Word counter
Paste or type your text to count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs as you go, see how long it takes to read aloud, and spot the words you repeat most.
- 100% free
- Runs in your browser
- No uploads
Your text is saved in this browser only, so it's still here if you reload.
Words
0
- Characters
- 0
- Characters without spaces
- 0
- Sentences
- 0
- Paragraphs
- 0
- Average word length
- –
- Average sentence
- –
- Unique words
- 0
- Reading time
- 0 sec
- Speaking time
- 0 sec
Reading at 238 words a minute, speaking at 140.
Most used words
Words you use most will show here, with how often they appear.
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How to count words
- Type or paste your text. Every count updates as you type. Very long texts update when you pause, so typing stays smooth.
- Set a word limit if you have one. Enter the limit for your essay or application and the counter shows how many words are left, or how far over you are.
- Check part of the text. Select a passage in the box to see its word count on its own, for example one answer in a form with several questions.
- Look at your most used words. The list under the box shows the words you lean on. Untick “Leave out common words” to include words like the and of.
What counts as a word
Word counters disagree at the edges, so here are the exact rules this one follows:
- Spaces and line breaks separate words. So do em dashes, en dashes and the ellipsis character when they're typed without spaces, so “yes—no” is two words.
- Hyphenated words and contractions are one word. “Well-known”, “don't” and “O'Brien's” each count once.
- Numbers are words. “1,000,000” and “3.14” count as one word each, as they do in Word.
- Symbols on their own aren't words. A lone “&”, “-” or emoji doesn't add to the count.
- Chinese and Japanese characters count one each. These languages don't put spaces between words, so each character is counted, as Microsoft Word does. Korean uses spaces and is counted by them. Thai, Lao, Khmer and Burmese are split into words by your browser's built-in dictionary.
Characters are counted as you see them: an accented letter or an emoji made of several code points is one character. A sentence ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark, but not after common abbreviations such as Mr., Dr. or e.g. A paragraph is any line with text on it.
Common word limits
| Writing | Typical length |
|---|---|
| Common App personal essay (US college applications) | 650 words max |
| UCAS personal statement (UK) | 4,000 characters |
| Cover letter | 250–400 words |
| Abstract for a journal article | 150–250 words |
| A 5-minute talk at 140 words a minute | about 700 words |
Tips for hitting a word count
Cutting words. Look at the most used words list first. Repeated filler like “really”, “very” or “just” is the easiest thing to remove without changing what you say.
Character limits are different. Forms such as the UCAS statement or social media posts limit characters, not words, and count spaces too. Use the Character counter for those.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my count different from Microsoft Word or Google Docs?
Each program draws the line between words a little differently. Word processors count anything between two spaces, so a dash with spaces around it can count as a word there, while this counter skips pieces with no letters or digits. In a long essay the gap is usually a handful of words; the exact rules this counter uses are listed above.
Do footnotes, headings and lists count?
Everything you paste counts, including headings, list items and footnote text. If an assignment says the word limit excludes the title, references or footnotes, delete those parts before reading the total, or select just the main text: the counter shows the word count of whatever you highlight.
How is reading time worked out?
Words divided by 238 words a minute, which is the average silent reading speed for adults reading non-fiction in English found by a 2019 review of 190 studies (Brysbaert). Speaking time uses 140 words a minute, a comfortable pace for a presentation or speech. Technical text and slides with pauses take longer.
Is my text stored or sent anywhere?
Nothing is sent anywhere: the counting runs in your browser. So that a reload doesn't wipe your work, the text is kept in your browser's local storage on this device. Press "Clear saved text" under the box to delete that copy and stop saving.
How many pages is 1,000 words?
About 2 pages single-spaced or 4 pages double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman and 1-inch margins. The real number depends on the font, spacing, paragraph breaks and headings, so treat it as a rough guide.