Sentence Counter
Paste or type your text to count its sentences instantly, along with words, characters, paragraphs, sentence length and reading time.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Private
Everything stays in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
- Words
- 22
- Characters
- 120
- Characters (no spaces)
- 99
- Paragraphs
- 1
- Average words per sentence
- 5.5
- Longest sentence
- 8 words
- Shortest sentence
- 2 words
- Reading time
- < 10 sec
- Speaking time
- < 10 sec
How this sentence counter works
This sentence counter counts the sentences in any text you paste and updates as you type. It also reports words, characters with and without spaces, paragraphs, the average, longest and shortest sentence length, and the time it takes to read or speak your text. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you paste is uploaded or stored.
What counts as a sentence
A sentence ends at a period, question mark, exclamation point or ellipsis that is followed by a space or the end of the text. The counter is smart about the cases that break simple counters: decimals such as 3.14 and web addresses such as example.com are not sentence ends, and neither are common abbreviations like Mr., Dr., e.g. and etc. followed by a lowercase word, or a single initial as in J. K. Rowling. A closing quote or bracket stays with its sentence, and a final sentence with no punctuation still counts.
Why sentence length matters
Short sentences are easier to read. As a rough guide, an average of 15 to 20 words per sentence reads comfortably for general audiences, and anything much longer starts to tire the reader. If the longest sentence in your text is more than 35 or 40 words, it is usually worth splitting. Varying the length also helps: a run of sentences all the same size sounds monotonous, while a short one after two long ones adds emphasis.
Worked example
Take: "The cat sat. The dog ran away quickly! Did anyone notice?" That is 3 sentences and 11 words, so the average is 3.7 words per sentence, the longest sentence has 5 words and the shortest 3. At a silent reading speed of about 238 words per minute, the text takes roughly three seconds to read, which the tool shows as under 10 seconds.
Limits to know about
No automatic counter is perfect. A sentence that genuinely ends with an abbreviation and is followed by a lowercase word will be merged with the next one, a capital letter after a single initial ("Plan B. Next steps") is read as a name, and text with unusual punctuation can also be miscounted. Each line of a list without punctuation is merged into the following sentence, so add periods if you want each line counted separately. Reading and speaking times are estimates based on average speeds of 238 and 150 words per minute and will vary by person and by how technical the text is.
Frequently asked questions
How does the sentence counter count sentences?
It counts each run of text that ends in a period, question mark, exclamation point or ellipsis followed by a space or the end of the text. A final sentence without punctuation still counts.
Does it count decimals and abbreviations as sentences?
No. Decimals like 3.14, web addresses like example.com, titles like Dr. and Mr., e.g., etc. before a lowercase word and single initials like J. K. are not treated as sentence ends.
How long should a sentence be?
An average of 15โ20 words per sentence reads comfortably for general audiences. Sentences over about 35โ40 words are usually better split in two.
How is reading time calculated?
Word count divided by 238 words per minute, a typical silent reading speed for adults. Speaking time uses 150 words per minute.
Is my text uploaded or saved?
No. The counting runs entirely in your browser, so the text never leaves your device.