Sentence Counter
Count the sentences in your text, see the average sentence length and find your longest sentences so you can make your writing easier to read.
What does the Sentence Counter do?
The Sentence Counter counts how many sentences your text contains and measures the length of each one in words. It shows the average, shortest and longest sentence, counts questions and exclamations, and lists your five longest sentences. Sentences of more than 25 words are marked as long.
How to use it
- Paste your text or open a file.
- Read the sentence total and the average number of words per sentence.
- Look at Longest sentences. Sentences marked in orange are over 25 words and may be worth splitting.
How sentences are detected
A sentence ends with a period, question mark, exclamation mark or ellipsis that is followed by a space, a closing quotation mark or the end of the text. Chinese and Japanese full stops (。！？) are recognized too. To avoid false endings:
- Common abbreviations such as Mr., Dr., e.g., i.e., etc. and month names are not treated as sentence endings.
- Single initials, as in “J. Smith”, are not treated as endings.
- Decimals such as 3.14 and web addresses do not end a sentence, because no space follows the period.
- Text without any ending punctuation still counts as one sentence.
Limits: an abbreviation we do not recognize, followed by a capital letter, may be counted as the end of a sentence. Bullet points without full stops are counted with the line that follows them unless each one ends with punctuation.
Why sentence length matters
Long sentences are harder to follow, especially on screens. Many style guides suggest an average of 15 to 20 words per sentence for general readers, with a mix of short and long sentences for rhythm. Use the average and the long-sentence count as a quick check, not a strict rule.
Example
“Write clearly. Short sentences help readers, but a few longer ones add rhythm and keep the text from sounding choppy.” This text has 2 sentences and 20 words, so the average is 10 words per sentence.
Frequently asked questions
How do I count sentences in an essay?
Paste the essay into the box above or open the file. The total updates instantly.
Does the counter understand abbreviations like “Dr.”?
Yes. Common abbreviations, initials and decimals are not counted as sentence endings.
What counts as a long sentence?
This tool marks sentences of more than 25 words. There is no universal rule; it is a practical point at which many readers start to slow down.
Does a question count as a sentence?
Yes. Questions and exclamations are sentences, and they are also counted separately in the Sentence lengths panel.