How to Time a Presentation
How many slides and words fit in your slot, how to rehearse so you finish on time, and what to do on the day.
How much can you say in your slot?
Most people speak at somewhere around 130 to 150 words per minute in a presentation, a little slower than in normal conversation. That gives a useful rule of thumb for planning a script or notes.
| Slot | Words (approx.) | Slides (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 minute (elevator pitch) | 130 to 150 | 1 |
| 3 minutes | 400 to 450 | 3 to 5 |
| 5 minutes | 650 to 750 | 5 to 8 |
| 10 minutes | 1,300 to 1,500 | 8 to 12 |
| 20 minutes | 2,600 to 3,000 | 15 to 20 |
Slide counts are only a guide. A slide with one striking image might take 20 seconds; a detailed chart might take three minutes. Time your rehearsal rather than relying on a formula.
Leave room for questions and surprises
If your slot is 10 minutes, plan to speak for about 8 or 9. Talks almost always take longer than expected once you are in front of a real audience, and the chair will thank you for finishing on time. If there is a Q and A included in your slot, agree in advance how long it should be.
How to rehearse to time
- Do your first full run-through out loud, with the presentation timer running. Reading silently is much faster than speaking.
- Note the time at the end of each section. This shows you where the talk is long.
- Cut, do not rush. Speaking faster to fit more in makes a talk harder to follow. Remove a point instead.
- Rehearse again until you are consistently within your target.
- Do at least one rehearsal standing up, using your slides and clicker, exactly as you will on the day.
Set checkpoints
Pick two or three points in your talk and note the time you should reach each one. For a 10 minute talk: introduction done by 1:30, main point finished by 6:00, starting your conclusion by 8:30. On the day, a quick glance at the timer tells you whether to slow down or skip an example.
Timed presentation formats
| Format | Rules | Total time |
|---|---|---|
| Elevator pitch | Explain your idea in the time of a short lift ride | 30 to 60 seconds |
| Lightning talk | A short talk, often at conferences and meetups | Usually 5 minutes |
| Pecha Kucha | 20 slides, each shown for 20 seconds, advancing automatically | 6 minutes 40 seconds |
| Ignite | 20 slides, each shown for 15 seconds, advancing automatically | 5 minutes |
| TED style talk | A focused talk on one idea | Up to 18 minutes |
For automatic slide formats, the interval timer can help you rehearse. Set work to 20 seconds, rest to 0 and rounds to 20 for Pecha Kucha, and you will hear a beep at each slide change.
On the day
- Put the timer on a phone, tablet or laptop where you can see it but the audience cannot.
- Press Fullscreen so the numbers are easy to read at a glance.
- Start the timer as you say your first word, not when you walk on.
- If you are running over, skip a section cleanly rather than racing through everything.
- If you are well under time, slow down and pause more. Pauses feel long to you but natural to the audience.
For chairs and event organisers
If you are keeping several speakers to time, put a large countdown where speakers can see it, such as on a laptop at the front of the stage. The named timer can show the speaker's name or the session above the countdown, and the loud alarm timer is hard to miss in a busy room.
Related timers
- Presentation Timer: a timer for talks and speeches
- Named Timer: show the speaker or session name
- Interval Timer: rehearse auto-advancing slides
Frequently asked questions
How many slides for a 10 minute presentation?
Usually 8 to 12, but it depends on your content. Rehearse with a timer rather than relying on a slide count.
How many words is a 5 minute speech?
About 650 to 750 words at a typical speaking pace of 130 to 150 words per minute.
How long is a Pecha Kucha?
20 slides at 20 seconds each, which is 6 minutes 40 seconds.
What if I run out of time?
Skip to your conclusion. A clean ending is better than rushing through every slide.