how many words is needed for a 5 minute speech

How Many Words Are There In A 5-Minute Speech?

• The Speaker Lab
• May 4, 2024

Table of Contents

Wondering how many words to prepare for your upcoming 5-minute speech ? If so, you’re not alone. Nailing the perfect word count can be tricky, but it’s crucial for delivering a powerful message that resonates with your audience. Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or stepping up to the podium for the first time, knowing the right number of words to aim for is key. In this article, we’ll give you our take on sculpting a punchy five-minute presentation, identifying key factors affecting its length and offering tips to make sure yours stands out.

How Many Words Are in a 5-Minute Speech?

So you’ve been asked to give a 5-minute speech. The first question that pops into your head is probably “How many words should I write?” It’s a great question, and one that every speaker has had to grapple with at some point.

The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The number of words in a 5-minute speech can vary quite a bit depending on a few key factors. But don’t worry, we’re here to break it down for you.

Factors That Affect Speech Word Count

Before we dive into the average word count for a 5-minute speech, let’s talk about what can impact that number:

• Your natural speech rate (some people naturally speak faster or slower)
• The type of speech (a dense, information-packed presentation will have more words than a laid-back, story-driven speech)
• How interactive the speech is (more audience interaction = fewer words)

All of these factors can cause the word count to fluctuate. So while we can give you an average, remember that your mileage may vary.

Average Word Count for a 5-Minute Speech

Here’s a general rule of thumb: a 5-minute speech will usually fall in the range of 625-750 words. That comes out to about 125-150 words per minute.

Of course, this is just an average. Some speakers cram 800+ words into 5 minutes, although we don’t recommend that. Others can captivate an audience for 5 minutes with just 500 well-chosen words.

How to Calculate Your Speech Word Count

Want a more precise estimate for your 5-minute speech? Here’s a simple way to calculate it:

• Time yourself speaking for 1 minute (aim for your natural pace)
• Copy that 1 minute of speech into a word count calculator
• Multiply that number by 5 to get your estimated 5-minute speech word count

This method takes into account your personal speech rate, giving you a more customized word count to aim for. Give it a try!

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Factors That Impact Your Speaking Rate

We’ve talked about how the number of words in your 5-minute speech can vary based on your speaking rate. But what factors influence how fast or slow you speak? Let’s take a look.

Your Natural Speaking Pace

Everyone has a natural default speaking speed. Some people are just naturally fast talkers, while others have a more leisurely pace. This is largely determined by personality, but it can also be influenced by cultural and regional norms.

If you’re not sure where you fall on the spectrum, try recording yourself having a casual conversation and count the words per minute. That will give you a baseline for your natural, uncontrived speaking rate.

Type of Speech You’re Delivering

The content and purpose of your speech can also affect your pacing. A speech that’s dense with information, like a technical presentation or a detailed argument, will likely have a higher word-per-minute count than a more narrative or motivational speech.

Similarly, a speech that’s meant to be rousing and energetic will probably be faster-paced than one intended to be soothing or contemplative. Consider your speech’s purpose and adjust your speaking pace accordingly.

Your Comfort Level with Public Speaking

Nerves can do funny things to your speaking speed. Some people clam up and speak painfully slowly when they’re nervous, while others start talking a mile a minute. If public speaking makes you jittery, it’s worth practicing your speech enough that you feel comfortable and in control of your pacing.

Pro tip: When you feel nervous, take a deep breath and consciously slow down your first few sentences. This will help you set a manageable pace for the rest of your speech. For more on tackling public speaking nerves, check out our article here .

Audience Engagement and Interaction

If your speech includes interactive elements like Q&A, group discussion, or even just pauses for laughter or applause, that will reduce the total word count. The more audience engagement you have, the fewer words you’ll need to fill that 5-minute slot.

This is actually a great tactic to keep in mind if you’re someone who tends to speak quickly. Building in moments for audience interaction can help you slow down and make your speech feel more conversational and less rushed.

Tips for Delivering a Well-Paced 5-Minute Speech

Now that you know the factors that can affect your speech’s word count and pacing, let’s talk about how to use that information to deliver a great 5-minute speech.

Practice and Preparation

The best way to ensure a well-paced speech is to practice, practice, practice. Use a speech timer and aim to consistently hit that 5-minute mark in your rehearsals. The more you practice, the more natural and comfortable your pacing will feel when you’re in front of an audience.

It’s also a good idea to have a few key “anchor points” in your speech that you know you need to hit by certain times. For example, you might aim to be wrapping up your introduction by the 1 minute mark, starting your conclusion by minute 4, etc. This strategy will help keep you on track.

Breathing Techniques to Calm Nerves

If nerves are affecting your pacing, try some breathing techniques to calm yourself before and during your speech. Taking deep, slow breaths from your diaphragm can help slow your heart rate and make you feel more in control.

One technique is to inhale for a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and hold for 4. Repeat this a few times before you start speaking, and any time you feel your pace starting to rush during your speech.

Engage with Your Audience

Remember, a speech isn’t just about the words you say—it’s about the connection you make with your audience. Make eye contact, smile, and react to their responses. This will make your speech feel more like a conversation, which can naturally regulate your pacing.

If you notice your audience looking confused or overwhelmed, that’s a sign you might be going too fast. Pause, take a breath, and slow down. On the flip side, if they seem bored or restless, you may need to pick up the pace a bit.

Speak Conversationally

One of the best ways to maintain a good pace is to speak like you’re having a conversation with a friend. Use simple, straightforward language and contractions (like “I’m” instead of “I am”). This will make your speech sound more natural and less like you’re reading from a script.

Imagine you’re explaining your topic to someone who’s intelligent but doesn’t know much about it. How would you pace yourself to ensure they understand? Aim for that same clarity and pace in your speech.

Inject Humor When Appropriate

A well-placed joke or humorous anecdote can be a great way to vary your speech’s pace and re-engage your audience. Laughter provides a natural pause and can give you a moment to catch your breath and reset your pace.

Of course, humor isn’t appropriate for every speech or audience. But if it fits your topic and style, don’t be afraid to use it strategically to control your pacing.

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Using a Speech Calculator or Timer

Speech timers and calculators are helpful tools that ensure you’ve written enough words to hit that 5-minute sweet spot. Here’s a bit more on how to use them effectively.

Benefits of Using a Speech Calculator

A speech calculator can take a lot of the guesswork out of speech writing. You input your text, select your desired speaking pace (slow, average, or fast), and it estimates how long your speech will take to deliver.

This is especially useful when you’re first drafting your speech. You can check as you go to make sure you’re on track for your 5-minute goal. It’s much easier to adjust on the fly than to get to the end and realize you’ve written way too much or too little.

How to Use a Speech Timer During Practice

Once you’ve written your speech, a speech timer is your best friend during practice sessions. Start the timer and deliver your speech out loud, as if you were in front of your audience. Check the timer at the end and note how long you took.

If you were way over or under 5 minutes, you may need to adjust your content. But if you were close, the goal is to practice enough that you consistently hit that 5-minute mark every time. This will give you confidence when it’s time for the real deal.

Adjusting Your Speech Based on Time Constraints

What if, despite your careful plans, you get to the venue and find out you only have 4 minutes to speak instead of 5? Or what if you’ve been blessed with an extra minute or two?

This is where knowing your speech well comes in handy. If you have to cut for time, look for anecdotes, examples, or tangents that can be shortened or eliminated without affecting your core message. If you have a little extra time, consider where you might be able to expand on a point or add an additional story.

The key is to be flexible and adaptable. Trust that you know your material well enough to adjust on the fly if needed. And remember, even if it’s not a perfect 5 minutes, what matters most is that you deliver your message effectively and engagingly.

So, how many words do you need for a 5-minute speech? As a general rule of thumb, aim for around 750 words. But remember, it’s not just about hitting a magic number. Your natural speaking pace, the type of speech you’re giving, and your comfort level all play a role in determining the ideal word count.

Remember, the trick is all in rehearsing, gearing up well before you need to perform, and not rushing through. Keep a timer or a speech calculator close by because they’re lifesavers for staying focused. With these strategies in your back pocket, you’ll be well on your way to delivering a powerful, well-paced 5-minute speech that leaves a lasting impact.

• Last Updated: May 3, 2024

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How Many Words are in a Five-Minute Speech?

How many words are in a five-minute speech?

Presenting a speech in front of a crowd of people can be scary. If you’re someone unaccustomed to giving big speeches, your palms may start to sweat and your body may shake, all before you ever utter your first word. It’s normal to experience stage fright. Most expert speakers agree, preparing well can be your best protection against nervousness. If you’re going to speak in public, it may help to write down the words you want to say.

Let’s imagine you need to give a 5-minute speech at a wedding. How much text should you prepare? In order to give that wedding toast, you should probably write 625-750 words. We arrived at that figure by taking the number of words per minute (WPM) that the average person speaks and multiplying it by the number of minutes you’ll need to speak, which is 5. The average person speaks 125-150 WPM.

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It’s easy to do this math on your own. For a 3-minute speech, you would just multiply 125 by 3 to get the minimum number of words you’d need. The answer is 375. Now, picture a scenario where you have to give a 20-minute speech. What’s your maximum word count? Just take the high end of the WPM range and multiply it by 20. 

150 x 20 = 3,000

So, for a 20-minute speech, you’d be well-prepared by writing something with less than 3,000 words. Remember, if you prepare a text that’s too lengthy, you could get cut off before you reach your conclusion. 

A Note on Accuracy

Keep in mind, the average reading speed that’s cited above is just an average. You may find that you tend to talk faster or slower than other people. If you know you speak very quickly when you’re nervous, you may want to write an 850-word speech for your 5-minute toast, just to be safe. Someone who speaks slowly might only need 600 words to fill five minutes. 

In order to calculate your own speaking speed with precision, you should record yourself. That way, you’ll get an accurate personal WPM count, which reflects your true speaking pace. Once you have that figure, you can use it to calculate the word count for any speech you plan to give. It can also be helpful to rehearse with a stopwatch, whenever you’re working within a time limit. By timing yourself, you can see exactly how many seconds you need to cut or add to your speech. 

Advice for All Public Speakers

Excellent speakers practice their  presentation skills , so that they feel confident in their ability to make it through a speech without stumbling. It’s common for a speaker to write a phrase that looks good on the page. Then, when they present the speech, the phrase proves difficult to say out loud. By practicing your actual speech before going onstage, you’ll be able to identify your own speech patterns. If there’s a better way to say something, you can rewrite the words to make things flow more organically. 

Writing out a speech is a good idea; however, as you get more comfortable with speech writing, you may find yourself improvising more often. Someone very comfortable with  public speaking  can go “off script,” adding extemporaneous content, while still paying attention to the passage of time. Until you develop that advanced-level ability, it’s best to write out your speeches. Preparing something, even a simple outline with the key topics you want to discuss, can help you stay organized and calm.

Remember, the most important part of giving a speech is connecting with your audience . If you can do that, you’ll succeed no matter what subject matter you’re discussing.

• Seven-ways-to-write-a-better-speech
• https://wordcounter.net/blog/tag/5-minute-speech
• http://www.speechinminutes.com

The Word Counter  is a dynamic online tool used for counting words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and pages in real time, along with spelling and grammar checking.

Kari Lisa Johnson

I’m an award-winning playwright with a penchant for wordplay. After earning a perfect score on the Writing SAT, I worked my way through Brown University by moonlighting as a Kaplan Test Prep tutor. I received a BA with honors in Literary Arts (Playwriting)—which gave me the opportunity to study under Pulitzer Prize-winner Paula Vogel. In my previous roles as new media producer with Rosetta Stone, director of marketing for global ventures with The Juilliard School, and vice president of digital strategy with Up & Coming Media, I helped develop the voice for international brands. From my home office in Maui, Hawaii, I currently work on freelance and ghostwriting projects.

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• How many words per minute in a speech

How many words per minute in a speech?

A quick guide for slow, average and fast rates of speech.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

If you're preparing a speech or presentation 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.)

What's on this page:

How many words are there in a 1-minute speech, how many words are there in a 2-minute speech, how many words are there in a 3-minute speech, how many words are there in a 4-minute speech, how many words are there in a 5-minute speech, how many words are there in a 6-minute speech, how many words are there in a 7-minute speech, how many words are there in an 8-minute speech, how many words are there in a 9-minute speech, how many words are there in a 10-minute speech, how many words are there in a 15-minute speech, how many words are there in a 20-minute speech, how many words are there in a 25-minute speech, how many words are there in a 30-minute speech.

• How to calculate your own speech rate: 2 easy methods
• How many pages is a 4, 7 or 20-minute speech?     

About this quick reference guide

The following table (below) shows the average number of words spoken per minute for speeches from 1 to 30 minutes long. It's a quick reference guide: one only intended to provide general information.

Who, and what, is truly average?

An average word count for any timed speech (one minute, two minutes, three, four, five, six...or more, minutes) is impossible to give. As there really is no such thing as an average person, who uses an average rate of words per minute when they speak.

We are individuals: each of us different. Speech patterns and speech (speaking) rates vary considerably between person to person for a great many reasons. The best you’ll ever get is an educated guess.

Use as an estimate: test yourself to be sure

That aside, the following estimates will give you a handy indication of the number of minutes it takes to say x number of words depending on whether you talk at a slow speed, a medium speed or you're one of the world's fast talkers.

(And, no, it's never a good idea to gabble at a mile a minute to fit everything you've prepared into the length of time you've been given!)

To be absolutely sure what you've done will fit the time allocation you've been given it's a good idea to test yourself to establish your own speaking rate or speed of speech .

How many pages is a 'x' minute speech?

Multiple variations on the question how many pages are needed for a speech are frequently asked. For instance:

• How many pages is a 4-minute speech?
• How many pages is a 7-minute speech?
• How many pages is a 20-minute presentation?

Unfortunately, the answer is not simple. Calculating the number of A4 pages of text you need for a speech of any number of minutes long is tricky for two reasons.

How many words are on an A4 page?

The first reason is that the number of words on an A4 page depends on how the page has been formatted. The answers to the questions below make a very big difference to the total number of pages needed to print a speech.

• What is the font family being used? (Different fonts take up differing amounts of space because of the shape/design of their characters.)  
• What is the size of the font? (The font size you're reading right now is 20px.)
• What is the spacing between each of the letters in a word?
• What is the spacing between each line of text? Is it single spacing, 1.5 or double line spacing?
• What spacing has been set for paragraphs?
• What size have the margins of the page been set at?
• Are there headings? Sub-headings or lists?

On average if the font is plain, (sans-serif, without embellishment), like Arial or Verdana, its size is set for 12px, and the line spacing is set for 1.5, then a page may have between 400-500 words on it.

Speech rate changes how we calculate the number of words we need

The second reason why using the number of pages to gauge how long a speech will take to deliver is problematical is because we speak at different rates. 

A 500-word page may take someone speaking at very slow rate 4 minutes to get through.

Another person, who has a much faster speaking rate, may take about 2.5 minutes to deliver exactly the same text.

Using the number of pages as a guide for a speech that has to fit a time limit is completely unreliable.

If you need to use a 'guesstimate' use the speech rate table below. Forget about counting the pages! 

If you are a slow speaker, less than 120 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 120 - 160 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 160 - 200 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 240 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 240 - 320 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 320 - 400 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 360 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 360 – 480 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 480 - 600 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 480 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 480 – 640 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 640 - 800 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 600 words,

If you speak at an average speed between: 600 – 760 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 760 - 1000 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 720 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 720 – 960 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 960 - 1200 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 840 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 840 – 1120 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1120 - 1400 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 960 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 960 – 1280 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1280 - 1600 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 1080 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1080 – 1440 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1440 - 1800 words.

If you are a slow speaker a little less than 1200 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1200 – 1600 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1600 - 2000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 1,800 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1,800 - 2,400 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 2,400 - 3,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 2,400 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 2,400 - 3,200 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 3,200 - 4,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 3,000 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 3,000 - 4,000 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 4,000 - 5,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 3,600 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 3,600 - 4,800 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 4,800 - 6,000 words.

