🔤 Word Counter
Paste or type below — words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time and speaking time update live.
Words
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Characters
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Sentences
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Paragraphs
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How the word counter works
Counting happens on every keystroke: words are runs of characters separated by whitespace; sentences split on ending punctuation; paragraphs on blank lines. Reading time uses 225 words per minute (typical adult silent reading) and speaking time 130 wpm (comfortable presentation pace) — both are averages, not verdicts.
Word counts differ slightly between tools because "a word" is a convention: hyphenated pairs, numbers and URLs can each count as one or several. This counter uses the same whitespace rule as most word processors, so it will normally match what an editor or teacher sees.
Frequently asked questions
How is a word counted?
Any run of non-space characters counts as one word — the same convention word processors use. "state-of-the-art" is one word; "3.14" is one word.
What reading speed is the estimate based on?
225 words per minute for silent reading and 130 wpm for speaking aloud — commonly used averages for adult native readers. Slides and speeches usually aim at the speaking figure.
How long is a 500-word text?
About 2.2 minutes of reading or 3.8 minutes of speaking; roughly one single-spaced page in a standard document.
Does the counter store or send my text?
No — counting runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste is transmitted, logged or stored; the page also works offline.
Do essay word counts include the title and references?
Institutions differ — most exclude the reference list and count everything else. Paste exactly the portion your requirement covers.
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Readability Scores Explained: Flesch Reading Ease, Grade Level, and How to Improve Them
Flesch Reading Ease scores text 0–100 (higher is easier); Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG, Coleman-Liau and ARI give a US grade level. What the scores mean, the formulas behind them, what to aim for, and how shorter sentences and simpler words move the numbers.