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How many words is a 10-minute speech?
A 10-minute speech is about 1,300 to 1,500 words, or 5.2 to 6 double-spaced pages.
Work it out
words, at 130 to 150 words a minute
- At 140 words a minute
- 1,400 words
- Script pages, double-spaced
- 5.2–6
- Pages, single-spaced, Arial 12 pt
- 2.6–3
- Reading it silently
- 5 min 53 sec
- Paragraphs
- 7–15
Write it in the word counter with a limit of 1,500 words.
Open the word counterWords for 10-minute speech at different speeds
| Pace | Words | Double-spaced pages |
|---|---|---|
| Measured, 130 words a minute | 1,300 | 5.2 |
| Typical, 140 words a minute | 1,400 | 5.6 |
| Conversational, 150 words a minute | 1,500 | 6 |
Estimates for US Letter or A4 with 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins and ordinary paragraphs; reading at 238 words a minute, speaking at 130 to 150.
Where ten minutes comes up
A presentation in a job interview (ten minutes is a common brief), a conference talk in a short session, a training segment, or a toast at a large event that has run away with itself. Ten minutes is also roughly the point where an audience’s attention needs a fresh start: a story, a question, a change of slide.
Planning ten minutes
| Part | Time | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Opening and agenda | 1 minute | 140 |
| Three main sections | 2.5 minutes each | 350 each |
| Summary and close | 1.5 minutes | 210 |
That is about 1,400 words. For an interview presentation, stop at nine minutes: panels notice when you run over and rarely when you finish early.
Questions and answers
How many words is a 10-minute speech?
About 1,300 to 1,500 words.
How many slides for a 10-minute presentation?
About 8 to 12 is common. More slides than minutes usually means too much text on each.
How many pages is a 10-minute speech?
About 5.2 to 6 double-spaced pages, or three single-spaced pages.