3 min presentation how many words

See How Many Words Is A 3-Minute Speech & How To Prepare One

Preparing for a 3-minute speech and wondering about How many words should your speech have to fit the golden time frame?

You’re at the right place! Today, we’re going to explore the art of giving the perfect 3-minute speech with the right number of words. So, whether you’re getting ready for a school presentation, a work-related event, or a wedding toast, we’ve got the best tips for you!

For giving a 3-minute speech, you’ll need around 420 words, but doing you’re best is about more than just the number of words. It’s all about the content of your speech, your gestures, and the techniques you use to connect deeply with the audience and make them listen carefully!

Want to make everyone stare at you with a smile when you’re giving your speech?

Scroll down and learn how to give the best 3-minute speech of all time!

Table of Contents

The Power of a 3-Minute Speech

What can you say in three minutes? Well, Winston Churchill gave his famous speech “Never Never Give Up” in only 1 minute! So, 3 minutes is enough to share a meaningful message. 

Want to know how many words you use for a 3-minute speech? You can always count them since everyone talks at different speeds! We’ll tell you how.

How Many Words Are in a 3-Minute Speech?

An average speaker needs around 420 words to speak for three minutes. However, the actual number of words depends on your speed, body language, and whether you use any visual aids like slides or not. Slides can slow you down, as you need to wait for the audience to grasp the information.

In general, if you’re a fast speaker you need around 500 to 510 words, if you’re an average speaker you’ll use around 420 words and if you’re really slow or you need to show photos, videos, or slides between your sentences, you’ll need 300 to 330 words in a 3-minute speech.

Ideal Words Per Minute (WPM)

You may have heard about the golden “WPM” (words per minute). Everyone has a WPM of their own!

If you want to find the ideal number of words for your own speech, try talking in a way that you neither rush nor linger during your speech and take the time. 

Make sure to do it when you’re calm and alone, and preferably read a pre-written passage with a word count.

How many words did you say in 3 minutes? That’s your ideal WPM! 

Crafting the Perfect 3-Minute Speech

The art of having the perfect 3-minute speech always starts with writing and planning! Now, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide that helps you create the speech of your life!

Step-by-Step Guide to Planning A 3-Minute Speech

Understand your audience.

Before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), consider who your audience is. Try answering some questions, including where are you going to talk. Who is your audience? In what fields do they have knowledge? What are their interests? What are their expectations?

Write the answers to your questions. This is how you create a unique image of your audience, like a real person whom you know and want to talk to.

Define Your Purpose

What message do you want to send to the audience? Write it on a piece of paper. For example write: “I’m going to teach them about customer service and how it changed in 2023”, or “I want to toast my best friends by telling a story about how they’re made for each other”!

 Be clear about the purpose of your speech. Are you informing, persuading, entertaining, or teaching? This defines your tone.

Structure Your Speech

This is a very important step!

A good speech has a clear beginning, middle, and ending. You should start with an attention-catching introduction, move to the mar in content which is your middle, and finish it with a memorable ending.

You should carefully think about how you’re going to start your speech. You can start with a personal memory, a story, a surprising fact, or a question to engage your audience.

Whatever your content is, remember that a good ending leaves your audience with a feeling of joy and it affects your whole speech. So, the ending is as important as how you start. 

You can finish your speech with a personal note, or talking about a future. A very creative way to end your speech is by asking someone else to finish it with a comment or question. This technique engages your audience and gives them the feeling of being included!

Choose Your Words Wisely

In only 3 minutes, every word counts! So, choose each one of them wisely. Use vivid language and make your point understandable. Avoid using phrases and terms that your audience doesn’t know. 

If you’re making a reference to a book or historical event, make sure everyone knows about it. Otherwise, you may leave some individuals puzzled, which is a negative point for a 3-minute speech.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Rehearsing your speech is crucial. It not only helps you refine your delivery but also ensures that you stay within the 3-minute timeframe.

Choosing the Right Topic

Every speech should have a topic. We don’t mean a general one, like a wedding toast or a university speech, but a more specific thing to talk about.

You can use some techniques for choosing a speech topic. Let’s learn some!

How To Choose A Good Topic For A 3-Minute Speech?

Our first suggestion is to look up the news about what you’re going to talk about. For example, if you’re giving a speech about business in the modern world you can search for new topics in business management.

Or if you’re giving a speech about saving the planet at school, you can search and read news about environmental issues of the day and choose one or two to talk about.

You can talk about people. For example, if you’re going to give a speech at the opening of a science fair, you can choose a scientist and talk about how their work is relevant to today’s science and the theme of your fair.

If you couldn’t brainstorm good ideas for your 3-minute speech, then you can take a look at the calendar! On what day you’re going to give the speech? See if there are any special events on that day. Feel free to check all calendars from all over the world!

You can also talk about something you really care about and relate it to the subject of the speech and your audience in some way. If you want to find the thing you care about, try completing the following questions.

“It makes me angry when…”, “I’d like to change the world to a place where…”, “Happiness for me is when…”. Get angry when someone harasses animals? Get delighted when see two people really in love? Want to change the world to a more just place for women? Here you go! 

Planning for Success

What happens if someone wants to ask you something in the middle of your speech? What if someone doesn’t laugh at your jokes?

You should be ready for every situation, and figure out how to be successful in each!

Using Technology to Prepare the Best Speech

Technology is here to save you from preparing your 3-minute speech! You can prepare your speech using different tools that are already popular and user-friendly.

Let’s see what they are and how to use them. 

Using Artificial Intelligence

AI is now revolutionizing everything, even your speech writing. For instance, you can write a prompt for your preferred AI (including Chatgpt and Bing AI) to help you plan, structure, and even write the content of your speech.

Use this prompt for example: “I want to give a three-minute speech about how to save the planet in my university. My audience includes Environmental Science professors and students. Create a plan for my speech.” 

Once you get the plan you like from the AI, ask it to “Write the speech according to the plan”.

Remember, the more specific and detailed your prompts are, the better speech you’ll get from the AI. so, make sure to tailor it according to what you really want. For example, you can always ask the AI to make your speech funnier, sadder, or even more engaging. 

The Disadvantages of AI for Writing a Speech

AI comes with its own dark side and you need to be aware of its limitations. It produces generic content. This means that it lacks the personalization that a speech needs. This is why speeches generated solely by AI may not connect to the audience as well as human-written ones.

As a speaker, originality is part of your brand and a part of your audience’s experience. So, you shouldn’t just rely on AI. Don’t forget a touch of you in your speech!

When you’re giving a speech, it’s important to use the right tone, the right words, and the right grammar. We may make many grammatical mistakes when we talk to each other, but giving a speech is more than that! 

Having grammatical errors could turn your speech into a drag!

Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that can improve the quality of your speech. It helps you spot and correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors, ensuring your speech is polished and error-free.

If you’re a premium user, you can also ask it to change your tone, and help you craft a persuading and memorable speech!

Using Speech Writing Services

Want a speech for your Ted Talk and still have no clue?

There are people out there who are experts in writing and planning the best speeches ever! So, if you tried every technique and you just got lost, don’t worry! 

There are many people like you who can give a great speech but can’t plan it without help. Let’s see how you can find someone who writes a speech like it came right from your heart!

PeoplePerHour

PeoplePerHour is a platform that connects you with talented freelancers from all over the world. Just go on and type “Speech Writer” in its search box and you’ll see many experts who can write what you want at any price!

For a 3-minute speech, you can find a freelancer to do it for $20 to $400 on People Per Hour!   Make sure to read every freelancer’s profile and client experiences before ordering your speech!

ProBlogger Job Board

The ProBlogger Job Board is another platform that connects you to freelancers, but this time only to writers! You can see people and firms who accept freelance writing projects, from website content writing to paper writing for a project!

Go on and search for a “Speech Writer”. You can find many freelancers who can tailor a great piece of speech based on your specific needs.

WriterAccess

WriterAccess is a trusted content creation platform that many freelance writers sign up on. You can find someone you can trust to write your speech at the best price on Writer Access! 

Around 15000 freelance writers are on writer access now. Go on and search for someone to write a great speech for you!

Becoming a Master of Public Speaking

A 3-minute speech could be the start of your journey as a public speaker. You may have many things in mind that you want to share with the rest of the world, but you just don’t know where to start and what to do to give a great speech.

Let’s talk about some techniques that help you become a confident speaker in your first 3-minute speech!

Tips and Techniques for Delivering Engaging Speeches

If you’re giving a speech at work, whether to your colleagues or clients, the first thing is to write the most important qualities of your audience. Know what are their needs and concerns. 

The most important thing about a working speech is that it must be clear and right to the point. Avoid lengthy openings and use a clear introduction.

Visual aids like slides and charts could be helpful for this setting.

Remember, work speeches, even three-minute ones, could be boring. Encouraging questions and inviting the listeners to engage is a perfect technique for the perfect address!

The last tip is to have a fun fact or a personal (but not offensive at all joke) for everyone. It helps you have a warmer work speech and create an inclusive environment where everyone from your work belongs.

Get out of that boring and cliche work speech samples with all the facts and figures and try to be someone that everyone likes to listen to.

At a Funeral

Funeral speech is tricky because you’re sad and you must think about giving a good speech at the same time. 

The first step toward a successful funeral speech is showing empathy. Speak from the heart, and realize the pain that every friend and family member shares with you. 

Sharing personal memories, especially happy ones is a great technique since it creates a good view of the deceased’s character. 

Speak at a comfortable pace take deep breaths and pause when you need. Remember, crying in this situation is natural, so let it all go naturally.

Remember to honor all aspects of the deceased’s life, like their achievements, relationships, and contributions. Include everyone! Thank them for coming and try to forgive anyone who had a problem with the deceased on their behalf.

Speaking at school can be a valuable opportunity to build your confidence. Many students will acknowledge you after this! 

Want to do it the best way?

Choose a topic that your classmates are already familiar with. What’s the hot topic among you guys these days? Bands? Friendship groups? Throwing the best parties or a new video game? Choose a topic that everyone listens to!

Remember to start practicing soon. First, read the speech for yourself, and practice it so much that you memorize it! Then give the speech in front of your close friends and family, and ask for their feedback.

If you’re afraid of making eye contact and smiling or having facial expressions, spot some of your best friends and only look at them for the first minutes of your speech. This way, you practice while giving the speech, and little by little, you can move to other students and talk while looking right into their eyes.

This helps you craft the best speech and also shed all that stress and appear very confident for the main speech!

Using visuals like images, diagrams, and props makes everyone engage more with what you’re saying.

At University

When you’re giving a speech at university, your audience consists of your professors and peers, who are all involved in the academic world!

This is why you should keep your speech academic and engaging at the same time!

First of all, choose a title that matches the interest of your audience. Then, start to research. Look up the title and gather the needed information to support your argument.

In the world of academia, even a 3-minute speech needs to be based on well-researched content!

The structure is also very important. So make your introduction clear, and point out your main arguments. Be sure to finish with a solid conclusion that fits the logic of your argument. Don’t be afraid to reference academic sources.

Something that really matters in an academic speech is the ability to manage time effectively. You should respect the time you’ve been allocated, and deliver your points within the time limit! So, 3 minutes is all you got!

Remember, since you’re delivering a speech in a more academic context, you should have a more formal speaking style. Avoid casual speech habits, and try using a professional tone.

A primary mission of academia and academic speech is to create discussion. So, go on and ask questions before and after your speech, and let your peers engage in it as well.

At a Graduation Party

Selected to deliver a speech on the most memorable day of every student? What an opportunity! Make sure to seize it!

First of all, try to include everyone. In this short time, you can highlight the graduates’ accomplishments and tell everyone how you’ve all grown together.

Be positive and encourage your peers, whether they enjoyed their academic life or they’re planning on having a better academic future!

Be thankful to your teacher and the parents who’ve been supporting you through all these years! Express your gratitude by thanking everyone, including the graduates!

Ending on a high note is the perfect technique for finishing this speech. Conclude your speech with a memorable quote or piece of advice about ending or graduation. Something that impresses everyone and reminds them there’s a future to look out for!

At a Wedding Toast

When someone trusts you with their wedding toast, it means they trust that you’re going to deliver the most heartfelt speech.

To do so, begin with warmth. It’s a great idea to congratulate the newlyweds and give them warm wishes. You can say how excited you are to see them at the beginning of their most amazing journey in life!

Share a personal story in your 3-minute wedding toast! This story should reflect the couple’s love and character. You can choose either a funny tone or a romantic one, but try to be engaging!

Remember, wedding toasts are usually sweet and short! So, after a short personal story, conclude your speech by inviting everyone to raise their glasses and join in a toast to the couple’s happiness and love.

More General Tips and Techniques

Before delivering to the public, practice your speech a few times! Start with giving the speech in front of people who you trust. This builds confidence and helps you have a smooth delivery without any voice shakes!

Know Your Material

Know what you’re talking about. Research before speaking and if your speech includes any events, dates, historical or scientific references, make sure your knowledge is legit.

Confidence always comes from knowledge!

Use Engaging Body Language

Pay attention to your posture. Make eye contact with everyone, smile, and don’t forget your hand gestures. Your body also talks and engages the audience. 

Giving a speech with fallen hands or shoulders, with a neutral facial expression, or with your hands knotted on your chest could make it one of your worst speeches of all time. Try searching for Ted Talk videos and looking at how speakers act and move their bodies.

Vary Your Voice

Monotonous speech is the worst! Remember to adjust your tone, pitch, and pace and change them when needed. Your voice can prevent your audience from getting bored!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a 500-word speech take.

A 500-word speech usually takes around 4 to 5 minutes to deliver in an effective way. However, it depends on your pace and pauses. If you’re a fast speaker, you can deliver a 500-word speech in 4 minutes!

Is 400 words enough for a 3-minute speech?

Yes, if you speak at an average pace you can deliver 400 words in a 3-minute timeframe. Try practicing it beforehand and calculating your WPM.

What is the ideal duration for a 1,000-word speech to keep the audience engaged?

Regarding that a 1000-word speech is considered a long one, it should take you no more than 7-8 minutes to deliver it. This time is calculated considering the time for pauses and emphasis. If it takes you more than 8 minutes, you may bore the audience. 

How many pages should a 3-minute speech typically span?

It depends on the font size and spacing you use but a 3-minute speech should be 2 pages. Try using word count since it’s a more reliable criterion. A 3-minute speech should have between 380 to 420 words.