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Find out more about speech rate

• How to calculate your own words per minute speech rate - two easy methods
• The factors influencing a faster rate or slower rate of speech
• How to develop an ideal rate of speech : one matching content, speech purpose and your audience: six exercises for flexible speaking rate

Words per minute calculator

Lastly here's the link to a useful online words per minutes calculator . Once you've completed your speech enter the total number of words, and select whether you want it to give you an average for a minute of your speech at a slow rate, average or fast rate. Again, it's a 'guesstimate'. ☺

The only really safe way to find out whether your speech fits your time allocation is to say it aloud at an ideal rate or pace: one taking into account the content, and the audience who is going to listen to it, while timing it.

(Use the record function on your phone. It will assist in lots of other ways too! You'll hear where you need more vocal variety, where your pronunciation is blurred ...and, so on. It's super helpful.)

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How Many Words is a 5 Minute Speech?

You’re preparing to write a speech but there’s a 5-minute time limit. Now, you’re faced with the big question: How many words should you use then?

Any resource will tell you that you can only approximate the number of words it would take to write a 5-minute speech.

Publication coach Daphne Gray-Grant says that the average person speaks about 125-150 words per minute—meaning 5 minutes of talking would entail about 625-750 words. That’s about the typical length of a blog article!

Here’s a fun exercise for you—we’re keeping this blog article to 750 words so you can read it out loud to see if it would fit into the 5-minute time limit. How’s that for an experiment?

When you do this oral exercise, keep in mind that there are other factors which might affect the results. People speak in varying speeds—some speak slowly, others do the exact opposite. The good news is, it is easier to adjust the speed of delivery as compared to the number of words used. Beyond the word count, being able to communicate the essence of your speech clearly and eloquently is more important.

Pace Yourself

Pacing yourself helps you articulate better and emphasize the most salient parts of your speech. You’re not just putting yourself out there to say something — retention is key. You have to make your message (or at least the crux of it) memorable to your audience.

Just like a novel, the content needs to pack a punch in order to sustain the audience’s interest. If you think about it, a speech should work even harder because (1) it’s shorter and (2) it’s purely an aural experience which requires the full attention of your audience.

Before you start writing, Jeff Schmitt of Forbes advises keeping these two objectives in mind: “Make a good impression and leave your audience with two or three takeaways.”

Schmitt also highlights the importance of “striking the right tone.” Know your audience well, their reasons for wanting to listen to your speech, and what they want out of it.

Matt Eventoff of YPO elaborates on several “memorable ways to open a speech or presentation.” A quote, “what if” scenario, or statistic are some of the methods you can utilize to captivate your audience.

To make your speech more interesting, Gray-Grant advises “to tell stories or give examples” because stories “stick” and people actually recall them. Another approach is to use humor to break the monotony, but only when it serves an “organic” and relevant purpose for your topic or message. Try not to detract from the flow and coherence of your speech or from the essence of your message.

Just like what chapter breaks are to a novel, remember to integrate cues for pauses or breaks in between points of your speech in order to signal the end of one topic and to smoothly transition to the next.

Keep your language simple and conversational to maximize engagement with your audience. Scholastic gives some tips like using short sentences, contractions, and colloquialisms in your speech.

Avoid tongue-twisters or big words that are difficult to articulate in one breath. You will only subject yourself to potential blunders. This will deflate your confidence in delivering the speech effectively.

Most importantly, get your facts straight. Any speech can be engaging and witty, but people look for truthfulness and credibility more than anything. Citing concrete examples to prove a point is a persuasive method as well. Real-life actualizations are truths in the minds of your listeners. Thus, they will remain engaged on what else you have to say.

Toss a question or two for a bit of introspection. Some people actually do this either at the beginning or at the end of a speech. Making your audience think brings your message across more effectively because it opens up the opportunity for them to contemplate on an application of your insight into their daily lives.

After writing your speech, review the entire material for clarity and brevity. Simplify and tighten the language if need be.

Attention spans are shorter these days (8.25 seconds, according to a study made by the Static Brain Research Institute) so the more succinct you are, the better.

If you can, divide the word count equally among each salient point of your speech. For example, 750 words with 4 key topics would mean around 187 words dedicated for each topic.

Be concise yet comprehensive—and remember to use our word counter to keep it brief.

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Speech Length: How Many Words Is A 5 Minute Speech

• October 21, 2023

Table of Contents:

Word count metrics for memorable speeches, a comprehensive guide to writing and delivering impactful 5 minute speeches, 1- dynamics of speech length, 2- the importance of timing in speeches, 3- engagement and audience attention, 4- timing tips for keeping audience engagement, 5- decoding the 5 minute speech, 6- word count guide for a 5 minute speech, 7- factors influencing speech speed, 8- examples of 5-minute speeches, 9- how to write a 5 minute speech, 10- planning and structuring your speech, 11- speech writing tips and techniques, 12- perfecting your 5 minute speech delivery, 13- practice makes perfect, 14- speech delivery techniques, use a conversational tone, maintain eye contact with your audience., modulate your voice, faqs about 5 minute speech, how many pages is a 5 minute speech, how many words per minute in a speech, how much does it cost to write a five minute speech, conclusion:.

Experience the whole article by listening!

When it comes to public speaking or presentations, understanding the concept of speech length is critical. The common question is, “How many words in a 5 minute speech?” It’s an interesting query, pointing towards the essence of timing and pace in speeches. 

In this article, we’ll delve into the intricacies of length, including factors that influence it and how to gauge the ideal number of words for a five-minute discourse. Whether preparing for a business presentation, a school debate, or a toast at a wedding, knowing how to manage your length effectively can be a game-changer.

Speech length isn’t just about counting words but also understanding the speech rate. According to various studies, the average speaking speed ranges from 125 to 150 words per minute (wpm). But this isn’t a hard and fast rule. Several factors can influence the speed at which a person speaks, including their natural speaking style, comfort level, and type of communication. For instance, a nervous speaker might rush through their points, while an experienced speaker might take their time, utilizing pauses for effect.

One might wonder why we stress timing in speeches. The answer lies in engaging and keeping the audience’s attention. We live in an era of short attention spans, where every second counts. A speech that drags on can lose its impact, leaving listeners bored or disinterested. In contrast, a speech that’s too rushed might leave the audience confused and unable to keep up. Therefore, balancing the timing and pacing of your speech is essential in delivering an effective presentation. The optimal length allows for a comfortable pace that aligns with the listeners’ attention span.

Understanding your audience’s attention span is paramount when it comes to speeches. It is reported that the human attention span is about 10-20 minutes long, depending on interest, distractions, and individual variations. Therefore, a 5-minute speech is an excellent duration to maintain audience engagement. If you’re looking for techniques on how to memorize a speech fast , we have resources that can help. It is short enough to keep the audience from losing interest and long enough to allow the speaker to deliver a compelling argument or tell a captivating story. 

Crafting an engaging speech isn’t just about the content; it’s also about managing your speech length. Breaking your speech down into digestible segments can help maintain audience engagement. Instead of providing an information overload, deliver your points concisely, and take regular pauses. This gives your audience time to process and absorb the information. Furthermore, using a conversational tone can make your speech more relatable, helping to keep your audience engaged throughout.

A 5-minute speech, given the average speech speed, can fit approximately 625 to 750 words. But remember, this is just an approximation. Each speaker is unique, and so is their rate of speech. Some people naturally speak faster, while others prefer a slower pace. Your comfort level, the complexity of your topic, and your audience can all impact your speaking speed.

An effective way to plan your 5-minute speech is to estimate the number of words it should contain. Here’s a rough guide:

• Slow speakers: 100 wpm, approximately 500 words in 5 minutes.
• Average speakers: 125-150 wpm, about 625-750 words in 5 minutes.
• Fast speakers: 200 wpm, nearly 1000 words in 5 minutes. Remember that these numbers are approximate and can vary based on several factors.

Speech speed can vary significantly from person to person due to language fluency, nervousness, and the nature of the communication. A speaker might talk faster due to nervousness or excitement, or they might speak slowly to emphasize points or create suspense. Moreover, a speaker might adjust their pace based on audience reactions. Knowing these factors can help you manage your length and deliver a successful presentation.

Examples of impactful 5-minute speeches abound in history. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech lasted just over 5 minutes, as did Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. These speeches show you can deliver powerful messages within a brief period, provided you manage your speech length effectively.

Writing a 5-minute speech might seem challenging, but it’s a skill you can master with some practice and guidance. If you’ve ever considered taking your skills to a professional level and want to become a speech writer , there are steps you can take to make it a reality. Begin with a clear objective for your speech, and make sure every word you pen down serves that goal. 

Be concise and straight to the point. Also, consider your audience when crafting your speech. A complex topic might require simpler language to ensure comprehension, while an educated audience might appreciate the use of technical terms or industry jargon. Moreover, you can always have the option of speech writers for hire and get help from them.

Structuring your speech correctly is critical to effectively managing length. If you’re intrigued by the art of speech and its potential career paths, learn about how to become a speech therapist . Start with a strong and engaging opening, followed by your main points, and conclude with a powerful ending reinforcing your message. A well-structured speech keeps the audience engaged and helps you stay within your time limit. Remember, every word counts in a 5-minute speech, so avoid unnecessary fluff and focus on the message you wish to convey.

• Keep your sentences short and clear.

Short sentences are easier to speak and understand. They keep your speech crisp and to the point.

• Use bullet points to organize your thoughts.

Bullet points can help you break down complex ideas into digestible pieces, making it easier for your audience to understand and for you to speak.

• Avoid jargon or complex language.

Unless it’s necessary for your topic or audience, avoid complex language. Simple, everyday language makes your speech more relatable and easily understood.

Creating an impactful 5-minute speech isn’t just about the words you write – it’s also about how you deliver them. If you need assistance in creating impactful written pieces, you can always hire a book writer or explore our professional ghostwriting services . Speech delivery can make or break your presentation, regardless of how well-written your speech might be.  Therefore, understanding and perfecting the art of speech delivery is crucial.

The key to perfecting your 5-minute speech? Practice. And lots of it. Rehearsing your speech multiple times helps you get comfortable with the words and also helps you understand how to manage your speech length effectively. By practicing, you can gauge whether you need to slow down or speed up, take more pauses, or emphasize certain points more.

Here are some tips to improve your speech delivery:

This makes your speech sound natural and engaging. It also helps manage your speech length, as you’re less likely to rush or slow down too much.

This helps keep the audience engaged and gives you feedback on how well your speech is being received.

This helps keep your audience interested and makes your speech more dynamic. Changing your pitch, tone, and volume can emphasize certain points and manage the overall speech length.

The number of pages in a 5-minute speech depends on your speaking pace and formatting choices. Here’s a breakdown:

• Average speaking pace: 100-120 words per minute
• 5-minute speech word count: 500-650 words
• Pages at 12pt font, single-spaced:  1-1.5 pages

Remember, this is just an estimate. Consider these factors for more precise results:

• Your actual speaking speed:  Time yourself delivering your speech to gauge your pace.
• Font size and spacing:  Larger fonts or double spacing will increase page count.
• Visual elements:  If you include slides or images, they won’t add to page count but affect delivery timing.

The average English speaker utters approximately 130 words per minute. A brisk speaker may reach up to 160 words per minute, while a more deliberate speaker might use around 100 words. Understanding your natural pace is key to delivering a well-timed and engaging speech.

A five minute speech would be around 500 words to 650 words.” Writing a 5 minute speech typically ranges from $250 to $300, influenced by factors such as complexity, writer experience, and customization

Understanding speech length and managing it is a valuable skill in public speaking. If you need to have your skills or achievements documented, Wikipedia writers for hire can help. Keeping your speech within the optimal length can maintain audience engagement and effectively convey your message. 

Whether you’re a fast speaker or slow, a seasoned orator, or a novice speaker, mastering the art of the 5-minute speech is a skill that can be honed with practice and understanding. Remember, it’s not just about the number of words but how you use them that counts.

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Speaking time calculator

Type or paste your speech to instantly calculate your speaking time

How does this speech timer work

To begin, delete the sample text and either type in your speech or copy and paste it into the editor.

The average reading speed and speech rate is 200 words per minute and is the default setting above. Once you paste your speech, click “Play” and Speechify will analyze your speech by the number of words and generate a time to speak it at the default rate.

You can listen to your speech in various accents or languages. If you are aiming for a specific timeframe for your speech, click edit to either increase or decrease the number of words to see how long it would take to speak them.

You can also increase or decrease the speaking rate to gauge how fast or slow you should speak in order to get to a specific time with the number of words you have in your speech.

To get to that perfect word count to fit with the speech length time, you’ll have to keep editing between words per minute (WPM) and number of words.

The best part is that you can share your speech in audio format to your friends, relatives, or peers to review it. They can simply click play and listen to your speech.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many words are there in a 1 minute speech.

Based on the average speed of speech, there are 150 words in a 1 minute speech.

How many words are there in a 2 minute speech?

There are 300 words per minute in a 2 minute speech. 2 minutes isn’t a long time so when you speak, you could endure the average speaking rate.

How many words are there in a 3 minute speech?

On average there are 450 words in a 3 minute speech. This is based on the average speech rate of 250 words per minute. At the 3 minute mark, even a novice speaker could keep going at the rate they started – with some practice.

How many words are there in a 4 minute speech?

On average there are 600 words in a 4 minute speech. This is based on the average speech rate of 250 words per minute. Still, even a novice speaker could maintain the 150 words per minute rate. Try it in the Soundbite above. Set your words per minute and speak along to see if you could endure consistency over 4 minutes.

How many words are there in a 5 minute speech?

On average there are 750 words in a 5 minute speech. This is based on the average speech rate of 250 words per minute. While this is simple math, we after all are humans and 5 minutes can be pushing the boundaries of a consistent speech tempo and words per minute.

How many words are there in a 10 minute speech?

In a 10 minute speech aim for 1000 words. The math might tell you 1,500 words but consider your speech. You might need pauses, rest for your voice, dramatic effects, and perhaps even audience interaction. Also, it becomes quite difficult to endure a consistent 150 words per minute speech rate for 10 minutes. Consider your listeners. We doubt very few people would want to listen to a precisely 150 words per minute speech for 10 minutes. It wouldn’t be engaging. And in a speech, you should engage and communicate.

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Words per Minute Calculator

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Have you ever wondered how long it takes to deliver a speech? Or how much time you need to read a book? This words per minute calculator (or WPM calculator for short) will help you convert between the number of words and the time taken to read or say. This way, you will not only learn how many words is a 5-minute speech but also how long it takes you to read a document with 2000 words.

If you want to know how much time you need to finish a book, head straight to our reading speed calculator !

Words per minute (speech)

In order to determine how long your presentation takes, you first need to find your speaking speed — how many words per minute of speech you can deliver. For example, the average speaking speed in English is 130 wpm (words per minute). If, however, you are frequently told that you speak very slowly or very fast, you should adjust this value accordingly.

You could also measure your speaking speed experimentally. Set a timer to one minute and start reading a passage of text aloud. Once the timer stops, count the words you managed to read. This number is your words per minute speech speed — you can input it directly into our calculator after selecting the radio button Other .

Words per minute (reading)

The same principle as your speaking speed applies to your reading speed — the number of words per minute of reading. The average reading speed for the English language is between 170 and 240 wpm , depending on the text difficulty and your English ability.

Naturally, you can measure your reading speed and input it directly into this reading words per minute calculator. All you have to do is set a timer to one minute and start reading a book (or an e-book ), this time silently. Once the timer rings, count the words you read and input the number into the respective field (below the radio button Other in the reading section).

How many words is a 5 minute speech?

Once you know your speaking and reading speed, the calculations are a piece of cake! All you have to do is input the number of words you have to say into this words per minute calculator, which will tell you how long your presentation should take.

