How this calculator works
Reading silently is faster than reading aloud because the voice no longer sets the pace. Adult silent reading sits around 200 to 250 words per minute, while speaking averages about 130, and reading aloud for an audience lands near the speaking figure. The calculator therefore uses two separate paces: a speaking rate of 100 to 160 words per minute and a silent reading rate of 170 to 230. Choose the pace that matches the setting, or enter your own from a timed sample, which is the only way to know your personal rate.
Formula
time in seconds = words / words per minute x 60. For the defaults, 1,000 words at 130 spoken words per minute is 461.5 s, about 7.7 minutes, and at 200 silent words per minute is 300 s, about 5 minutes.
Worked example
A 1,000 word article takes 7.69 minutes to read aloud at 130 words per minute and 5 minutes to read silently at 200. The same article at a fast reading pace of 230 words per minute takes 4.35 minutes.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is speaking slower than reading?
Speaking is limited by articulation, while silent reading is limited by comprehension and eye movement. Most people can read back faster than they can produce the same words.
How do I find my own reading speed?
Time yourself on a text whose word count you know and divide the words by the minutes taken. Repeat on a couple of texts and use the average, because a single sample is easily thrown off.
Does text difficulty change the time?
Considerably. Technical text with unfamiliar terms can halve the effective rate, so adjust the custom rate for dense material rather than using the average.
Are these rates the same for everyone?
No. Age, language background and practice all move the numbers by tens of words per minute. The presets are typical adult values, not a standard.