How to use the sentence counter
Paste or type your text. The number of sentences appears in large type, followed by the total word count, average sentence length, and the lengths of the longest and shortest sentences. Below that, the three longest sentences are listed with their word counts so you can find them in your draft and decide whether to split them.
How sentences are detected
A sentence ends with a full stop, question mark, exclamation mark or ellipsis followed by a space or the end of the text. Closing quotes and brackets after the punctuation are kept with the sentence. The counter also handles the most common cases that trip up simpler tools:
- Abbreviations like Dr., Mr., e.g., etc., Inc. and month names do not end a sentence.
- Initials such as J. K. Rowling stay in one sentence.
- Decimals and times like 3.5 and 10.30 are not split, because there is no space after the dot.
- Headings and list items without punctuation count as a sentence when they are separated by a blank line.
- Urdu, Arabic, Chinese and Japanese sentence endings (۔ ؟ 。 ！ ？) are recognised.
Language is messy, so no counter is perfect. An abbreviation at the very end of a sentence, for example, may be merged with the next sentence. For editing and readability checks, the numbers are more than close enough.
How long should a sentence be?
For writing meant for a general audience, such as web pages, emails, reports and blog posts, an average of 15 to 20 words per sentence is a widely used target. Plain-language guides for government and health writing often aim lower. Once sentences pass about 25 words, readers start to lose track of the main point, especially on a phone screen.
That doesn't mean every sentence should be short. Text made only of short sentences feels choppy. Good writing mixes them: a longer sentence to explain an idea, then a short one to land it. Use the average to judge the overall feel and the Sentences over 25 words count to find the ones worth a second look.
Quick ways to shorten a long sentence
- Split it at and, but or which when each half makes sense alone.
- Move a list of three or more items into bullet points.
- Cut filler phrases such as in order to, due to the fact that and it is important to note that.
- Replace a long introductory clause with a separate sentence before it.
If your paragraphs feel heavy as well, check them with the Paragraph Counter.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good average sentence length?
Around 15 to 20 words works well for most web and business writing. Academic and legal writing often runs longer; writing for children or for a wide public audience often runs shorter.
Does it count questions and exclamations as sentences?
Yes. Question marks, exclamation marks and ellipses end a sentence just like a full stop.
Why doesn't a heading end a sentence?
A heading on its own line with no punctuation is joined to the next sentence unless there is a blank line after it. Add a blank line after headings for the most accurate count.
Can I use it for Urdu or Arabic text?
Yes. The Urdu full stop (۔) and the Arabic question mark (؟) are recognised as sentence endings.
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