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How many words is a 2-minute speech?
A 2-minute speech is about 260 to 300 words, a little over one double-spaced page (1 to 1.2 pages).
Work it out
words, at 130 to 150 words a minute
- At 140 words a minute
- 280 words
- Script pages, double-spaced
- 1–1.2
- Pages, single-spaced, Arial 12 pt
- 0.5–0.6
- Reading it silently
- 1 min 11 sec
- Paragraphs
- 1–3
Write it in the word counter with a limit of 300 words.
Open the word counterWords for 2-minute speech at different speeds
| Pace | Words | Double-spaced pages |
|---|---|---|
| Measured, 130 words a minute | 260 | 1 |
| Typical, 140 words a minute | 280 | 1.1 |
| Conversational, 150 words a minute | 300 | 1.2 |
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 two minutes is the right length
A short wedding toast, the answer to “Tell me about yourself” in an interview, a project update in a team meeting, an award acceptance, or the top end of a Table Topics answer. Two minutes is long enough for a small story, which is what makes short speeches memorable.
Tips
- Tell one story. A specific moment beats a list of qualities.
- Write it to be heard: short sentences, no brackets, nothing you would trip over.
- Mark pauses after the key line. A two-second pause costs about five words of script.
Questions and answers
How many words is a 2-minute speech?
About 260 to 300 words.
How many pages is a 2-minute speech?
About one double-spaced page, or half a single-spaced page.
How long should “tell me about yourself” be?
One to two minutes is the usual advice: roughly 150 to 300 words if you wrote it out, covering where you are now, what you have done that matters for the role, and why you want it.