing and enunciation will help you effectively convey your message while keeping the audience engaged.
Follow the tips mentioned above to help you adopt an optimal speaking rate that enhances your speech and makes you shine as a presenter.
