Example — paste your own text above to replace this
This calculator counts the words in your text and divides by a reading speed in words per minute (wpm) to give a plain-English estimate of how long it takes to read. It's a guide, not a stopwatch — actual reading speed varies with the complexity and familiarity of the subject.
Reading time is word count ÷ reading speed (in words per minute), converted to minutes and seconds. For example, a 500-word article at the average speed of 238 wpm takes roughly 500 ÷ 238 = 2.1 minutes, shown here as about 2 minutes. The calculator recalculates instantly as you type or paste, and updates immediately if you switch reading speed.
Average (238 wpm) is the figure most commonly cited in reading research for silent adult reading of general prose. Slow (150 wpm) suits dense technical material, unfamiliar vocabulary, or non-native readers still building fluency. Fast (350 wpm) is closer to a practised skimmer scanning for key points rather than reading every word closely. Pick whichever speed best matches how the text will actually be read.
Word count is calculated by splitting the text on whitespace, so any run of characters separated by a space, tab, or line break counts as one word — the same method used by most word processors. Punctuation attached to a word (like a comma or full stop) doesn't add to the count; only genuinely separate words do.
This is a simple word-count estimate, not a measurement of any individual's actual reading speed, which can be affected by font size, screen versus paper, tiredness, and how carefully the reader engages with the material. Treat the figure as a rough expectation to set before starting, rather than a guarantee.