Have you ever walked off stage feeling like you flew through your talk? Or maybe you felt your energy drag, worrying the audience was bored. You’re not alone in thinking about your pacing, and it often leads to a question about the average words per minute speaking.
Understanding this metric is a great starting point for improving your presentation skills. It helps you find a baseline for your own public speaking engagements. This isn’t about hitting a magic number, but about becoming a more intentional and effective speaker.
So let’s talk about the average speaking speed and what it means for you. Knowing your speaking rate can transform your delivery. It allows you to keep your audience engaged from your first word to your last.
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What Is the Average Words Per Minute Speaking Rate?
Most experts agree that a comfortable speaking rate for a presentation is between 140 and 160 words per minute (WPM). Some research might point to a broader conversational range of 100 to 150 WPM. For professional speaking, however, a slightly more energetic pace holds the audience’s attention.
Think about some of the most popular TED Talks. Speakers like Brené Brown often fall right within that 140-160 WPM window. It’s a faster average than a casual chat but slow enough for the audience to follow complex ideas.
This average WPM is not a hard rule but a helpful guideline. The perfect pace for any given person speaks to their topic and personal style. An effective speaker uses their speaking rate as a tool, not a restriction.
Why Your Speaking Pace Actually Matters
Does your speaking rate really make a difference? Yes, it absolutely does. Your pace sends a powerful message to your audience before they even process your words, greatly affecting the user experience.
Speaking too quickly can make you seem nervous or anxious. Your audience might struggle to keep up, causing them to disengage from your message. It can feel like you’re rushing to get it over with, which ultimately lowers your credibility.
On the other hand, a pace that is too slow can be just as problematic. A consistently slower rate might make you sound unprepared or uninterested in your own topic. An audience with a wandering mind is one you’ve likely lost, no matter how great your content is.
Finding the right speech rate helps you sound confident and in control. It gives your listeners the mental space they need to absorb your ideas. Pacing is a fundamental part of delivering a message with impact.
Average Words Per Minute Speaking: It’s Not One-Size-Fits-All
Your speaking speed for a formal keynote shouldn’t be the same as when you’re in a normal conversation with a friend. The context dictates the pace. Thinking about how speaking rates vary depending on the situation can help you become a more versatile communicator.
Different situations call for different speeds. You wouldn’t use the same tone and pace to tell a bedtime story as you would to report on quarterly earnings. Let’s look at some common examples of speech rates.
Conversational Speech
When you’re talking with friends or colleagues, your speech is naturally faster. The flow is informal, and you might speed up to 180 WPM or more. This is because there’s less pressure, and you get immediate verbal and non-verbal feedback from the other person.
You aren’t trying to formally present information. The goal is connection and a rapid exchange of ideas. So a faster, more fluid pace feels completely normal in this setting.
Presentations and Public Speaking
This is where that 140-160 WPM speaking range becomes so important. You are guiding an audience through a structured set of ideas over a set presentation time. Your primary goals are clarity and retention.
This deliberate pace feels authoritative and lets your points land effectively. It also gives you room to speed up for excitement or speak slower for emphasis. This controlled average speaking rate is the mark of a skilled presenter.
Audiobook Narration
Have you ever listened to an audiobook that was hard to follow? The narrator’s pace was likely off. Professionals in this field often aim for a consistent 150-160 WPM.
This rate is clear and easy to listen to for long periods. The narrator’s job is to be an invisible guide to the story, and the quality of their voice speech is critical. A steady, pleasant speech WPM achieves this perfectly, allowing the listener to become immersed in the material.
Podcast Hosting and Radio Hosts
Podcasters and radio hosts often maintain a pace between 150 and 170 WPM. They need to sound engaging and conversational while remaining clear. This slightly faster average keeps the energy up over long segments without overwhelming the listener.
Their delivery is a blend of conversational style and presentational clarity. This balance ensures the audience stays tuned in. It’s a great example of adapting your pace to the medium.
Auctioneers and Commentators
On the far end of the spectrum are the true speed talkers. Auctioneers and sports commentators can easily top 250 WPM. In fact, the world’s fastest talker has been recorded at over 600 WPM, a speed that is hard for the average person to comprehend.
For an auctioneer, speed creates urgency and excitement to drive bids. For a commentator, it’s about keeping up with fast-paced action on the field or court. In these specialized cases, a high WPM speed is part of the performance and the information delivery itself.
Key Factors That Affect Speaking Rate
Many variables can affect speaking rate. Understanding these factors can help you better control your pace during a presentation. An average person speaks at a rate influenced by their internal state and external environment.
Your emotional state is a significant factor. Nerves or excitement can cause you to speak faster, while contemplation or sadness may lead you to speak slower. High-energy speakers like Tony Robbins, for instance, often use a faster pace to generate excitement in the room.
