Speaking pace test

Read the passage aloud while the stopwatch runs. Get your words per minute, then use it to time your talk.

What to read

Good presentations are rarely about the slides. They are about the few ideas the audience still remembers on the way home. Before you open your laptop, decide what those ideas are and write each one as a single plain sentence. If a sentence needs a second breath to say, it probably needs another edit. Then think about the people in the room. What do they already know, and what would make them lean forward? Start with a question or a short story instead of an agenda, because the first minute sets the tone for everything after it. Speak a little slower than feels natural, and leave a pause after the points that matter most. Silence feels long to the speaker, but it gives listeners time to catch up. Finally, practise out loud, not in your head. Reading silently hides the words that trip you up, and only your voice will show you how long the talk really takes.

Press start, then read aloud

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How it works

Read, stop, check the count

Read it like the real thing

Press start and read the passage out loud, at the pace you'd use in front of people. Don't rush to beat the clock.

Stop when you stop

Press stop on the last word. If you didn't reach the end, enter how many words you read so only those count.

Try a few times

Your first try is often fast from nerves. Run it two or three times and use the average.

words read ÷ seconds × 60 = words per minute. Example: 130 words read in 60 seconds is 130 words per minute. The sample passage is 158 words, so reading it in 1:13 is about 130 words per minute.

Words are counted the same way as in the speech time calculator: anything between spaces or line breaks that has a letter or number. “co-present” and “2026” are one word each; a lone dash is none.

Good to know

No microphone, no recording

The test only times your taps. It never listens, records or uploads anything, so it can't tell if you skipped a line.

Reaction time counts

A late tap adds a little time. Readings under 10 seconds or under 20 words are refused because that error would swamp the result.

Reading isn't talking

Reading a script is often faster than speaking from notes, and nerves speed you up on the day. Treat the result as a guide.

Keep going

Put your pace to work

FAQ

What is a good speaking pace for a presentation?

Many presenters speak at roughly 120 to 160 words per minute. Slower suits technical detail or a large room; faster suits a casual, energetic talk. What matters most is that you are steady and leave pauses after your key points.

How do I work out my words per minute?

Read a passage aloud, time it, then divide the number of words you said by the seconds it took and multiply by 60. For example, 130 words in 60 seconds is 130 words per minute. This page does the timing and the sum for you.

What if I don't finish the passage?

Stop the stopwatch where you stopped reading, then enter how many words you actually read. The pace uses only those words, so an unfinished passage still gives a fair result.

Does this test listen to me?

No. It never asks for the microphone and does no speech recognition. It only measures the time between your start and stop taps, so it works just as well if you read in a whisper.

Is my text saved or sent anywhere?

No. Everything runs in your browser. Text you paste is never uploaded, saved, or put in the page address. Your results stay on this page until you clear them or close it.