How fast do you speak?
Usually people are not conscious of their normal speaking speed and whether their listeners can understand them. Because of this, they may not realise their speech could be considered too slow or too fast by people outside of their typical environment. However, changes in audience behaviour and speech purpose can force a need to become more aware of speaking speed.
Speech can be fast, slow or somewhere in-between. An effective speaker will be able to vary their speech rate to give impact. You… can… speak… slowly… to convey a deeper meaning to your point or convey the boredom you felt when doing something.
You can speak quickly (but not so fast that you lose the listener) to show excitement in something. Your speaking pace can create and maintain an illusion of the picture you create with your words, create a dramatic effect or assist in clarity of speech.
It is important to note that a controlled speech speed is essential for clear pronunciation.
If you speak too quickly or too slowly, you may find that you lose the most important people in the room–your listener!
A good rate of speech is between 163–200 words per minute (wpm), and the ideal is between 168–178 wpm. A rate higher than 200 wpm can make it difficult for the listener to absorb the material. But if you speak too slowly, your listener may think that you are slow thinking, possibly uneducated and, even worse, incompetent. Though speaking more slowly is vital if you have a foreign accent, pronunciation may be a challenge for the listener. If you do have an accent, it is acceptable to speak under 163 wpm. Perhaps even at a speed that is closer to 140 wpm. However, if you do that, you must ensure that every word you are saying is pronounced clearly.
When doing this exercise with some lovely Irish women, I discovered that they speak on average at 190/200 words per minute. They acknowledged that slowing down would help others understand what they wanted to get across.
So, let’s find out your speech rate! Use a stopwatch and time yourself for one minute reading the Speech
Rate Counter paragraphs aloud. Practice a couple of times first and try pacing yourself as if you are talking at your ‘normal’ rate. See how far you get after a minute has passed, then count the number of words you were able to express in one minute. This is your presentation speech rate, and the exercise will help you work out whether you need to speed up or slow down.
Mum said she was going to start going to the gym today, but she spent the whole afternoon watching TV.
And Dad said he was going to go on a strict diet, but after dinner I caught him out in the garage, stuffing his face with brownies.
(Word count 163)
Even my little brother, Manny, couldn’t stick to his resolution.
This morning he told everyone that he’s a ‘big boy’ and he’s giving up his pacifier for good. Then he threw his favorite binkie in the bin.
(Word count 200)
Well, THAT New Year’s resolution didn’t even last a full minute.
(Word count 211)