Of course, you can also use this calculator to figure out the maximum number of words in a speech with a limited time frame — for example, 5 minutes. Let's look at how to use this tool in more detail.

Choose whether you will speak to an audience or silently read the text. In this case, we are going to choose speech.

Select your speaking speed . We will stay with the average value of 130 wpm.

Determine the duration of the speech — here, we will pick a 5-minute elevator pitch.

Multiply the reading speed by the time to find out how many words are in a 5-minute speech:

130 × 5 = 650 words

Your speech can have a maximum of 650 words.

How many words per minute in a speech?

The average speaking speed in English is 130 words per minute . However, the average speaking rate changes according to the task before a speaker — for presentations, it goes down to 100-120 wpm, while for YouTubers, it's up to 150-160 wpm. When picking the right pace, you should also consider your audience, e.g., the presence of kids or non-native speakers!

How many words per 10 minute speech?

To deliver a successful ten-minute talk, prepare between 1000-1200 words. The absolute maximum you should have is 1300 words.

How many words are in a five minute speech?

A 5-minute speech should have between 500-600 words. Be careful not to exceed 650 words, or you'll talk too fast and, as a result, lose the audience!

How do I calculate the number of words in a talk?

To determine the number of words in a talk that will last m minutes:

Decide on the speaking rate r :

• Average: 130 wpm (words per minute);
• Slow: 100 wpm; and
• Fast: 160 wpm.

Multiply the speaking rate by the time you have in minutes:

The result in 2 is the number of words your talk should contain.

Number of words

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Speaking speed

Speaking time

Reading speed

Reading time

Introducing Speech Time Calculate

Estimate how many minutes your speeches, presentations, and voice-over scripts will take based on your words per minute rate!

How To Speech Time Calculate Using This Tool?

If you have a certain number of words or a piece of text you want to time, you can either type in the word count or paste the text into the provided area. This tool will then calculate how long it would take to read that text out loud.

The talk time estimate is calculated using the average speaking speed of adults, which is determined to be 183 words per minute based on scientific studies. If you’re interested in how long it would take to read silently, it’s estimated at 238 words per minute ( This data is also backed by research )

You can adjust the slider to change the words per minute value, which will affect the talk time estimate. However, the silent reading time estimate remains fixed at 238 words per minute.

For ease of use, we’ve also provided reference points for slow, average, and fast reading rates below the slider.

To begin anew, simply click the ‘clear text’ button to erase the content and restore the slider back to its original setting of 183.

Who is This Words to Minutes Converter Tool For?

If you are a student wondering how long is my essay or you’ve been tasked with writing a speech and need to know how many words to aim for and how many minutes will it take to deliver or perhaps you are a podcaster, just starting out, who wants the ability to easily synchronize music and spoken word without having to painstakingly calculate seconds between them, then this Speech Time Calculate is precisely for you!

From now on, instead of spending long hours in front of the computer trying to figure out how many seconds it takes for one phrase or section of dialogue to end and another to begin, you can let our innovative tool do all the work and convert your text to time quickly and accurately. With this powerful tool at your disposal, whether you’re giving a TED talk or just need to nail a business presentation, your life will become a little bit easier.

So keep reading to learn more about what this fantastic words to minutes converter has in store for public speakers, aspiring students, and professional radio producers alike!

Whether you want to read the text silently or speak aloud, you can use this tool as both:

• Reading time calculator
• Talk time calculator

Explanation of the Reading Time

Reading time refers to the duration it takes for an average person to read a written text silently while still comprehending its content. Based on an extensive analysis of 190 studies that involved 18,573 participants , research conducted by Marc Brysbaert in 2019 suggests that the typical silent reading speed for an adult individual is approximately 238 words per minute .

To convert word count to read time for a specific text, you can do so by dividing the total word count of the text by this established value of 238. Here is the mathematical equation for determining the duration of reading time in minutes:

Reading Time = Total Word Count / 238

Explanation of the Speech Time

Speech time refers to the duration it takes for an average person to read a text out loud. Based on data from 77 studies involving 5,965 people , it’s been found that most adults read aloud at a speed of approximately 183 words per minute ( research conducted by Marc Brysbaert in 2019 ). To figure out how long it will take to read a specific piece of text aloud, you can divide the total number of words in the text by this average rate of 183 words per minute.

Of course, it’s important to note that talk time can vary depending on factors such as clarity of speech, pauses for emphasis, and use of visual aids. However, using this tool for converting the number of words to minutes can still provide a helpful guideline for planning and practicing your presentation. By having a better understanding of speech rates, you can ensure that your message is delivered effectively and efficiently.

Benefits of Using a Speech Time Calculate

Time management in presentations.

Effective time management during presentations is crucial to ensure the audience remains engaged and the information is accurately conveyed. This is where our words to speaking time converter comes in handy. By using this tool, presenters can easily determine how many words they need to include in their presentation to stay within the allotted time frame.

Not only does it help with time management, but it also ensures that the pacing of the presentation is consistent, making it easier for the audience to follow. With the use of this presentation time calculator, presenters can confidently deliver their presentations without the worry of running over time or rushing through it.

Estimated speech time for public speaking

Public speaking can be nerve-wracking, especially when you have too little or too much information to fill your time slot. You wonder only if there were an accurate public speaking time calculator available so that you could be able to allocate the appropriate amount of time to each section of your presentation, ensuring that you cover all the necessary points without rushing or going over time.

Effective pacing is key in ensuring your message is delivered with clarity and impact.

Most public speakers target an average of 130-150 words per minute for their spoken content, meaning you should aim to limit your speaking time to roughly one minute per 130-150 words. While this may take some practice to achieve, the end result is a confident, well-timed delivery that keeps your audience engaged from start to finish.

Remember, in public speaking, less is often more—take your time to breathe and emphasize key points. Your audience will appreciate your thoughtful and measured approach. For that, you can use this tool and adjust your words to speech time.

Accurate estimations for audiobooks and podcasts

As more and more people turn to audiobooks and podcasts for their entertainment and information needs, accurate estimations of listening time have become more important than ever. After all, there’s nothing worse than settling in for a quick listen only to find yourself trapped in a story that goes on for hours longer than you anticipated.

That’s why it’s great to see publishers and podcast producers taking estimated reading time seriously, providing listeners with the information they need to choose the right content for their schedule. Whether you’re looking for a quick listen on your daily commute or a lengthy distraction for a lazy Sunday afternoon, accurate estimations using this words to speak time calculator make it easier than ever to find the perfect content.

Some Popular Speech Times

how many words in a 2 minute speech

Almost 300 words

how many words in a 3 minute speech

Almost 450 words

how many words in a 4 minute speech

Almost 600 words

how many words in a 15 minute speech

Almost 2250 words

The speech time is calculated taking 150 words per minute as reference value

Common conversions (average speed)

How long does it take to read 500 words?

3.8 minutes

How long does it take to read 750 words?

5.8 minutes

How long does it take to read 1000 words?

7.7 minutes

How long does it take to read 1200 words?

9.2 minutes

How long does it take to read 1500 words?

11.5 minutes

How long does it take to read 1800 words?

13.8 minutes

How long does it take to read 2000 words?

15.4 minutes

How long does it take to read 3000 words?

23.1 minutes

As the world becomes more fast-paced, time is a precious commodity. Determining how long your script will take to read, whether for a presentation or a video, can make a significant difference in engaging and retaining your audience’s attention.

That’s where our Words to Time Converter comes in handy. It’s a valuable tool for anyone working in various professions, from broadcast journalists to teachers to executives. No matter the industry, time is of the essence, and knowing how long your speech or presentation will take is crucial for effective communication.

How Many Words In A 5 Minute Speech? [A Word Count Guide]

/ By Alan Reiner

/ September 21, 2022

5 minute speeches are quite common. You may give them in your workplace, in an educational setting or even for things like weddings or funerals. 

Whatever the case, you will likely be asking yourself how many words you would need to write when you’re preparing what you’re going to say. 

In short, a 5 minute speech will require 750 words, based on the average talking length.

However, there’s a lot more information we must cover when exploring this topic.

In this guide, we’ve looked at the word length for 5 minute speeches, why it might be the case, and how you should prepare for the speech itself. 

So, if you’re looking for guidance on an upcoming speech, read on to learn more. 

What Is The Word Count For A 5 Minute Speech?

This is an area that has been explored multiple times over the years.

Academics and public speaking coaches have long researched this to try to help prospective students improve their speeches and presentation skills. 

According to publication coaches, the average person will speak between 125 to 150 words each minute. Resultedly, you would cover between 625 to 750 words per minute if you were to write a speech. 

In layman’s terms, your average blog post is about 750 words, so you can expect to be able to publicly read out a blog post in 5 minutes. 

Of course, this is only an estimate based on the average. Many people will speak much more quickly than others, and some speak much more slowly. 

The fact is, the only way you can categorically and conclusively work out how many words you can cover in 5 minutes is by practice and testing yourself. 

It’s also important to note that many speeches will not be read out word for word and you may end up going on a tangent, or even answering questions depending on what type of speech you are conducting.

Therefore, even if you can cover 750 words in 5 minutes word for word, you should also account for missing words or adding words to your speech. 

How To Deliver The Perfect 5 Minute Speech By Word Count

When it comes to the delivery of a 5 minute speech with a word count , there are various things you need to bear in mind. 

Let’s work under the assumption that you can cover 750 words in a five minute speech. You will need to prepare the speech in sections which provide your most salient points. 

Let’s look at this in more detail. 

Introduction

As always, your introduction should be the shortest part of your speech and should remain as concise as possible.

If we’re working under the 750 word assumption, your introduction should be between 50 and 100 words maximum.

This will mean that your introduction will take between 30 seconds and 1 minute long when it comes to the timing. 

Much like when you’re planning to write a type of essay or even for some fictional works, you will have a clear formatting. Introduction, main body and conclusion (or closing remarks). 

The main body is where the majority of your points will be made.

It is irrelevant what you are delivering the speech on, this is where you will provide the most important pieces of information or major talking points. 

As a result, the word count will be at its highest in this section. You should aim to write about 600 to 650 words in this section. 

Remember, this is the part of your speech that means the most. You should try to remain concise, but also provide the most important information. Do not waffle when it comes to this section. 

If you find during practice that your speech is not long enough, always try to put more relevant information into this section. Don’t be tempted to extend or prolong your introduction to account for more minutes. 

The same applies to the conclusion – you do not want to overdo those parts of a speech, as the overall meaning will be lost in the main body. 

Conclusion (Or Closing Remarks)

This area of your speech is where you will be summarizing your major points and simply reiterating or reminding your audience why you have made your speech, so they remember what the point was. 

A good conclusion or closing remarks in a speech will not repeat the same points, but rather act as a way to reinforce the points that were already made. 

A conclusion in terms of word count will cover about 50 to 100 words but should not exceed this really.

If you do too many words, you are in danger of repeating points that you have previously made and it will dilute the overall quality of the speech. 

Here’s an example from this guide:

“In conclusion, a speech will be about 750 words, split 50, 650, 50 for each section”. 

Tips For Delivering A Great Speech

Of course, it’s all well and good having your speech planned in terms of its word count, but you will need to know how to prepare and deliver this speech in the best possible way. 

Here are some of the best tips you can try to remember. 

Record And Time Yourself

As we mentioned earlier, 750 words is merely going to be a guideline. You will need to practice and will likely be rewriting your speech over and over again. 

We recommend writing a 750 word speech and then timing yourself as you deliver it on your own, before you do it for real. 

If you find that you are finishing your speech with plenty of time remaining, you will need to put more words into the main body of your speech. 

It’s important though that you remain concise and avoid putting points into your speech that are irrelevant or fruitless. 

Conversely, if your timer goes off and you have lots more to say, you will need to trim your speech down. 

It is often difficult to know what to remove, but we recommend trying to slim your introduction or closing remarks first before looking at what to edit in the main body. 

Take Your Time And Relax

It’s common for people to try to rush their speeches because they want to get it done with. This however usually gives off a bad experience for the audience and dilutes your quality. 

Take as much time as possible and try to relax. This will improve your delivery and should prevent you from running under your time limit. 

It’s important that you don’t pause for too long though, as you may run out of time! The best advice to give here is try to practice your speech as many times as possible before you give it properly. 

The Bottom Line

A 5 minute speech is about 750 words based on the average speaking speed. However, the only sure fire way to know how many words you should write is by practicing your speech and timing yourself.

Alan Reiner

Hi, my name is Alan Reiner and I have been in the writing industry for almost seven years. I write articles that can span from 200 words all the way to 20,000 words every single day. How do I do it? With a lot of determination. All my way through school and college, I hated long-form assignments. I could never get into the groove of working on one piece for an extended period of time. My pieces were always late because I didn’t have the motivation to type them, let alone edit them.

5 Ways to Use a Semicolon: Examples

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Speech calculator:  how long does it take to deliver your speech?

With this speech calculator, you can easily calculate how long it will take you to deliver a speech.

How many words per minute?

In the English language, people speak about 140 words per minute. A fast speaker will get to 170 words per minute, a slow speaker will use around 110 words.

Professional speechwriters use this speech calculator to find out how long a speech takes.

Copy your full text and paste it in the box below:

The entire analysis happens within your browser. The text will NOT be stored and NOT be sent over the web.

Word count:

Your speech rate:

Speech duration:

FAQ’s

How many words is a 3 minute speech  .

A speaker with an average speaking speed will need 420 words for a 3 minute speech. A fast speaker will need 510 words while a slow speaker will only need 330 words.

How many words is a 5 minute speech?  

A speaker with an average speaking speed will need 700 words for a 5 minutes speech. A fast speaker will need 850 words for the same speech length. A slow speaker will only need 550 words.

Is this a word count calculator?  

The speech calculator is a word count calculator. Insert your text and the tool will automatically calculate the word count.  It will then also calculate the speech length depending on the selected talking speed.

How to best select the right speaking speed?

Fast, average or slow? The answer depends on the speaker, the speech type and the speech setting.

The speaking speed of the speaker

Some speakers are natural fast or slow speakers. The best speakers keep a variance during their speeches. They speed up to keep momentum and slow down to put special emphasis on other parts.

The speech type

The type of speech matters a lot in selecting the right speech speed. If you read the whole speech word for word from paper then your average speech speed will be lower. If you intend to use the written speech as speaker notes then your average speaking speed will be much higher.

The speech setting

An informal setting will have a faster average speaking speed compared to a more formal setting.

Keeping all three factors in mind you will able make a better judgement about selecting the right speech speed in the speech calculator.

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Guide to Speaking Rates: How Many Words Per Minute Should Your Speech Be?

Ever find yourself grappling with the pace of your words during a presentation? You’re definitely not alone. It turns out, the average speaking rate for folks in the United States is about 150 words per minute – a little nugget of information that was a game-changer for me on my path to becoming more confident in public speaking .

In this article, we’re going to dive into everything from understanding different speech rates to fine-tuning your own rhythm , ensuring your next presentation strikes the perfect balance .

Stick around; you won’t want to miss these insights!

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Speaking at the right speed is crucial for keeping your audience engaged. The average speaking rate in the United States is about 150 words per minute. But, this can change based on who you’re talking to and what you’re saying.
• Different types of speeches need different speeds. For TED Talks, aim for around 163 words per minute to keep things interesting. Political speeches should be slower, at about 110-120 words per minute, to add weight to your words. Business presentations work best at a pace of about 140 words per minute.
• Your speaking rate can vary because of many reasons like where you’re from, how excited you are, or if you know a lot about the topic. Other big factors include how confident you feel and physical things like being tired or sick.
• You can get better at finding the right speed by practicing out loud with exercises and asking people for their honest thoughts on your speech style. Using tools like word counts helps plan how long your talk will be.
• Changing how fast or slow you speak during a presentation makes it more exciting and helps highlight important points. Slowing down when sharing something significant or speeding up when showing excitement keeps listeners interested.