How many words are typically spoken in a 1-minute speech?

We can usually speak around 120 to 150 words in a one-minute speech if we aim to deliver a clear speech. If we speak faster than that, the audience is more likely to lose comprehension.

So, now you’re confident to start planning on your speech, right? 

Today, we learned how to craft and deliver a good 3-minute speech. We learned that it usually takes 420 words to speak for 3 minutes, and it’s not a short time! You can deliver many important messages in just 180 seconds!

This is why you should pay close attention to your planning. Every speech should have an opening, main body, and ending. Each of these sections is important and will affect the audience’s perception of your ability as a speaker.

You should also be careful when choosing a topic, and preparing for different occasions. You need different sets of skills and techniques to showcase for giving a speech at work, a funeral, school, university, graduation party, or delivering a wedding toast!

Each situation needs its own tailored ways of delivery, and we learned all about them as well!

If you’re looking for professional assistance, we’ve highlighted the platforms that can help you find the best freelance speechwriters at your budget, including PeoplePerHour, ProBlogger Job Board, and WriterAccess.

Now you know everything about delivering the 3-minute speech of your life, and you’re good to go! Step onto that stage with confidence and share your message with passion. Be sure that you can leave your audience with a feeling of inspiration.

The world is ready to hear your voice. Are you?

Value: the highlighted parts + step-by-step guide to planning a 3-minute speech

Hire the best candidates with WeTest.

Create pre-employment assessments in minutes to screen candidates, save time, and hire the best talent.

Follow us on Medium , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube , and Dribbble .

• Speech Crafting →

How Long is a 3 Minute Speech? Tips for Writing a Short Speech

What could be more nerve-wracking than standing in front of a room full of people and giving a speech in three minutes? It is no surprise that this can be a stressful task for many people. The good news is that most audiences are ready to listen and understand, if you know how to make your points in a clear, concise, and impactful manner.

But that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? How do you effectively deliver a 3-minute presentation and make sure your message gets across? Well, fear not, in this post, I will be breaking down how you can create an effective 3-minute presentation and tips that you can use to maximize the impact of your speech. So put away the fear and let’s get started!

Quick Answer

How many words can I write in a 3 minute speech? Answer: The number of words for a 3 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 300 and 480 words in your speech.

Calculating Speech Length in Minutes

The precise answer to how long a 3 minute speech is can vary depending on the speaker, their speaking rate, and length of words used. It’s important to consider these factors when preparing an effective presentation . While the conventional wisdom might be to assign a fixed word count per minute, the reality is that it takes more than this to calculate an exact speech length . Subject matter is one factor to take into account when calculating speech length. Complex topics require more words and use of larger vocabulary which will naturally increase the length of time the speaker needs to explain the material. Additionally, if there is content specified by a speaker for a 3-minute presentation, that can also affect the actual length of the speech. On average, one sentence will take about three seconds to deliver, so every extra sentence or phrase will add approximately six seconds to your presentation time. To ensure that your 3-minute speech includes all information needed without taking too much time from other presenters speaking after you, practice delivering your speech out loud and adjust as needed. The pros of using a fixed word count per minute approach are numerous. This method allows for easier calculation of speech timing and for comparison against other speakers in terms of number of words spoken. A disadvantage would be that if a presenter uses larger words or has generally slower delivery with longer pauses between sentences or sections, then the estimated “3 minutes” could be inaccurate; meaning less time available for other speakers or related activities. By considering subject matter, language choice and level of detail, presenters should have a better understanding on how to effectively gauge their intended speech length beforehand. This leads into an important measure of success in any given presentation – that being words per minute estimations which we’ll cover in the following section…

Words Per Minute Estimations

Words per minute estimations are key when it comes to preparing a 3-minute speech. Speaking faster than your natural delivery can hinder the effectiveness of a presentation. However, understanding the industry standard of words per minute can help speakers find the right tempo for their presentations. According to some sources , the average person speaks approximately 125 words per minute, making a 3-minute presentation around 375 words. Plans and speeches should be rehearsed in advance to ensure that they fit and exceed the word requirement. While you should practice going over the time limit, keep in mind that it is best practice to finish presentations at or before the allotted time. On the other hand, there is debate around whether simply filling up a speech with words that do not serve any purpose creates a more improved speech. Speakers must remember that quality matters over quantity when it comes to giving a presentation. While it is important to be aware of how many words are being spoken per minute, fillers such as “um” and “like” decrease performance quality and effectiveness of a presentation. It is essential to factor in tempo along with content breathlessness when delivering a powerful presentation. Therefore, it is important for speakers to practice their speech while focusing on both its content and delivery rate so as to achieve maximum impact. Preparing an effective 3-minute speech requires a combination of quality material and proper timing. The next section will cover tips on how one can prepare an effective 3-minute speech.

Preparing a 3-Minute Speech

As with most speeches, those that are three minutes in length must be planned ahead and prepared carefully. The goal of this section is to provide tips and advice that will help the speaker craft an effective 3-minute speech. First and foremost, speakers must decide on their topic . A specific focus should be chosen, as topics that are too broad will be difficult to cover in such a short time frame. Using any research materials needed, the speaker can begin gathering key points and facts about their chosen topic to include in the speech. Speakers may also have to consider time management when constructing their 3-minute speech. It’s important to use the allotted time for the best outcome, which may involve condensing sentences or eliminating examples that don’t fit into the final draft . If necessary, speakers can even work with rhythm and dramatic pauses to create more impactful and memorable moments within their 3-minute window. Finally, the speaker should practice delivering their 3-minute speech. It’s important to know what points they plan on emphasizing, when they will pause, how they will move while they are speaking, and how to vary their pitch and vocal delivery to capture audience attention—but all within the three minutes of allotted time. The more practice given to 3-minute speech preparation, the better chance of successfully delivering an effective presentation on one’s chosen topic. Armed with these preparation tips for crafting a 3-minute speech, speakers can proceed towards structuring their speech accordingly in order to maximize its creative potential and reach its intended purpose. The following section will address structuring the speech itself so that it packs a punch within a short window of time.

Structuring the Speech

A well-structured speech is a key part of delivering an effective presentation. When planning a 3 minute speech, selecting a structure to guide the flow of information can be essential in ensuring an effective outcome. The first factor in structuring a 3 minute speech is deciding whether to present in a chronological order, or alternatively divide into thematic elements. If a chronological approach is chosen, this allows the audience to gain insight on how ideas have developed over time and provides continuity between points. Conversely, when choosing to split the speech according to theme this allows for greater focus on specific topics and highlights any similarities or differences between them. Closely linked to the type of structure chosen, it can be beneficial to consider utilising subheadings, especially if the speech has been divided into thematic elements. Subheadings are also helpful for maintaining focus on the main point and ensure each idea is adequately covered within your time limit. However, too many subheadings may result in an overly structured presentation which could be distracting for the audience. Alternatively, little or no subheadings may mean that the content feels disjointed and difficult to follow. As such, finding the right balance is essential for ensuring successful communication. Finally, whilst considering how long each element should be within your speech, setting yourself a word target can also help achieve this balance. After deciding how long each major element will take up there are often nuances within these sections that would benefit from some additional elaboration. By setting yourself a total number of words you will become more aware of how much detail there needs to be within those subsections and ultimately produce a better outcome overall. Having established the structure of your 3 minute presentation it is now important to consider what content should fill it. Moving forward we will discuss how to choose an appropriate topic that suits both you and your audience…

Choosing a Topic

Choosing a topic for a 3 minute speech can be daunting. It’s important to consider the audience, purpose, and context of the speech when selecting your topic . Your aim should be to select a topic that will interest and engage the audience. Try to pick something that you are passionate about and ensure it is appropriate for the occasion. When debating topics, think carefully about both sides of the argument so your presentation can be balanced and comprehensive. Drawing on both sides of an argument demonstrates good critical thinking and builds respect from your audience. Also you may have to overcome initial opposition or skepticism from members of your audience. This technique encourages full discussion and understanding of a topic, allowing the audience to process both perspectives before coming to their own conclusions and making decisions. Finally, if you decide to debate a topic, consider ending your presentation with a call to action for your audience — this could be encouraging them to take action on what they have learned in your speech or engaging in further research, amongst others. Now that you have chosen a topic for your 3 minute speech, it’s time to move onto finding supporting ideas which will bring depth and clarity to your presentation.

Finding Supporting Ideas

Brainstorming and research are vital components for gathering the information needed to support a 3 minute speech. Asking questions can help identify topics and ideas to provide a focus for the presentation. Think about what the audience needs to hear and then decide which idea will be used as the center of discussion. Gather facts, figures, statistics, quotes, stories and anecdotes to substantiate the central idea. Additionally, consider points of view on both sides of the debate when appropriate. This will help strengthen the basis of evidence to better illustrate a point or opinion throughout the presentation. Use materials that are relevant, concise but still informative. It is important to have a good balance between material that’s interesting and familiar. As well as material that provides an argumentative edge so the audience has something new to think about after the presentation is finished. Thus it’s important to spend time evaluating all of the materials available that may be suitable in order to determine which pieces will provide maximum impact. Having strong supporting ideas can help make a 3 minute speech persuasive and effective. Here’s a few tips for finding great supporting ideas: 1) Research thoroughly – To ensure accurate information that gives authenticity to arguments 2) Brainstorm – Think critically surrounding common topics relating back to your main point 3) Debate both sides – Consider points of view on both sides of the debate when appropriate 4) Select materials with intention – Choose relevant, concise materials that provide maximum impact 5) Utilize multimedia – Media presentations such as videos, slideshows and graphics can bring extra interest and dimension With some brainstorming and careful selection of materials through a combination of research and thoughtful evaluation, finding effective supporting ideas for a 3 minute speech can be attainable! Now that we have discussed Finding Supporting Ideas for our speech, let’s move on to discuss Opening & Closing the Speech in our next section.

Essential Information

When preparing for a 3 minute speech, it is important to brainstorm for topics and ask questions related to the presentation. Furthermore, research facts, figures, statistics, quotes, stories and anecdotes to strengthen the basis of evidence and arguments. When selecting materials to support the speech, be sure it is relevant, concise but still informative in order to provide maximum impact. To ensure maximum effectiveness of the presentation, consider points of view on both sides of the debate, use multimedia such as videos and graphics. With careful research and evaluation when selecting materials one can be prepared to deliver a strong 3 minute speech.

Opening & Closing the Speech

When delivering a 3 minute presentation, opening and closing the speech effectively is critical to ensure the speech is impactful and memorable. An effective introduction grabs the audience’s attention and creates context, while a powerful conclusion provides a sense of completion and allows the presenter to leave a lasting impression. The introduction should be short, clear and interesting so that it immediately grabs the audience’s interest and sets the tone for the rest of the presentation. Presenters should consider using an anecdote or joke to draw people in, and be sure to include a succinct overview of what points will be discussed during the rest of the presentation. It is important to stay within time limits while still ensuring that the main idea is expressed in an appealing manner. In contrast, some argue that with only three minutes allotted, it is better to save time by omitting an introduction all together. This approach can be beneficial in certain circumstances as it allows more time for covering relevant material. Additionally, experienced speakers may have no trouble grabbing the audience’s attention without needing any kind of introduction. The conclusion should summarize key points touched on throughout the presentation while reinforcing the main idea of the speech and leaving listeners with something to ponder. Presenters might close with their opinion on the topic at hand or use ending remarks such as “thank you for your attention” or “questions?” An effective closure will provide a clear picture of why this topic is important or relevant and might use props, visuals or sound clips to deliver a final statement about being heard. Similar to an introduction, some might argue that a conclusion is not necessary given that speaker has only three minutes overall. However, like an introduction, skipping out on a proper closure could be detrimental if not done well as it has potential to leave the audience feeling unfulfilled or confused about what was actually presented. In conclusion, it is important to abide by time constraints while also giving an effective open and close when preparing a 3 minute speech – whether this requires including both parts or depending on individual circumstance. Now that we have covered opening and closing techniques, our next section will focus on how to practice delivering this speech efficiently ahead of time.

Practicing the Speech

Speaking confidently and effectively in public can be intimidating for even the most experienced speaker. Before delivering a speech , it is important to practice numerous times to make sure that it is well rehearsed. This allows the speaker to become familiar with their material and identify potential areas of concern so that they can be addressed before delivering the speech. In addition to practicing aloud, writing out the entire speech is also recommended, as it gives the speaker a better sense of organization and flow. However, memorizing every line may not be necessary if the speaker has walked through their material multiple times with both written words and rehearsed aloud. The advantage of memorizing a speech word-for-word is that it allows the speaker to focus on their delivery and make sure they are speaking at an appropriate pace. This can be especially helpful when timing is an issue or when the allotted amount of time to speak is limited. On the other hand, having a memorized presentation can be dangerous as speakers may get lost in thought if they forget where they are or forget a word. Regardless of whether or not a speech is memorized in its entirety, all speeches should still be practiced several times in order for them to flow naturally and coherently. Doing so will minimize any potential errors or pauses during delivery and offer more confidence to the speaker. To further ensure an effective public presentation, all speakers should practice in front of an audience who can give constructive feedback on both content and delivery. Practicing this way helps speakers become more aware of parts of their speeches that need improvement so that these issues can be addressed before delivering the actual speech. By taking the time to properly practice one’s 3 minute speech, any presenter can deliver their material without feeling nervous or unprepared, making for a successful dialogue. With these pros and cons considered, now comes time to prepare for actually delivering the speech .

Delivering the Speech

Once you have written the speech and chosen your message, the next step is to decide how you are going to present the speech. Even a 3-minute speech can be intimidating, making it essential for presenters to practice their presentation in advance. Ready your voice and familiarize yourself with presentations mistakes so that you can avoid these pitfalls during your actual delivery. When delivering a 3-minute speech, focus on maintaining eye contact with your audience, using strong gestures to emphasize points, and speaking slowly but steadily in order to keep within the time limit. It is also important to know when to pause , as this can help draw attention to key points and help optimize communication of the content. In addition to how you deliver the speech, another area is focusing on what words to omit or add if something is taking too long or too short. Depending on the context of the presentation, there are several approaches presenters can take here – some opt for minimizing or reducing descriptions while others choose to replace or substitute certain words or phrases with newer styles of language. Ultimately, it is up to the presenter’s judgement on what changes should be made in order to ensure an effective and informative presentation within three minutes. Certain topics may require speakers to further analyze their material in order to determine what information should be included or left out within three minutes. Here, it is particularly useful for presenters to determine which aspects of their synopsis holds primary importance by jotting down points that could be used as main points or context highlights. In summary, delivering a 3-minute speech successfully requires expertise in budgeting one’s time while still managing to pass along all necessary information needed by both themselves and the audience. Effective delivery will also enhance engagement with your listeners while strengthening your own self confidence as a speaker. Moving forward, let’s discuss some additional tips for speeches of any length.

