Word counter

Words. Any run of characters separated by whitespace, which is how word processors count. A hyphenated word such as long-term counts as one word, a number counts as a word, and a stray double space does not invent an extra one.

Characters. Both totals are shown because forms disagree about which one they mean. Application portals usually count characters with spaces, while some coursework limits exclude them. Emoji and accented letters count as one character each rather than as the two code units they are stored in.

Sentences. A run of text ending in a full stop, question mark, exclamation mark or ellipsis, followed by a space or the end of the text. Abbreviations like Dr. and e.g. are read as endings, so a text full of them counts a little high.

Paragraphs. A block with a blank line on either side. A single line break inside a block is a soft wrap, not a new paragraph, which matches markdown and most editors.

Reading time is the word count divided by 200 words per minute, and speaking time uses 130 words per minute. Both are stated assumptions rather than measurements of you or your audience.

Treat them as planning numbers. A dense technical paragraph reads slower than a narrative one, and a nervous presenter speaks faster than a rehearsed one. If you are timing a talk, read it out loud once and trust the stopwatch over the estimate.

How is a word counted?

A word is any run of characters separated by whitespace, which is how word processors count. A hyphenated word such as long-term counts as one, and a number counts as a word.

How is reading time estimated?

The word count is divided by 200 words per minute, a common silent reading rate for adults, and speaking time uses 130 words per minute. These are assumptions rather than measurements of you, so treat them as a rough guide.

What counts as a sentence?

A run of text ending in a full stop, question mark, exclamation mark or ellipsis followed by a space or the end of the text. Abbreviations such as Dr. and e.g. are counted as sentence endings, which can push the count up slightly.

What counts as a paragraph?

A block of text with a blank line on either side. A single line break inside a block is treated as a soft wrap, not a new paragraph, which matches how markdown and most editors behave.

Does it count characters with and without spaces?

Both, side by side, which is what character limits on essays, application forms and social posts usually need. Emoji and accented characters count as one character each.

Is my text saved or sent anywhere?

No. Counting happens as you type, in your browser, and closing the tab discards the text.