> speech-rate-test
// How fast do you speak? Two modes, live mic, no upload — nothing leaves your browser.
> Speaking Rate Test
Two modes — same mic, same privacy:
- Read Aloud — pick a tier + passage, allow mic, click Start Recording, read the passage aloud, click Stop. WPM = passage words / time.
- Free Speech — allow mic, speak freely for 30–120s about anything. Browser transcribes live; WPM = spoken words / time. Needs Chrome/Edge for transcription; otherwise use Read Aloud.
- Waveform shows mic is live. Audio never leaves your browser — analysed locally, discarded on stop.
Read Aloud: WPM from known passage — works on any browser.
> difficulty
> text
> duration
> prompt (optional)
Transcription needs Chrome or Edge. Firefox/Safari will fall back to Read Aloud.
Mic: click Start to allow access
HTTPS required for mic. Audio analysed locally to draw waveform; discarded on stop. Nothing uploaded.
Transcript will appear here as you speak…
00:00
Live WPM: —
> Your Speaking Rate
0
Words Per Minute
0:00
Duration
| Level | Words per Minute (WPM) |
|---|---|
| Slow / Lecture | ~110 WPM |
| Conversational | 120–160 WPM |
| TED Average | 154–168 WPM |
| Radio News | 170–190 WPM |
| Very Fast | 190+ WPM |
Your Last 3 Results
| Take | Date | Mode | WPM | Time |
|---|
> Frequently Asked Questions
> How does the speaking rate test work?
Choose Read Aloud or Free Speech. In Read Aloud, pick a tier + passage, allow mic, click Start Recording, read aloud, click Stop — WPM is
words in passage ÷ seconds. In Free Speech, speak freely for 30–120s; your browser transcribes live and we count spoken words ÷ seconds. The waveform proves the mic is live. Audio is analysed locally and discarded on stop — nothing is uploaded.+ What is a good speaking rate?
Conversational speech is 120–160 WPM. TED talks average 154–168 WPM and radio news 170–190 WPM. ReadCalc defaults to 140 WPM for prepared speech. Below 110 sounds slow or monotone; above 190 intelligibility drops. For most talks aim 130–160 and add pauses rather than just speeding up.
+ Why is my mic blocked or not working?
Your browser asks for mic permission when you click Start Recording (requires HTTPS). If blocked, click the lock icon in the address bar → Site settings → Allow microphone, then reload. No audio is sent anywhere — the waveform is drawn from a local
AudioContext and stopped when you finish. Free-speech transcription also runs on-device via SpeechRecognition where available (Chrome/Edge).+ Is my audio or transcript stored?
No. Mic audio is processed in memory only and discarded on stop. The transcript stays in memory for counting. Only your final WPM + mode + duration are saved to
localStorage for history (last 3). Clearing browser data removes them. We do not collect or share speech data.+ Which mode should I use?
Read Aloud works on every browser and gives the most repeatable WPM (known word count). Free Speech is closer to your natural rate but needs Chrome/Edge for live transcription — Firefox/Safari fall back to Read Aloud. Try both and average the results for a stable baseline, then practice with the teleprompter at that WPM.