Additional Tips for Speeches of Any Length

1) Make It Interactive: Engage your audience in the speech by inviting them to act out certain ideas or roles, giving them handouts that contain specific instructions, or even allowing them to ask questions or participate in discussions. Studies have shown that people are more engaged when they are actively involved in a presentation, so give people something to do! Checkpoints in your presentation can be great opportunities for feedback from your audience that you can use to tailor your content and keep their attention. 2) Vary Your Delivery: Use different techniques to keep your audience’s interest. Consider changing the tone of your voice and/or changing your body language throughout the speech. Doing so will help make the talk more interesting and engaging for everyone. Additionally, varying the pace of the presentation can help you drive home key points and keep listeners on their toes. 3) Focus on Clarity: Communicate with clarity and ensure that each point is clear and concise. This is especially important with longer presentations as listeners may become lost along the way if the central messages aren’t made obvious. Research has found that people are more likely to remember stories than facts , so consider incorporating anecdotes into your talk for greater impact. 4) Use Visuals Wisely: Visual aids such as charts or slides can be a great addition to long presentations, helping you explain complex topics quickly and easily, but it’s important not to overdo it. Too many visuals can take away from what you’re saying and make it difficult for listeners to stay focused. Only use visuals when necessary – if there’s a lot of data involved, consider summarizing some of it instead of going into too much detail. 5) Stick to the Point: You may feel incredibly passionate about a particular topic and want to talk extensively about it – but try not to go off-topic since this could confuse or bore your audience . Keeping an outline nearby should help you stay focused, plus cutting out excess details will leave you free to elaborate on thoughts more connected to the main purpose of your speech.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

What types of topics are best suited to a 3 minute speech.

A 3-minute speech is best suited for topics which are brief and can be discussed in a short amount of time. It’s important to identify the key points that need to be covered within the allotted time frame. Consider keeping the topic as specific as possible – this helps to make sure all the key points are concisely discussed in the limited amount of time. Some examples of topics suitable for 3-minute speeches include: •Explaining a new product or service •Summarizing a research paper •Discussing the benefits of a particular solution •Outlining a well-known process •Highlighting recent advancements in technology •Providing a brief overview of an issue or current event •Giving an introduction to an unfamiliar concept. Ultimately, any topic that can be accurately presented and discussed in three minutes or less is appropriate for a 3-minute speech.

How much content can I fit into a 3 minute speech?

In a 3-minute speech, you can fit in quite a lot of content but only if it’s concise and well-constructed. To make the most of your time, decide on the main point you want to make, then use supporting evidence to back this up. You may also want to include some relevant anecdotes or stories to further illustrate your key points. When delivering the speech, practice pacing yourself and speaking clearly and confidently – this will make all the difference with how much content you’re able to get across. Ultimately, it comes down to how well you craft your message in such a short time frame; however, with careful preparation, you should be able to fit in a good amount of information that engages the audience.

How can I ensure my 3 minute speech is engaging?

When delivering a 3 minute speech, it is important to make sure your audience is engaged and attentive. To help ensure that your speech is engaging and effective, be sure to: 1. Focus on presenting your main points clearly and concisely. Make sure to choose words that are easily understood, and don’t be afraid to repeat yourself if needed. Keep your language simple , and avoid using abstract concepts. 2. Use stories, analogies or examples when introducing new topics or providing context for what you are talking about. This will allow the audience to better understand the content of your speech, while also making it more interesting and engaging. 3. Maintain good eye contact with your audience when speaking and use gestures when appropriate. This will show that you are confident and engaged in what you are saying. It will also help keep their attention on you rather than other distractions in the room. 4. Make sure to practice your speech beforehand so you can deliver it accurately, at a comfortable pace, and without running over time. Being able to gauge the allotted time of the speech and keep it within bounds will show the audience that you have prepared properly for the occasion. By following these tips, you can ensure that your 3 minute speech is both engaging and effective in communicating your key points to your audience.

How long is a 1 minute speech?

The number of words for a 1 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 100 and 160 words in your speech.

How long is a 2 minute speech?

The number of words for a 2 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 200 and 320 words in your speech.

How long is a 3 minute speech?

The number of words for a 3 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 300 and 480 words in your speech.

How long is a 4 minute speech?

The number of words for a 4 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 400 and 640 words in your speech.

How long is a 5 minute speech?

The number of words for a 5 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 500 and 800 words in your speech.

How long is a 6 minute speech?

The number of words for a 6 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 600 and 960 words in your speech.

How long is a 7 minute speech?

The number of words for a 7 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 700 and 1120 words in your speech.

How long is a 8 minute speech?

The number of words for a 8 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 800 and 1280 words in your speech.

How long is a 9 minute speech?

The number of words for a 9 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 900 and 1440 words in your speech.

How long is a 10 minute speech?

The number of words for a 10 minute speech will vary depending on the speaking speed, but generally you should aim to have between 1000 and 1600 words in your speech.

convert words to time .

How long will it take to read a speech or presentation?

Enter the word count into the tool below (or paste in text) to see how many minutes it will take you to read. Estimates number of minutes based on a slow, average, or fast paced reading speed.

Number of words

Reading speed

Common conversions (average speed)

Other tools.

Prepared.FYI - Find deals on emergency preparedness, camping, and survival products and equipment 🏕️

Grammarly - Grammar, plagiarism, and spell checker.

Hemingway - Editor to make your writing bold and clear.

Power Thesaurus - Simple crowdsourced thesaurus.

Wake Up Time - Fall asleep and actually wake up refreshed.

Copy Arrow - An organized set for easy copying.

Micron Pens - Amazing pens for writing and illustration.

Block Rocker - Portable event speaker with microphone 🎤

TED Talks - The official TED guide to public speaking.

These tools are awesome, and the affiliate income helps keep the site online.

If you've found this tool helpful, please consider paying it forward to keep it ad free!

As a bonus you'll go down in history listed on one of the coolest sites around :)

Want to learn how to make websites like this?

There's some really cool stuff in the works... Enter your email to be the first to know when it's ready!

Enter your email to be the first to know when some really cool stuff is ready...

Enter your email to be notified of some really cool stuff that's in the works...

My name is Spencer, and I actually work here ↑

Looking for the easiest way to grow your business in 2020?

Get more traffic, more sales, and more reviews effortlessly.

Boost your online reviews and become the obvious choice for new customers.

• Games, topic printables & more
• The 4 main speech types
• Example speeches
• Commemorative
• Declamation
• Demonstration
• Informative
• Introduction
• Student Council
• Speech topics
• Poems to read aloud
• How to write a speech
• Using props/visual aids
• Acute anxiety help
• Breathing exercises
• Letting go - free e-course
• Using self-hypnosis
• Delivery overview
• 4 modes of delivery
• How to make cue cards
• How to read a speech
• 9 vocal aspects
• Vocal variety
• Diction/articulation
• Pronunciation
• Speaking rate
• How to use pauses
• Eye contact
• Body language
• Voice image
• Voice health
• Public speaking activities and games
• About me/contact
• Speech delivery
• How many words per minute in a speech

How many words per minute in a speech?

A quick guide for slow, average and fast rates of speech.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

If you're preparing a speech or presentation with a strict time limit it’s useful to have an estimate of the number of words you’ll need to fit the number of minutes you've been given.

And it's even more useful to have those guidelines before you rush into writing, only to discover when you’re done, you’ve written far too much. Something I used to do on a regular basis! (And then, I had the tedious job of pruning to fit.)

What's on this page:

How many words are there in a 1-minute speech, how many words are there in a 2-minute speech, how many words are there in a 3-minute speech, how many words are there in a 4-minute speech, how many words are there in a 5-minute speech, how many words are there in a 6-minute speech, how many words are there in a 7-minute speech, how many words are there in an 8-minute speech, how many words are there in a 9-minute speech, how many words are there in a 10-minute speech, how many words are there in a 15-minute speech, how many words are there in a 20-minute speech, how many words are there in a 25-minute speech, how many words are there in a 30-minute speech.

• How to calculate your own speech rate: 2 easy methods
• How many pages is a 4, 7 or 20-minute speech?     

About this quick reference guide

The following table (below) shows the average number of words spoken per minute for speeches from 1 to 30 minutes long. It's a quick reference guide: one only intended to provide general information.

Who, and what, is truly average?

An average word count for any timed speech (one minute, two minutes, three, four, five, six...or more, minutes) is impossible to give. As there really is no such thing as an average person, who uses an average rate of words per minute when they speak.

We are individuals: each of us different. Speech patterns and speech (speaking) rates vary considerably between person to person for a great many reasons. The best you’ll ever get is an educated guess.

Use as an estimate: test yourself to be sure

That aside, the following estimates will give you a handy indication of the number of minutes it takes to say x number of words depending on whether you talk at a slow speed, a medium speed or you're one of the world's fast talkers.

(And, no, it's never a good idea to gabble at a mile a minute to fit everything you've prepared into the length of time you've been given!)

To be absolutely sure what you've done will fit the time allocation you've been given it's a good idea to test yourself to establish your own speaking rate or speed of speech .

How many pages is a 'x' minute speech?

Multiple variations on the question how many pages are needed for a speech are frequently asked. For instance:

• How many pages is a 4-minute speech?
• How many pages is a 7-minute speech?
• How many pages is a 20-minute presentation?

Unfortunately, the answer is not simple. Calculating the number of A4 pages of text you need for a speech of any number of minutes long is tricky for two reasons.

How many words are on an A4 page?

The first reason is that the number of words on an A4 page depends on how the page has been formatted. The answers to the questions below make a very big difference to the total number of pages needed to print a speech.

• What is the font family being used? (Different fonts take up differing amounts of space because of the shape/design of their characters.)  
• What is the size of the font? (The font size you're reading right now is 20px.)
• What is the spacing between each of the letters in a word?
• What is the spacing between each line of text? Is it single spacing, 1.5 or double line spacing?
• What spacing has been set for paragraphs?
• What size have the margins of the page been set at?
• Are there headings? Sub-headings or lists?

On average if the font is plain, (sans-serif, without embellishment), like Arial or Verdana, its size is set for 12px, and the line spacing is set for 1.5, then a page may have between 400-500 words on it.

Speech rate changes how we calculate the number of words we need

The second reason why using the number of pages to gauge how long a speech will take to deliver is problematical is because we speak at different rates. 

A 500-word page may take someone speaking at very slow rate 4 minutes to get through.

Another person, who has a much faster speaking rate, may take about 2.5 minutes to deliver exactly the same text.

Using the number of pages as a guide for a speech that has to fit a time limit is completely unreliable.

If you need to use a 'guesstimate' use the speech rate table below. Forget about counting the pages! 

If you are a slow speaker, less than 120 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 120 - 160 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 160 - 200 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 240 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 240 - 320 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 320 - 400 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 360 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 360 – 480 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 480 - 600 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 480 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 480 – 640 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 640 - 800 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 600 words,

If you speak at an average speed between: 600 – 760 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 760 - 1000 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 720 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 720 – 960 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 960 - 1200 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 840 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 840 – 1120 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1120 - 1400 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 960 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 960 – 1280 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1280 - 1600 words.

If you are a slow speaker less than 1080 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1080 – 1440 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1440 - 1800 words.

If you are a slow speaker a little less than 1200 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1200 – 1600 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 1600 - 2000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 1,800 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 1,800 - 2,400 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 2,400 - 3,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 2,400 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 2,400 - 3,200 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 3,200 - 4,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 3,000 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 3,000 - 4,000 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 4,000 - 5,000 words.

If you are a slow speaker, a little less than 3,600 words.

If you speak at an average speed between: 3,600 - 4,800 words.

If you are a fast speaker between: 4,800 - 6,000 words.

Return to Top

Find out more about speech rate

• How to calculate your own words per minute speech rate - two easy methods
• The factors influencing a faster rate or slower rate of speech
• How to develop an ideal rate of speech : one matching content, speech purpose and your audience: six exercises for flexible speaking rate

Words per minute calculator

Lastly here's the link to a useful online words per minutes calculator . Once you've completed your speech enter the total number of words, and select whether you want it to give you an average for a minute of your speech at a slow rate, average or fast rate. Again, it's a 'guesstimate'. ☺

The only really safe way to find out whether your speech fits your time allocation is to say it aloud at an ideal rate or pace: one taking into account the content, and the audience who is going to listen to it, while timing it.

(Use the record function on your phone. It will assist in lots of other ways too! You'll hear where you need more vocal variety, where your pronunciation is blurred ...and, so on. It's super helpful.)

speaking out loud 

Subscribe for  FREE weekly alerts about what's new For more see  speaking out loud  

Top 10 popular pages

• Welcome speech
• Demonstration speech topics
• Impromptu speech topic cards
• Thank you quotes
• Impromptu public speaking topics
• Farewell speeches
• Phrases for welcome speeches
• Student council speeches
• Free sample eulogies

From fear to fun in 28 ways

A complete one stop resource to scuttle fear in the best of all possible ways - with laughter.

Useful pages

• Search this site
• About me & Contact
• Blogging Aloud
• Free e-course
• Privacy policy

©Copyright 2006-24 www.write-out-loud.com

Designed and built by Clickstream Designs

Introducing Speech Time Calculate

Estimate how many minutes your speeches, presentations, and voice-over scripts will take based on your words per minute rate!

How To Speech Time Calculate Using This Tool?

If you have a certain number of words or a piece of text you want to time, you can either type in the word count or paste the text into the provided area. This tool will then calculate how long it would take to read that text out loud.

The talk time estimate is calculated using the average speaking speed of adults, which is determined to be 183 words per minute based on scientific studies. If you’re interested in how long it would take to read silently, it’s estimated at 238 words per minute ( This data is also backed by research )

You can adjust the slider to change the words per minute value, which will affect the talk time estimate. However, the silent reading time estimate remains fixed at 238 words per minute.