Understanding Speaking Rates and Words per Minute

Understanding speaking rates involves grasping the concept of speaking rate and average reading speed, as well as identifying the factors that influence how fast or slow someone speaks.

Additionally, it’s important to understand the ideal speaking rate for different types of speeches such as TED Talks , political speeches , and business presentations .

What is speaking rate

Speaking rate is how fast or slow you talk, measured in words per minute . For example, the average speaking rate for English speakers in the United States is around 150 words per minute.

This number can change depending on who you are talking to or what you’re talking about. Some people naturally speak faster, while others take their time and speak more slowly.

The speed at which someone speaks can affect how well the audience understands and engages with the speech. Speaking too fast might confuse listeners, but going too slow might make them lose interest.

Knowing your ideal speaking pace helps keep your audience hooked and conveys your message effectively. Let’s look into why understanding this balance is crucial for public speakers of all levels.

Average reading speed

After introducing the concept of speaking rate, it’s essential to touch on the average reading speed . This is crucial because it sets a baseline for understanding how our speaking speed compares to how fast we read.

This table outlines different scenarios and the average or recommended words per minute for each. It helps us gauge how our reading speed compares to various speaking contexts. For instance, while the average conversation rate and general speeches pace are similar at about 150 words per minute, voiceovers tend to be much slower, at 75 words per minute. This comparison underscores how context affects the ideal speaking speed, showing us that effective communication is not just about what we say but also how fast we say it.

Factors that influence speaking rate

The pace we speak at is influenced by several factors, including our regional dialect, cultural background, and level of excitement . Other key influencers are our familiarity with the topic , our own confidence levels, and any existing anxiety or nervousness. Additionally, physical factors like fatigue, illness, or even the layout of the speaking space can also impact our speaking rate.

• Regional dialect and cultural background : The rhythm and intonation patterns associated with different dialects and cultures affect how fast or slow someone speaks.
• Level of excitement : When we’re excited or passionate about a topic, we tend to speak more quickly.
• Familiarity with the topic : If we’re very familiar with what we’re talking about, we might speak faster than if the subject matter is new to us.
• Confidence levels and anxiety : Higher confidence levels generally result in a faster speaking pace, whereas anxiety may cause someone to speak more slowly.
• Physical factors : Fatigue, illness, or environmental factors such as an uncomfortable speaking space can also influence speaking rate.

These variables show that many diverse aspects can affect how quickly or slowly someone speaks during a presentation or speech.

The Ideal Speaking Rate for Different Types of Speeches

TED Talks, political speeches, and business presentations each have their own ideal speaking rates to keep the audience engaged and effectively convey the message. Varying your speaking rate is essential for captivating different audiences in these varied speech contexts.

TED Talks are renowned for their powerful, thought-provoking content. The ideal speaking rate for TED Talks is about 163 words per minute . This pace allows the speaker to convey their message clearly and engagingly, keeping the audience captivated throughout the talk.

It’s important to maintain a steady yet expressive speed while delivering a TED Talk to effectively communicate your ideas and connect with your audience.

– Political speeches

Political speeches

Political speeches should aim for a speaking rate of about 110-120 words per minute . This allows the audience to absorb the information and feel the emotion behind your words. Remember, slower speaking rates can add weight and significance to your message, especially during pivotal moments in a speech .

For political speeches, aiming for around 110-120 words per minute ensures that you convey gravitas and allow your audience to absorb every point without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

Business presentations

When delivering business presentations, aim for a speaking rate of around 140 words per minute . It’s crucial to vary your speed and enunciate clearly to maintain audience engagement .

Keep in mind that the average reading speed is about 150 words per minute , so adjusting accordingly will help ensure your message is effectively communicated.

The ideal speaking rate for different types of speeches varies; however, for business presentations, a slightly slower pace can help convey complex information more clearly and allow time for the audience to digest key points.

Tips for Selecting the Right Speaking Speed

Select the right speaking speed by knowing your own rate, using word counts, planning for delays, and varying your pace to keep your audience engaged. Read more on our blog!

Know your own speaking rate

Assess your speaking rate by timing yourself for a minute as you speak naturally. Then count the number of words spoken. This will help determine your average speaking speed . Repeat this process a few times to get an accurate estimate.

For example, if you speak around 160 words in a minute, then your speaking rate is faster than the average English speaker.

Understanding how fast or slow you normally speak can inform adjustments needed when preparing speeches and presentations. This self-awareness enables better planning and aids in choosing the ideal pace for conveying your message effectively to different audiences, like when delivering TED Talks or political speeches.

Use word counts as an estimation

When determining your speaking rate , use word counts to estimate how many words you need for a specific time frame . For example, if you aim for a 5-minute speech and speak at the recommended rate of 140 words per minute, then plan to include around 700 words in your speech.

Knowing this estimation can help you tailor your content effectively for different speaking duration requirements.

By using word counts as an estimation tool , it allows you to gauge how much content is needed based on the duration of your speech. This method helps in planning and organizing the material to fit within the allocated time while ensuring that key points are effectively conveyed without rushing or dragging them out.

Plan for technical delays and Q&A

Plan for technical delays and Q&A by adding extra buffer time to your speech. It’s common for things to go off schedule, so allow a few extra minutes in case of tech hiccups or questions from the audience.

Prepare some backup material in case you need to fill time unexpectedly. Also, practice answering potential Q&A queries during your rehearsals so you can respond confidently and succinctly.

Remember that technical issues are part of public speaking, so remaining calm and prepared will help you deliver a smooth presentation even if something unexpected happens.

Vary your speaking rate

To keep your audience engaged, change the speed of your speech. Slow down for important points and speed up to show excitement or urgency. This technique helps maintain interest and emphasizes key ideas , making your speech more dynamic.

Try adjusting your speaking pace using pauses, emphasizing words, or changing tone. Varying your rate adds interest and keeps listeners focused through different speeds and rhythms.

It’s a simple yet effective way to enhance engagement throughout your speech.

How to Improve Your Speaking Rate

Improve speaking rate by practicing different exercises and seeking feedback for adjustment. Always aim to enhance your verbal delivery.

Practice with different exercises

To improve your speaking rate, try these exercises:

• Read aloud various texts at a comfortable pace , gradually speeding up.
• Use a metronome to set the pace and match your speaking rate to it.
• Practice tongue twisters to enhance articulation and fluency.
• Record yourself speaking and analyze areas for improvement.
• Engage in role – playing scenarios to boost confidence and spontaneity.
• Experiment with storytelling to vary your speaking speed and tone.
• Attend public speaking workshops or join clubs like Toastmasters for structured practice.

Now let’s delve into the different exercises for improving your speaking rate!

Seek feedback and adjust accordingly

As a beginner in public speaking, seeking feedback and making adjustments is crucial. Feedback helps you understand how others perceive your speech rate and style. Adjusting accordingly can make your delivery more effective.

Remember, practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect! Therefore, seek out opportunities to speak in front of diverse audiences or record yourself to get constructive criticism from different perspectives.

Taking this step will help you gain confidence and enhance your speaking skills.

I’ve learned a lot about speaking rates and how they can impact a speech. Speaking at the right speed can make your message clearer and more engaging for your audience. Now, let’s hear from an expert in public speaking.

Meet Dr. Linda Harris, a renowned communication specialist with over 20 years of experience teaching effective speaking techniques at prestigious universities. Dr. Harris has authored several influential papers on voice modulation and oratory excellence, securing her place as an authority in the field of public speaking.

Dr. Harris emphasizes that understanding your personal speaking rate is crucial for crafting speeches that resonate with audiences. By aligning your delivery with the content’s nature and audience expectations, you enhance comprehension and retention.

She refers to studies indicating optimal engagement levels when speakers maintain rates close to 140-160 words per minute.

On safety, ethics, and transparency in speech delivery, Dr. Harris highlights the importance of accurate information dissemination above maintaining specific speech speeds. Ensuring messages are truthful maintains credibility regardless of the presentation pace.

She advises incorporating varied speech rates into everyday conversations as practice for formal presentations. This flexibility not only improves adaptability but also enriches personal communication skills noticeably.

In her balanced evaluation, Dr. Harris recognizes potential challenges like adapting to technological aids during online presentations or managing time constraints in live talks effectively without sacrificing quality — issues often addressed through conscientious preparation and continuous self-awareness.

Ultimately, Dr. Harris endorses prioritizing clarity and emotional connection over rigid adherence to exact words-per-minute counts in most speaking scenarios while acknowledging certain contexts may demand stricter timing control for maximum effect.

Her insights underline practical apparatuses offered by knowing ideal speech velocities yet encourage speakers to prioritize their unique voice within this framework.

Ryan Nelson is the founder of Speak2Impress, a platform dedicated to helping individuals master the art of public speaking. Despite having a crippling fear of public speaking for many years, Ryan overcame his anxiety through diligent practice and active participation in Toastmasters. Now residing in New York City, he is passionate about sharing his journey and techniques to empower others to speak with confidence and clarity.

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How Many Words Should Be in My Speech? (Based on Number of Minutes)

Crafting a speech? Typically, individuals speak at 125-200 words per minute. For instance, a 5-minute speech is about 625-1000 words. Keep this pace in mind to tailor your speech’s length to your time limit. Familiarity and nerves can also influence speed.

You can use our handy guide to find out how many words should be in your speech, based on the number of minutes you have to speak. We will also discuss the ideal word count for different lengths of speeches. Let’s get started!

At a Glance:

• Average speaking rate is 125-200 words per minute.
• Word count for a 5-minute speech is typically 625-1000 words.
• Speaking speed varies based on personal style, familiarity, and nerves.
• Several factors influence the ideal word count for a given speech duration.
• Regular rehearsal ensures effective speech delivery.

Speech Duration vs. Word Count

Estimating speaking time for a manuscript, factors affecting the word count in your timed speech, number of words based on the number of minutes.

The average person speaks at a rate of about 125 to 200 words per minute, but this can vary depending on your natural speaking style and the context of your speech. Other factors like how well you know your material and how nervous you are can also affect your speaking rate.

When it comes to speeches, many people worry about how many words they should use per minute. The truth is, there is no specific number. However, knowing the average word count for different speech lengths can help you plan and pace your words more effectively.

Here is a breakdown of the average word counts for speeches of different lengths.

To simplify things, let’s look at word counts for standard time intervals:

1-minute speech: 125 – 200 words 5-minute speech: 625 – 1000 words 10-minute speech: 1250 – 2000 words 15-minute speech: 1875 – 3000 words 20-minute speech: 2500 – 4000 words 30-minute speech: 3750 – 6000 words 45-minute speech: 5625 – 9000 words 60-minute (or 1-hour) speech: 7500 – 12000 words

For intermediate minutes, you can use the average rate of 125-200 wpm to estimate.

If you have a written speech or manuscript, you might be curious about its duration when spoken.

Here’s a quick guide based on word counts:

100 words: About 0.5 to 0.8 minutes 200 words: About 1 to 1.6 minutes 250 words: About 1.25 to 2 minutes 500 words: About 2.5 to 4 minutes (And so on, using the average speaking rate of 125-200 wpm.)

Several factors can impact how many words your speech should ideally have for a given time frame. Understanding these variables can help you deliver a presentation that’s both engaging and perfectly timed. Here’s a breakdown of these influential factors:

• Natural Speaking Rate: Every individual possesses a unique speaking pace. Some naturally express thoughts swiftly, clocking in around 200 words per minute or even faster. In contrast, others may speak more deliberately, averaging around 125 words per minute. This inherent rhythm greatly influences the word count of a speech for a given time frame.
• Audience Demographic: Your audience’s age, background, and familiarity with the topic can dictate the speed at which you should present. For example, a technical presentation for industry experts might proceed faster than one for novices, even if the word count remains consistent.

• Topic Complexity: More intricate or challenging subjects demand a slower pace to ensure comprehension. In such cases, even if the speech’s duration is lengthy, the word count might be on the lower side to accommodate pauses and explanations.
• Use of Visual Aids: Incorporating slides, charts, or videos can mean fewer words spoken. Visual elements often require pauses, allowing the audience to process the information visually rather than just auditorily.
• Nervousness: Unsurprisingly, nervousness can speed up one’s delivery. A speaker might rush through their material when anxious, resulting in a higher word count in a shorter time frame.

Crafting a speech that’s both engaging and appropriately timed is an art. While the word count provides a framework, considering the factors above ensures your speech is not just well-timed, but also effective. As you prepare, always prioritize clarity, engagement, and resonance with your audience over sticking rigidly to word counts.

It’s important to know how many words your speech should be so that you can plan and structure it accordingly. We hope this guide will help you determine the number of minutes your speech should be based on the number of words. Keep in mind that this is just a general guideline, and you may need more or less time depending on your content.

So use this as a starting point, and then adjust as needed. And most importantly, practice, practice, practice! The more you run through your speech beforehand, the smoother it will go when you’re up in front of an audience. Thanks for reading!

Related Posts:

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How Many Words is a 5 Minute Speech

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Free Online Words to Minutes Calculator

How long should your 5 minutes speech be? How many words should your essay be to take 5 minutes reading?

To find an answer, you need words to minutes calculator. IvyPanda Experts prepared this post, where you will find 10 free words to minutes converters, find out how to measure your speaking rate, and how long your X-minute speech has to be.

🏆 Top 10 Free Words to Minutes Converter

🎤 how long does a 4-minute speech have to be, ⏱ how to measure your speech length, 1. speech in minutes.

This is a free-to-use speech calculator to measure how long it takes to deliver your speech. To use this tool, you need to enter the word count and choose the reading speed: from slow (100 words per minute) to fast (160 words per minute). No registration is needed.

2. Words to Time

Words To Time as an ad-free text to speech calculator that will provide you with the number of minutes immediately. You can type the number of words you want to convert or paste your text and grab the result. Don’t forget to pick up the reading speed!

3. The Word Finder

This is a free speech length estimator. No sign-up, no ads, or captcha. Type the word count, choose speaking speed, and grab the result immediately. There are also available various cool apps like Font Generators, Backwards Text Converter, Time Calc, etc.

4. EdgeStudio

Edge Studio, the voice recording company, developed a free online script timer. Depending on the data available, you can put the words count, paste your text, or type the average words per line. You will get a result instantly after you click the button “Submit.” On the tab “Statistics,” you can find out stats about reading speed, word, and line count.

5. Copywritely

At this website, you can measure the time of reading your text within a couple of clicks using its words to minutes calculator. Paste your text, and at the bottom of the field, you will see the word count and the approximate speech time.

The tool is available in English, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch. Also, there are available Grammar Checker, Alphabetizer, Words to Pages, and other apps that will become handy for any writing purpose.

6. Read-O-Meter

Read-O-Meter is a simple and hassle-free word to minutes calculator to estimate the reading time. All you have to do is just type or paste the text you want to calculate the speech or article length and press the button “Estimate Reading Time.”

7. TheVoice Realm

This speech length calculator was designed by the online voice casting company. To use it, you need to paste your text or the word count and find out the estimated time. The page also contains background information about the speaking speed and how many minutes in 300, 900, and more words.

To use the Words to Time Conversion tool, you need to know the word count of your text. To get the estimated speech time, you need to type the number of words and adjust reading or speaking time, and you will get an immediate result. The tool is free and contains no ads.

9. Debatrix

This is another ad-free word to minute speech calculator to find out how long your speech will take. To measure the estimated time, you need to paste the text. The online app will count the number of words and speech duration.

10. TextConverter

The website provides plenty of tools that will be useful for students, SEO specialists, and writers.

Choose the text type: speech or locution, reading rhythm, and get the estimated time for your project. The app also will count the number of words and characters.

On the website, you can also find other utilities: Text Randomizer, Upper and Lower Case converters, E-mails Extractor, Hashtags, etc. The site is available in English and Portuguese languages.

Why do we need to measure the reading or speaking time?

There can be a variety of reasons. For example, you should prepare a 5-minute speech, or your post should not exceed 10 minutes of reading.

