How to use it
- Paste or type your text in the box, or open a .txt file from your device.
- Read the reading time and speaking time in the first tiles.
- Change either speed if you know your own pace.
- Use Copy summary to copy every count as a plain text block.
Where the reading speeds come from
Brysbaert (2019) combined 190 studies with 18,573 participants and found an average silent reading speed of 238 words per minute for English non-fiction and 260 for fiction. Most adults fell between 175 and 300 words per minute for non-fiction.
For reading aloud, the same review found an average of 183 words per minute across 77 studies with 5,965 participants. This calculator uses it as the speaking speed, so speaking time is the time to read the text aloud.
How to change the speed
Type a new value in the Reading or Speaking box. Any whole number from 50 to 1,000 words per minute is accepted, and the times in the tool update as you type.
To find your own speed, read a passage of known length for one minute and count the words you got through.
Reading time and speaking time
Reading time estimates silent reading. Speaking time estimates reading the same text aloud, which is slower, so use it as a starting point for scripts, speeches and voiceovers and rehearse with a timer to check.
Reading time for common word counts
Times at the default speeds of 238 and 183 words per minute, rounded to the nearest second.
| Words | Reading (238 wpm) | Speaking (183 wpm) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 25 sec | 33 sec |
| 250 | 1 min 3 sec | 1 min 22 sec |
| 500 | 2 min 6 sec | 2 min 44 sec |
| 750 | 3 min 9 sec | 4 min 6 sec |
| 1,000 | 4 min 12 sec | 5 min 28 sec |
| 1,500 | 6 min 18 sec | 8 min 12 sec |
| 2,000 | 8 min 24 sec | 10 min 56 sec |
| 3,000 | 12 min 36 sec | 16 min 24 sec |
| 5,000 | 21 min 1 sec | 27 min 19 sec |
Notes
- Reading time and speaking time are estimates based on average speeds, not a measurement of any one reader.
- The word count uses the same rules as the word counter.
More text counters
- Character CounterCharacters with and without spaces, platform limits and SMS segments.
- Word CounterWords, unique words, your most used words and reading time.
- Sentence CounterSentences, average sentence length and the longest sentence.
- Line CounterTotal, non-empty and blank lines, with any line endings.
Frequently asked questions
How many words per minute does an adult read?
Brysbaert (2019) found an average of 238 words per minute for silent reading of English non-fiction and 260 for fiction. Individual speeds vary widely.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About 4 min 12 sec at 238 words per minute, or 5 min 28 sec read aloud at 183.
Can I change the reading speed?
Yes. Type any whole number from 50 to 1,000 in the Reading or Speaking box and the times update.
Is speaking time the same as presentation time?
Not exactly. Speaking time uses the average speed for reading text aloud, and presenters may pause or change pace, so rehearse with a timer.
Why is the result an estimate?
Reading speed depends on the reader, the language, the difficulty of the text and the purpose of reading. The defaults are averages from published research, not a measurement of you.