What the word counter shows
- Words: every run of letters or numbers. Hyphenated words (“well-known”) and contractions (“don’t”) count as one word, as most word processors count them.
- Characters with and without spaces, and letters only. For limits on posts, titles and messages, the character counter shows common limits.
- Sentences and paragraphs: a sentence ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark; paragraphs are separated by a blank line.
- Reading and speaking time: based on about 238 words a minute for silent reading and 150 for speaking aloud, typical adult speeds.
- Readability: the Flesch reading ease score and grade level, from sentence length and syllables per word. The syllable counter shows the syllables word by word.
- Most used words: words you repeat most, leaving out small words like “the” and “and”, handy for spotting repetition.
Word counts for common writing tasks
Many assignments and publications set a word range. As a rough guide: a short essay or blog post is often 500 to 1,000 words, a college application essay around 650, a news article 500 to 800, and a detailed guide 1,500 words or more. Always check the exact limit you’ve been given, and whether it includes titles, references or footnotes.
Readability scores explained
The Flesch reading ease score runs from about 0 to 100: higher is easier. Scores of 60 to 70 are plain English that most adults read comfortably; 30 or below is dense, academic text. The grade level estimates the US school grade needed to follow the text. Shorter sentences and shorter words raise the score. The scores are a guide, not a judgement of quality.
Your text stays private
Counting happens in your browser. Your text isn’t sent to our server or stored anywhere except, as a draft, in your own browser so a reload doesn’t lose it. Press Clear to remove it.
Frequently asked questions
Is this word counter accurate?
It follows the same rules as common word processors, so counts should match closely. Small differences can come from how numbers, dashes and symbols are treated.
Does it work for other languages?
Word and character counts work for any language that separates words with spaces, including accented letters. The readability score is designed for English.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About 4 minutes of silent reading, or about 7 minutes to speak aloud, at typical speeds.
Can I check the meaning of a word I’m using?
Yes. Look it up in the Online Dictionary for definitions and synonyms that can help you avoid repetition.