Speaking or reading time depends on the person who is going to read the text. Below, you will find a table that will help you quickly determine the duration of the content. The table is divided into two parts. The first one gives you reference information of minutes to words conversion. The second one shows the inverse correlation.

This table provides only the estimated information. The actual speech duration depends on your speaking pace, pauses, and so on. Below you will find out what impacts and how to measure your speaking rate.

Keep reading!

In this post, we will share with you how to measure how long your speech will be. Also, you will find out what impacts your speaking pace and how to practice it.

Determine the Word Count

First things first, so let’s determine the number of words you want to turn to minutes. If you use the Microsoft Word or Open Office, you will find out the word count on the status bar at the bottom of the screen.

In Google Docs, you can click Tools>>Word Count, or use the shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+C. If you use other word processors, refer to the help system of the tool.

Determine the Speech Pace

If you don’t know how many words you speak per minute, there are a couple of options to find out it. Check them below!

Use the sample text. Here is how it works: take your sample text, start the timer, and begin reading it aloud. When the minute is up, use your word processing app to figure out how many words you read. This will be your speed of speech.

Record yourself. Another way to find out your speaking pace is to record your speech. Set a timer for a minute, read any text, or talk about any topic while recording it. Then, listen to it and count the words you spoke. You can count it manually or use the software, for example, IBM Speech to Text calculator .

What Impacts Your Speaking Rate?

The speaking rate is individual. There are many factors that influence it. Here are some of them:

• Pauses, and rhetorical devices. The more it has, the slower your speaking rate will be.
• Condition of the speaker. If you’re angry, excited, or in a hurry, you will probably speak faster than usual. On the other hand, when you are tired, it makes it harder to speak quickly.
• Urgency. Here’s the deal: in emergencies, we are more likely will speak quicker than in a calm environment.
• Mental issues. Some mental conditions may lead to a slower or faster speech rate.
• Audience and event. For example, if you are recording audio for a radio ad, you will speak faster, since you are limited by the time. Another example is when you are trying to explain the complicated term to students. More likely, you will slow down your speech. During the presentation, you can also make pauses while changing the slides or checking your notes.
• Environment. Yes, your background directly impacts your speaking pace: your dialect, family, culture, friends, and neighbors, etc.
• Words and content complexity. The long and complex words also impact your speaking pace, making it slower. The same can be said about complex content—it requires more time to deliver it to the audience. Remember about this if you are limited by time.
• Language. Depending on the language you speak, your speaking rate will vary. In 2011, the University of Lyon researchers asked volunteers to read twenty texts in their native languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, and Italian. The purpose of studies was to find out how the density of syllables impacts the rate of communication.

Here’s what they found: the Mandarin language is the slowest one, with 5.18 syllables per second. However, it has the highest information density. The fastest language is Japanese, with its 7.84 syllables per second rate. English language speaking rate is 6.19 syllables per second.

Another interesting fact about the speaking rate is the world record shattered by Steve Woodmore . He articulates 637 words in one minute!

If you are wondering about the average speaking rates, check the table below:

Source: National Center for Voice and Speech

But what about reading? Is the reading pace the same as speaking?

On average, people read 180-300 words per minute. However, speed readers can read 1000+ words per minute.

How to Practice Your Speaking Rate?

You might have met people called a motor-mouth — they speak too fast, and words seem rocket out from their mouths. Others, on the opposite, speak too slowly. You can compare them with sloths from the movie Zootopia:

Both these cases can be fun for a while. However, the too fast and too slow speech will make the listeners lose their interest.

The solution is to practice your speaking rate, making it flexible, and adapting to your audience’s needs.

Below, you will find five easy exercises that will help you to develop a flexible speaking rate:

Read children’s books aloud.

Here’s the deal: when you read stories to a child, you might notice that some passages require you to speak faster, while others must be read at a slow pace.

Read a story several times aloud to become familiar with the text and its passages. If it is possible, record yourself. Then, try reading the text and change the pace. Listen to the records to hear the differences. Think of how the speaking rate impacts the comprehension of the text.

Read scientific reports.

You may find this exercise boring, but yet it will be helpful for delivering complex things in your future speeches.

First, pick up the newspaper or magazine. For example, you can try a Science magazine website — there are plenty of interesting topics, reports, and articles to discover. After you select the report, read it silently to familiarize yourself with the material. The next step is to read it aloud (don’t forget about recording yourself!), noting which parts of the text should be read at a slow pace, and which — faster.

You can extend this exercise and image that you read the article to someone who knows nothing about this topic. Listen to the records and pay attention to the changes you made.

Read your own class speeches.

Make a series of experiments with one of your old class speeches. First, record it delivering the speech at your normal speaking pace. Check the time it took to deliver.

The next step is to mark down some passages to read at slower and others — at a faster rate. Now, read it aloud again while adhering to the marks. Listen to the records; note how changed the time and overall speech comprehension.

Listen to various speakers.

Watch the movie, listen to the news on TV, and watch the classical play. Compare the speech rates of the speakers. You will notice the rhetorical devices they use and how effective their speech is. Then, experiment with your own speech and see how it changes.

Read texts you are familiar with.

Read the text you already know at a quicker or slower pace than usual. Record yourself and play it back. Note the places where your speaking rate was effective and where it wasn’t. Then, mark these places and reread the text again, implementing these changes and recording yourself. See how your speech has changed.

These simple exercises will help you to produce effective speeches for various audiences.

There are a couple of things you need to remember when you speak:

• Fast speaking indicates urgency, passion, and emotions. If you want to stimulate and excite the attention of your listeners, speak quickly. However, you should remember that after a couple of minutes of listening to fast speech, it becomes overwhelming.
• Slow speaking, on the other hand, indicates the seriousness of your point, its importance. Use this approach to grab the attention of your audience. The slow pace also will help them to easier process the information you want to deliver. Similar to fast speaking, too slow pace in your entire speech also can overwhelm and bore your listeners.

How to Make the Speech Memorable

Pace yourself to highlight the most important parts of the speech, and your audience will memorize what you said. The key to any great speech is the retention of the audience. Check the IvyPanda expert advice to make your talks memorable :

• Tell stories. Interesting examples not only illustrate your speech but also help listeners to recall what you said. Humor and short stories from your life will also help you to grab the attention of your audience. Important notice: tell only relevant ones and don’t overuse them.
• Use pauses and breaks. Just like a novel is broken into chapters and paragraphs, pauses in your speech serve as a signal of the end of one point and transition to another.

Use simple and short sentences and phrases. Short sentences and simple language will help you to maximize the engagement and comprehension of your audience. Avoid complex words unless you are talking about specific tech terms in front of the professionals in this sphere.

• Engage your audience with questions. At the beginning of the speech, ask your audience a question or two. This method will give them a hook and grab their attention.
• Review your speech after you wrote it. Check if everything is clear. Rehearse it in various rates and note places where you need to speed up your speech and where to slow it down.

Now you know how to find out the length of your speech, have all the tools to convert words to minutes, and advice on how to practice your speaking rate. Don’t forget to check our other tools to write outstanding speeches.

Updated: Oct 25th, 2023

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When you are working on a 5-minute speech, you may want to know how many words you should write. This page contains links to 10 free online words to minutes converters. Here you will also find tips on how to measure your speaking rate and how to make your speech memorable.

5-minute speech topics: Everything You Need to Know (With Examples)

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking , Speech Topics

Coming up with 5-minute speech topics is a more tedious task than researching, framing, and delivering your speech altogether.

It is a general rule that having a fantastically written and presented speech adds less value when the speech topic isn’t interesting and effective enough.

In 5-minute speeches, your topic becomes more crucial as the length of your speech increases compared to any 1–2-minute speeches which are very brief.

How long are 5-minute speeches?

When we talk about how long 5 minutes speeches should be, we are essentially answering the question,

How many words are there in a 5-minute speech?

With an average individual speaking about 130-150 words per minute, 5-minute speeches are usually 650-750 words long .

But to gauge the exact number of words you should speak for your 5-minute speeches, try to understand your pace of speaking. Your pace of speaking is the number of words you can talk in a minute. And then frame the speech accordingly.

How many slides are there in a 5-minute speech?

As a general rule, adding 5-6 slides for your 5-minute presentations is ideal . However, there are compulsions which means you can add as many slides as you wish as long as you are able to present your topic effectively.

What do 5-minute speech topics look like?

Before coming up with a 5-minute speech topic for your speech, you must understand what the topic should look like so as to grab everyone’s attention and instill enough curiosity in them.

Keep your title short. Very lengthy titles are challenging to recall and can be very boring for the audience members. Keeping the title of your article within the limit of 50 characters is usually a good idea.

2. Informative

After reading the above point, you might be tempted to cut down words and that is okay but try to make sure that it doesn’t steal the very essence of the speech. The title should give a brief idea to your audience so that they know what they can expect to gain from your speech.

3. Relevant

Make sure that your topic is relevant to the occasion and preferences of your audience.

How to go about selecting a 5-minute speech topic?

There are 2 ways to find a topic for your 5-minute speech:

• Research and elimination : When you try to come up with a topic yourself by conducting research about your audience, your own interests, and knowledge areas and then narrow it down to a specific topic, it is the process of research and elimination.
• Picking a topic from the internet : A very convenient way to choose 5-minute speech topics is to find one on the internet!

Research and Elimination

To find a perfect 5-minute speech topic for yourself, you will have to take into consideration a couple of things while researching. Here is a list of things to consider before selecting a 5-minute speech:

1. Audience

Before selecting a topic for your 5-minute speech, ask yourself “who is my audience?”

The idea is to understand what the majority of your audience would comprise. Are you giving a speech to college students? Or working professionals? Which gender makes the majority of your audience? What ethnicity do they come from?

Answering all these questions will give you an idea of what your audience would likely prefer to hear.

For example, if you have to give a speech on future financial planning, you can focus on retirement planning in case your audience is made up of mid to senior-level working professionals. Or you can focus on the trending investment options like cryptocurrencies and small cases if your audience comprises a young crowd.

2. Occasion

Understand the occasion for which you will be giving the speech. Is it a wedding toast or for a product launch? In both cases, your language, humor, and the same content of your speech would be very different.

A speech for a wedding toast for example would sound more like,

“To all those who know Nisha, I am her best friend. We have been friends since the 2nd grade and have been inseparable since. On this wonderful day, if I am happy to see her as a beautiful bride, I am equally saddened to see her leave all of us behind. But as she always says, She will just be a call away”

On the other hand, a speech for a product launch would look like this,

“Hello and good evening, everybody. We are excited and elated to have you here with us today to experience the magnificence of a new powerful gadget that would be the future of hair drying: Stylion ”

3. Interests

No matter how good a speaker may be, if he or she isn’t passionate about a topic, it will be visible to their audience. This is where the interests of the speaker come into the picture.

Having an immense interest in the topic you would like to speak on is important because it helps you reach the audience and makes the entire process of researching, formatting, and delivering the speech very enjoyable for you!

4. Knowledge

You could be very interested in astrology but if you have no idea how these planetary movements affect individuals’ lives, then giving an effective speech could be challenging.

Besides interest, you also need to have enough knowledge about the topic that you’ll be speaking on so that you have some credible content to deliver passionately to your audience.

The last and the most important factor to take into consideration is the purpose for which you are giving the speech.

Are you trying to educate your audience or sell a product or give them a different perspective on a topic?

Whatever your purpose is, it needs to be taken into consideration so that you can narrow down your topics and select one that perfectly fits your requirements.

Some purposes of 5-minute speeches could be:

Informative speeches are where the speaker tries to inform his audience about the topic. It doesn’t focus on tweaking the audience’s perception in any way. Rather the idea is to share with the audience some facts and statistical figures or events in history with as detailed speech as possible.

An example of an informative speech would be a speech on the Indian freedom struggle.

To Persuade

Persuasion is an act of asking others to behave a certain way or do a certain thing. Oftentimes, politicians and salespersons are famous for using persuasion techniques like rhetoric and metaphors to persuade the crowd to do something.

To celebrate

Wedding toasts are the best example of celebratory speeches. The purpose of these speeches is to s hare an emotional or fun memory or tell stories to the audience in an attempt to enjoy and celebrate the event.

How can I talk for 5 minutes straight?

5 minutes is actually a very convenient time to give an effective speech. However, it can seem very daunting to talk for 5 minutes straight if you are trying to memorize your speech by heart.

So the first thing to effectively talk for 5 minutes straight is to avoid memorizing it by heart. You can use various interactive methods like storytelling , using props, or dividing your speech into points to make it easier for you to give your speech for such an extended time.

Create a well-defined outline for your speech and practice it a couple of times in order to make the task of giving 5-minute speeches a little easier for yourself!

All this discussion would suggest that 5-minute speeches are tricky but is that really the case?

Is a 5-minute speech hard?

While from the audience’s perspective, 5-minute speeches are nothing but a blessing; for you as a speaker, 5-minute speeches could actually be a little too less or too much. Thus making it a tad bit difficult to give effective and engaging 5-minute speeches.

If for instance, you are to present your research proposal, then 5 minutes would not do justice to years of your dedicated efforts. While on the other hand, if you are giving a speech on some generic topic like climate change then even 2 minutes would be sufficient to get your point across.

So whether 5-minute speeches are hard or not would depend completely on how you perceive them.

If you do feel that they are difficult then remember the old saying “Practice makes the man perfect!”

5-minute speech outline

Once you come up with a topic for your speech, the next step is to look at its outline. The outline of any speech refers to the way in which you plan on structuring it.

Usually, 5-minute speeches are structured in the format given below:

1. Opening the speech

For a 5-minute speech, you can spend about a minute introducing yourself and the topic you will be speaking about.

Make sure to give the audience a glimpse of what you’ll be talking about so that they get a clear idea of what to expect from your speech.

It is also recommended to start with a very effective and attractive opening line so as to grab the audience’s attention quickly.

A few ways you can open your speech are:

• Proactive Statements : Provocative statements are the ones where you try to break the audience’s long-held views and later provide an alternative through your speech.

An example of this is

I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you are going to fail to have a good career Larry Smith

• Imagination : Imagination is a great tool to give your audience a chance to relate to you.

You can begin your speech with the word “imagine” and then proceed to narrate an incident that is relevant to your speech. An example of this is given below.

Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3000 feet. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. Rick Elias

Check out the video below to get a more detailed idea about the opening lines.

2. Main body

The main body of any speech is where the main essence of your speech lies. You can structure this segment in 2 ways:

a. Pointer format

In the pointer format, the idea is to divide the main content into smaller parts or points. This helps in allocating specific time to each topic. It also helps in easy recall for the audience members.

b. Flow format

A flow format is one wherein two ideas are not separated by points. Rather there is a flow maintained throughout the speech.

3. Conclusion

It is necessary to summarise your speech in the last one minute. This is also the time wherein you will have to restate your takeaway.

Ending any speech on a high note is always recommended. You can do that by quoting a famous personality or calling for action from the audience members.

Check out the short video below to understand more about closing lines in a speech.

Examples of 5-minute speeches

1. the danger of silence.

Clint Smith has done a great job with his 5-minute TED speech wherein he begins by quoting Martin Luther King Jr . He further establishes credibility when he states that he is a teacher and how the quote inspires him to challenge his students to embrace silence in their life.

He speaks as if it were spoken word poetry , emphasizing events that happened in his life and how they changed him to perceive silence in a different light.

2. 3 Things I learned while My Plane Crashed

Ric Elias has used the most effective technique to get the audience to relate to you, the technique of imagination . He begins his speech by asking the audience members to imagine being a part of a plane crash and to feel all the things that he felt when he experienced a similar incident.

There is the use of good humor as well in his speech, taking a dig at how he didn’t have to ask the flight attendant for anything as they clearly knew they were all about to die. He further jokes about his daughter when he says,

About a month later, I was at a performance by my daughter. First grader, not much of an artistic talent…Yet!

Lastly, He very effectively divides the main content of the speech into 3 points or things that he learned from his experience.

