Timing color-card reference
Every speaking segment in a Toastmasters meeting has a target time, and the Timer signals how you're doing with three colored cards (or lights): green, yellow, and red. Learning to read them keeps the meeting on schedule and helps you finish strong.
What the colors mean
- Green — you've reached the minimum time. You're in the target window; keep going.
- Yellow — you're near the end. Start wrapping up your point.
- Red — you've hit the maximum time. Bring your remarks to a close now.
The 30-second grace period
The colors are guidance; the qualifying window is the rule. A speech qualifies from 30 seconds before green through 30 seconds after red — half a minute of grace at each end. Finish outside that window and the speech is disqualified from the vote (and, in a contest, from the results).
So a 5–7 minute speech qualifies anywhere between 4:30 and 7:30. Green at 5:00 and red at 7:00 are still the times to aim for — the grace period is what the Timer uses to decide whether a speech counts, not a licence to run long.
Typical timing windows
Exact times vary by segment and are set by your club — or, for contests, by the official rulebook — but the common defaults are:
| Segment | Green | Yellow | Red | Qualifies between |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Breaker | 4:00 | 5:00 | 6:00 | 3:30 – 6:30 |
| Prepared speech | 5:00 | 6:00 | 7:00 | 4:30 – 7:30 |
| Evaluation | 2:00 | 2:30 | 3:00 | 1:30 – 3:30 |
| Table Topics answer | 1:00 | 1:30 | 2:00 | 0:30 – 2:30 |
Your printed agenda shows the same thing for the segments actually on it: the green·yellow·red trio next to each speaker, each evaluator and the Table Topics segment, and the qualifying window in the timing key. The Table Topics trio is the window for one response, not for the whole segment.
A tip for speakers
Ask the Timer beforehand where they'll sit, and glance up for the green card so you know you've earned your minimum. Practicing with a timer at home is the single easiest way to nail your window on the day.