Quick Answer
850 words is about 1.5 pages single-spaced or 3.5 pages double-spaced in 12pt Times New Roman with 1-inch margins. Often used for an op-ed.
850 words is approximately 1.5 pages single-spaced or 3.5 pages double-spaced in 12pt Times New Roman with 1-inch margins. Reading time is about 4 minutes. The exact page count shifts with font, size, and spacing, all broken down below.
Page Counts for 850 Words by Format
| Format | Pages |
|---|---|
| Single-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman | ~1.5 |
| 1.5-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman | ~2.5 |
| Double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman | ~3.5 |
| Double-spaced, 12pt Arial | ~3.5 |
| Double-spaced, 11pt Calibri | ~3 |
Use our Words to Pages Converter to calculate the exact page count for your specific formatting.
Where You Will See 850 Words
Newspaper op-eds typically run 600-850 words. An 850-word column fits one strong argument with evidence. Many editorial submissions cap near this length.
What 850 Words Looks Like
850 words is a standard newspaper op-ed. An 850-word op-ed wants one argument backed by one strong example, not a survey of the whole issue.
Comparing lengths? See 650 words and 1,100 words.
Reading and Speaking Time for 850 Words
- Reading time: about 4 minutes at 200-250 WPM.
- Speaking time: about 7 minutes at 130 WPM.
- Typing time: about 21 minutes at 40 WPM.
Keep an eye on your running total with our Word Counter.
Sources
- American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.), Chapter 2: Paper Elements and Format.
- Modern Language Association. (2021). MLA Handbook (9th ed.), Section 1.1: Formatting the Paper.
- Microsoft Corporation. (2024). Word document formatting.
- Brysbaert, M. (2019). How many words do we read per minute? A review and meta-analysis of reading rate. Journal of Memory and Language, 109.