3. Being an Introvert is a Good Thing

Crystal Robello has given this amazing 5-minute speech on How being an Introvert is a good thing.

The speech is worth taking a look into as her speech provides a great argument in favor of introverts and tries to break the long-held view against them by society. She shares her own story adding a personal touch to her speech.

Further, she makes use of rhetorical questions which are questions that do not necessarily require an answer from the audience. Check out the rhetorical questions she uses below:

• ..and I have opinions. I just didn’t want to share them, but is there anything wrong with that?
• (mentions famous introverts) Do you think being an introvert has stopped them from achieving their goals or being happy?

Lastly, she ends her speech on a very powerful note by quoting a line from the book Quite and saying,

So the next time you see that quiet kid in the back of the class who doesn’t participate very much, I want you to think “I wonder what wonderful things they are going to come up with next?”

5-minute speech topics

In case you don’t have enough time to go through the entire topic selection process, the second-best option is to select a topic that is available on the internet.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to do another google search.

We have curated a list of 5-minute speech topics so that you can take a look at it and select a topic that suits you!

General 5-minute speech topics

• Climate Change
• Domestic Violence
• Environment
• Importance of Cleanliness
• Women’s Day Speech
• Teachers’ Day Speech

5-minute speech topics depending on the type of the speech

The purpose of your speech defines the type of your speech. A few broad speech types are

• Informative speech
• Demonstrative Speech
• Persuasive speech

Informative Speech Topics

Informative speeches focus on educating or introducing the audience to new concepts or ideas. thus, it provides information about a topic to the audience and doesn’t try to make them believe in a particular viewpoint or opinion., 5-minute informative speech topics:.

• The reality of adoption in India
• Technological developments in organ transplantation
• The freedom struggle of any country
• History of body art
• Women warriors who made a difference
• The Indian freedom struggles
• Story of the greens
• Side effects of Anti-depressants
• The rise of Adderall uses among college students
• Impact of diet on Mental health
• Impact of sleep deprivation on productivity
• The great resignation
• The reality of beauty pageants
• All about sustainable traveling
• The efficiency of ayurvedic medicine
• Western influence on traditional yoga
• Impact of music on mood
• Why does playing musical instruments keep you healthy?
• Evolution of the electric guitar
• COVID restrictions around the world

Demonstrative Speech Topics

The only difference between an informative speech and a demonstrative speech is the use of visuals.

In a demonstrative speech, the speaker tries you help you understand a new topic or information by demonstrating a few fundamentals of the topic to you.

For example, a salesperson trying to pitch his product through his speech would make use of the product to show his audience how that product can make their lives easy.

A few verbs or phrases that you can use in your demonstrative 5-minute speech topics are:

• N ways to..
• Structure..

Examples of Demonstrative 5-minute speech topics

• How to ace a test in 5 days
• How to make mac n cheese
• How to Organize a party
• How to prevent a financial loss
• How to stop procrastinating
• How to learn a new language in 30 days
• How to start a successful business from home
• How to use chopsticks
• How to wear a scarf in 5 ways
• 10 steps to writing a blog
• 20 ways to add protein to your diet
• 4 ways to motivate yourself every morning
• 5 ways to calm your anxiety
• Top 3 ways to deal with stress
• 5 ways colors can elevate your mood
• 3 tips for studying abroad
• 5 ways to know if someone is lying to you
• Top 3 tips to take care of your white shoes
• 10 reasons why people prefer online shopping
• How to revive a dead plant?

Persuasive Speech Topics

Persuasive speeches are the ones wherein the speaker aims to persuade the audience to do something or act in a certain way. as discussed, it is a very common speech type used by salespeople and politicians., examples of 5 -minute persuasive speech topics.

• How advertisements trick you
• Why money can’t buy happiness
• 21: the only legal age to get married
• Being vegan and sustainable
• Why wearing sustainable clothes should be a norm
• Fast fashion: A compromise on the quality of clothes
• Why reality TV shows need to stop
• Impact of online classes on poor grades
• Why investing early is necessary
• Dogs over cats
• Private colleges are not fair
• Why do schools need to start late
• Cults need to be banned
• Global warming is not real
• We can save our planet
• Endangered species need to be saved
• Rainwater harvesting should be mandatory in all houses
• Why xenotransplantation is unethical
• Depression is overrated
• Legalizing prostitution

5-minute speech topics for college students

• Implications of online dating
• Are movie reviews an accurate indicator of the movie?
• Teen depression and suicides
• Should uniforms be compulsory?
• Academic stress
• Moving abroad for education
• Dangers of substance abuse
• 5 tips for finding the perfect major
• Can poverty be eradicated?
• How can world hunger be curbed?
• Are electronic vehicles a solution to the pollution problem?
• Legalizing same-sex marriages
• Brain drain
• Impact of meat production on the environment
• Importance of communication
• Offers and Benefits of being a college student
• Cashless economy
• Need for gun control
• Is school really a safe place?
• The dangers of Artificial Intelligence

Motivational 5-minute speech ideas

• Not giving up: A guide for anyone with depression
• How I overcame my anxiety
• You are more than your thoughts
• 3 Reasons why you need to stop comparing yourself to others
• 4 techniques to beat procrastination
• Being a great leader is more than the position
• Importance of positive thinking
• Breaking societal stereotypes
• More than my skin color
• Embracing everybody
• Failure: A way to learn and grow
• Time management and self-growth
• Self-development: a key to self-growth
• Consistency over motivation
• The joy of being in nature

General 5-minute presentation ideas

• The future of communication
• Population problem
• Climate Crisis
• The melting glaciers
• Pollution and its solution
• Changes required in the education system
• Discrimination and hate crimes
• The rise in migration and poor housing facilities in urban areas
• Advantages of Artificial intelligence
• Everything you need to know about the metaverse

5-minute presentation topics for a job interview

• The future is cashless
• Data is the new oil
• Dangers of data privacy
• women empowerment
• Gender equality
• Importance of communication skills
• The education system in India
• My biggest accomplishment
• My role model

5-minute funny presentation ideas

• How to memorize notes for exams without studying
• How to pretend to be interested in the conversation?
• If your boss was honest with you
• Tips to handle a bridezilla
• How to prepare a presentation you forgot about?
• Way to steal your boyfriend’s sweatshirts
• 4 tips to be the center of attention
• How to Get a Toddler to stop talking in 383 Easy Steps?
• How to Live in Your Mom’s Basement?
• Ways to ruin a date
• The perfect way to lie
• When is it okay to give up?
• 5 things That Are Better Than Doing the Dishes
• Where to find your missing sock?
• How do you win in life?
• Why being a millionaire is overrated?
• How to bathe a dog?
• How to order at the subway?
• How to ask for directions?
• Top pick-up lines ever used in history

Level up your public speaking in 15 minutes!

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Finding the right 5-minute speech topic can be a task, but ensuring the audience’s preferences, your own interests, and knowledge areas can help in narrowing down the range of topics to a large extent.

If you do not have enough time to research and narrow down on one topic, you can pick out one topic from a plethora of topics available online.

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How Many Words In A 5 Minute Speech?

You might be tasked to deliver a 5-minute speech by your boss or for a class. Now you wonder, how many words does a 5-minute speech has? Can you fit everything you want to say in the speech? Do you enough material to fill those five minutes? Wonder no more, because we have the answer to your questions.

People talk differently – we all have different speeds when speaking. Some speak so slow that one can almost fall asleep waiting for them to finish. On the other hand, some people speak so fast you can’t understand what they’re saying. But according to experts, an average person speaks from 120 to 150 words per minute.

As a result, a 5-minute speech has 625 to 750 words.

Now, let’s talk about writing your speech.

You can fill up the word quota, but that doesn’t automatically mean that you have a good speech. It still boils down to the speech’s content and your ability to engage the audience. Like a good book, you need to have your audience’s full attention. But unlike a book, writing a speech is harder. As it’s shorter and it’s a solely aural experience. You need to be more impactful and your speech should pack a punch.

To help you with that, here are some pointers:

1. Quality, Not Quantity

While word count is important, focus more on the points you want to come across in your speech. Focus on two or three points that you deem the most important.

Don’t cram too much information in those five minutes you’re speaking. One reason is that you’ll just go shallow and broad in your topic. Second, you may sound robotic – something the audience don’t want to hear.

2. Use Humour If Possible

Cracking a good-natured joke will definitely break the ice. It will also break the monotony. However, keep in mind that the humour you use is relevant to your topic, and doesn’t stray from the original point you want to impart.

3. Research And Get Your Facts Straight

A good speech relies on the credibility and authenticity of what you’re saying. Yes, a speech should be witty and engaging, but it should also be rooted to the truth, especially if you’re talking about historical topics or things that deal with statistics. Make sure that your data are timely and come from a reputable source.

4. Tell A Story

While a speech should be educational, that doesn’t mean it should not be entertaining. To make your speech more relatable and memorable, tell a story and give examples of what you’re talking about in your speech. This way, your speech will stick to your audience’s minds after. But still – make sure that the story is relevant to your topic, don’t go off-course!

5. Keep It Simple

The language you use in your speech should be clear, simple, and easily understandable. This is to make sure that you get the maximum engagement from your audience. Use short sentences, contractions, and slangs in your speech. Make sure to know what type of audience you’ll have beforehand so that you’ll know what type of language you’ll use.

Aside from that, avoid using words you can’t speak in one breath, or tongue twisters. This will only lessen your chance to deliver your speech effectively.

6. Test It Out

To make sure that you don’t go over the time limit, write your full speech and then try reading it as if you’re already delivering it. This way, you’ll know which parts to simplify, edit, or condense. A tip is to divide your 750 words into the points you want to impart. For example, if you have three main points, you can use 250 words for each.

Writing a speech can be daunting but we hope that through these tips, you can do it well! Now, chop chop, go write your speech! You can use our word counter tool for the accurate word count. Happy writing!

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Do you wonder how long it takes to deliver your speech?

This website helps you convert the number of words into the time it takes to deliver your speech, online and for free. This tool is useful when preparing a speech or a presentation. The number of minutes you will take is dependent on the number of words and your speed of speech, or reading speed.

Note: This calculator provides an indication only.

Enter details below

The overview below provides an indication of the minutes for a speech (based on an average reading speed of 130 words per minute):

• Words in a 1 minute speech 130 words
• Words in a 2 minute speech 260 words
• Words in a 3 minute speech 390 words
• Words in a 4 minute speech 520 words
• Words in a 5 minute speech 650 words
• Words in a 10 minute speech 1300 words
• Words in a 15 minute speech 1950 words
• Words in a 20 minute speech 2600 words
• How long does a 500 word speech take? 3.8 minutes
• How long does a 1000 word speech take? 7.7 minutes
• How long does a 1250 word speech take? 9.6 minutes
• How long does a 1500 word speech take? 11.5 minutes
• How long does a 1750 word speech take? 13.5 minutes
• How long does a 2000 word speech take? 15.4 minutes
• How long does a 2500 word speech take? 19.2 minutes
• How long does a 5000 word speech take? 38.5 minutes

How Many Words in a Five-Minute Speech?

Five minutes can seem like five hours when you haven’t prepared a speech properly. It seems so easy in front of the mirror, reciting the key points, throwing in a few jokes.

But then the big day arrives, the nerves kick in, and you drone through your speech in a monotone, forget half the information, and anxiously fiddle with your notes. No one wants to hear an audience snoring.

So just how much should you try to fit into a five-minute speech? Presentation Magazine put the question to readers. The responses were varied.

Most estimated the number of words per minute around 80-150, but some said it could be as high as 180.

Some advised a slow, measured speech with pauses for effect, whilst others simply said that more words would equal more information, provided your speech isn’t too fast to understand. We’ve collected the best hints and tips from readers and included them below.

Settling on a word limit is less important than taking time to prepare and practise a structured presentation. Melvin Vu said:

“It is up to you. I don’t think we should set the number of pages or even the number of words a five-minute speech should contain. Know your audience. Know your material. Write it down. Even if it’s 10 pages (the font may be size 38 or something) so be it. You will know it is too long once you have practised out loud.”

Another strategy is to work out exactly what information you want to present, and divide it into clearly defined points. Sarah Liddle said:

“It’s not about the quantity but the quality. I wouldn’t be focusing so much on the number of words but on the points that you want to put across. In five minutes you should be able to get across 2 points (3 max) for the audience. It’s all about the audience, remember, words are insignificant. It is how you use and deliver those words that makes the difference between good and great.”

It is important not to try to cram too much into five minutes. Don’t over-complicate ideas either, the presentation may sound robotic as you try to remember everything. A Toast Master said:

“If you are focused on ‘writing’ a speech, then go ahead and worry about the number of words. If you are truly focused on ‘giving’ a speech then you really shouldn’t write a full speech. If you are, you write it, then read it. Check the time. Then outline it. Then practise giving it with the outline 2-3 times. Then you break the outline down to index cards, but only as much as you need.

Usually a key word to help remember the introduction, all the points you are making, and then the conclusion is the simplest way to go. Try presenting a speech which you hold passion for, the time will pass much more smoothly. Only pause if it is calculated to dramatise your point or lead someone along in anticipation of a pay-off line at the end.”

The best approach might simply be to become so familiar with the subject matter that the presentation can become more like something you’re explaining to a colleague in conversation. Eulogy website remembrance-book.com gave this advice:

“Sort out what you want to say, get a beginning, middle and end. Practise it until you know it by heart. Keep practising it until you are passionate about what you’re saying. Then time yourself. Alter it by cutting things out or add things until it’s the right length. Keep practising. Throw your notes away (or keep the briefest of notes on a card). On the day, you will know your subject, you will know how long your talk will last, you will be passionate about what you’re saying, and it’ll go fine.”

With a little preparation and practice, that five minutes of hell will become a great opportunity to impress your audience.

Matthew Brown

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thx a lot =)

this is really nice and informative!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111

It tink it wil help me a lot hey… Tx l0l

im only eleven and i need a speech. What do I do?

thank you so much for these inportent informaitogn

very useful ……….

thanks for the help

Sometimes it can even be more than 180 words

Thank you for the useful info. I love to public speak(I’ve been public speaking for 4 years) and I am doing an illustrated talk this year and I’m getting into the higher public speakers(Im 14)and people come to me for help. I always have to keep tooking for new and helpful tips and ideas. THanks so much, this will help my speech a lot. 🙂

Nice experience

Thanks a lot!

Great advice. I’m preparing my second toastmasters speech now and was trying to figure out how many words I should write.

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How Many Words is a 5-Minute Speech

I like building and growing simple yet powerful products for the world and the worldwide web.

Published Date : February 16, 2024

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Giving a speech is not as easy as you may think. After all, being in front of many people will surely give you pressure.  You can feel all sweaty and nervous. Fortunately, giving a speech is usually planned, so you can still prepare before it happens. 

That’s why if you present something or give a speech , you should first know how many words per minute of a speech .

It is crucial, especially if you are asked to do a speech in a limited time, for instance, a 5-minute speech . Will you be able to finish the task perfectly? 

You might ask yourself how to compose a speech with that time limit, or more importantly, how many words is a 5-minute speech ? 

Here is some information to guide you to ensure you can do your job flawlessly while looking and sounding smart. Please read on.

How many words per minute of speech?

Aren’t you curious how many words a person can say in a minute? How about in a speech ? Have you ever thought about why it’s essential to know how many words per minute of speech speakers can use?

How about longer speeches? How many words is a 3-minute, 5-minute, or 10-minute speech ? These are questions that might confuse speakers, especially those who are new to public speaking .

Theoretically, a person can talk up to 100 to 150 words in a regular conversation, but this still depends on how people deliver their words. After all, some people talk fast while others are slower than average.

Those who talk fast can put more words in their speech , while the average or slower should follow the standard or minimum prescribed words. 

A table shows how many words per minute of speech an average speaker can do.

How do you estimate your spoken words?