For ease of use, we’ve also provided reference points for slow, average, and fast reading rates below the slider.

To begin anew, simply click the ‘clear text’ button to erase the content and restore the slider back to its original setting of 183.

Who is This Words to Minutes Converter Tool For?

If you are a student wondering how long is my essay or you’ve been tasked with writing a speech and need to know how many words to aim for and how many minutes will it take to deliver or perhaps you are a podcaster, just starting out, who wants the ability to easily synchronize music and spoken word without having to painstakingly calculate seconds between them, then this Speech Time Calculate is precisely for you!

From now on, instead of spending long hours in front of the computer trying to figure out how many seconds it takes for one phrase or section of dialogue to end and another to begin, you can let our innovative tool do all the work and convert your text to time quickly and accurately. With this powerful tool at your disposal, whether you’re giving a TED talk or just need to nail a business presentation, your life will become a little bit easier.

So keep reading to learn more about what this fantastic words to minutes converter has in store for public speakers, aspiring students, and professional radio producers alike!

Whether you want to read the text silently or speak aloud, you can use this tool as both:

• Reading time calculator
• Talk time calculator

Explanation of the Reading Time

Reading time refers to the duration it takes for an average person to read a written text silently while still comprehending its content. Based on an extensive analysis of 190 studies that involved 18,573 participants , research conducted by Marc Brysbaert in 2019 suggests that the typical silent reading speed for an adult individual is approximately 238 words per minute .

To convert word count to read time for a specific text, you can do so by dividing the total word count of the text by this established value of 238. Here is the mathematical equation for determining the duration of reading time in minutes:

Reading Time = Total Word Count / 238

Explanation of the Speech Time

Speech time refers to the duration it takes for an average person to read a text out loud. Based on data from 77 studies involving 5,965 people , it’s been found that most adults read aloud at a speed of approximately 183 words per minute ( research conducted by Marc Brysbaert in 2019 ). To figure out how long it will take to read a specific piece of text aloud, you can divide the total number of words in the text by this average rate of 183 words per minute.

Of course, it’s important to note that talk time can vary depending on factors such as clarity of speech, pauses for emphasis, and use of visual aids. However, using this tool for converting the number of words to minutes can still provide a helpful guideline for planning and practicing your presentation. By having a better understanding of speech rates, you can ensure that your message is delivered effectively and efficiently.

Benefits of Using a Speech Time Calculate

Time management in presentations.

Effective time management during presentations is crucial to ensure the audience remains engaged and the information is accurately conveyed. This is where our words to speaking time converter comes in handy. By using this tool, presenters can easily determine how many words they need to include in their presentation to stay within the allotted time frame.

Not only does it help with time management, but it also ensures that the pacing of the presentation is consistent, making it easier for the audience to follow. With the use of this presentation time calculator, presenters can confidently deliver their presentations without the worry of running over time or rushing through it.

Estimated speech time for public speaking

Public speaking can be nerve-wracking, especially when you have too little or too much information to fill your time slot. You wonder only if there were an accurate public speaking time calculator available so that you could be able to allocate the appropriate amount of time to each section of your presentation, ensuring that you cover all the necessary points without rushing or going over time.

Effective pacing is key in ensuring your message is delivered with clarity and impact.

Most public speakers target an average of 130-150 words per minute for their spoken content, meaning you should aim to limit your speaking time to roughly one minute per 130-150 words. While this may take some practice to achieve, the end result is a confident, well-timed delivery that keeps your audience engaged from start to finish.

Remember, in public speaking, less is often more—take your time to breathe and emphasize key points. Your audience will appreciate your thoughtful and measured approach. For that, you can use this tool and adjust your words to speech time.

Accurate estimations for audiobooks and podcasts

As more and more people turn to audiobooks and podcasts for their entertainment and information needs, accurate estimations of listening time have become more important than ever. After all, there’s nothing worse than settling in for a quick listen only to find yourself trapped in a story that goes on for hours longer than you anticipated.

That’s why it’s great to see publishers and podcast producers taking estimated reading time seriously, providing listeners with the information they need to choose the right content for their schedule. Whether you’re looking for a quick listen on your daily commute or a lengthy distraction for a lazy Sunday afternoon, accurate estimations using this words to speak time calculator make it easier than ever to find the perfect content.

Some Popular Speech Times

how many words in a 2 minute speech

Almost 300 words

how many words in a 3 minute speech

Almost 450 words

how many words in a 4 minute speech

Almost 600 words

how many words in a 15 minute speech

Almost 2250 words

The speech time is calculated taking 150 words per minute as reference value

Common conversions (average speed)

How long does it take to read 500 words?

3.8 minutes

How long does it take to read 750 words?

5.8 minutes

How long does it take to read 1000 words?

7.7 minutes

How long does it take to read 1200 words?

9.2 minutes

How long does it take to read 1500 words?

11.5 minutes

How long does it take to read 1800 words?

13.8 minutes

How long does it take to read 2000 words?

15.4 minutes

How long does it take to read 3000 words?

23.1 minutes

As the world becomes more fast-paced, time is a precious commodity. Determining how long your script will take to read, whether for a presentation or a video, can make a significant difference in engaging and retaining your audience’s attention.

That’s where our Words to Time Converter comes in handy. It’s a valuable tool for anyone working in various professions, from broadcast journalists to teachers to executives. No matter the industry, time is of the essence, and knowing how long your speech or presentation will take is crucial for effective communication.

3-minute speeches: Complete guide on writing, preparing and delivering (with examples)

Hrideep barot.

• Body Language & Delivery , Presentation , Public Speaking , Speech Topics , Speech Writing

Although 3-minute speeches may seem brief, a lot of words and ideas may be said at that time. Despite the time constraint, if you are conversant with the subject matter, you may prepare for your three-minute speech swiftly. The secret is to create a strong outline that allows you to add or remove details based on how much time you have left.

Words in a 3-minute speech

An average speech of three minutes in length would have roughly 390 words at a regular speech rate of 130 words per minute (wpm) .

Daphne Gray-Grant, a speech and writing coach, discovered that the typical speaking tempo is 125 to 150 words per minute or 375 to 450 words for a three-minute speech .

Read this article for more information: How long should a speech be?

Writing 3-minute speeches

An engaging speech may capture the attention of the crowd and properly capture the spirit of the event. On the other side, if it is poorly written or disorganised, a dozing audience will miss your point. There is no one ideal structure for a speech. You should instead choose what will resonate with your audience the most.

1. Importance of Stories

Beginning with a story engages the audience, and using stories to break up your speech illustrates the concepts you’re talking about using instances from real life. You might also choose to tell snippets of a single story throughout your speech to illustrate your point. If you’re speaking to a group of professional women with kids, for instance, a story about work-life balance is appropriate. Pick a story that is relevant to your audience. Infrequently, if ever, are overtly political or religious statements appropriate.

2. Simply the Facts

It could be advisable to stick to only the facts while presenting a subject while looking for methods to make them applicable to your audience. But no matter what you talk about, keep your speech’s goal in mind at all times. You run the risk of losing the attention of your audience, and making a point with a long, winding speech isn’t particularly effective.

3. Ordered Chronologically

Your tale or the information you’re conveying must make sense in the order you present it, which typically entails using chronological order. If you’re discussing company law, for instance, you should start with earlier laws and tell a tale about how those rules have been modified or updated. It is feasible to deliver a speech in reverse chronological sequence, but you must make sure your audience understands this to avoid misunderstanding. Give the audience frequent dates or other points of reference to serve as the context for the timing of your speech.

4. Organizing Advice

By outlining your speech, you can make sure that you follow the proper flow and concentrate on the most important points rather than getting lost in the weeds of details. Make a rough draught of your speech, then practise it so that it flows naturally before you give it. Take a list of the key points you want to discuss in your speech and consult a subject-matter expert for any information that is either missing or superfluous to ensure that you cover what you need to.

5. Use of Diction

We select our words based on the circumstances we find ourselves in and the audience we are speaking to. The language you would use with your friends might not be appropriate for your boss. Pick the appropriate words for your audience in order to deliver a speech that is effective. The language you use must be clear to them. It is preferable to stay away from using slang because your language must also be acceptable for the topic. You do not need to poke fun at the audience or try to be amusing. Since audiences are able to tell when a speaker isn’t being sincere, speak from the heart and don’t just say what you think the audience wants to hear. You’ll be able to express yourself more strongly and with more emotion as a result.

6. Speech Patterns

Different speeches are needed for different circumstances. A three-minute presentation in class about your ideal job has a different format than a speech to your graduating class. Learning the appropriate format for various speech kinds is simple. There are various varieties of speeches, all of them ranging in form and length. Impromptu, demonstration, educational, persuading, or tribute speeches are a few examples. Each speech is appropriate for a particular situation in life. Select the speech structure that best fits your circumstance, then formats your speech in line with it. Be mindful of your introduction. Strong opening approaches, sometimes known as “hooks,” come in a variety of forms, including tales, rhetorical questions, shocking claims, striking facts, or simply acting in an unexpected or out-of-the-ordinary manner.

Preparing 3-minute speeches

One of the best strategies to make sure you deliver a compelling presentation is to practise your speech beforehand. Consider using these hints to aid in your preparation:

• Your speech should be organised logically with an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Before giving a speech, frequently practise and rehearse it. Try practising in front of a mirror or with friends acting as your audience. Use a timer to help you pace your speech, and be careful to do so.
• Learn about the podium or other location where the speech will be delivered. Find out the size of the stage, the location of any steps or impediments, and the best places to enter and exit.
• Always keep a professional impression while dressing comfortably .
• Regardless of whether a speech is humorous, serious, or technical, visual aids should fit it. The primary function of visual aids is to facilitate audience comprehension and reinforce key ideas of a speech in distinctive and engaging ways.

Practising 3-minute speeches

It’s common for jittery, distracting body language and a lack of preparation to ruin otherwise effective speeches. Practice your speech after you’ve planned and written it.  You have not practised enough if you need to read your speech word-for-word from your notes. You will feel more assured as you practise more. The best way to get rid of tense body language is to have a buddy videotape you speaking so you can see it repeatedly. While speaking, pay attention to how your hands are moving; they should be at ease.

Pay attention to how you stand; you should be tall and straight. Be mindful of your eye contact. Keep your eyes off of your notes, the floor, or the ceiling. Change your jewellery if it is noisy. Don’t touch your face or hair. Do not clasp your hands behind or in front of your back, and refrain from putting your hands in your pockets. Before giving your speech, repeat this procedure multiple times to make sure you have broken these undesirable habits.

The Big Day

Arrive early at the location on the day of your presentation. Wear clean, acceptable apparel, and go for the look that gets you the most compliments. Make sure your cell phone is off and remove any large objects from your pockets. Check your loudness in the room before you start to make sure you are loud enough. Make sure you can make eye contact with those seated at the audience’s margins by paying attention to where they are seated. Check the location in advance to make sure there are no obstacles like wires or cables that could cause you to trip if you wish to move while speaking. All of these actions will support your confidence grows.

Don’t try to improvise during your speech; instead, speak as you did when you were practising. Keep in mind that feeling anxious before, during, and especially after your speech is natural. This is neither a flaw nor a weakness. Use your anxious energy to make your speech lively and engaging if you have done your preparation and practising well.

Delivering 3-minute speeches

Public speaking that is effective and confident should appear natural. In truth, it takes most people a lot of time and practice before they feel comfortable speaking in front of an audience. To overcome stage anxiety, present yourself with confidence, and keep your audience interested, you can employ a variety of tactics.

1. Avoid showing any nervousness while speaking.

Imagine yourself as someone who is imparting knowledge to others who are willing to listen. Don’t worry too much about how you’ll come across while nervous: When a speaker claims to be really frightened, audiences can not help but notice their anxiety. You perceive it as far worse than your listeners do. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re anxious as long as you act calm.

2. Create positive body language

The grin is the most significant facial expression. This forges an immediate connection with your audience and will win them over. Use your facial expressions to emphasise important points: Your speech will look more believable as a result.

It’s important to stand up straight, space your feet slightly apart, and keep your arms at your sides. Do not sway or place your hands on your hips when speaking. You’ll come across as more assured and credible if you appear grounded. Avoid making “closed” motions like crossing your arms or knees or posing for a picture with your arms behind your back. A mental barrier is put up between you and your audience as a result.

3. Use gestures for achievement

To make your message easier for the audience to follow, use your arms and hands. Effective, self-assured body language captures listeners’ attention. Together, your body and words can convey a potent statement. Make sure to vary your gestures to avoid coming out as a robot.

To effectively emphasise ideas, adjust your body language to the size of the area you are working in. Make powerful motions when giving a speech! Tentative, hesitant acts might give you a doubtful, unconvincing appearance.

4. Make eye contact to captivate others.

Make as much eye contact with your audience as you can to engage them (and appear interested in them). Don’t only focus on one welcoming face. Make sure you engage the entire audience by looking at the folks at the rear and on the sides in addition to the front. Observe the crowd more intently than your notes. Not something you read from, notes should be prompt.

How to make a 3-minute speech interesting?

People worry that they will have to “dumb down” their important research due to time constraints, however, this is not the case!

A punchy message and an engaging brief speech can shed light on the breadth of your research and make the worth of your thoughts clear.

If you make the most of your three minutes and plan your speech effectively, you will have plenty of time to accomplish this.

• Deliver a message that is quite obvious.
• Present a “top and tail” component.
• To clarify a complex concept, use metaphors and other verbal illustrations.
• Instead of “making a formal speech,” speak as if you are having a conversation with your listeners.

General topics for 3-minute speeches

3-minute speeches for students.

Everyone has interests, and everyone enjoys discussing them. You know, hobbies could also be passions. Simple inquiries to pose include:

• What interests you?
• Why are your activities so appealing to you?
• When do you engage in these pastimes?
• What are your hobbies, how long have you been doing them, and how did you start?
• What pastimes did you once enjoy but no longer do?
• Is it necessary to engage in hobbies? Why or why not?

Everyone enjoys music, and the majority of people have extremely strong feelings about it, especially when it comes to the music they enjoy (or detest) the most. Simple inquiries to make include the following:

• What genres of music do you enjoy or find boring?
• What emotions do various musical genres evoke in you?
• What genres of music are produced in your nation?
• What song, artist, or album is your favourite?
• What music is now in vogue in your nation?

