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Public Speaking Worksheet: Speech Timing

Public speaking lesson 15: Timing a speech (words per minute) · Set 990 · 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) 300–400 words a minute (b) 20–30 words a minute (c) 120–150 words a minute
  2. 2.🎙️ In a practice run, Saanvi said 360 words in 3 minutes. How many words a minute is that?
  3. 3.✂️ Rohan’s debate speech must fit in 1 minute. Rohan speaks at 130 words a minute and has written 160 words. How many words must be cut?
  4. 4.⏱️ Vihaan speaks at 150 words a minute. How many words fit in a 2-minute assembly talk?
  5. 5.✂️ Nisha’s welcome speech must fit in 4 minutes. Nisha speaks at 130 words a minute and has written 600 words. How many words must be cut?
  6. 6.⏱️ Why should you time your speech when you practise? (a) to tire yourself (b) to skip the ending (c) to speak faster (d) to fit the time limit
  7. 7.⏸️ Pauses and audience laughter take time too. So your speech should be… (a) far over the limit (b) exactly at the limit (c) a little under the limit
  8. 8.⏱️ Tara’s class presentation has 720 words. At 120 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  9. 9.⏱️ How many words can Saanvi say in 1 and a half minutes at 120 words a minute?
  10. 10.⏱️ Arjun speaks at 110 words a minute. How many words fit in a 1-minute competition speech?
  11. 11.⏱️ Ananya reads a 300-word competition speech at 150 words a minute. How many seconds does it take?
  12. 12.⏱️ How many words can Saanvi say in 2 and a half minutes at 120 words a minute?
  13. 13.✂️ Aarav’s competition speech must fit in 1 minute. Aarav speaks at 110 words a minute and has written 190 words. How many words must be cut?
  14. 14.⏱️ Kabir’s welcome speech has 700 words. At 140 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  15. 15.⏱️ Vihaan’s welcome speech has 200 words. At 100 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  16. 16.✂️ Your speech is too long for the time limit. What should you do? (a) ignore the limit (b) skip the ending (c) speak super fast (d) cut the weakest part
  17. 17.✂️ Ishaan’s science fair talk must fit in 2 minutes. Ishaan speaks at 110 words a minute and has written 290 words. How many words must be cut?
  18. 18.⏱️ How many words can Tara say in 3 and a half minutes at 120 words a minute?
  19. 19.✂️ Aarav’s assembly talk must fit in 3 minutes. Aarav speaks at 100 words a minute and has written 310 words. How many words must be cut?
  20. 20.⏱️ Vihaan’s assembly talk has 550 words. At 110 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  21. 21.✂️ Ananya’s assembly talk must fit in 3 minutes. Ananya speaks at 120 words a minute and has written 430 words. How many words must be cut?
  22. 22.⏱️ How many words can Aarav say in 1 and a half minutes at 100 words a minute?
  23. 23.⏱️ Kabir’s debate speech has 420 words. At 140 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  24. 24.⏱️ Diya speaks at 100 words a minute. How many words fit in a 5-minute science fair talk?
  25. 25.⏱️ Tara speaks at 100 words a minute. How many words fit in a 1-minute debate speech?
  26. 26.⏱️ How many words can Ananya say in 2 and a half minutes at 100 words a minute?
  27. 27.⏱️ How many words can Arjun say in 2 and a half minutes at 100 words a minute?
  28. 28.🎙️ In a practice run, Kabir said 300 words in 3 minutes. How many words a minute is that?
  29. 29.⏱️ Tara speaks at 130 words a minute. How many words fit in a 2-minute assembly talk?
  30. 30.⏱️ How many words can Tara say in 2 and a half minutes at 120 words a minute?
  31. 31.⏱️ Ananya speaks at 140 words a minute. How many words fit in a 1-minute assembly talk?
  32. 32.⏱️ Tara speaks at 150 words a minute. How many words fit in a 2-minute class presentation?
  33. 33.⏱️ Kabir’s assembly talk has 750 words. At 150 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  34. 34.⏱️ Diya’s debate speech has 500 words. At 100 words a minute, how many minutes will it take?
  35. 35.⏱️ Kabir speaks at 100 words a minute. How many words fit in a 1-minute assembly talk?
  36. 36.✂️ Tara’s assembly talk must fit in 4 minutes. Tara speaks at 100 words a minute and has written 460 words. How many words must be cut?
  37. 37.⏱️ Saanvi reads a 50-word competition speech at 100 words a minute. How many seconds does it take?
  38. 38.⏱️ Vihaan speaks at 120 words a minute. How many words fit in a 1-minute class presentation?
  39. 39.⏱️ Kabir reads a 300-word class presentation at 150 words a minute. How many seconds does it take?
  40. 40.⏱️ Ishaan reads a 150-word debate speech at 100 words a minute. How many seconds does it take?

Answer key

  1. 120–150 words a minute
  2. 120
  3. 30
  4. 300
  5. 80
  6. to fit the time limit
  7. a little under the limit
  8. 6
  9. 180
  10. 110
  11. 120
  12. 300
  13. 80
  14. 5
  15. 2
  16. cut the weakest part
  17. 70
  18. 420
  19. 10
  20. 5
  21. 70
  22. 150
  23. 3
  24. 500
  25. 100
  26. 250
  27. 250
  28. 100
  29. 260
  30. 300
  31. 140
  32. 300
  33. 5
  34. 5
  35. 100
  36. 60
  37. 30
  38. 120
  39. 120
  40. 90

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