How the time is calculated
Words alone uses a direct calculation: words ÷ words per minute × 60. A 150-word script at 150 words per minute takes 60 seconds before pauses. The second estimate adds the pauses in the marked script, so a script with room to breathe takes longer than that first number.
Lightshot’s delivery schedule gives longer words more of the speaking time while keeping the overall word rate. The timer uses the same rule-based delivery logic as the app. It does not record you or measure how you pronounce a name. The reading-speed guide shows how to calculate your pace from an actual read.
Choose a pace you can repeat aloud
Start with the style closest to your intended delivery, then change the number. Natural starts at 160 WPM, Energetic at 190, Calm at 135 and Authority at 150. These are Lightshot’s starting settings, not measured averages for every speaker.
Baruch College’s speaking-rate exercise suggests practicing around 140 WPM for clarity. That is a practice suggestion, not a requirement for every video. If the timer says you need an uncomfortable pace to meet the target, shorten the script before trying to race it.
| Length | Words |
|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 37 |
| 30 seconds | 75 |
| 60 seconds | 150 |
| 90 seconds | 225 |
| 3 minutes | 450 |
Tell the timer where to lift, land and breathe
The automatic marks provide a first reading. You can type ^word to lift a word, _word to land it, *word* to lean on it, / for a short breath and // for a longer breath. Your explicit marks take priority over automatic ones.
This preview uses rules, not Apple Intelligence. On supported iPhones the app can also re-mark a script with Apple Intelligence, while manual marks remain yours. The scripts feature page explains how the editor, language selection and delivery styles fit together.
Check the estimate with one rehearsal
Read the script aloud at a comfortable pace and time it. Include the pauses you intend to keep. If an example takes longer to explain than its written words suggest, allow that time explicitly. A 60-second script works better with one clear point than with several squeezed into the same minute.
After timing, you can copy your words into Lightshot and rehearse without recording. Voice-following adapts to the spoken script on the phone, so the finished take is not locked to this browser estimate.