Fact · Typing and writing speed
170 to 190words per minute
In the same study, listeners rated the 170 and 190 words per minute versions of the radio news as normal and easy to understand.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Both versions at 170 and 190 wpm were considered normal and easy to understand”
Influence of Speech Rate and Information Density on Recognition: The Moderate Dynamic Mechanism, Emma Rodero, Media Psychology, 2016, Results on perceived speed and difficulty.
Open the original (DOI 10.1080/15213269.2014.1002942)- What it measures
- The rating was made by the same 200 students after hearing the clips. The hardest ratings went to 150 words per minute in the low density version and 210 in the high density version, and both 230 versions were rated the most difficult overall.
- What it does not show
- The rating is for recorded radio news, read at a steady pace. Listeners who heard the same text live could judge the pace differently.