3. Motivation

Whether or whether the pupils are motivated, it is a good idea to talk about motivation in order to motivate them. Examples of questions are:

• In general, how motivated are you?
• What spurs you on to action?
• What inspires people to accomplish the most?
• What actions do you do when you lack motivation?
• How can one effectively inspire others?

Everybody has objectives, and discussing them really makes us more motivated to take action. Goal-setting can be aided by sharing them with others. An excellent set of inquiries are:

• What are your present life objectives?
• How are your goals going to be attained?
• How frequently do you set yourself goals?
• What objectives have you previously set and attained?
• How do you feel after achieving your objectives?

Everyone has dreams, sometimes on a nightly basis, and discussing them in class is a terrific activity since it encourages pupils to be imaginative and even whimsical. Excellent inquiries on this subject include:

• How would you characterise your dreams?
• What do dreams represent to you?
• What percentage of your dreams can you recall? Why?
• What are your thoughts about prophecies? Are they genuine?
• What are some instances of your most cherished dreams?

Go through this article for more valuable insights: Speech titles and topics: Everything you need to know

Examples of 3-minute speeches

• A 3-minute speech on the topic “Life”.

Good morning to everyone in this room. I’m here today to speak about life and share my opinions with all of you. Life is a never-ending process that must come to an end eventually. Life is all about creating and adoring oneself. a quotation for you: “Life can only be comprehended by living it backwards.” The potential to live a meaningful life and help others do the same is presented by life itself. It makes no difference how long you live. However, how well you lead a good life matter. Death is a constant menace to our life. Everyone will eventually die, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying to live life to the fullest or pursue our ambitions. A person is only intelligent when they are prepared to face their destiny when it calls, but in the meantime, they should cherish every moment. There is an air of preparation. Every person goes through a journey in life where they must cross the bridge of death in order to awaken to eternal life. Life itself is a genuinely priceless gift. Every moment we have in our life gives us the chance to do something to grow and display our virtues. Every instant unlocks the path for us to accept blessings. The reality is that both good and bad things happen to us in life. What matters most is how we respond. God has given us life as a gift in the hope that we will do our best to make it meaningful. Each of us is a special individual. Respect your uniqueness since no one was born exactly like you and no one ever will be. I frequently come across people who accuse God of something they themselves do not possess. They constantly curse their lives. But do they understand how priceless this life is in and of itself? If we make life worthwhile and strive diligently for positivity. Finally, I’ll say that we ought to make life valuable. Life should be made beautiful by the affection of our family and friends. By carrying out our responsibilities in our families, our workplaces, society, and the larger globe, life can be more beautiful and meaningful.

2. A 3-minute speech by Aaron Beverly who was the 2 nd place winner of the 2016 World Championship of Public Speaking

3. A 3-minute speech by Emma Watson on Gender Equality

Final words

Speaking for three minutes is undoubtedly difficult to master. You must unquestionably conduct an adequate study and choose crucial issues to include in your speech. It is crucial to realise that you must deliver the most essential information first while speaking in a restricted amount of time, such as a 3-minute speech.

A three-minute speech is undoubtedly a wonderful starting point for public speaking. This is because you need to communicate with your audience more effectively when you just have a short amount of time. The speech ought to be concise, pertinent, and clear. Be more relatable to the audience and speak for them. To be the best, you must improve your communication abilities.

Read this article for more useful information: Writing and delivering spectacular short speeches: A-Z guide

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

8 Ways to Rise Above the Noise to Communicate Better

How to Negotiate: The Art of Getting What You Want

10 Hand Gestures That Will Make You More Confident and Efficient

• [email protected]
• +91 98203 57888

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

Kindly drop your contact details so that we can arrange call back

Select Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria AmericanSamoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Rwanda Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe land Islands Antarctica Bolivia, Plurinational State of Brunei Darussalam Cocos (Keeling) Islands Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Guernsey Holy See (Vatican City State) Hong Kong Iran, Islamic Republic of Isle of Man Jersey Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Lao People's Democratic Republic Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Mozambique Palestinian Territory, Occupied Pitcairn Réunion Russia Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Somalia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tanzania, United Republic of Timor-Leste Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S.

• K-State home
• Graduate School
• Student success
• Research forums
• Three Minute Thesis
• 3MT success

Tips for a successful 3MT presentation

Being successful in the 3MT involves much more than summarizing your research in three minutes. You need to be able to connect with your audience: explain your work in a way non-experts can understand and in a way that makes them interested in hearing what you have to say.

Your talk is the focal point of your presentation. Most of your preparation time should be spent on crafting your talk than on creating your slide.

Prepare your talk

Although your talk is only three minutes, it will take time to craft a concise presentation of your graduate research in a way that can be understood by and is engaging for a non-expert audience. Below are suggestions to help you create a successful 3MT presentation.

Summarize your work verbally

You'll want to prepare your talk in writing, but you might want to start by expressing your thoughts verbally and using an audio or video recordor to capture what you say.

Write for your audience

• Your presentation needs to be understandable and engaging for people who are not experts in your field of study.
• Avoid jargon and academic language.
• Explain concepts and people important to your research - you may know all about Professor Smith’s theories but your audience may not.
• Highlight the outcomes of your research, and the desired outcome.
• Focus on the big picture, not the details that you typically share in a presentation with experts and peers in your field.
• Imagine that you are explaining your research to a close family member or friend. Explain your work in a way that they could understand what you do and why it is important.
• However, also make sure you do not simplify the explanation of your work so much that it becomes trivial.
• Convey your excitement and enthusiasm for your subject.

Tell a story

• You may like to present your 3MT as a narrative, with a beginning, middle, and end.
• It’s not easy to condense your research into three minutes, so you may find it easier to break your presentation down into smaller sections.
• Try writing an opener to catch the attention of the audience, then highlight your different points, and finally, have a summary to restate the importance of your work.

Introduction

• You are not required to introduce yourself in your talk, and it is recommended that you do not introduce yourself because this will count towards your three minute time limit. Your name, degree program, and presentation title will be announced before you give your presentation.

Have a clear outcome in mind

• Know what you want your audience to take away from your presentation.
• Try to leave the audience with an understanding of what you’re doing, why it is important, and what you hope to achieve.

What not to do

• Do not write your presentation like an academic paper.
• Try to use shorter words, shorter sentences, and shorter paragraphs.
• You can use humor, but be careful not to devalue your presentation.

Create your slide

Your video should include a single, static slide. Transitions, movement, animations, and sound are not permitted.

Tips for a successful slide

• Your talk, not the slide, is the most critical part of the presentation
• Less is more: Too much t ext and complicated graphics can distract your audience – you don’t want them to read your slide instead of listening to your talk
• Do not rely on your slide to convey your message: The slide should simply complement your oration. If the slide were not displayed, the audience should should still understand and be engaged by your talk
• Work your message: Think about how your slide might be able to assist with the format and delivery of your presentation – is there a metaphor that helps explain your research?
• An engaging visual presentation can make or break any oration, so make sure your slide is legible, clear, and concise
• Title and introduction: You may include your presentation title on your slide, but it is not required . Your name, degree program, and presentation title will be announced before your video is played. Therefore, you also should not spend time introducing yourself in your presentation because it will count toward your time limit.

Practice, seek feedback, revise

• Proof your 3MT presentation by reading it aloud, or video record yourself, review the recording, and find ways to improve.
• Practice in front of different audiences--colleagues, grad students in other disciplines, family, friends--and ask for feedack
• Ask your audience if your presentation clearly highlights what your research is about and why it is important. Can they explain to another person what you do and why it's important?

Use the One Button Plus Studio

Located in the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab on the first floor of Hale Library, this small studio room features studio lighting, cameras, microphones, a green screen, and recording equipment that operates through minimal effort. It’s ideal for recording presentations, interviews, and podcasts.

How can the studio help me prepare for the 3MT?

• Easily capture a high quality video recording of your presentation to review or share with others to review.
• You might have different ideas for explaining your research. Use the One Button Plus Studio to capture different versions of your presentation. Then review or share with others to help you select the best version of your presentation.

Reserve the One Button Plus Studio To use the studio, users plug in a USB flash drive or portable hard drive and touch the touchscreen interface to activate the studio’s lighting, camera and confidence monitor. The user can then adjust lighting, change the background or simply start recording.

Make a reservation!

Additional resources

• View videos of K-State's previous 3MT® winners and videos of 3MT® winners from around the world for examples of successful 3MT® presentations.
• Your Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Presentation for Presenting on What You Do as a Graduate Student and How it Matters by Brad Rickelman, Meridian Technology Center for Business Development (video presentation)
• Making the Most of Your Three Minutes (pdf) by Simon Clews, University of Melbourne
• The Up-Goer Five Text Editor - Can you explain your thesis using only the 1,000 most commonly used words? Give it a try with this text editor. While we do not recommend that you use this text editor to prepare your entire 3MT® presentation, it can help you identify terms and concepts that may not be well known outside of your field and will require some explanation if used in your presentation. This tool might be especially helpful with developing a presentation title.
• Thesis Gold by Paul Geiger
• Communicating Science: An Introductory Communication Guide for Conveying Scientific Information to Academic and Public Audiences
• The David Attenborough Style of Scientific Presentation (pdf) - This document is designed for preparing a presentation longer than three minutes, but many of the principles are applicable to a three-minute presentation.
• Make an appointment with the Writing Center to receive feedback on how to strengthen your three-minute oration.

Information sessions

Sessions were held in the fall semester to get students acquainted with the 3MT and to share guidance on how to prepare a successful 3MT presentation.

Missed the sessions? Watch a recording View slides from the session (pdf)

• Updated: 1/15/24

Speech calculator:  how long does it take to deliver your speech?

With this speech calculator, you can easily calculate how long it will take you to deliver a speech.

How many words per minute?

In the English language, people speak about 140 words per minute. A fast speaker will get to 170 words per minute, a slow speaker will use around 110 words.

Professional speechwriters use this speech calculator to find out how long a speech takes.

Copy your full text and paste it in the box below:

The entire analysis happens within your browser. The text will NOT be stored and NOT be sent over the web.

Word count:

Your speech rate:

Speech duration:

FAQ’s

How many words is a 3 minute speech  .

A speaker with an average speaking speed will need 420 words for a 3 minute speech. A fast speaker will need 510 words while a slow speaker will only need 330 words.

How many words is a 5 minute speech?  

A speaker with an average speaking speed will need 700 words for a 5 minutes speech. A fast speaker will need 850 words for the same speech length. A slow speaker will only need 550 words.

Is this a word count calculator?  

The speech calculator is a word count calculator. Insert your text and the tool will automatically calculate the word count.  It will then also calculate the speech length depending on the selected talking speed.

How to best select the right speaking speed?

Fast, average or slow? The answer depends on the speaker, the speech type and the speech setting.

The speaking speed of the speaker

Some speakers are natural fast or slow speakers. The best speakers keep a variance during their speeches. They speed up to keep momentum and slow down to put special emphasis on other parts.

The speech type

The type of speech matters a lot in selecting the right speech speed. If you read the whole speech word for word from paper then your average speech speed will be lower. If you intend to use the written speech as speaker notes then your average speaking speed will be much higher.

The speech setting

An informal setting will have a faster average speaking speed compared to a more formal setting.

Keeping all three factors in mind you will able make a better judgement about selecting the right speech speed in the speech calculator.

• January 2024
• August 2023
• January 2021
• December 2020
• October 2020
• September 2020
• Client case
• Persuasion tip

Debatrix is a leading expert in (remote) persuasive communication. Based in Europe, we offer executive coaching, persuasion consulting and trainings on TED-worthy presenting, how to influence and inspire, storytelling, debating, framing and dealing with difficult questions.

We value your privacy

Privacy overview.

Do you wonder how long it takes to deliver your speech?

This website helps you convert the number of words into the time it takes to deliver your speech, online and for free. This tool is useful when preparing a speech or a presentation. The number of minutes you will take is dependent on the number of words and your speed of speech, or reading speed.

Note: This calculator provides an indication only.

Enter details below

The overview below provides an indication of the minutes for a speech (based on an average reading speed of 130 words per minute):

• Words in a 1 minute speech 130 words
• Words in a 2 minute speech 260 words
• Words in a 3 minute speech 390 words
• Words in a 4 minute speech 520 words
• Words in a 5 minute speech 650 words
• Words in a 10 minute speech 1300 words
• Words in a 15 minute speech 1950 words
• Words in a 20 minute speech 2600 words
• How long does a 500 word speech take? 3.8 minutes
• How long does a 1000 word speech take? 7.7 minutes
• How long does a 1250 word speech take? 9.6 minutes
• How long does a 1500 word speech take? 11.5 minutes
• How long does a 1750 word speech take? 13.5 minutes
• How long does a 2000 word speech take? 15.4 minutes
• How long does a 2500 word speech take? 19.2 minutes
• How long does a 5000 word speech take? 38.5 minutes

• Nov 21, 2022

How to write a winning 3MT script

That’s how many words are in a typical PhD thesis. Years of gruelling research, sleepless nights, and history-making breakthroughs… culminated into one VERY thick book. To present something of this scale would take you approximately 9 hours. 🤯

But what do you do when you only have 3 minutes? ⏰

Well, that’s exactly what thousands of PhD students worldwide do each year in the 3 Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition. Not only do they explain their super complex research in the time it takes to make a coffee, but they do it in a way that can be understood by a non-specialist audience.

But we know what you’re thinking…

So, how do you even win a competition like that? Well first of all, you’re going to need a 3MT script. And we’re about to teach you how to write a WINNING one. 🏅

Not only that, but this blog post marks the beginning of a multi-part series that will cover all the important aspects of preparing a winning 3MT – from writing a captivating speech, to creating an effective slide, and of course, nailing your delivery.

What is the 3MT competition?

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition is an annual public speaking competition, where PhD candidates describe the impact and scope of their research in 3 minutes to a non-specialist audience. It was launched by the University of Queensland in 2008 and has since gained traction in over 85 countries around the world! 🌍

Put simply, it’s a fancy elevator pitch. Just imagine that it’s a really slow elevator.

Like any good competition, the 3MT has some rules. Here’s a run-down of some of the big ones:

Rules of the 3MT® competition:

You must use a single static PowerPoint slide with no transitions or animations.

