An e-learning narration script is written one slide at a time, with one idea and one short spoken block per slide. Most slides need 30 to 100 words, which is about 12 to 40 seconds at 150 words per minute. Copy a template for each slide type below and check the timing.
Key Takeaways
- One idea per slide: if the script needs two ideas, make two slides.
- Budget words, not minutes: at 150 words per minute, every word is 0.4 seconds, so a 60-word slide takes about 24 seconds.
- Write for the ear: narration repeats the point, it does not read the slide text word for word.
- Plan for access: audio needs a transcript or text alternative (WCAG 1.2.1), captions for synchronised media (1.2.2) and a way to stop audio that plays automatically (1.4.2).
- Short modules win: a 4-minute module of 10 slides is easier to write, review and update than a 40-minute one.
Personalise the slide scripts
- Type your course details in the boxes below. Nothing is sent or saved.
- Open a slide type in "Slide scripts". Your details are already inside every template.
- Check the live timing next to each title, press Copy and paste it into the notes of your slide tool or into Kveeky.
Slide scripts
Choose a group of slides. Each label shows the live word count and the spoken length at 150 words per minute, and turns red if a script runs over its time slot.
Opening slide scripts
Open fast. Name the topic, say who it is for and promise one result. Every script here is a starting point: add your own content and watch the timing.
1. Title and welcome 24 words · ≈ 10 s of 15 s
2. Learning objectives 39 words · ≈ 16 s of 20 s
3. Why this matters 44 words · ≈ 18 s of 25 s
Teaching slide scripts
Teach one idea per slide. Say it, show it, then say what it means.
4. Explain a concept 50 words · ≈ 20 s of 40 s
5. Show an example 37 words · ≈ 15 s of 35 s
6. Walk through a process 40 words · ≈ 16 s of 45 s
7. Do and don't 45 words · ≈ 18 s of 30 s
Practice slide scripts
Practice slides read the question out and leave room to think. Do not read the answer options as a list unless learners cannot see the screen.
8. Scenario question 25 words · ≈ 10 s of 25 s
9. Correct answer feedback 22 words · ≈ 9 s of 15 s
10. Try-again feedback 25 words · ≈ 10 s of 20 s
Closing slide scripts
Close by repeating the one thing you want remembered, then point to what comes next.
11. Summary 30 words · ≈ 12 s of 25 s
12. Next steps 27 words · ≈ 11 s of 15 s
Slide scripts ready? Paste each one into Kveeky, choose a voice, set the speed, and download an MP3 per slide for your course tool.
Narrate your slides freeHow long should narration be per slide?
Most slides need 12 to 40 seconds of narration. Here is a sample 10-slide module, with the word budget and timing at 150 words per minute, the average rate for US English speakers according to the National Center for Voice and Speech. Sort or filter it, and change the numbers for your own course.
| Slide | Slide type | Part | Words | Seconds | What the narration does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title and welcome | Opening | 35 | 14 s | Names the module and the time it takes |
| 2 | Objectives | Opening | 45 | 18 s | States what learners will be able to do |
| 3 | Why it matters | Opening | 60 | 24 s | Links the topic to the learner's job |
| 4 | Concept | Teaching | 90 | 36 s | Explains one idea beside a diagram |
| 5 | Example | Teaching | 80 | 32 s | Points to the detail that matters |
| 6 | Process steps | Teaching | 100 | 40 s | Walks through three steps in order |
| 7 | Scenario question | Practice | 55 | 22 s | Sets the situation, then stops |
| 8 | Feedback | Practice | 40 | 16 s | Confirms or corrects, in one or two sentences |
| 9 | Summary | Closing | 55 | 22 s | Repeats the one thing to remember |
| 10 | Next steps | Closing | 30 | 12 s | Points to the next module |
| Total | 590 | 236 s (about 3 min 56 s) | Add 1 to 2 seconds of silence at each slide change | ||
These are suggested budgets, not rules. Interactive slides run longer because the learner also reads, clicks and thinks.
