Speech length
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
About 650 to 800 words at an average pace. That's three points with an example each, the shape of most class presentations.
Speaking time
Paste your speech to see how long it takes to say.
5:00 is about 750 words at an average pace.
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Words in a 5-minute speech at each pace
At 150 words a minute, 5 minutes is 750 words. Nerves speed most people up; a big room or a serious subject slows them down.
| Pace | Words a minute | Words in 5 minutes | Pages | Paragraphs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow | 110 | 550 | 2 double-spaced, 1 single-spaced | About 5 |
| Average | 150 | 750 | 3 double-spaced, 1½ single-spaced | About 6 |
| Fast | 180 | 900 | 3½ double-spaced, 2 single-spaced | About 8 |
What fits in five minutes
Five minutes is about 750 words: three double-spaced pages, or a page and a half single-spaced, in about six paragraphs.
It's the length of a class presentation, a project update, a pitch-competition round, a eulogy and a lightning talk. Ignite talks are exactly five minutes: 20 slides that move on by themselves every 15 seconds, so the script has to be timed almost to the second.
Slides for a 5-minute presentation
Plan on one slide a minute, so five or six including the title. Each slide should carry one idea you can say in about 150 words; if a slide needs more explaining than that, split it in two.
Don't write the speech on the slides. Put the number, the picture or a five-word headline on screen, and keep the sentences for your notes or the teleprompter.
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Last checked 2 October 2026
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