You are limited to 3 minutes maximum. Competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.

Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs)… Sorry to all the aspiring rapper-researchers out there.

You can find a comprehensive list of the rules on the official UQ 3MT website.

Well, now that’s out of the way, let’s get into our tips on how to write a winning 3MT script! In this article, I’ll discuss some strategies that I used to craft my own winning 3MT script, but I’ve also watched lots of other award-winning 3MT presentations and identified some common features they share, so that you don’t have to. 😉

#1 : The hook 🪝

Every great 3MT presentation starts off with an attention-grabbing opener, otherwise known as ‘the hook.’ It’s a storytelling essential, and is undoubtedly one of the most important components of the 3MT script.

One clever way to hook the audience in a 3MT presentation is to start off by asking a question , which creates a sense of open dialogue with the listener. For instance, these 3MT finalists began their presentations by asking:

Full videos: Sarah Mokrzycki | Merryn Baker

You can see how the simple act of asking a question makes us reflect on our own personal views and encourages us to engage with the presentation. 💭 Another way to achieve a similar effect is to begin your talk by prompting the audience to act. An effective example of this is presented here:

Full video: Amanda Khamis

Prompting the listener to act is a powerful way to immerse the audience into a particular scenario by making use of their senses. It can be easily achieved by asking the audience to look around the room, visualise a scene using their imagination, or simply taking a deep breath. 😮‍💨

Finally, several fantastic 3MT presentations also begin with a hook that startles the reader by making an unusual, interesting, or thought-provoking statement. This can be done numerous ways, such as through the use of:

Oxymoron: A figure of speech that combines two contradicting words (i.e., ‘deafening silence’ and ‘old news’).

Paradox: A self-contradictory statement that may actually be true (i.e., ‘less is more’).

Irony: Use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning (i.e., telling a rude customer to ‘have a nice day’).

Here are some good 3MT examples where the presenter has opened with a startling hook:

Full videos: Sophie Jano | Kylie Sturgess

The success of this technique arises from its element of surprise, which keeps the listener intrigued and curious. Basically, the more shocking or unexpected the hook, the better. 😲

However, with all this being said, there’s certainly no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to begin your 3MT, and that’s the beauty of creativity. But in case you’re stuck for ideas, here are a few sentence starters to give you some inspiration for creating a compelling hook for your 3MT script:

Once you’ve got the crowd hooked, it’s a prime opportunity to reel them in for your story. 📖

#2 : Tell a story

If you watch all the award-winning 3MT presentations, you’ll notice that they have one thing in common: they all tell a story. And they do it well.

But how do we turn our own complex, and often niche, research into a compelling story? Well, thankfully, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We can stand on the shoulders of SciComm giants... 👣

No one is more of an expert at the ins and outs of storytelling than Dr Randy Olson ; scientist-turned-filmmaker, and co-author of the book Connection: Hollywood Storytelling meets Critical Thinking ( a.k.a. our SciComm holy bible). Many of the principles discussed in this section come straight from this remarkable work, which made it to our top 5 must-read science communication books . 📚

As we know from pretty much every Hollywood blockbuster, all good stories have a beginning, middle, and end. In Connection , Randy further develops this idea by outlining what he calls the ‘ABT Template’, which stands for ‘And, But, Therefore.’ These represent the three key components that make up every good story. We’ve talked about the ABT template before , and how it can be used to elevate your storytelling. But, in case you missed it, I’ll use my own research as an example as we work through this concept.

Typically, in the beginning of a story, there’s some exposition. These are facts that help set the scene and ensure that the speaker and audience are all on the same page (pun intended). 😉 These facts can be connected using the word AND. For example:

“Cancer is deadly and traditional chemotherapy is one treatment option.”

Any statements we connect with ‘and’ are typically things that everyone would agree with, so you can quality-check your ‘and’ section by making sure you agree with all the facts you are connecting.

Okay, so we’ve set the scene. But this isn’t really a story yet, is it? The actual story doesn’t begin until there’s a source of tension or conflict , and the simplest word to make this happen is the word BUT:

“Cancer is deadly and traditional chemotherapy is one treatment option, but it comes with a lot of side effects.”

You can see that the ‘but’ is what makes things interesting. It’s what keeps the audience wanting more and makes them ask “Well, what happens next?”

It doesn’t have to be the word ‘but’ either – there are a lot of words that essentially do the same thing, such as however, although, except , and unfortunately, to name a few… (The thesaurus could be your best friend here). What these words have in common is that they create this critical sense of tension.

Following this, is the outcome , which is where the THEREFORE comes in.

“Cancer is deadly and chemotherapy is one treatment option, but it comes with a lot of side effects. Therefore , in our research, we load these drugs into tiny carriers called nanoparticles, which can help to reduce their adverse effects.”

‘Therefore’ is the word that brings everything together. It marks the beginning of a journey of discovery, which eventually leads to the resolution.

You can see how, by simply including these three key words: and, but and therefore , we have generated the foundations of a good story. Your 3MT script will obviously need to be longer than two sentences, but the ABT template provides a useful scaffold that you can build from to ensure that your story is compelling. If you’re interested in reading more on the ABT template and how it can be utilised, make sure to give Connection a read. 📖

To help you shape your story using the ABT template, here are some questions you can aim to answer in the beginning, middle, and end of your 3MT script:

Hopefully this outline can help you create a captivating and persuasive story to communicate your research effectively. Because, in the wise words of Dr Randy Olson, “Tell a good story and the whole world will listen.”

So, we’ve got our story. But what other strategies can we use to make it a little more interesting? Let’s unpack our storytelling toolkit to see how we can spice things up. 🌶

#3 : Your storytelling toolkit: analogies, humour & creation of a character

In addition to using the ABT template to write a compelling narrative structure, there are also several other tools that you can use to connect with your audience and make your story as easy to understand as possible.

One powerful way to do this is to relate your research to a more common experience by using an analogy . Analogies allow us to compare similarities between two seemingly different things. For instance, when I did the 3MT, I used an analogy to compare nanoparticles – a topic that’s not very common – to cars, something that almost everyone is familiar with:

Full video: Cintya Dharmayanti

As you can see, this works because the analogy serves to provide a simpler, more easily understood explanation using concepts and examples from everyday life. 🚗

Besides analogies, another useful tool to create a captivating story is the use of humour . Because who doesn’t like a good laugh, right? 😂 Comedic relief can help you create a bond with the listener and provide some emotional reprieve for what may otherwise be a serious presentation.

Humour is used well in this winning 3MT presentation:

Full video: Trevyn Toone

In this example, humour helps to keep us engaged with the presentation and gives us a good impression of the presenter. However, some care does need to be taken with the use of humour, so as to not devalue the presentation. Don’t worry if you’re not a comedian though (or if your research topics are too grim to joke about), there are still other effective ways to make your story shine.

Some of the most immersive 3MTs are those that introduce a character , fictional or not, and follow that character’s story. This is a particularly useful tool if your research involves a topic that strikes a strong emotional response. The following example executed this well, where the speaker refers to a photo of an adorable young infant with a feeding tube:

This is so effective because it encourages us to empathise with the character and persuades us to see the importance of the presenter’s research. Whether it’s analogies, humour, or the creation of a character, there are lots of ways to make your story relatable and more easily understood.

Now that we’ve got some ideas from our storytelling toolkit, let’s move on! 🙌

#4 : Goodbye technical jargon 👋

Imagine being in a different country, where you don’t speak the native language. You’re chatting with a local, but they can’t speak your language very fluently. The conversation is interspersed with foreign words that you can’t quite understand, so the meaning of the exchange ultimately becomes lost.

That’s what it’s like trying to understand complex research when it’s filled with terminology and jargon only an expert in that field would know. 🤓

Remember that the 3MT is for a non-specialist audience, which is very different to a conference presentation that’s mostly filled with experts in the field. As scientists, it’s our job to make sure that we are speaking the same language as our audience, and for the 3MT, that means avoiding the use of language that’s too niche or technical. We can still explain complex concepts using language that’s easy to understand!

But how do you do that, when you’ve spent years in academia doing the opposite? 😅

The best way to avoid the overuse of jargon is to simply seek the help of a non-specialist. Ask someone that’s not in your field of research to listen to your presentation and provide feedback. Perhaps this is a friend, family, or fellow student from a completely different department. Does your story make sense to them? If not, it probably won’t make sense to many people in the 3MT audience.

I remember when I was preparing my 3MT script, I went through this exact process! Reading it aloud to my mum, sister, and pretty much anyone who would listen, to make sure each sentence was easy to follow and understand. It’s actually what helped me come up with the idea of the car- analogy in the first place! So, keep iterating and tweaking your presentation until it makes sense to the mailman, the bus driver, and the neighbour down the road.

Also, make sure to keep your story focused on the big picture, rather than getting bogged down in the details and data. Not only will this make your presentation hard to understand, but it’s also more likely to make it B.O.R.I.N.G. and lead to blank stares !

When you’ve ticked all these boxes – great! You’re ready to move on.

#5 : The finisher: Coming full circle

Good job! You’re almost done. Time to add the finishing touch. We can all agree that a strong finish makes for a more memorable presentation. One trend that’s very common amongst winning 3MT presentations is the way that they finish: by bringing their story full circle. As the name suggests, this essentially means that the presenter refers back to the beginning of the story, especially if a particular character, scenario, or analogy is used.

For instance, in this winning 3MT example, the presentation begins with:

Then, as the presentation comes to a close, the final segment ends by referring back to the opening sentence:

Full video: Matthew Shaw

By bringing the story full circle, the audience gains a sense of satisfaction and closure as the cycle returns to its beginnings and the status quo is restored.

Take-away messages

The thought of distilling years of research down to just 3 minutes can be daunting, especially when it’s a competition. 😰 However, if you:

Create an attention-grabbing hook

Tell a captivating story using the ABT template

Use tools such as analogies, humour, and characters

Get rid of technical jargon, and

Bring your story full circle

You’re well on your way to writing a fantastic 3MT script! So, what are you waiting for? Let’s tell your story. Time is ticking. 😉⏰

And remember – if you want to further master your storytelling and public speaking skills, we’d love to show you how in one of our online or in-person science communication workshops .

Feel free to contact us to find out more!

Cintya Dharmayanti

Dr Juan Miguel Balbin

Dr Tullio Rossi

Illustration

Alvin Yanga

Related Posts

What does it mean to be a science communicator?

5 tips for improving your public speaking skills as a researcher

How to write effective analogies for communicating research

Words To Time Converter

Estimate how many minutes your speeches, presentations, and voice-over scripts will take based on your words per minute rate!

Words per Minute: 183

How To Convert Words to Minutes Using This Tool?

If you have a certain number of words or a piece of text you want to time, you can either type in the word count or paste the text into the provided area. This tool will then calculate how long it would take to read that text out loud.

The talk time estimate is calculated using the average speaking speed of adults, which is determined to be 183 words per minute based on scientific studies. If you’re interested in how long it would take to read silently, it’s estimated at 238 words per minute ( This data is also backed by research )

You can adjust the slider to change the words per minute value, which will affect the talk time estimate. However, the silent reading time estimate remains fixed at 238 words per minute. 

For ease of use, we’ve also provided reference points for slow, average, and fast reading rates below the slider.

To begin anew, simply click the ‘clear text’ button to erase the content and restore the slider back to its original setting of 183.

I. Who is This Words to Minutes Converter Tool For?

If you are a student wondering how long is my essay or you’ve been tasked with writing a speech and need to know how many words to aim for and how many minutes will it take to deliver or perhaps you are a podcaster, just starting out, who wants the ability to easily synchronize music and spoken word without having to painstakingly calculate seconds between them, then this words to time converter (or speech time calculator-you may call it if you are a public speaker) is precisely for you! 

From now on, instead of spending long hours in front of the computer trying to figure out how many seconds it takes for one phrase or section of dialogue to end and another to begin, you can let our innovative tool do all the work and convert your text to time quickly and accurately. With this powerful tool at your disposal, whether you’re giving a TED talk or just need to nail a business presentation, your life will become a little bit easier.

So keep reading to learn more about what this fantastic words to minutes converter has in store for public speakers, aspiring students, and professional radio producers alike!

Whether you want to read the text silently or speak aloud, you can use this tool as both:

• Reading time calculator
• Talk time calculator

II.I Explanation of the Reading Time

Reading time refers to the duration it takes for an average person to read a written text silently while still comprehending its content. Based on an extensive analysis of 190 studies that involved 18,573 participants , research conducted by Marc Brysbaert in 2019 suggests that the typical silent reading speed for an adult individual is approximately 238 words per minute .

To convert word count to read time for a specific text, you can do so by dividing the total word count of the text by this established value of 238. Here is the mathematical equation for determining the duration of reading time in minutes:

Reading Time = Total Word Count / 238

II.II Explanation of the Speech Time

Speech time refers to the duration it takes for an average person to read a text out loud. Based on data from 77 studies involving 5,965 people , it’s been found that most adults read aloud at a speed of approximately 183 words per minute ( research conducted by Marc Brysbaert in 2019 ). To figure out how long it will take to read a specific piece of text aloud, you can divide the total number of words in the text by this average rate of 183 words per minute.

Of course, it’s important to note that talk time can vary depending on factors such as clarity of speech, pauses for emphasis, and use of visual aids. However, using this tool for converting the number of words to minutes can still provide a helpful guideline for planning and practicing your presentation. By having a better understanding of speech rates, you can ensure that your message is delivered effectively and efficiently.

III. Benefits of Using a Words to Time Converter

Time management in presentations.

Effective time management during presentations is crucial to ensure the audience remains engaged and the information is accurately conveyed. This is where our speaking time converter comes in handy. By using this tool, presenters can easily determine how many words they need to include in their presentation to stay within the allotted time frame.

Not only does it help with time management, but it also ensures that the pacing of the presentation is consistent, making it easier for the audience to follow. With the use of this tool, presenters can confidently deliver their presentations without the worry of running over time or rushing through it.

Estimated speech time for public speaking

Public speaking can be nerve-wracking, especially when you have too little or too much information to fill your time slot. You wonder only if there were an accurate public speaking time calculator available so that you could be able to allocate the appropriate amount of time to each section of your presentation, ensuring that you cover all the necessary points without rushing or going over time. 

Effective pacing is key in ensuring your message is delivered with clarity and impact.

