What this calculator does
Find out how long a piece of writing will take to read. Knowing that helps in many small ways. You can label a blog post or newsletter, or see whether a report fits into your commute. You can plan study time for a set of chapters. Or you can check that a handout can be read in the minutes you'll give an audience.
The estimate rests on one number: your reading speed in words per minute. This calculator divides the word count by that speed. It can also work the other way. Time yourself reading a passage of known length, and it works out your personal speed. That makes later estimates far more accurate than a general average.
Where it's used
Why this math matters outside the classroom:
- Article length. A 2,000-word article read at 250 words per minute takes 8 minutes.
- Reading assignments. Students estimate how long an assigned chapter will take so they can plan an evening's homework.
- Measuring speed. Readers who finish 1,200 words in 5 minutes read at 240 words per minute.
- Blog and newsletter writing. Writers show an estimated reading time at the top of a post.
Grade level and standards: Grade 6; Common Core State Standards for Mathematics 6.RP.A.3.b. © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.
How to use it
- Choose whether you want the time for a text or your own reading speed.
- For a reading time, enter the word count and a speed. Most word processors show the word count in the status bar at the bottom, or under a word-count menu.
- For your speed, read a passage at your normal pace. Then enter its word count and the minutes and seconds it took.
- Read the result in minutes, and in hours, minutes and seconds.
What the inputs mean
- Reading speed
- Adults reading everyday English silently usually manage around 200 to 300 words per minute. About 240 is a reasonable middle value for non-fiction. Technical, legal or unfamiliar material is slower, and light fiction is often faster.
- Words you read
- Use a passage of at least a few hundred words. That way a slow start or a pause won't throw off your speed much.
- Time taken: seconds
- Add the leftover seconds after the whole minutes, from 0 to 59.
Formula and method
reading time (minutes) = word count ÷ reading speed (words per minute) reading speed (wpm) = words read ÷ time taken (minutes) time taken (minutes) = minutes + seconds ÷ 60
Reading speed is a rate, so you get the time with one division. Wpm stands for words per minute. Double the word count and the time doubles. Read 20% faster and the time drops by about a sixth.
The minutes figure is exact for the speed you enter. The hours-minutes-seconds version is rounded to the nearest second. That's far finer than any real reading estimate needs.
Measuring your own speed uses the same division, turned around. People slow down for hard material and speed up for easy material. So a speed measured on similar text gives the best prediction.
Worked example
A 2,000-word article is read at 240 words per minute.
- Reading time = 2,000 ÷ 240 = 8.33 minutes.
- 8.33 minutes × 60 = 500 seconds, which is 8 minutes 20 seconds.
- In hours, 8.33 ÷ 60 = 0.14 hours.
Result: The article takes about 8 minutes 20 seconds to read, so a label of "8 min read" would be fair.
Understanding the result
Treat the result as a typical time for a reader who is paying attention, not a promise. People who skim, re-read or stop to look at figures can take much more or less time.
For a mixed audience, it's safer to estimate at a slightly slower pace, such as 200 words per minute. That way most people finish within the time you state.
A measured speed well above 400 words per minute usually means skimming. Understanding tends to drop at very high speeds, so check that you could sum up what you read.
Assumptions and limitations
- The text is read silently at a steady pace from start to finish.
- One reading speed applies to the whole text. Images, tables and code aren't counted separately.
- It doesn't count words for you. Enter the count from your editor or word processor.
- Time spent on pictures, charts, equations or breaks isn't included.
- Speeds differ between languages and writing systems. A speed measured in one language doesn't carry over to another.
Frequently asked questions
What is an average reading speed?
For adults reading everyday English silently, about 200 to 300 words per minute is typical. Reviews of reading research put the middle of that range near 240 for non-fiction. Reading aloud is much slower, around 130 to 160 words per minute.
How long does it take to read a 300-page book?
A printed page holds very roughly 250 to 300 words, so 300 pages is around 75,000 to 90,000 words. At 250 words per minute, that's 5 to 6 hours. Use the book's actual word count if you can find it, since page sizes and fonts vary a lot.
How do I measure my reading speed accurately?
Pick a passage about as hard as what you usually read, at least 500 words long. Time yourself reading it normally, without rushing. Then enter the word count and time. Repeat with two or three passages and average the results.
How is this different from speaking time?
Speaking is slower than silent reading because you have to say every word. Use the speaking time calculator to estimate how long a speech or presentation script will take to deliver aloud.
How this calculator is checked
Method: Rate relation: time = words ÷ words per minute; speed = words ÷ minutes. The calculation is covered by automated tests with known reference values and edge cases. Last updated 2026-10-18. Found a problem? Tell us.
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