How Long Does It Take to Read 1,000 Words?

How long does it take to read 1,000 words? For most adults, about four minutes. That answer comes from solid research rather than a guess. If you read the same text aloud, it takes closer to five and a half minutes.

Below you'll find where those numbers come from, a reading-time chart for common word counts and the simple formula to work out reading time for anything you write.

How long does it take to read 1,000 words?

At an average silent reading speed of 238 words per minute, you'll read 1,000 words in roughly 4 minutes and 12 seconds. Reading aloud, at about 183 words per minute, it takes around 5 minutes and 30 seconds.

Your own time will vary. A fast reader might finish in three minutes. Someone reading a dense technical report might need six or more.

What is the average reading speed?

For years, you'd see 250 or even 300 words per minute quoted as "average". In 2019, psychologist Marc Brysbaert reviewed 190 studies with more than 17,000 participants and found the real figure is lower:

• Silent reading, non-fiction: about 238 words per minute (most adults fall between 175 and 300)
• Silent reading, fiction: about 260 words per minute
• Reading aloud: about 183 words per minute

Fiction reads a little faster because the vocabulary is usually simpler and the story carries you along. Non-fiction makes you stop and think.

Reading time chart by word count

Times are rounded to the nearest half minute.

How do you calculate reading time?

Divide the word count by the reading speed:

Reading time (minutes) = words ÷ 238

For a 1,800-word article: 1,800 ÷ 238 = 7.6, so about 7½ minutes. Swap 238 for 183 if the text will be read aloud.

Don't want to do the maths? Paste your text into our sentence counter. It shows the reading time next to your word, sentence and paragraph counts.

How long does it take to read common documents?

Here's what those averages mean for things you might actually read. Non-fiction uses 238 words per minute; the short story and novel use the fiction average of 260.

Real reading takes longer than these figures when you stop to take notes, re-read a tricky section or look things up. Use them for planning, not as a stopwatch.

How long is a 1,000-word speech?

Reading a script aloud averages about 183 words per minute, which puts 1,000 words at around five and a half minutes. Presentations usually run slower, because you pause for emphasis, slides and questions. Many speechwriters plan for 130 to 150 words per minute, which stretches 1,000 words to seven or eight minutes.

So if you've been given a five-minute slot, aim for roughly 700 to 900 words and rehearse with a timer.

What affects how fast you read?

• Difficulty: long sentences, technical terms and unfamiliar topics slow everyone down.
• Purpose: studying for an exam is slower than reading for fun, because you're trying to remember details.
• Familiarity: you'll read faster in a subject you already know well.
• Language: reading in a second language usually takes longer.

Does speed reading work?

Not the way most apps promise. A major 2016 review by Keith Rayner and colleagues found that speed-reading techniques trade comprehension for speed. You can skim faster, but you understand and remember less. The most reliable way to read faster is to read more and build your vocabulary.

Why reading time matters for writers

Showing a reading time ("4 min read") tells visitors what they're signing up for, and it helps you plan. A blog post meant for a coffee break should take under five minutes. A speech has to fit its slot. And if you're writing to a page count, our guide to how many pages 1,000 words fills has you covered.