Now that you know the average number of words a person can say, you surely want to estimate how many words you can say. The number of words you speak depends on your pacing or how fast or slow you talk. 

• Timing yourself while giving a speech is the easiest way to estimate it. Use a timer to count how many words per minute of speech you can do. 
• There is also an app that can count how many words you speak in a speech . These apps can even determine the speech ’s pacing, diction, or filler words. Use these applications to make estimating the number of words you will use in your speech easier.
• You can also use your phone to record your voice and then manually count each word you say.
• A video can also do the trick. You can take a video of yourself while doing a speech to count how many words you said. You can even see your appearance with the video when giving a speech .

Choose any of the above ways so you know how many words you can say. Once you have the estimated count, you can reference how many words per minute of speech you can do.  

However, this number can change depending on your situation. 

For example, an impromptu speech can make you nervous, affecting your pacing. With the change of pace,  you can talk faster or slower than usual. 

Changing the pacing is sometimes useful to show dynamics in your speech . However, ensure that your pacing will not distract your listeners, and they won’t feel your nervousness.

How many words are in a 3-minute speech?

As mentioned earlier, the average number of words a person can say in a minute of speech is around 100 to 150, but this can change depending on the speaker’s pace and situation. That is why if you want to know how many words are in a 3-minute speech , the short answer is about 300 to 450 words.

However, would that be enough for you to say everything you want to say in your speech ? Although you can say many things within 3 minutes, it might not be enough to fully explain your subject to your listeners.

Here are some tips that can help you finish your 3-minute speech with ease with that kind of problem.

• First, you need to focus on your subject. Since you’re constrained with time, you must limit your speech by directly attacking the topic. Do not be vague on your points to convey your ideas within the time limit.
• After that, choose one main key point on your subject. It should be something you are very familiar with or good at. It is vital to leave a striking impression on your listener. Ensure you sound smart when discussing the subject; you can only do that if you master the topic. 
• Revolve your speech on that particular point so you can quickly and confidently speak about it with your audience.

With this, you will not have difficulty adjusting the words you need to say in your speech . You can also convey your thoughts better and attract your audience’s attention. By knowing how you can emphasize your subject, you won’t have a problem estimating how many words per minute of speech you need to use. You can also learn more about public speaking by visiting this site .

How many words do I need for a five-minute speech?

If you have given a time limit for a speech , then it means that you need to adhere to it. You may ask yourself how many words are in a 5-minute speech .

Based on the table above, it should be around 500 to 750 words. With this amount of words and time, you can convey many things to your audience. 

However, it doesn’t mean you can bombard your audience with much information. You can’t be like a robot in front of them and spew out information.

If this is your first time giving a speech , let this guide help you. Here are some do’s and don’ts when giving a speed to an audience.

How many words do I need for a ten-minute speech?

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In a 10-minute speech , you can say about 1000 to 1500 words. But this number can change depending on how many words per minute of speech you can do.

Some people tend to talk fast, while others speak slower than average. However, there are also times when a person’s pacing or speaking rate changes because of their situation. Just like estimating how many words a 5-minute speech is, you can take a video of yourself to evaluate your pacing when giving the speech . 

It’s also good to plan your 5-minute speech since you have ample time to expound on your topic. Planning your speech will also help you sound coherent, especially when explaining a difficult subject.  You must also make your discussion relevant so your listeners will not get bored.

Several factors can affect a person’s speaking rate or pacing.

• Regular pacing/speaking rate 

Your standard speaking rate is influenced by the environment you have. These factors include where you grew up, the culture, how your parents or family speaks, and mannerisms.

• Nervousness

When people feel tense or jittery, they tend to talk faster than their regular speaking rate, affecting how many words per minute of speech they can do.

• Urgent or emergency matter

When you need to say something hurriedly, you tend to speak fast to convey your thoughts swiftly to the listener. You can change your pacing when you show dynamics in speech , but make sure your listener can still understand what you’re saying.

Tiredness is also a factor that can affect people’s speaking rates. When you are tired, your mind will function slower, which makes you speak slowly.

• Pauses/fillers

Your pauses and fillers can occupy your speaking time, so find ways to avoid it . Some listeners are also very sensitive when hearing a lot of fillers. Hence, too many fillers and pauses can disrupt your flow of discussion and bring discomfort to your listeners. 

• Use of complex words

If the subject is a bit complicated, you might need to speak slowly and consider how many words per minute of speech so your audience can slowly digest everything you say 

How to prepare a 5-minute speech for public speaking?

Now that you know how many words per minute of speech you can do and how many words is a 5-minute speech , you can easily prepare a speech .

Here are some ideas on how to prepare yourself for your speech .

• Quality over quantity – Ensure you prioritize your speech ’s quality instead of the number of words in your speech . Make sure that you convey all important and necessary information to your listeners.
• Crack a joke – Don’t be afraid to say jokes , but ensure they relate to your topic. After all, you don’t want to make your audience feel awkward, but you don’t make it boring.
• Do your research – Ensure you are prepared and ready before your speech . Do your research and study well to provide credible information to your listeners.
• Keep it simple – You will avoid getting sidetracked on your topic by keeping the speech simple . It will also prevent you from rambling, unnecessary things to make your speech better. You can expound on the subject but always remember to know how many words are in a minute of speech .
• Tell a related story – People will understand you better if you tell them relatable things. You don’t need to say everything about yourself, but enough for them to get hooked and hear you out until the end. 
• Practice, practice, practice! Even if you know how many words a 5-minute speech is, your performance might still not be successful if you don’t practice. By practicing your address, you can fluently convey all facts and information to your listeners. It will also prevent you from making mistakes and improve the whole thing.

This video can also help you practice your public speaking :

What are some tips for writing a 3-minute speech?

Giving a speech within 3 minutes may seem very fast, but you can convey many things within that time as long as you plan. First, you must know how many words is a 3-minute speech before writing anything.

Depending on how many words per minute of speech you have to convey your topic even with a limited time.

Here are some tips on putting an informative and useful speech within 3-minutes to help you.

• Research 

Before knowing how many words a 3-minute speech is, researching your topic to create a good speech is imperative.

• Create an Outline 

Break down what you need to say in your speech . Create a structure and a step-by-step procedure you need to follow when giving the speech .

• Write an opening statement. 

The opening statement is crucial when you are giving a speech . It lets you get your audience’s attention and engage them to listen.

• List down the main points. 

Don’t also forget to list down 1 to 3 main points. This central point has all the essential facts and information you must convey to the audience. As long as you know your main points, it’s easy to assess how many words per minute of speech you will do.

• Don’t forget to memorize 

Remember to practice and memorize the speech that you have written. This way, you can confidently stand before your audience and finish your speech .

Methods on How You Can Improve When Giving Speech

Are you going to give a 5-minute speech at the next event you’re going to? Are you nervous, and do you know how many words is a 5-minute speech ?

If not yet, then let this help you out. A 5-minute speech has 500 to 750 words; if you are still not ready to give a speech , here are some methods to help you.

• Make sure that you practice before you give a speech . You can ask someone to help you or video yourself to know what you need to change to deliver a better speech .
• Listen to how other speakers do their speech . You will surely get some ideas on how to make your speech better.
• Experiment on your own and try different pacing to get the right speaking rate you want to have when you give your speech .
• Read books or news and familiarize yourself with the information. See how it flows and try to say it aloud. Repeat it several times, and try changing your pacing on each repetition. 
• You can also visit sites that can help you develop your speaking skills.

How can you tailor your speech to resonate with your specific audience?

Captivate your audience by tailoring your speech ! Understand their age, interests, and knowledge. Research their values and speak their language. Use relatable examples and address their specific needs. Visuals and clear structure keep them engaged, while feedback helps you refine them for future success. Speak effectively and resonate deeply.

Why is it important to know your audience when crafting a presentation?

Knowing your audience unlocks presentation magic! Customize content, language, and examples to fit their age, interests, and knowledge. Adapt your tone, address potential questions, and maximize impact. Craft a message that resonates and leaves a lasting impression. Remember, presentations thrive on audience understanding!

How can you engage your audience throughout your speech?

Captivate your audience! Hook them with a surprising fact, story, or question. Share relatable stories and examples. Use visuals and encourage participation. Speak naturally and clearly, and keep it concise. Engaging audiences is your presentation superpower!

How does the type of speech you’re giving affect its length?

The ideal speech length depends on its type and purpose. Persuasive speeches, rich in evidence, may need a quicker pace to fit everything in. A few hundred words and a slower delivery suffice for introductions or thank-yous. Informative speeches with technical details might be longer. Tailor your speech ’s duration and pace to its goals for maximum impact.

How can you ensure you don’t ramble or rush through your points in a 5-minute speech?

This blog delves into public speaking , offering diverse resources – from presentation software options to inspiring speech analysis. Explore their content spanning different aspects like delivery tips, unique elevator pitches, and even tool recommendations. They emphasize confident, engaging delivery and welcome you to their community on social media to learn and connect!

How should you practice your delivery for an effective speech?

To nail your speech delivery, practice is key! Focus on clarity and comfortable pacing, allowing your audience to follow easily. Speak with inflection and use natural body language for emphasis. Consider tools like Speeko for feedback, and remember, practice makes perfect! Don’t rush or ramble, and your 5-minute speech will resonate!

What should you focus on in your speech’s core message?

A 10-minute speech is 1000-1500 words, but don’t get hung up on length. Prioritize a concise, focused core message. Build a clear outline with key ideas that support it. Remember, quality over quantity! Ditch unnecessary tangents and practice for confident delivery. Your audience will appreciate a focused, impactful speech that resonates.

How can you maximize your 5 minutes for a powerful speech?

Master your 5-minute speech ! Prepare and rehearse beforehand, then focus on engaging your audience. Balance info with conciseness , use an outline for focus and find the sweet spot between energy and composure. Speak, project your voice, and stick to the word count. Most importantly, practice! Speak to mirrors, friends, or anyone receptive – the more you do, the better you’ll be! Be prepared, engage your audience, and confidently deliver your powerful message.

What should you consider when writing a powerful 5-minute speech?

Craft a strong 5-minute speech by staying focused! Pick a clear, concise topic, choose a key point you shine in, and tailor your words to revolve around it. This ensures smooth flow and audience connection and helps estimate your pace. Remember practice and engagement; your impactful message will resonate within the time limit.

Knowing how many words per minute of speech you can say is essential, especially when making a speech . It will give you an estimate of how many words you can say with a speech that has a time limit. 

Knowing how many words are in a 5-minute speech will give you a limit on how many words you can convey. You can also quickly outline what you must say since there is a time limit. 

With these tips and information, you can easily do your speech without any problem. Remember everything you read here; it will help you ace the public speaking task. Download the Orai app at the App Store today to start your free trial with your AI speech coach ! 

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'Glitched out': Internet erupts as Trump 'blacks out for a beautiful 2 minutes' at event

David McAfee

Senior editor, david joined raw story in 2023 after nearly a decade of writing about the legal industry for bloomberg law. he is also a co-founder and a commissioning editor at hypatia press, a publisher that specializes in philosophical works that challenge religion or spirituality..

Donald Trump on Saturday made major waves on social media after he stopped talking during his rally speech, and stayed silent for a significant period of time before speaking again.

Trump over the weekend gave a speech for the National Rifle Association in Texas, and was criticized for appearing to mess up his words as well as some key facts.

It was at the end of the speech, though, that something strange appeared to happen that made Trump completely stop speaking.

ALSO READ: Delay, delay: Lauren Boebert keeping personal finances secret until after GOP primary

It occurred when Trump was complimenting Texas.

"You have a great governor, you have a great lieutenant governor. You have incredible congress people you have just fantastic people," he said. "The Texas spirit of proud independence was forged by cowboys and cattle hands, ranchers and rangers, oil workers, soldiers and brave, brave, brave, pioneers. Many came here with nothing but the boots on their feet, the clothes on their back, and a gun..."

Trump then repeated a common firearm hobbyist phrase, "Come and take it."

"Come and take it," he said. "Together they helped make America into the single greatest nation in the history of the world."

At that point, the former president remained silent for an extended period of time as music played in the background.

"But now we are a nation in decline.," he finally says. "We are a failing nation. We are a nation that has the highest inflation in 58 years. Our banks are collapsing, and interest rates are skyrocketing."

A "Biden's wins" account shared the video online, saying, "Donald Trump just glitched out and froze at his rally tonight. He is clearly unfit for office."

@Leslieannscott then responded.

"Oh my freaking word!!!! Trump totally blacks out for a beautiful 2 minutes. It’s so bizarre set to weird cult music. You have no idea. He’s losing it! He’s at the NRA convention saying he will roll back every gun safety Law [President Joe Biden] put in place."

" He’s shaking his head in disgust as his teleprompter went down."

Watch the video below or click the link here.

Stories Chosen For You

Should trump be allowed to run for office, why is the guy who told us to drink bleach a step away from being president.

Americans are dumbfounded. How is it that half this nations’ voters are on the verge of returning to office a guy who:

— Began his life of crime busted for writing “C” for “Colored” on Black rental applicants’ forms, — Mismanaged the Covid crisis so badly America had the developed world’s highest mortality rate with at least a half-million unnecessary deaths, — Is credibly accused of sexual assault by more than twenty women (one 14 years old) and found by a jury — twice— to have raped one of them, — Forcibly tore nursing babies from the arms of their mothers with almost a thousand of those children still missing, — Solicited a billion-dollar bribe just this month and illegally took over $7 million (that we know of: the real number is almost certainly a multiple of that) from foreign governments while in office (Senator Robert Menendez was a slacker), — Praised Nazis who marched chanting “Jews will not replace us!” as “very fine people,” — Conspired with militia leaders to storm the US Capitol, leading to the death of 5 civilians and 3 police officers, — Regularly quotes Hitler’s vicious, racist rhetoric referring to human beings as “scum” and “ vermin ” while claiming people of color “ poison the blood of our nation,” — Stole national security secrets and repeatedly lied to the FBI when we tried to recover them, — Abandoned our Kurdish allies to Putin, leading to their mass slaughter by Russian troops and warplanes, — Gave to Russia at least one spy we know of in an Oval Office meeting with that country’s foreign minister and US ambassador, — Did his best to destroy NATO and hand Ukraine to Putin, — Negotiated a deal to build an office/apartment building in Moscow that was to be executed a week after he took office and lied to the American people about it, — Knowingly lied to the nation for almost four full years about having lost the last election, — Called our fallen soldiers buried at Normandy and Arlington “suckers” and “losers” and ridiculed John McCain and every other American POW, — Gutted the EPA and sold off public lands to drilling and mining interests who were greasing his party’s palms, — Proudly packed the Supreme Court with people he hand-selected to end women’s right to abortion, — Repeatedly violated the Hatch Act, using federal property for campaign and political activities, — Is currently violating the Logan Act by interfering in President Biden’s foreign policy efforts, — Praised the world’s worst dictators while trash-talking our democratic allies, — Holds rallies in which he curses , using words that can’t be broadcast on TV or radio, — Threatened the Georgia secretary of state with jail if he wouldn’t help overturn the 2020 election, — Facilitated his son-in-law extracting two billion dollars from a murderous dictator, — Gave billionaires a two-trillion-dollar tax cut that’s being paid for by raising taxes on working class people for the next few years, — Promises he’ll be a dictator from his first day in office and will bring about a “Unified Reich,” — Said he’ll imprison or destroy the media and those who criticize him, using language last attributed to Hitler, — Slept with a porn star and a Playboy bunny i n the months after his less-than-two-years-married trophy wife gave birth to his son and then paid them both to hush it up so he could get elected, — Convinced China to give his daughter millions worth of trademarks while accusing his opponent’s son of corruption for taking a routine payment for being on the board of a foreign natural gas company, — Used explicit Nazi iconography to label his political opponents, — Tried to extort a foreign leader to manufacture dirt on his political opponent while withholding military aid to that nation as it was under attack by Russia, — Collaborated with Putin to get elected and, when the FBI tried to investigate it, engaged in at least 10 documented felony obstructions of justice, — Trash talks America’s criminal justice system, insisting he’s the victim of “racist” Black and Hispanic prosecutors and judges, — Committed multiple campaign finance crimes, — Convinced about half of Americans the country’s in a recession when in fact we’re in better economic shape than any time since World War II, — Engaged in and was convicted for both tax and insurance fraud, — Got multiple deferments to avoid the Vietnam War because he bought a X-ray of somebody else’s bone spurs from a corrupt doctor, — Stole from a children’s cancer charity, — Repeatedly joked about the assault and murder attempt of Paul Pelosi, implicitly encouraging his followers to commit more violence against Democrats, — Was found liable for running a fraudulent university, — Tried to get his own vice president assassinated, and, among other things, — Stole millions from his siblings and relatives and then pissed it all away by being an incompetent playboy businessman, having to declare bankruptcy six times.

