Paste your text or enter a word count
This calculator estimates how long a passage may take to read silently or speak aloud. Paste a script to count its words automatically, or enter a known word count. Select a reading speed to compare slow, average and fast readers, and use the speaking estimate when planning narration, presentations, sermons, podcasts or videos.
Estimated time in minutes equals word count divided by words per minute (WPM). A 1,000-word article at 250 WPM takes about four minutes to read. A 780-word script delivered at 130 WPM takes about six minutes to speak before adding pauses, demonstrations or audience interaction.
Speaking pace changes with emotion, sentence complexity, names, quotations and emphasis. Slides, applause, breathing, demonstrations and transitions add time without adding many words. Silent reading also varies with familiarity and purpose: proofreading or studying is slower than scanning a simple article.
Read the finished script aloud with a timer. Use the estimate for an early draft, then replace it with an actual rehearsal time. If the production has scene changes, captions or dramatic pauses, reserve additional time. For accessibility, clear pronunciation and comfortable pacing are usually more important than fitting the maximum possible number of words into each minute.
The tool reports words, characters, sentences and paragraphs from the supplied text. Punctuation, abbreviations, line breaks and unusual formatting can affect automated counts. Review the original text when an exact publishing or contractual count is required.
Many planning estimates use roughly 200–250 WPM, but individual reading speed varies widely.
A clear presentation often falls around 120–150 WPM. Conversational or dramatic delivery may be slower.
The calculation is designed to run in the browser. Avoid entering confidential or sensitive material into any online tool.
Pauses, breathing, visuals, audience response and transitions are not fully represented by word count.
Calculation review: Word-count, reading-time and speaking-time logic reviewed September 23, 2026.