Most public speakers target an average of 130-150 words per minute for their spoken content, meaning you should aim to limit your speaking time to roughly one minute per 130-150 words. While this may take some practice to achieve, the end result is a confident, well-timed delivery that keeps your audience engaged from start to finish.

Remember, in public speaking, less is often more—take your time to breathe and emphasize key points. Your audience will appreciate your thoughtful and measured approach. For that, you can use this tool and adjust your words to speech time.

Accurate estimations for audiobooks and podcasts

As more and more people turn to audiobooks and podcasts for their entertainment and information needs, accurate estimations of listening time have become more important than ever. After all, there’s nothing worse than settling in for a quick listen only to find yourself trapped in a story that goes on for hours longer than you anticipated.

That’s why it’s great to see publishers and podcast producers taking estimated reading time seriously, providing listeners with the information they need to choose the right content for their schedule. Whether you’re looking for a quick listen on your daily commute or a lengthy distraction for a lazy Sunday afternoon, accurate estimations using this speaking time calculator make it easier than ever to find the perfect content.

IV. Some Popular Speech Times

V. conclusion.

As the world becomes more fast-paced, time is a precious commodity. Determining how long your script will take to read, whether for a presentation or a video, can make a significant difference in engaging and retaining your audience’s attention.

That’s where our Words to Time Converter comes in handy. It’s a valuable tool for anyone working in various professions, from broadcast journalists to teachers to executives. No matter the industry, time is of the essence, and knowing how long your speech or presentation will take is crucial for effective communication.

Speaking time calculator

Type or paste your speech to instantly calculate your speaking time

How does this speech timer work

To begin, delete the sample text and either type in your speech or copy and paste it into the editor.

The average reading speed and speech rate is 200 words per minute and is the default setting above. Once you paste your speech, click “Play” and Speechify will analyze your speech by the number of words and generate a time to speak it at the default rate.

You can listen to your speech in various accents or languages. If you are aiming for a specific timeframe for your speech, click edit to either increase or decrease the number of words to see how long it would take to speak them.

You can also increase or decrease the speaking rate to gauge how fast or slow you should speak in order to get to a specific time with the number of words you have in your speech.

To get to that perfect word count to fit with the speech length time, you’ll have to keep editing between words per minute (WPM) and number of words.

The best part is that you can share your speech in audio format to your friends, relatives, or peers to review it. They can simply click play and listen to your speech.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many words are there in a 1 minute speech.

Based on the average speed of speech, there are 150 words in a 1 minute speech.

How many words are there in a 2 minute speech?

There are 300 words per minute in a 2 minute speech. 2 minutes isn’t a long time so when you speak, you could endure the average speaking rate.

How many words are there in a 3 minute speech?

On average there are 450 words in a 3 minute speech. This is based on the average speech rate of 250 words per minute. At the 3 minute mark, even a novice speaker could keep going at the rate they started – with some practice.

How many words are there in a 4 minute speech?

On average there are 600 words in a 4 minute speech. This is based on the average speech rate of 250 words per minute. Still, even a novice speaker could maintain the 150 words per minute rate. Try it in the Soundbite above. Set your words per minute and speak along to see if you could endure consistency over 4 minutes.

How many words are there in a 5 minute speech?

On average there are 750 words in a 5 minute speech. This is based on the average speech rate of 250 words per minute. While this is simple math, we after all are humans and 5 minutes can be pushing the boundaries of a consistent speech tempo and words per minute.

How many words are there in a 10 minute speech?

In a 10 minute speech aim for 1000 words. The math might tell you 1,500 words but consider your speech. You might need pauses, rest for your voice, dramatic effects, and perhaps even audience interaction. Also, it becomes quite difficult to endure a consistent 150 words per minute speech rate for 10 minutes. Consider your listeners. We doubt very few people would want to listen to a precisely 150 words per minute speech for 10 minutes. It wouldn’t be engaging. And in a speech, you should engage and communicate.

Speechify is the #1 text-to-speech reader

Install anywhere and sync your data everywhere

Speechify Chrome extension

Listen to any text on your laptop or desktop. Read aloud with the Speechify text-to-speech extension for Chrome. ​ 

Speechify for iOS​

Get the #1 rated app for text-to-speech in the App Store. Speechify can read books, documents, and articles while you cook, work out, commute, or any other activity you can think of. 

Speechify Android app

Speechify is a text to speech (tts) screen reader that can read any text, PDF, document, book, email, file, or article online out loud on your phone. 

Only available on iPhone and iPad

To access our catalog of 100,000+ audiobooks, you need to use an iOS device.

Coming to Android soon...

Join the waitlist

Enter your email and we will notify you as soon as Speechify Audiobooks is available for you.

You’ve been added to the waitlist. We will notify you as soon as Speechify Audiobooks is available for you.

See How Many Words Is A 3-Minute Speech & How To Prepare One

A 3-minute speech is quite short and can be persuasive depending on who’s giving the speech. But how many words are in a 3-minute speech? That’s precisely what you’re about to find out in this article.

Are you embarrassed by your speaking skills? Do you believe you can’t converse for more than three minutes? You’re not alone. Most of us struggle to get our words out effectively.

A 3-minute speech is a great way to build your speaking and presentation skills. And there’s no need to be a professional speaker. Anyone can learn how to create powerful speeches that are interesting, informative, and engaging.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the secrets to making an excellent speech in just 3 minutes or less.

How many words is a 3-minute speech

Since the average number of words a person speaks per minute is 140 to 160, the average word count for a 3-minute speech is 450 .

However, this number can vary depending on the individual’s speaking speed and the topic’s complexity.

Most people think a 3-minute speech is too short, but that’s not the case. A 3-minute speech is one of the best ways to communicate your ideas effectively.

That’s because it eliminates the common pitfalls of longer speeches – boredom, lapses in focus, and inconsistencies in voice.

This style may be ideal for effectively delivering your message in a short time. With a 3-minute speech, you can hit all the key points quickly and easily.

What are the benefits of creating a 3-minutes speech?

1. it takes less time to prepare.

If you’re like most people, you spend hours preparing for a speech, only to forget most of what you’ve prepared to say by the time you get on stage. That’s why it’s so important to create a short speech

A 3 minutes speech takes less time, and you’ll be able to remember everything you want to say. And best of all, you can practice your speech anywhere.

2. It will help you master your time

You only have 3 minutes to impress your audience. That is all you have to explain your product, tell your story, and convince them to buy it. You can’t waste a minute of that time. You’ll want to ensure everything you say is worth three minutes of their time.

3. You’ll learn to condense your message into a short period

Imagine you could go to any conference or TED-style talk and take away the key ideas without sitting through long, drawn-out lectures.

Imagine you could be a better listener, absorber, and communicator in just three short minutes. That’s exactly what you can give your audience with a 3 minutes speech.

By learning to speak succinctly, you’ll be able to speak more effectively and confidently.

4. It gives you an excellent chance to practice your speech in advance

Creating a 3-minute speech allows you to practice your speech in advance. Not only will this help you feel more confident when giving the speech, but it will also help you avoid common speaking mistakes.

By preparing this way, you can deliver a powerful and effective presentation that will impress your audience.

Effective tips for creating a 3 minutes speech

Creating a 3-minute speech is not easy, but it is possible. It may seem daunting, but by following the effective tips below, you can make the process much easier.

1. Choose your topic wisely – focus on what the audience wants to hear

When preparing to give a speech, choosing a topic that speaks to your audience is important.

You want to focus on what they want to hear and leave the talking to you. That involves understanding their desires and motivations.

To do this, you need to analyze their interests. Ask yourself these questions: What is my audience most interested in?

What are the topics that currently excite them? What do they see as the biggest challenges facing their industry or community?

With the right answers to questions like these, selecting a topic that fits right into your presentation is easier.

2. Make sure your speech is well researched

When you prepare to give a speech, the last thing you want to do is offend your audience. Therefore, you must know exactly what you’re talking about before spouting off.

By doing your research, you can tailor your speech to the specific audience you are speaking to, and you will be more confident in delivering it.

Additionally, by thoroughly researching the topic, you will be better prepared to answer any questions that might be asked.

3. Use vivid and descriptive language to capture the audience’s attention

Using vivid and descriptive language is one of the most effective ways to capture an audience’s attention.

Vivid language grabs the audience’s attention quickly and draws them in, making it easier for them to understand what you’re saying.

Descriptive language helps paint a picture in the audience’s mind, which can help them follow your arguments more easily.

When you use descriptive language, make sure to go beyond simple word choice to include details and examples.

This will help you convey your ideas to your audience and immerse them in the situation you’re describing.

4. Be concise and to the point

There are essentially three goals that any speech or presentation should strive for: To be concise, on point, and to be interesting.

It is easy to get bogged down in details, and while it may seem like the extra information will make your speech more effective, it may have the opposite effect.

The truth is that it’s more effective if you can prune your message down to its bare essentials. Avoid straying too far off course; instead, focus on what your audience wants to take away from your speech.

5. Practice your speech until it’s perfect

Many people believe that preparing a speech in advance wastes time. They think it will be jumbled up and out of control by the time they get to the speech. But this is not the case.

By practicing your speech beforehand, you can ensure that it flows smoothly and that every word is exactly what you want. Plus, you can avoid embarrassing blunders that could ruin your reputation by rehearsing often.

Is a 3-minutes speech effective?

Like most people, you think five or more minutes is a reasonable amount of time to deliver a speech. But a 3-minute speech is just as effective and often more effective than a longer-minute speech.

A three-minute speech isn’t just a busy person’s shortcut to speaking well. It’s an essential part of any public speaking arsenal for any purpose or setting.

In business, you don’t have time to waste. You don’t have time to rehearse. You don’t have time to find the right words. And no time for anything but crushing your competition.

By breaking down your content into easily digestible bites, you can distill your argument, reassure your audience, and keep them engaged without sacrificing the quality of your message.

How many words is a 10-minute speech?

Averagely, a 10 minutes speech contains 140 words .

How many words is a 5-minute speech

A 5 minutes speech is approximately 750 words .

How many words is a 2-minute speech

While a 1-minute speech contains an average of 150 words, a 2-minute speech is usually about 300.

While the number of words may vary, creating a 3-minute speech takes less time and is more effective. In fact, you can create a powerful 3-minute speech in just a few hours.

And the benefits are clear: a 3-minutes speech is more engaging and memorable. Not to mention, it’s easier to get your points across in a shorter speech.

Therefore, if you’re looking to boost your marketing skills or improve your public speaking abilities, a 3-minute speech is an effective way to achieve that.

A short speech represents who you are, what you stand for, and what you want to share. You can also introduce yourself to new audiences.

Furthermore, it’s essential to give speeches that motivate or inspire others or communicate your thoughts and ideas in an engaging and easy-to-follow format.

Always remember that the key is to focus on the main points and to keep your message simple. With fewer words, you can say more.

I hope you found this article helpful. You should also read about the number of words an average person speaks per minute .

Thanks for reading.

You may also like:

• Here Are The Types Of Managers And Their Roles
• What Are Employee Assistance Programs: Meaning, Benefits, Types, Implementation, & Cost
• Do Online Courses Help In College Admissions?
• What Are Adaptive Skills? [Definition, Types & Benefits]
• Find Out How Many Words The Average Person Speaks Per Minute

People Also Read:

Why Do Waiters Get Paid So Little [+ How To Make More Money]

Navigating Workplace Norms: Can You Email A Resignation Letter?

Difference Between Roles And Responsibilities

Does Suspension Mean Termination?

Moral Claim: Definition, Significance, Contemporary Issues, & Challenges

Why Can’t You Flush The Toilet After A Drug Test?

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

22 The 3 Minute Thesis

Read time: 2 minutes

This chapter will provide an overview of the 3 Minute Thesis oral presentation format.

Sections in this chapter

What is it.

• 3MT examples

The three-minute thesis (3MT) is a new format of research presentation that builds on the classic “elevator pitch”. The challenge in this type of presentation is to explain your research to an intelligent non-specialist audience in under 3 minutes with limited visual aids. Often there are specific rules for the visual aid: a single 4:3 slide, no animations or video, and no props.

For a successful 3MT talk, you need to follow completely different rules from normal scientific presentations. You can skip common things like introducing yourself, thanking all your lab mates and colleagues, or funding. You typically don’t show data unless it is presented in a very simple figure.

Because of the challenge involved with presenting years of detailed research in only three minutes, Universities hold cross-faculty 3MT competitions. The first was founded by the University of Queensland, Australia, where you can find many great resources and videos .

The tips below were adapted from “10 Hints for Improving Presentations for the Three Minute Thesis” by Danielle Fischer at Charles Darwin University ( Full PDF here ):

• Don’t introduce yourself, don’t do acknowledgements, don’t show data.
• Start by introducing how your research relates to the bigger picture. Try to think of why any person might be interested in your work.
• Only include relevant things on your slide and make sure images are good quality. Carefully design your slide, don’t overcrowd it or use too much colour.
• Use simple and familiar analogies.
• Speak with an excited and engaged manner.
• Don’t wear anything distracting.
• Use body language: smiling, gestures, movement, and eye-contact.
• Finish by bringing the audience back to the big picture.
• Practice and get feedback from a wide variety of people.
• Use your time, but don’t go over it.

These are some 3MT slides made by previous CHEM 803 students.

There are many resources online about preparing a 3MT presentation. Below are some links to helpful videos, award-winning 3MT talks, and the many resources provided by Queen’s University.

Helpful Videos

These videos were prepared by are owned by Australian National University.

3MT: three tips to help you prepare a winning presentation

3MT: the three most common mistakes

Award-winning 3MT

These are videos of some award-winning 3MT talks. The first one has the best title,  it’s simple and concise!

Wind turbines and climate change – Rosemary Barnes

Hypoxia-activated pro-drugs: a novel approach for breast cancer treatment – jasdeep saggar, the development of anti-body-drug conjugate to specifically target and soften the crystalline lens in vivo – gah-jone won.

Check out the Queen’s University 2020 Competition results, where you’ll find two award-winning 3MT talks from our Chemistry Department by Morgan Lehtinen and Alastair Kierulf. [ In the video at this link, click “Playlist” to find their talks ]

Principles of Scientific Communication Copyright © 2020 by Amanda Bongers and Donal Macartney is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Convert words to time

Word per minute speech

Enter the number of words in the box below to find out how many minutes it will take you to give your speech.

