Enter a word count to see how long it takes to read silently, aloud, or as a delivered speech — with slower and faster paces shown.
Three speeds, three purposes
“How long will this take to read?” has three different answers. Adults skim-read silently around 225 words a minute, read aloud comfortably near 150, and deliver a speech — with pauses and emphasis — closer to 130. Enter the word count, pick the mode, and this calculator returns the estimate with a slower and faster pace either side, because audiences and readers vary.
How to use it
- Enter the word count (the word counter on this site gives it instantly).
- Pick the mode: silent, aloud, or speech delivery.
- Read the estimate and the ±20% range.
The formula
A worked example
A 1,500-word article reads silently in about 7 minutes — the number blogs print at the top. The same 1,500 words as a delivered speech run 11–12 minutes, which is why speakers who rehearse by silent-reading always run over: the two paces differ by almost half. A 5-minute speech wants roughly 650 words.