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. 

1. 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. 
2. 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.
3. You can also use your phone to record your voice and then manually count each word you say.
4. 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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Fatigue

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.

5. 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. 

6. 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.

1. Research 

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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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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.

Conclusion

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! 

Summary

Article Name

How Many Words is a 5-Minute Speech

Description

Are you interested in being a better public speaker? If the answer is yes, then this article will give you all the tips for public speaking.

Author

Abhishek KG

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Orai

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