Any one of these things would have destroyed a normal politician. Two or more would consign him or her to permanent political purgatory.

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Howard Dean screamed. Larry Craig was busted in a mens’ room trying to hook up with an undercover cop. Gary Hart was photographed with Donna Rice on his lap. Mark Sanford ran off to Argentina with his mistress. Republicans claimed John Kerry faked a war injury (he didn’t). Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney dared criticize January 6th.

How, many Americans wonder, is Trump getting away with all this? I don’t know the answer, but I do have a few theories:

— What if it’s because the media loves Trump because his bombast, scandals, and lies deliver them clicks and views they can monetize in a way impossible for normal politicians like our current president?

— Could it be because rightwing social media and search engine billionaires along with China’s TikTok owners have rigged their algorithms to push pro-Trump and anti-Biden content?

— Maybe the media is so desperate for the billions in revenue they’ll get from a tight “horserace” election that they’ll do anything they can to hide Trump’s incompetence, hate, and crimes while raising questions about Biden?

— Or is it that Trump is a singularly brilliant politician, cut in the mold of historical demagogues like Huey Long and Adolf Hitler?

— Maybe Trump’s popularity comes from all of us underestimating how much racial and gender hatred has been simmering below the surface of America, just waiting for a politician who’d proudly go farther than Nixon’s “Southern Strategy” or Reagan’s “young bucks” and “monkeys” rhetoric?

— How about people fearful of economic uncertainty, climate change, and experiencing PTSD over the pandemic embracing a confident, self-assured sociopath, smooth as an oiled snake, whose lies slither effortlessly from his lips?

— Could it be that bullies and sociopaths identify with him and are thus drawn to him?

— Can one speculate that 1,500 rightwing radio stations broadcasting pro-Trump messages all day every day are having an impact? Amplified by Fox “News” and other right wing media willing to lie to the American people?

— What if Trump gets a pass because he promises more tax cuts and thus more billions in profits to the owners of big media, social media outlets, and TV networks?

— Maybe the flood of dark money from billionaires wanting more tax cuts and deregulation has reached a critical mass?

— Can we consider the possibility that the American public has just become so desensitized to Trump’s crimes that he’s established a new baseline for political behavior, which we’re now seeing acted out by Supreme Court justices and Republican politicians across the country?

Whatever the answer is, we’re seeing it play out daily in ways that are increasingly impossible to ignore.

In the most recent example, imagine if we learned this week that Joe Biden had lied and hidden some of the top secret documents he said he’d turned over to the FBI in his bedroom. It would be a front-page, above-the-fold story in The New York Times .

We just learned yesterday, however, that Trump did exactly that, but the Times inexplicably buried the story inside the paper under the misleading headline, “Trump Lawyers Accuse Prosecutors of Misconduct in Documents Case.”

Every day brings new examples of Trump getting away with things that would politically destroy any other politician; they’re far too numerous to list here. His political Teflon coating is at least a hundred times more effective than Reagan’s was in his wildest dreams.

So, why do you think Trump’s getting away with all these crimes and social violations?

Leave your ideas and speculations in the comments section…

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'We've never seen anything like this': Expert says 'splintered' GOP is bad news for Trump

' According to one veteran political strategist, the polls showing former President Donald Trump consistently leading President Joe Biden aren't showing the full picture. In fact, he argues that it's Republicans who should be the most worried about November.

In a recent interview with the New Yorker , Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg — who has worked on two presidential campaigns and held senior roles at the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — stressed that Biden is in a much better position than Trump despite his middling performance in polls . He noted that despite being his party's prime standard-bearer for the past eight years, Trump has had difficulty uniting the GOP around his cause.

"Republicans have had to go vote in these primaries, and a large number are not choosing him, right? They’re not choosing MAGA. A big chunk of the Republican coalition became loosened. We’re seeing that play out in the Republican primary," Rosenberg said. "You’re also seeing it within the unprecedented rebellion against Trump happening among Republican leaders. There are two Republican former vice presidents [Dick Cheney and Mike Pence ] who are not supporting Trump, a former party nominee [Mitt Romney], a former vice presidential nominee [Paul Ryan]."

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New Yorker journalist Isaac Chotiner confronted Rosenberg with context about how Trump is still garnering a higher percentage of his party's voters in the 2024 primary compared to general election candidates in past primaries despite the so-called " zombie vote " for former UN ambassador Nikki Haley. However, Rosenberg simply countered that by saying "none of that matters."

"What matters is in this election. In this election, you have this combination, you have an unprecedented set of circumstances where the Republican coalition has splintered," Rosenberg said. "Now you have Mitt Romney going on TV, consistently telling Republicans not to vote for Trump. We’ve never seen anything like this, and I think it would be dangerous for commentators, who in 2022 got the election so wrong, to dismiss what we’re seeing."

On his "Hopium Chronicles" Substack newsletter, Rosenberg describes himself as "one of the only ones who got 2022 right." During his interview, he referenced how numerous reputable national pollsters predicted a "red wave" in the 2022 midterms that failed to materialize despite an economy rocked by a global pandemic, and incumbent presidents typically seeing their party suffer significant losses in their first midterm election after taking office. While Republicans did end up narrowly winning control of the House of Representatives (partially due to widespread racial gerrymandering ), predictions that the GOP would also take back the Senate — with some pollsters estimating as many as 54 seats — turned out to be incorrect. Rosenberg argued 2024's predictions of Trump outperforming Biden in November are similarly inaccurate.

"[I]n a campaign, when the shooting starts, and the ads go on, you would rather be the side that is telling the truth than the side that isn’t. In all the Senate polling, our numbers are holding. In the House polling, the limited House polling that we have, things are looking very encouraging," Rosenberg said. "So, structurally, the generic [ballot] has moved in our direction, and we’re now consistently in positive territory in the generic. The generic, for me, in 2022, was a very important measure that ended up being far more accurate than many of the other measures about what happened in that election."

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The Democratic strategist maintained that "the election is close and neither candidate is ahead or behind." He observed that Democrats have the task of making the case that Biden's first term has been successful and that Americans are mostly better off today than they were four years ago. He added that there were numerous things that are widely known to be true about Trump in 2024 that weren't known in 2020, and that Democrats should hammer those points relentlessly until November.

"They are that he raped E. Jean Carroll in a department-store dressing room... That he oversaw one of the largest financial frauds in American history, and has been fined hundreds of millions of dollars for that, that he stole American secrets, he lied to the FBI," Rosenberg said. "He led an insurrection against the United States, he led an armed attack on the Capitol, and he’s promised to end American democracy for all time if he’s in the White House in 2025; he and his family have corruptly taken more money from foreign governments than any family in American history; and sixth, and this is really important, is that he’s singularly responsible for ending Roe."

Click here to read Rosenberg's interview with the New Yorker in its entirety (subscription required).

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Former detainee in Russia says Trump 'chose not to' free him from captivity

Donald Trump announced he could essentially wave a POTUS wand and bring back Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from Russian captivity.

That was met with misbelief.

"As a former wrongful detainee in Russia, I would just like to remind everyone that President Trump had the ability to get myself and Paul Whelan out of Russia for years and chose not to," reads a post on Twitter/X by U.S. Marine Corps veteran Trevor Reed, who was detained in Russia for attacking police.

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"I would be skeptical of any claims about getting Evan Gershkovich back in a day."

Reed was sprung in a prisoner exchange for Russian citizen Konstantin Yaroshenko back in 2022 under President Joe Biden's presidency after being held in Russia since 2019.

Trump prognosticated that he could single-handedly bring Gershkovich back to the U.S. without much effort, but only if he's voted into office.

"Evan Gershkovich, the Reporter from The Wall Street Journal, who is being held by Russia, will be released almost immediately after the Election, but definitely before I assume Office," reads his Truth Social post . "He will be HOME, SAFE, AND WITH HIS FAMILY. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, will do that for me, but not for anyone else, and WE WILL BE PAYING NOTHING!"

The Kremlin responded to the bold claim by Trump that there is zero coordination with Putin or Russia.

"Here, Putin has naturally not had contacts with Donald Trump," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said .

Former national security adviser under the Trump administration Robert O’Brien appeared on CNN's "The Source" and was asked about the former president's quick fix to bring Gershkovich back home.

And he took the chance to hammer the Biden administration's stance against Russia.

"The Biden administration is basically sending hashtags saying #FreeEvan," he said. "Well, Putin's a tough guy, he's a thug, and he's not going to respond to the Twitter hashtag or Twitter campaign — he's gonna respond to real hard American hard power... I think President Trump understands that."

O'Brien praised Trump's diplomatic stripes.

"That's how we got so many people out of Russia. We got people out Iran, we got people out of Turkey we've got people out of Yemen and across Venezuela under the Trump administration when I was supposed hostage envoy, and national security adviser, because President Trump was willing to use all the tools of American power, including hard power, to get our people home."

For his part, Biden vowed on the one-year anniversary that he "would never give up" achieve the mission to for the safe return of Gershkovich.

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Clarence thomas just hates having all this power, 'need the senate': republicans brush off worries of anti-trump goper being an 'irritant'.

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The NFL responds after a player urges female college graduates to become homemakers

Rachel Treisman

Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker, pictured at a press conference in February, is in hot water for his recent commencement speech at Benedictine College in Kansas. Chris Unger/Getty Images hide caption

Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker, pictured at a press conference in February, is in hot water for his recent commencement speech at Benedictine College in Kansas.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker stirred controversy off the field this weekend when he told a college graduating class that one of the "most important titles" a woman can hold is "homemaker."

Butker denounced abortion rights, Pride Month, COVID-19 lockdowns and "the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion" in his commencement address at Benedictine College, a Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kan.

The 28-year-old, a devout Catholic and father of two, also railed against "dangerous gender ideologies" and urged men to "fight against the cultural emasculation of men." At one point, he addressed women specifically.

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"I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you, how many of you are sitting here now about to cross the stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you're going to get in your career," he said. "Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world. But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."

Harrison Butker chokes up while discussing his wife, encouraging Benedictine College female grads to embrace motherhood. pic.twitter.com/qm73MBl0Hl — The College Fix (@CollegeFix) May 13, 2024

"I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother," Butker said.

The 20-minute speech has been viewed more than 455,000 times on YouTube since Saturday and generated considerable backlash — and memes — on social media, especially from people critical of his views on women. Many pointed out that Butker's own mom is a clinical medical physicist.

Butker also drew ire from fans of Taylor Swift, who is dating fellow Chiefs player Travis Kelce, a relationship that has famously helped bring many new female fans to the NFL. Later in the speech, he quoted Swift — though not by name — while talking about what he sees as the problem of priests becoming "overly familiar" with their parishioners.

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"This undue familiarity will prove to be problematic every time, because as my teammate's girlfriend says, 'Familiarity breeds contempt,' " he said, quoting a lyric from her song Bejeweled.

One Swift fan account joked about petitioning for the pop star to replace Butker as the Chiefs' kicker. A real online petition , calling for the Chiefs to dismiss Butker for his "sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion and racist remarks," has gained 95,000 signatures and counting since Monday.

Butker and the team have not commented publicly on his speech and the backlash to it, though late Wednesday the NFL issued a statement distancing itself from it.

"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity," Jonathan Beane, the NFL's senior VP and chief diversity and inclusion officer told NPR on Thursday. "His views are not those of the NFL as an organization."

What else did Butker say?

Butker has been vocal about his faith, telling the Eternal Word Television Network in 2019 that he grew up Catholic but practiced less in high school and college before rediscovering his belief later in life.

Last year, Butker appeared in an ad for the nonprofit Catholic Vote urging Kansans to support a referendum that would limit abortion rights in the state (it was ultimately unsuccessful ). He's also one of several athletes who has partnered with a Catholic prayer app . And days after the Chiefs won this year's Super Bowl, Butker spent a week "in reflection" at a monastery in California.

He also gave the commencement address at his alma mater Georgia Tech last year, in which he urged students to "get married and start a family."

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This time around, Butker started his speech by suggesting he had been reluctant to give it: He said he originally turned down the president's invitation because he felt that one commencement speech was enough, "especially for someone who isn't a professional speaker."

He was persuaded, he said, in part by leadership's argument about how many milestones graduating seniors had missed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As a group, you witnessed firsthand how bad leaders who don't stay in their lane can have a negative impact on society," he said in his opening remarks. "It is through this lens that I want to take stock of how we got to where we are and where we want to go as citizens, and yes, as Catholics."

He criticized President Biden for his handling of the pandemic and his stance on abortion, which he said falsely suggests people can simultaneously be "both Catholic and pro-choice."

Butker blamed "the pervasiveness of disorder" for the availability of procedures like abortion, IVF, surrogacy and euthanasia, as well as "a growing support for degenerate cultural values and media."

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At one point, he referenced an Associated Press article from earlier this month about the revival of conservative Catholicism that prominently featured Benedictine College as an example.

The school of roughly 2,000 gets top ratings from the Cardinal Newman Society , a nonprofit that promotes Catholic education in the U.S., for policies including offering daily mass and prohibiting campus speakers who "publicly oppose Catholic moral teaching."

"I am certain the reporters at the AP could not have imagined that their attempt to rebuke and embarrass places and people like those here at Benedictine wouldn't be met with anger, but instead with excitement and pride," Butker said, before making an apparent reference to LGBTQ Pride Month in June.

"Not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it," he said, as laughter could be heard from the crowd.

How are people responding?

The official YouTube video of Butker's speech shows the crowd standing and applauding at the end, though the AP reports that reactions among graduates were mixed. Several told the outlet they were surprised by his comments about women, priests and LGTBQ people.

Kassidy Neuner told the AP that the speech felt "degrading," suggesting that only women can be homemakers.

"To point this out specifically that that's what we're looking forward to in life seems like our four years of hard work wasn't really important," said Neuner, who is planning on attending law school.

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Butker's comments have gotten some support, including on social media from football fan accounts and Christian and conservative media personalities .

"Christian men should be preaching this regularly," tweeted former NFL player T.J. Moe. "Instead, it's so taboo that when someone tells the obvious truth that anyone who holds a biblical worldview believes, it's national news."

Still, other public figures — including musicians Maren Morris and Flava Flav — were quick to disagree.

Even the official Kansas City account weighed in, tweeting on Wednesday that Butker resides not there but in a neighboring suburb, Lee's Summit. The tweet has since been deleted and the account apologized for the tweet .

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas tweeted that he believed Butker holds a "minority viewpoint" in the state but defended his right to express it.

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"Grown folks have opinions, even if they play sports," he wrote . "I disagree with many, but I recognize our right to different views."

Justice Horn, the former chair of Kansas City's LGBTQ Commission, was more critical, writing on X (formerly Twitter) that "Harrison Butker doesn't represent Kansas City nor has he ever." He called the city one that "welcomes, affirms and embraces our LGBTQ+ community members."

The Los Angeles Chargers also trolled Butker in its Sims-style schedule release video on Wednesday, which ends with a shot of his animated, number 7 jersey-wearing character cooking and arranging flowers in a kitchen.

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