Q. In a seven to ten minute speech what is the average amount of words one is able to say?

A. Well, the world record is held by Steve Woodmore at 595 words/minute, so at that rate you'll need more than 4,000 words for a 7 minute speech!


That's pretty unrealistic, however. Most adults can understand at up to 300 word per minute: 2,000 or so words will do you at that speed.

Comfortably, most people understand at about 150 words/minute. So the best is probably around 1,000 words. It really depends on your topic and what you're actually speaking on. If you're doing an auction, you'll speak faster than when your telling an unfamiliar audience about the intricacies of new technology. But for a 7-10 minute speech, 1,500-2,500 will suit you well.