Word Counter

Paste your text here to find out the word count

Word Count: 0

Online Stopwatch

Time your speech on a timer for the actual time it takes you to deliver your speech, practice.

Our tool comes in handy when you are preparing for a speech or creating a presentation. The length of your speech depends on the amount of text and your speaking or reading speed.

How Many Words Calculator

Have you ever wanted to know how many words are in one page what about how many words are on double-spaced pages if you’ve got a lot to say and a limited amount of space to say it, knowing how many words can fit on a page is a smart way to make the most of your writing..

Have you ever wanted to know how many words are in one page? What about how many words are on double-spaced pages? If you’ve got a lot to say and a limited amount of space to say it, knowing how many words can fit on a page is a smart way to make the most of your writing. 

Consider this your ultimate guide to how many words are in various page layouts. We’ve even included a handy calculator as well as common word counts in well-known books and speeches, as well as in different languages. If you’ve ever wanted to know how to check the number of pages in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or Pages on Mac, we’ve got you covered there too. 

Click on a specific subheading to find your “How many words are in…” or use our quick calculator to determine the number of words in different page layouts.

How Many Words Is a Page?

The number of words that can fit on a page can vary depending on the font size, font style, spacing margins and whether or not you choose to include headers, graphics or footnotes. 

As a general rule, however, a typical double-spaced page with 1-inch margins and a 12 point Arial (or Helvetica) font is about 250-300 words. 

A single-spaced page with those same settings will be around 500-600 words. 

How Many Words Are 4 Pages Double Spaced?

With general font and margin settings, four pages double-spaced would be approximately 1,000 words. 

How Many Words Are 5 Pages?

Five pages double-spaced with the default font and margin settings would be around 1,250 words. Five pages single-spaced would contain around 2,500 words. 

How Many Words Are 6 Pages Double Spaced?

Assuming 250 words per double-spaced page with the default font and margin settings, you can expect a six page double-spaced document to have around 1,500 words. 

How Many Words Are In The English Language?

English, like all other languages, doesn’t have a fixed number of words as it’s always evolving. New words are always being added and obsolete words fall out of use. There’s also the question of how, exactly, one counts something as “a word”. What happens with technical or scientific terms, slang or other dialects? 

Generally-speaking, the English language is estimated to have millions of words, especially when factoring in specialized vocabularies from science, technology, medicine, the arts, regional dialects and slang. Of course, native English speakers use far fewer words than that as part of their daily vocabulary. 

The Oxford English Dictionary, which is one of the most comprehensive compendiums of English vocabulary, includes over 600,000 words. 

How Many Words are in the Spanish Language?  

Like English and other languages, Spanish is constantly evolving. Unlike English, Spanish has an official royal institution that is responsible for overseeing the language: the Real Academia Española, which is headquartered in Madrid, Spain. The official dictionary, the Diccionario de la Real Academia Española (DRAE) is one of the most comprehensive dictionaries of the Spanish language and contains around 93,000 entries as of its 23rd edition.

This doesn’t include the total vocabulary of the Spanish language but it does include words that are pretty much standard across all varieties and dialects of the language. The Diccionario de Americanismos ,which focuses on words used primarily in the Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas, adds tens of thousands of additional entries. 

How Many Words are in the Arabic Language?

It’s difficult to pin a number on how many words are in the Arabic language for several reasons, namely because of the number of dialects, the differences between classical and modern/standard Arabic and the fact that numerous words can be formed from a single root word, like in English. 

Even Arabic dictionaries like Lisan al-Arab may have hundreds of thousands of entries in them. Those entries can contain historical and poetic words and aren’t in general use. When you consider all of these factors, plus the fact that regional differences can vary between areas so much, the exact number can be in the millions. 

How Many Words In A Novel?

The number of words in a novel varies considerably based on the target audience, author’s style and the specific genre. Short novels or novellas can be anywhere from 20,000-50,000 words. Average-length novels are around 60,000-100,000 words and longer novels, especially those in historical fiction or fantasy, can be 200,000 words or more. 

Different genres of novels also have their own expectations for words in a novel. Young adult fiction can be anywhere from 50,000-80,000 words while romance novels are generally 50,000-90,000 words. 

How Many Words In a Chapter?

The number of words in a chapter depends on the genre, the author’s writing style and much more. In general. chapters in a novel can ranged from 1,500-5,000 words. 

How Many Words In A Paragraph?

There’s no strict rule for the number of words in a paragraph. In general, however: 

For academic writing, paragraphs generally range from 100-200 words. This depends highly on how complex the topic is. Each paragraph is usually limited to one single idea or argument in detail. 

For journalism and blog posts, shorter paragraphs of anywhere from 1-3 sentences are common (like this one!) This makes it easier to read the text on digital screens and less tiring on the eyes. 

Creative writing has a lot more flexibility in terms of the number of words in a paragraph. A paragraph could be a single word or several hundred words depending on the effect the author is looking to achieve. 

Business and professional writing are often tailored for brevity and clarity. As a result they normally contain 3-7 words per paragraph with each one being anywhere from 40-70 words. 

How Many Words are in a 15 Minute Speech?

Most speakers can speak at a rate of around 130-150 words per minute. With this number in mind, a 15 minute speech should be around 1,950-2,250 words.

How Many Words are in a 10 Minute Speech?

With a basic conversational pace of around 130-150 words per minute, a 10 minute speech would be anywhere from 1,300-1,500 words. 

How Many Words are in a 5 Minute Speech?

The number of words in a five minute speech will depend on the speaker’s pace. At a slower speaking pace, it’s approximately 100 words per minute, so approximately 500 words. At a more conversational pace which is the pace that most speeches run, a five minute speech would have around 650-750 words. A faster speaker could go as high as 800 words or more in a minute. 

Generally-speaking though, plan for your five minute speech to have around 650-750 words. Feel free to adjust as necessary according to your specific speaking style and the context of your speech. 

How Many Words In a 3 Minute Speech?

If you have less time to speak, here again the number of words in a three minute speech will depend on your speaking speed. In general though, with a conversational pace of around 140 words per minute, you’d have around 420 words. 

How Many Words Can GPT 4 Take?

GPT 4 has a “maximum context size” that it calculates based on the number of tokens. A token is a word or piece of a word that it considers as part of a single prompt. For GPT 4, the maximum size is around 4096 tokens. 

Keep in mind that a token doesn’t always have to be a full word. GPT breaks down large words into chunks. Unbelievable becomes “un” “##believ” “##able”. Punctuation, special characters, numbers, spaces and even emojis can fall under this broad umbrella. 

Depending on the language and vocabulary used, GPT 4 can handle a prompt of around 3,000-3,500 words.  

How To Check Word Count On Google Docs?

To check word count on Google Docs: 

• Launch Google Docs and open your document
• Click on Tools on the toolbar
• Choose “Word Count”. You can also hit Ctrl+Shift+C on Windows or Command+Shift+C on Mac to open the Word Count window directly.
• A pop up window will show displaying the word count as well as, character counts (with and without spaces) and number of pages
• You can optionally click the box that says “Display word count while typing”. This will keep a small word count box open which updates as you type. 
• You can click OK to close the Word Count pop-up window or click outside the Word Count window. 

What is the Word Count For Pages?

To find out the word count for Pages on a Mac, follow these steps:

• Open the document in Pages
• Click on View in the top menu
• Look for an option that says Show Word Count. This will toggle word count display on and off.
• You’ll then see a small box at the bottom that shows the word count. It will also show page count, paragraph count and character count depending on your settings and your version of Pages. 
• You can repeat these same steps and uncheck the Show Word Count box to hide it or choose to leave it displayed. 

Where Is The Word Count On Microsoft Word?

Word count in Microsoft Word is displayed in several pages. For most versions of Word, you can see the word count displayed in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. If it isn’t visible, right click on the status bar and make sure that Word Count is checked in the menu. 

You can also see word count in Microsoft Word using the Review Tab. 

• Go to the Review Tab on the ribbon
• Look for the Proofing group
• Click on Word Count. This will open the dialog box that shows the word count, number of pages, characters (with and without spaces), paragraphs and lines in your document. 

On older versions of Word, you can access the word count under the Tools menu. Click on Tools and then Word Count from the dropdown menu. 

How To Check Word Count On Google Slides

We’ve covered how to check word count on Google Docs, but what about Google Slides? There is no direct word count functionality in Google Slides, but there are several workarounds.

You can copy and paste your presentation into Google Docs and follow the steps above to check the word count using Google Docs You may also be able to use an add-on for Google Slides that includes a word count functionality. If your main text is in the speaker notes, you can click on the speaker notes at the bottom of each slide and then copy and paste them into a Google Docs document to check the word count. 

Twitter Character Count

Originally, Twitter had a 140-character limit, but this was doubled to 280 characters to let users expand on their tweets. Certain types of content can affect the character count on Twitter, now known as X. If you pay for a premium account on X, you have up to 25,000 characters per post. 

How Many Words Are In The Bible?

The number of words in the Bible vary depending on the translation and the version. For the more well-known English translations, the word counts are as follows:

• King James Version (KJV) - Around 783,000 words
• New International Version (NIV) - Around 727,000 words
• English Standard Version (ESV) - Around 757,000 words
• New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) - Around 895,000 words (including the Apocrypha) 
• New American Bible (NAB) Around 850,000 words (including the Apocrypha). 

How Many Words are in the Quran?

The number of words in the Quran depends on the version being used, for example, the original Arabic text versus the translation of that ext. The Quran contains approximately 77,000 to 78,000 words but this number varies slightly because of how words are defined and counted in the Arabic language. 

How Many Words is the Gettysburg Address?  

One of the most famous speeches in the U.S., the Gettysburg Address was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19,1863 during the American Civil War. Despite being a profoundly important speech in the country’s history, the speech itself only contains around 272 words. 

War And Peace Word Count

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is one of the longest novels ever published. The War and Peace word count varies depending on the version and translation, but it’s generally 560,000-587,000 words if you’re reading it in English or another language besides Russian. 

The original Russian version of War and Peace has around 460,000-470,000 words. The differences in word count depend on the translations, which are particularly challenging because of the stylistic nuances and grammar of the Russian language. Because of this and the differences in language structure, translators need to add explanatory text or change phrasing to convey the same meaning in English. 

Lord Of The Rings Word Count

J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” including “The Fellowship of the Ring”, “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King” have a total word count of around 480,000 words across the three volumes. This word count includes the main text of each novel not including the forewords or appendices that go into more detail about Middle-earth. 

For each specific novel, generally-speaking: 

• The Fellowship of the Ring contains approximately 187,000 words
• The Two Towers contains 156,000 words
• The Return of the King contains approximately 137,000 words

Harry Potter Word Count

The seven books of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series includes a word count that increases with each book. 

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (known as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in some regions) is around 76,944 words
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is about 85.141 words
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is around 107,253 words
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is around 190,637 words
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is around 257,046 words
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is around 168,923 words
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is around 198,227 words

This equals out to around 1,084,170 words for the complete “Harry Potter” series. 

Try Originality.AI’s Word Count Calculator

Need a quick and easy way to determine how many words are in a given piece of text? Copy and paste it below and let our helpful word count calculator tell you in seconds.

Customers Love Originality.ai

We deeply understand your needs when it comes to identifying original content and we are building features around our accurate ai detection and plagiarism checking that users love.

After testing a number of AI content detection tools, I have found Originality.ai to be one of the best on the market . And now with the ability to detect paraphrased AI content, Orignality.ai is even more powerful. It’s basically my go-to detection tool at this point.

SEO Consultant, GSQI.com

At Clicking Publish, producing original, high-quality content is essential to our success. To maintain these standards, it's important that we verify the work from freelancers and outsourced writers. Originality.ai makes this process easy for us by providing a simple and efficient tool that ensures the content we receive meets our expectations.

Kityo Martin

Clicking Publish

I love the tool. Not only does it detect ACTUAL Al written content, but also writers who write just like Al. Great way to weed out Al and poor writing. Just because content was written by a human doesn't mean they did any better than an Al tool. We had a lot of our writers test positive for Al and they didn't use Al. What was common in all their writing was the lack of original thoughts. It was all regurgitation.

Ryan Cunningham

After doing some serious testing with Originality (which caters for the newerAl tech), I can't fool it (yet).

Founder, FatJoe

So what can we learn from this? In many cases, the tool tells the right story, even when it's nuanced, like in the case of AI content edited by humans.

Gael Breton

Founder, Authority Hacker

I realize that AI content isn't going away and with human editing, it can save time/make blog content better. That said, I've also had writers submit content that was 100% AI and never told me. A BIG no-no. This tool (Originality.ai) is what I'm using to stop that.

Ron Stefanski

OneHourProfessor.com

In The Press

Originality.ai has been featured for its accurate ability to detect gpt-3, chat gpt and gpt-4 generated content. see some of the coverage below…, featured by leading publications.

Originality.ai did a fantastic job on all three prompts, precisely detecting them as AI-written. Additionally, after I checked with actual human-written textual content, it did determine it as 100% human-generated, which is important.

Vahan Petrosyan

searchenginejournal.com

I use this tool most frequently to check for AI content personally. My most frequent use-case is checking content submitted by freelance writers we work with for AI and plagiarism.

searchengineland.com

After extensive research and testing, we determined Originality.AI to be the most accurate technology.

Rock Content Team

rockcontent.com

Jon Gillham, Founder of Originality.ai came up with a tool to detect whether the content is written by humans or AI tools. It’s built on such technology that can specifically detect content by ChatGPT-3 — by giving you a spam score of 0-100, with an accuracy of 94%.

Felix Rose-Collins

ranktracker.com

ChatGPT lacks empathy and originality. It’s also recognized as AI-generated content most of the time by plagiarism and AI detectors like Originality.AI

Ashley Stahl

Originality.AI Do give them a shot! 

Sri Krishna

venturebeat.com

For web publishers, Originality.AI will enable you to scan your content seamlessly , see who has checked it previously, and detect if an AI-powered tool was implored.

Industry Trends

analyticsinsight.net

AI Content Detector & Plagiarism Checker for Serious Content Publishers

Improve your content quality by accurately detecting duplicate content and artificially generated text..

AI & Plagiarism Detector for Serious Content Publishers

KNOWLEDGE BASE

© 0000   Originality.ai