How the words, characters and sentences are counted
Counters give slightly different numbers for the same text, because there is no single official rule. Here is exactly what this one does, so you can compare it with a limit you have been given.
- Words. A word is a run of letters or digits, found with the Unicode text rules built into your browser (
Intl.Segmenter). A hyphenated word such as well-known, a number such as 3.14 or 1,000, a link and an email address each count as one word. An ampersand or an emoji on its own is not a word. A time such as 10:30 or a fraction such as 1/2 counts as two words, and an address without http:// or www., such as example.com/page, counts as several. - Characters. Counted as a reader sees them. A letter with an accent, a flag or a family emoji each count once, even though some of them take several code units to store. The number without spaces leaves out every space, tab and line break.
- Sentences. Counted with the browser's sentence rules: a sentence ends at a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark, and at the matching marks used in Chinese and Japanese. Common abbreviations such as Dr., Mr. and e.g. are not counted as the end of a sentence. Less common ones, initialisms such as U.S. in the middle of a sentence, and the numbers of a numbered list (1. First item) may add an extra sentence.
- Paragraphs and lines. A paragraph is a block of text separated from the next by at least one empty line. Lines counts every line break, empty lines included.
If a number really matters, such as an essay limit or a contract clause, check it in the program that will judge it. Small differences in how hyphens, symbols and numbers are treated can move a long text by a few words.
How reading time and speaking time are worked out
Both times are the word count divided by a typical speed. Reading time uses 238 words per minute, a commonly cited average for adults reading non-fiction silently. Speaking time uses 150 words per minute, a comfortable pace for a talk, a presentation or a voice over.
- 500 words: about 2 min 6 sec to read, 3 min 20 sec to say.
- 1,000 words: about 4 min 12 sec to read, 6 min 40 sec to say.
- 2,500 words: about 10 min 30 sec to read, 16 min 40 sec to say.
People vary a lot. Dense technical text, a second language or a small screen slows readers down, and skimming speeds them up. Treat the times as a plan, not a promise. For a video script with pauses, slides and breathing room, the script timer lets you set the pace and shows how many words fit a time slot.
What the keyword list is good for
The keyword list shows the words you use most, with a count and a share of all counted words. It is a quick way to spot a word you lean on, to check that your main topic really appears, or to see why a paragraph feels repetitive.
- Common words are hidden by default. The list of left out words (the, and, of, was and so on) is English only. Turn the filter off to see every word, or when your text is in another language.
- Each form counts separately. Cat and cats are two entries, because the tool does not know that they share a stem.
- Numbers and one letter words are skipped while the filter is on, and links are never listed.
There is no ideal percentage to aim for. Use the list to read your own text critically, not to hit a target.
Word limits, and where else to check them
Counts matter most when a limit applies. Essay briefs, abstracts and grant forms often set a maximum, and each one decides what is included: titles, headings, quotations, footnotes, references. Read the rule first, then paste only the part that counts.
For short posts with character limits, such as a post on X or an Instagram caption, use the character counter. It counts the way each platform does, for example by giving every link a fixed weight on X, and shows exactly where a long post would be cut off. If the words came from a messy source, tidy them first with the text cleaner.