Question 1

How is reading time calculated?

Accepted Answer

Reading time is calculated by dividing the word count by the reader's words-per-minute (WPM) speed. The default of 250 WPM is the average adult reading speed for prose. You can adjust the WPM to match your own speed or the intended audience.

Question 2

What is a good words-per-minute setting?

Accepted Answer

The average adult reads prose at about 250 WPM. Speed readers can hit 400-1000 WPM. For presentations and speeches, 130-150 WPM is more realistic. For technical or dense material, drop to 100-150 WPM.

Question 3

What about images and tables?

Accepted Answer

The tool counts words in your text. It doesn't account for images, tables or code samples. As a rule of thumb, add 5-10 seconds for each image and 10-30 seconds for each chart or table when estimating total reading time.

Question 4

Can I use this for other languages?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The tool works for any Latin-script language. For CJK languages (Chinese, Japanese, Korean), the calculation is character-based — set a lower WPM like 300-500 to compensate for character density.