How long should a persuasive speech be?
A persuasive speech for a class is usually 5 to 7 minutes long, about 650 to 910 words at 130 words per minute. Follow your instructor's limit if it differs, and save a full minute for your strongest argument and the call to action.
That's 5 min to 7 min, or roughly 650 to 910 words at 130 words per minute.
Why this length works
Five to seven minutes is a common window for persuasive assignments in public speaking courses. It gives you time to state your position, back it up with two or three arguments and evidence, deal with the obvious objection, and close with a clear call to action.
Persuasion depends on structure more than volume. A tight 6-minute speech that makes three strong points and answers one objection is more convincing than a 10-minute speech that piles on every reason you found.
How to structure a 6 min persuasive speech
Attention and position
~80 words
36 sec · A hook, then your claim stated plainly.
The problem
~155 words
1 min 12 sec · Why this matters, with evidence the audience will trust.
Arguments and evidence
~310 words
2 min 24 sec · Two or three reasons, each supported by a source, example, or figure.
Answering the objection
~115 words
54 sec · The strongest counterargument and why your position still holds.
Call to action
~115 words
54 sec · One specific thing you want the audience to do or believe.
Tips
- State your position in the first 30 seconds. Nobody can be persuaded toward a point they have not heard yet.
- Put your strongest argument last, where it leads straight into your call to action.
- Name your sources out loud. 'According to the city's own traffic data' sounds far more credible than 'studies show.'
- Address the main objection head on. Ignoring it makes skeptical listeners tune out.
- End with a specific action the audience can take, such as signing up, voting, or changing one habit.
Common mistakes
- Making more arguments than you have time to support with evidence.
- Relying on emotion with no facts behind it, or on facts with no story to make them matter.
- Leaving out the counterargument, which many rubrics expect.
- Ending with a summary but no call to action.
Example opening lines
- “If you've ever stood at a bus stop in the rain wondering where the bus is, this speech is for you.”
- “I'm going to ask you to do one thing before the end of today, and it'll take less than five minutes.”
- “Most of us think we recycle correctly. I thought so too, until I spent a week sorting my own trash.”
Time your speech
Paste your draft to check its length at your pace, then rehearse it in the teleprompter.
Or type a number of words
Speaking time at 130 wpm
6 min
780 words · about 3 pages double-spaced
| Pace | Time |
|---|---|
| Slow 110 wpm | 7 min 5 sec |
| Presentation 130 wpm | 6 min |
| Conversational 150 wpm | 5 min 12 sec |
| Voice-over 160 wpm | 4 min 53 sec |
| Fast 180 wpm | 4 min 20 sec |
| Reading aloud, average 183 wpm | 4 min 16 sec |
| Silent reading 238 wpm | 3 min 17 sec |
Measure your own pace
Paste a script above (Words → time), press Start, read it aloud at your normal delivery, then press Stop. Nothing is recorded; this only times you.
Rehearse it
Open your script in the free teleprompter. It scrolls at the words-per-minute pace you choose and can record an audio take.
Frequently asked questions
How many words is a 6-minute persuasive speech?
About 780 words at 130 words per minute. A 5-minute speech is about 650 words.
How many arguments should a persuasive speech have?
Two or three main arguments is enough for 5 to 7 minutes. Each one needs time for evidence and explanation.
What is the best structure for a persuasive speech?
Many courses teach Monroe's Motivated Sequence: attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and action. A simpler version is hook, problem, arguments, objection, and call to action.