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Public Speaking Worksheet: Speech Timing

Public speaking lesson 15: Timing a speech (words per minute) · Set 642 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Speaker's tip (Words = rate × minutes): Words = words per minute × minutes. Minutes = words ÷ words per minute. Words per minute = words ÷ minutes. Half a minute = half the rate: at 120 words a minute, 2 and a half minutes = 240 + 60 = 300 words. Seconds = words × 60 ÷ rate. Too long? Words to cut = words written − (rate × minutes). Stay a little under the limit for pauses and applause.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.🐢 Which is a comfortable speaking pace for most speeches? (a) 20–30 words a minute (b) 120–150 words a minute (c) 300–400 words a minute
  2. 2.⏱️ Rohan’s assembly talk has 260 words. At 130 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  3. 3.⏱️ Why should you time your speech when you practise? (a) to fit the time limit (b) to skip the ending (c) to tire yourself (d) to speak faster
  4. 4.⏱️ Meera’s welcome speech has 700 words. At 140 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  5. 5.⏱️ Rohan speaks at 150 words a minute. How many words fit in a 2-minute competition speech?
  6. 6.✂️ Meera’s class presentation must fit in 4 minutes. Meera speaks at 140 words a minute and has written 630 words. How many words must be cut?
  7. 7.✂️ Nisha’s debate speech must fit in 4 minutes. Nisha speaks at 110 words a minute and has written 460 words. How many words must be cut?
  8. 8.⏱️ Diya’s welcome speech has 330 words. At 110 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  9. 9.⏱️ How many words can Aarav say in 1 and a half minutes at 120 words a minute?
  10. 10.⏱️ Ishaan’s welcome speech has 660 words. At 110 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  11. 11.✂️ Diya’s science fair talk must fit in 2 minutes. Diya speaks at 130 words a minute and has written 300 words. How many words must be cut?
  12. 12.✂️ Ishaan’s assembly talk must fit in 4 minutes. Ishaan speaks at 100 words a minute and has written 450 words. How many words must be cut?
  13. 13.⏱️ Aarav speaks at 150 words a minute. How many words fit in a 1-minute science fair talk?
  14. 14.✂️ Vihaan’s assembly talk must fit in 1 minute. Vihaan speaks at 140 words a minute and has written 180 words. How many words must be cut?
  15. 15.⏱️ Ishaan speaks at 100 words a minute. How many words fit in a 1-minute welcome speech?
  16. 16.⏱️ How many words can Vihaan say in 2 and a half minutes at 140 words a minute?
  17. 17.⏱️ Ananya reads a 75-word class presentation at 150 words a minute. How many seconds does it take?
  18. 18.⏱️ Ananya speaks at 110 words a minute. How many words fit in a 1-minute welcome speech?
  19. 19.🎙️ In a practice run, Aarav said 450 words in 3 minutes. How many words a minute is that?
  20. 20.⏱️ Meera speaks at 120 words a minute. How many words fit in a 3-minute assembly talk?
  21. 21.✂️ Diya’s debate speech must fit in 2 minutes. Diya speaks at 150 words a minute and has written 320 words. How many words must be cut?
  22. 22.✂️ Meera’s debate speech must fit in 2 minutes. Meera speaks at 110 words a minute and has written 240 words. How many words must be cut?
  23. 23.✂️ Your speech is too long for the time limit. What should you do? (a) cut the weakest part (b) skip the ending (c) speak super fast (d) ignore the limit
  24. 24.✂️ Nisha’s debate speech must fit in 2 minutes. Nisha speaks at 150 words a minute and has written 310 words. How many words must be cut?
  25. 25.⏱️ Vihaan reads a 200-word assembly talk at 100 words a minute. How many seconds does it take?
  26. 26.⏸️ Pauses and audience laughter take time too. So your speech should be… (a) a little under the limit (b) exactly at the limit (c) far over the limit
  27. 27.⏱️ How many words can Aarav say in 1 and a half minutes at 140 words a minute?
  28. 28.⏱️ Arjun’s debate speech has 260 words. At 130 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  29. 29.⏱️ Tara speaks at 130 words a minute. How many words fit in a 2-minute debate speech?
  30. 30.⏱️ Ananya speaks at 140 words a minute. How many words fit in a 2-minute science fair talk?
  31. 31.🎙️ In a practice run, Saanvi said 260 words in 2 minutes. How many words a minute is that?
  32. 32.⏱️ How many words can Nisha say in 2 and a half minutes at 120 words a minute?
  33. 33.⏱️ Diya’s class presentation has 660 words. At 110 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  34. 34.⏱️ How many words can Rohan say in 3 and a half minutes at 140 words a minute?
  35. 35.✂️ Diya’s assembly talk must fit in 1 minute. Diya speaks at 110 words a minute and has written 150 words. How many words must be cut?
  36. 36.⏱️ Diya speaks at 100 words a minute. How many words fit in a 4-minute debate speech?
  37. 37.⏱️ Diya’s debate speech has 650 words. At 130 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  38. 38.🎙️ In a practice run, Arjun said 280 words in 2 minutes. How many words a minute is that?
  39. 39.🎙️ In a practice run, Tara said 440 words in 4 minutes. How many words a minute is that?
  40. 40.🎙️ In a practice run, Tara said 260 words in 2 minutes. How many words a minute is that?

Answer key

  1. 120–150 words a minute
  2. 2
  3. to fit the time limit
  4. 5
  5. 300
  6. 70
  7. 20
  8. 3
  9. 180
  10. 6
  11. 40
  12. 50
  13. 150
  14. 40
  15. 100
  16. 350
  17. 30
  18. 110
  19. 150
  20. 360
  21. 20
  22. 20
  23. cut the weakest part
  24. 10
  25. 120
  26. a little under the limit
  27. 210
  28. 2
  29. 260
  30. 280
  31. 130
  32. 300
  33. 6
  34. 490
  35. 40
  36. 400
  37. 5
  38. 140
  39. 110
  40. 130

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