What’s an average speaking rate? How many words per minute (WPM) is average when reading an audiobook or giving a presentation?

Have you ever wondered how many words per minute (WPM) the average person speaks? The rate at which we talk varies with the situation: narrating an audiobook, chatting with friends, giving a public speech, or presenting in class each calls for a different pace. If you narrate audiobooks, your pace is also what turns a manuscript's word count into finished hours in the booth, so it is worth knowing where you sit. Here are some typical speaking rates for a few common scenarios:

Audiobook Narration Pace

Professional audiobook narrators usually speak at a pace of about 130 to 160 words per minute (WPM). This pace ensures that listeners can absorb the content, especially when the material is dense or requires emotional depth. Narrators tend to add pauses for dramatic effect or to allow listeners time to reflect. The WPM can fluctuate throughout the text depending on the scene. For example, climactic scenes and sections with more dialogue will often be read at a faster pace. Descriptive passages or sections with a lot of complexity or detail will often be read more slowly.

Public Speaking Pace

In a public speaking scenario, such as a TED talk or political speech, speakers generally aim for a rate of about 100 to 130 WPM. This slower pace gives the audience time to process and reflect on the speaker's words and ideas. As you might expect, public speakers often add pauses for emphasis, ensuring key points resonate with listeners. Ted talks are often given at a slower, conversational pace to help engage the audience and confer complex ideas in an accessible way.

Class or Business Presentation Pace

When presenting in a classroom or business setting, the pace varies depending on the presenter’s confidence and the complexity of the material. I’m sure we’ve all heard presentations in school that were either too rushed or too slow. On average, class presenters should aim to speak at a pace of 110 to 140 WPM so that they are able to convey their message in a way that is understandable to the audience.

How do other types of public speech paces compare? Good question!

• Newsreaders or serious broadcasters may speak at a slightly slower pace, around 120-140 wpm, to ensure clarity and give listeners time to absorb the information.
• Commercial announcers or those delivering ads might speed up to around 160-180 wpm to fit more information in a short time, especially if they are reading legal disclaimers or product details.
• Sportscasters often speak faster, closer to 180-200 wpm, to keep up with the fast pace of the action.

When you are narrating, start at a steady pace of around 130 to 140 WPM and adjust from there. PromptVO's teleprompter scrolls with your voice so you can hold that pace without watching the clock, and it flags every skipped, added, or swapped word as you read, so pushing your pace never costs you a clean take. If misreads are what slow you down, here is how narrators avoid them. You got this!