Speech length to word number ratio? (1 Viewer)

[Willohfish]

Is there some kind of chart somewhere that tells you the average number of words contained in a (insertnumberhere) word speech?

 

[-may-cat-]

Just time yourself while you read a word document out loud and when you reach 1 minute stop and do a word count of how much you read.

 

[h3ll h0und]

Just time yourself while you read a word document out loud and when you reach 1 minute stop and do a word count of how much you read.

i would rather read the whole speech then time myself because your pace may vary through the speech. The wordcount:time ratio depends on how fast/clearly you speak...for example in my physics speech i was able to finish 750 words in 3 minutes 30 seconds whereas some people had around 690 words and finished at around the same time because they spoke much more slowly.

 

[roar84eighty]

lol ratio

 

[Arcorn]

Why does this keep coming up? Can't people just write out their speeches and time it? Once you're used to how long it takes you to say something it isn't hard to write out speeches

 

[-may-cat-]

i would rather read the whole speech then time myself because your pace may vary through the speech. The wordcount:time ratio depends on how fast/clearly you speak...for example in my physics speech i was able to finish 750 words in 3 minutes 30 seconds whereas some people had around 690 words and finished at around the same time because they spoke much more slowly.

The point is not to read a specific speech that you plan to perform but to read anything slowly and clearly to work out your average spoken words per minute. Of course it is never going to be exact but it allows you to better plan the time limit of your speeches before you write them.

 

[Absolutezero]

for example in my physics speech i was able to finish 750 words in 3 minutes 30 seconds whereas some people had around 690 words and finished at around the same time because they spoke much more slowly.

Whereas I could probably get away with 500 words, as I punctuate it with tone, pauses, and gesture.

The 'ratio' depends on your own speaking style. Anywhere between 100-180 words a minute is considered reasonably normal. For a professional speaker, the number decreases even more, as they allow for applause, reaction, and response.

If you want a rough guide, aim for between 1:2 and 1:3

That is, between 2 and 3 words a second.

 

[0bs3n3]

why does this keep coming up? Can't people just write out their speeches and time it? Once you're used to how long it takes you to say something it isn't hard to write out speeches

+1.

 

[h3ll h0und]

Why does this keep coming up? Can't people just write out their speeches and time it? Once you're used to how long it takes you to say something it isn't hard to write out speeches

i think its cuz they want a rough goal of what they should be aiming for BEFORE they write their speech. but yeh i agree...they should just write out their speech and time it....much easier

 

[Absolutezero]

What I don't like about the whole 'speech' principle nowadays, is that in many cases, students are pretty much required to replicate the speech they have typed up. Which means majority just end up taking their sheet of paper up with them, and are essentially reading out an essay.

 

[suling]

Why does this keep coming up? Can't people just write out their speeches and time it? Once you're used to how long it takes you to say something it isn't hard to write out speeches

+2

I have never even thought about using a word count..

 

[bob fossil]

I did 640 words in 4 mins for english ut it had a lot of pausing