Does your module fit? Paste the script and check the length
Paste the narration for one slide or the whole module. The counter shows the words, the spoken length and, for a target in seconds, your word budget.
For longer scripts, use the full words to minutes calculator.
How do you write narration for a slide in four steps?
- Write the one idea. Finish this sentence: "After this slide, the learner knows…".
- Do not read the slide. Say what the screen cannot: why it matters and what to notice.
- Cue the screen. Write "look at the highlighted line" so audio and animation arrive together.
- Read it aloud and cut. Remove any sentence you stumble on. Our guide to pauses, emphasis and pacing helps a read sound natural.
Keep one narrator voice across the course unless there is a reason to change. Read when to use multiple narrators before you split roles. If you hire a human narrator instead, start with our voice casting brief template.
Accessibility: what narration needs around it
Narration does not replace text. These three W3C success criteria (all Level A) apply to most courses.
| Criterion | What it asks | What to do in your course |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2.1 Audio-only and video-only (prerecorded) | A text alternative for prerecorded audio-only content | Provide a transcript for audio-only lessons |
| 1.2.2 Captions (prerecorded) | Captions for prerecorded audio in synchronised media | Add captions to narrated video and animation |
| 1.4.2 Audio control | A way to pause, stop or control volume if audio plays automatically for more than 3 seconds | Add a pause button and a volume control, or do not autoplay |
Your slide scripts double as the transcript, so keep the final text in step with the audio. For a full course checklist, see our WCAG 2.2 guide for online courses.
Before you record: narration checklist
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| One idea per slide | Learners remember one point better than three |
| Under about 40 seconds on most slides | Long slides lose attention |
| Numbers, acronyms and names spelled for the ear | ”SaaS” may need “sass” in the script |
| Cues match the animation | Audio and screen arrive together |
| Script saved as the transcript | Covers the audio alternative |
| Finished audio level checked | See the loudness chart for platform targets |
| Date in script reviewed | Out-of-date narration is costly to redo by hand |
How Kveeky helps with e-learning narration
Updating one slide should not mean booking a studio. With Kveeky you change the text and generate that slide again. See the e-learning voiceover page for course use.
Narrate your first module free
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Want the full process? Read the e-learning voiceover guide, or find out why students drop off and how narration helps.
Frequently asked questions
How long should narration be per slide?
Most slides need 12 to 40 seconds of narration, which is about 30 to 100 words at 150 words per minute. Keep to one idea per slide and split anything longer.
Should narration match the on-screen text exactly?
No. Narration should add meaning, not read the slide aloud. Say why the point matters and what to notice, and keep the on-screen text short.
How many words is a 5-minute e-learning module?
About 750 words at 150 words per minute. Allow for pauses, quiz slides and slide changes, so plan for 600 to 700 words of narration.
How do I make narration accessible?
Provide a transcript for audio-only content, captions for synchronised media, and a way to pause or stop audio that plays automatically for more than 3 seconds. These are WCAG 2.2 Level A criteria 1.2.1, 1.2.2 and 1.4.2.
Can I use an AI voice for e-learning narration?
Yes. Write the slide scripts, choose a voice, set the speed and download an MP3 for each slide. Updating a slide later means editing the text and generating that slide again.
Sources
- Average speaking rate of about 150 words per minute for US English: National Center for Voice and Speech, “Voice Qualities”, retrieved 16 October 2026.
- SC 1.2.1, text alternative for prerecorded audio-only content (Level A): W3C, “Understanding Success Criterion 1.2.1”, retrieved 16 October 2026.
- SC 1.2.2, captions for prerecorded synchronised media (Level A): W3C, “Understanding Success Criterion 1.2.2”, retrieved 16 October 2026.
- SC 1.4.2, pause, stop or volume control for audio over 3 seconds (Level A): W3C, “Understanding Success Criterion 1.4.2”, retrieved 16 October 2026.
- Kveeky free plan, credits and plans: Kveeky pricing, retrieved 16 October 2026.