The complexity of your subject matter also plays a huge role. If you are explaining a dense, technical concept, you must speak slowly to give your audience time to process. Conversely, when reviewing familiar information, you can increase your pace.
Finally, your audience’s familiarity with the English language or your topic will affect speech. For a group of fellow English speakers who are experts in your field, you can maintain a brisk pace. If your audience includes non-native speakers or beginners, you should adopt a slower, more deliberate cadence.
How to Find Your Personal Speaking Rate
Knowing the averages is good, but knowing your own rate is better. Finding your personal WPM is simple. It’s a quick exercise that can give you a lot of insight into your natural tendencies.
Here’s a straightforward process you can use right now. You only need a timer, a voice recorder, and some text. The goal is to get an accurate measurement of your average speech rate.
- Pick Your Text. Find a passage of writing that is about 300 words long. Use something you would typically present, as the word count and subject matter affect your natural pace. This makes the test more realistic.
- Record Yourself. Use your phone’s timer and voice recorder. Read the passage aloud at what feels like your natural presentation pace. Don’t rush it; practice speaking as if you’re in front of an audience.
- Time Your Reading. Stop the timer the moment you finish the last word. Note how many seconds it took you to read the full passage. For an even more accurate result, try reading a 5 minutes speech.
- Do the Math. Now for the simple calculation. Divide the total number of words by the number of seconds you took. Then, multiply that result by 60 to get your final WPM.
For example, if you read 300 words in 120 seconds, your calculation looks like this: (300 words / 120 seconds) 60 = 150 WPM. Do this a few times with different material to get a reliable average. You might be surprised by what you learn about how you naturally speak.
Adjusting Your Pace: Finding Your Perfect Cadence
Once you know your WPM, what do you do with that information? Your number might be right at the average words per minute speaking. Or, like many speakers, you might discover you speak faster when you’re nervous or passionate.
The goal isn’t to rigidly stick to a number. It’s about developing the skill to control your pace with purpose. You want to be able to change pace to better connect with your audience and land your message.
Techniques to Slow Down Your Speech
Many speakers, especially those with a lot of energy, need to learn to speak slower. Rushing can undermine a great message and make it difficult for the audience to follow. Here are a few techniques that can help you find a more deliberate pace.
First, embrace the power of the pause. A short pause before or after a key point adds tremendous weight and gives the audience time to reflect. It also gives you a moment to breathe and reset your speaking rate.
Second, focus on your breathing. Practice speaking from your diaphragm, not your chest, for better voice speech quality. Deeper breaths have a natural calming effect that helps regulate your speed, preventing you from rushing.
Finally, practice speaking slowly and over-enunciating your words when you rehearse. Forming each syllable carefully forces you to slow down. This habit will carry over into your actual presentation, leading to a clearer, more measured pace that sounds confident.
When and How to Speed Up
Slowing down isn’t always the answer. Sometimes, picking up the pace and exceeding the average words per minute speaking is the right move to keep the energy high. An increase in speed can signal excitement, urgency, or passion.
You might speed up when telling an exciting story or anecdote. You could also increase your pace when summarizing points the audience already knows. This keeps the energy high and shows you respect your audience’s time.
But use this technique with care. Never rush through your most important content just to save time. Speed is a tool for creating variety, not a way to cram more information into less presentation time.
Beyond the Numbers: The Power of Pacing and Pauses
Mastering your speaking rate goes far beyond hitting an average number. The real skill is in varying your pace to create a dynamic experience. A speech delivered at a flat 150 WPM from start to finish will still feel robotic and uninspired.
Great speakers are like musicians who understand tempo. They know when to be quick and energetic, and they know when to be slow and contemplative. People speak most effectively when they vary their rhythm.
The most powerful tool in your pacing toolbox is the strategic pause. According to research on vocal confidence, vocal variety, which includes pausing, projects confidence. A well-timed pause can create suspense, emphasize a point, or give your audience a moment to reflect on a powerful statement.
Don’t be afraid of silence; people who are naturally slow talkers understand this. A two or three second pause can feel long to you on stage, but it is invaluable for your listeners. It allows your message to truly sink in and gives you ultimate control of the room.
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Conclusion
So, what is the right amount of words per minute to use when speaking? It’s the pace that allows you to connect with your audience and deliver your message with clarity. The 140-160 WPM range is an excellent benchmark, but it is not the final word on your delivery.
The average speaking rate of a person is just a starting point. Your real goal is to become a dynamic speaker who uses pace as another tool to engage and persuade your listeners. Use the techniques here to find your rate and practice speaking with intention.
Take the time to find your natural rate and learn how to control it. Mastering your speaking speed means you can adapt to any audience or situation. The most effective pace is always the one that best serves your audience and your message.
