Short answer. Reading time = words / reading speed. At about 238 words a minute, a 1,500 word essay takes about 6.3 minutes to read. At 140 words a minute it takes about 10.7 minutes to say out loud.
How reading time is worked out
Reading time is the number of words divided by a reading speed in words per minute (wpm).
Reading time in minutes = words / reading speed
If you paste text, the tool counts the words for you. It counts any group of letters or numbers between spaces as one word. If the text box is empty, it uses the word count you type.
The default speeds
The reading speed starts at 238 words a minute. That is the average silent reading speed for adults reading non-fiction in English, from a 2019 review of 190 studies by Marc Brysbaert. Fiction is often read a little faster. Hard textbooks and technical papers are read more slowly, often 100 to 200 words a minute.
The speaking speed starts at 140 words a minute. Most people speak at about 120 to 160 words a minute when they give a talk. If you are nervous you may speak faster. If you add pauses, slides or questions, you will need more time.
Change the speeds
Everyone reads at a different speed. To find yours, read a page for one minute and count the words. Type that number into the reading speed box. To time a speech, read a short part out loud with a timer and do the same for the speaking speed.
Uses for students
Plan a study session by checking how long a chapter will take. Check that a presentation fits the time limit. A 5-minute speech at 140 words a minute needs about 700 words. Work out how long a reader will spend on your blog post or essay.
Limits
The result is an estimate. It does not count time to look at charts, take notes or reread hard parts. For a speech, practice with a timer before the real day.
Worked example
Example. Your essay has 1,500 words.
Reading time = 1,500 / 238 = 6.30 minutes, about 6 min 18 sec.
Speaking time = 1,500 / 140 = 10.71 minutes, about 10 min 43 sec.
For a 5-minute speech, you need about 5 x 140 = 700 words.
Questions
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About 4.2 minutes at 238 words a minute. Hard text can take 6 to 10 minutes.
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
About 600 to 800 words. At 140 words a minute it is 700 words.
What is an average reading speed?
For adults reading non-fiction in English, about 238 words a minute in silent reading.
Does the tool save my text?
No. The count runs in your browser. Your text is not sent anywhere.
Why does my time differ from other sites?
Sites use different default speeds. Many use 200 or 250 words a minute. You can type any speed here.
Last checked by the StudyCount team.