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Word Counter

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Paste or type your text to instantly count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs, plus estimated reading time.

Word Counter

Live
Words
0
Characters
0
Characters (no spaces)
0
Sentences
0
Paragraphs
0
Reading time
0 sec

How the counts work

Words = text split by whitespace, empty entries excluded Sentences = count of ".", "!", or "?" followed by a space or end of text Reading time = Word count / 200 words per minute
Example

A short two-sentence paragraph of about 9 words: the counter shows 9 words, roughly 47 characters, 2 sentences, 1 paragraph, and well under a minute of reading time.

Step-by-step guide

  1. Paste or type your text into the box.
  2. Read the live counts - they update automatically as you type or edit.
  3. Use the reading time estimate as a rough guide for how long the piece takes to read at an average pace.

Why word processor counts can differ slightly from this tool

Different tools count words and sentences using slightly different rules - how hyphenated words, numbers, abbreviations, and unusual punctuation are handled varies between counting methods. A small difference of a few words or characters between this tool and your word processor's built-in counter is normal and not a sign either one is "wrong" - both use reasonable, if slightly different, counting conventions.

Common mistakes

Assuming a strict word count requirement (like "exactly 500 words") should match every counting tool perfectly - small discrepancies between tools are normal; aim for comfortably within the target range rather than an exact number.
Forgetting that pasting formatted text (from a Word document, for instance) can sometimes bring along extra whitespace or hidden characters that slightly affect the count.

Frequently asked questions

Is my text sent anywhere or saved?

No - all counting happens directly in your browser. Nothing you type or paste is sent to a server or stored anywhere.

Does this count words in languages other than English?

It works reasonably well for any language that separates words with spaces. Languages that don't use spaces between words (like Chinese or Japanese) won't get an accurate word count from this space-based method.

How accurate is the sentence count?

It's a reasonable estimate based on standard sentence-ending punctuation, but abbreviations (like "Mr." or "e.g.") can occasionally be miscounted as a sentence break, since the tool can't always distinguish them from a true sentence end.

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