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FREE ENGLISH PRACTICE TOOL

Word Counter

Count words and characters as you write, with estimated sentence totals.

Use the tool
How to use this tool · 3 simple steps
  1. Type or paste your writing, or load the sample.
  2. Read the live word, character and estimated sentence counts.
  3. Keep editing to meet your goal. Undo clear restores the last cleared text until you type again.

Type or paste your text below to count words, characters and sentences. The totals update as you edit. Use this free English word counter for a paragraph, essay draft, application or short writing exercise.

Check the length of a paragraph, email or practice response as you write.

The counter works in your browser and does not save your text. Copy anything you want to keep before leaving.

How the counts work

Words include numbers. Contractions such as “don't” and hyphenated words such as “well-known” count as one word. Punctuation on its own does not count.

Characters include spaces and line breaks. Some older browsers may count a multi-part emoji as more than one character.

Sentence totals are rough estimates based on full stops, question marks, exclamation marks and line breaks. An unfinished line also counts. Abbreviations, ellipses and quoted speech can affect the total. This tool does not check grammar.

How to use the word counter

  1. Type into the text box or paste a copy of your draft.
  2. Read the word, character and sentence totals below it.
  3. Edit your text and watch the totals change.
  4. Copy your finished text before leaving the page. Use Clear text to start again; Undo clear restores the text you just cleared.

For an assignment with a word limit, check which parts your teacher or organisation includes. A heading, quotation or reference list may be treated differently by their rules.

What counts as a word?

This counter counts groups of letters or numbers. An internal apostrophe or hyphen keeps a word together: don’t and well-known each count as one word. A decimal such as 3.14 is also one word. Punctuation on its own is not a word.

Try this example: We’re learning well-known words. It contains four words in this tool. Another app may split hyphenated words differently, so totals can vary across counters.

Characters and sentence estimates

The character count includes spaces and line breaks. Where supported by your browser, combined characters and emoji are counted as visible character units. Browser support can affect some complex symbols.

The sentence count is an estimate based on punctuation and line breaks. An unfinished line can still count as a sentence. The tool accounts for some common abbreviations and decimals, but it does not analyse sentence grammar.

Frequently asked questions

Does this word counter check grammar or spelling?

No. It counts text; it does not correct grammar, identify every spelling error or assess writing quality. Your browser may provide its own spelling underlines. Read your draft aloud and review it separately after checking the length.

Why does my word count differ from another app?

Apps use different rules for hyphens, apostrophes, numbers and punctuation. For a required submission, use the count and inclusion rules specified by the receiving platform, teacher or organisation.

Will my text still be here when I return?

Do not rely on this page to save a draft. Copy your text to your own document before refreshing, closing the tab or leaving. Undo clear is available for the text you just cleared during the current page session.

Practise writing with a word limit

Write 50 words about a place you enjoy. Count them, then revise the paragraph to 40 words while keeping the main idea. Remove repeated points before removing useful detail. A shorter paragraph is helpful only when it still communicates clearly.

For vocabulary ideas, read placid and serene. Then continue your daily English practice.