Many speakers and presenters need to estimate how many words they can comfortably fit into a given timeframe. A 5-minute speech is a common assignment, so knowing roughly how many words that translates to is essential for time management.
Unfortunately, there’s no single “right” answer to the question of how many words a 5 minute speech should be. The ideal word count depends on a few key factors that we’ll cover in this article, like your speaking rate, the type of speech you’re giving, and some helpful tips for pacing yourself.