How long is an average graduation speech?

Five to 10 minutes is just about right. At 200 to 250 words per minute (practice and time your delivery), that equates to about 1000–2500 words. Table ​1 lists the word count of a sampling of some recent commencement addresses.

How many words is a typical graduation speech?

Keep it short Unless you are a national leader using the speech to announce a major policy, you won’t need more than 20 minutes, tops. Twelve minutes would be even better. The average speaker reads about 120 words a minute, so that’s about 1,400-2,400 words or 9-15 pages (double spaced, 16 point font).

What should you not say in a graduation speech?

Stay away from jokes: Yes jokes can be fun but it is hard to draw the line from being fun to being unprofessional. Your safest bet will be to keep the jokes aside. Avoid negativity: You should avoid negativity at all costs. Your impression makes a big impact; it should always be a positive one.

What should I say in my graduation speech?

Graduation Speech Introductions Examples “It’s my honor today to deliver the commencement address for this incredible student body.” “It is my pleasure to welcome students, families, and faculty to graduation day at [school’s name]. Every one of you have made an impact on the graduates who sit here today.”

How long is too long for a speech?

It’s almost always better to speak more slowly than too quickly. Thus, if you’re speaking for 20 minutes, you want a total word count of somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 words. Be careful! I once got the math wrong and saddled a good friend with a 48-minute speech when he was trying for 30.

How long should a baccalaureate speech be?

Speeches are often intermixed with musical performances, drama, and worship. A modern-day Baccalaureate address generally lasts less than half an hour. In ancient times they could last as long as four hours.

How many words is a high school graduation speech?

Be mindful of the appropriate length of your speech. Most people speak about 175 words per minute, so a 10-minute speech should contain about 1,750 words. You can fit about 250 words onto a double-spaced page, so that translates to seven pages of double-spaced text for 10 minutes of speaking time.

How long is a high school commencement speech?

Keep It Short, But Not Too Short Knowing how long a high school graduation speech should be is important before you start writing. Student speeches at high school graduations are generally between five and 10 minutes long, but closer to five is ideal.

What makes a graduation speech good?

Emotional honesty works well in any speech. It is particularly compelling on graduation day. So say what you know and what is truly important to you. The best irony of commencement speaking is that you do not have to be wise about the future; you do not have to try to make it timeless.