This is an exercise in my public speaking class when we work on the concept of speech pace. The script below is exactly 170 words long. Use it to warm up, inspire discussion, get practice - and of course, to help gauge your pace of speech!
_Video Script_
Do you think you speak too fast, too slow, or just right? When it comes to public speaking, you'll want to talk at a conversational pace. This rate of speech typically ranges from around one hundred forty to one hundred seventy words per minute. If you speak much slower than one hundred forty words per minute, you're probably not speaking fast enough for your audience. You might be putting them to sleep. However, if you speak much faster than one hundred seventy words per minute, you could be talking too fast. An audience could have a hard time understanding you. You also need to vary your pace. Sometimes, you'll want to speak more quickly to demonstrate urgency or excitement. Other times, you'll want to slow down or pause for dramatic effect. To check your pace, record yourself. Listen to the playback. A recording not only lets you time your speech, but it also lets you evaluate how well you vary your pace within the conversational range. Give it a try.
_/Script_
(I shot this video in one take in my basement, on my cell phone. Nothing glamorous, just a speech pace test. Give it a shot!)
