# Sentence counter

URL: https://shahid09.is-a.dev/tools/sentence-counter/
Author: Muhammad Shahid (https://shahid09.is-a.dev/)
Free tool · runs in your browser

Count the sentences in your text, see the average length and spot sentences that run too long.

**Quick answer:** Paste your text to get the number of sentences, the average words per sentence and the longest sentence. A sentence ends at a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark, but abbreviations such as Dr., decimals such as 3.50 and web addresses are not counted as endings. For clear writing, aim for an average of about 15 to 20 words.

## How to use it

1. **Paste your text.** An essay, article, email or report.
2. **Read the results.** See sentences, words, average sentence length and the longest sentence.
3. **Shorten what runs long.** Split sentences over about 25 words, which the tool counts for you.

## Example

The abbreviation and the decimal do not end a sentence, so this text has three:

Input:

```
Dr. Lee paid 3.50 dollars. Was it fair? Yes!
```

Output:

```
Sentences: 3
Words: 9
Average words per sentence: 3
```

## Common errors and how to fix them

- **One long sentence is counted as several**: A line break ends a sentence, so text pasted from a PDF may be split wrongly. Remove the line breaks first.
- **Several sentences are counted as one**: A sentence end needs a space or line break after it. Add the missing space in text such as "done.Next".

## Frequently asked questions

### How are sentences counted?

The text is split at full stops, question marks, exclamation marks and line breaks. Common abbreviations, decimals and addresses such as example.com do not end a sentence.

### What is a good average sentence length?

About 15 to 20 words suits most readers. The UK government style guide suggests staying at 25 words or fewer per sentence.

### Does a heading count as a sentence?

Yes, if it stands on its own line. A line break ends a sentence even without punctuation, because headings and list items are read separately.

### Does it work for languages other than English?

It recognises Chinese and Japanese sentence marks as well as Latin ones. The abbreviation list is English, so an abbreviation in another language may occasionally count as a sentence end.

### Why does my count differ from Microsoft Word?

Word and other tools treat abbreviations, lists and quotes differently. Small differences are normal, and no method is perfect.

### Do I need a minimum number of sentences in a paragraph?

No rule requires one. Web paragraphs often run 2 to 4 sentences, while academic paragraphs are usually longer.

### Does "..." count as three sentences?

No. Repeated marks count as one ending, so an ellipsis or "?!" ends only one sentence.

### Is my text private?

Yes. It is processed in your browser and never sent anywhere.

### How many sentences should a short essay have?

There is no fixed number. A 500-word essay at 15 to 20 words a sentence has about 25 to 35 sentences. Check the total length with the [word counter](https://shahid09.is-a.dev/tools/word-counter/).

### How do I find sentences that are too long?

Look at "Sentences over 25 words" and the longest sentence shown. Split those at a comma or "and", then check your paragraphs with the [paragraph counter](https://shahid09.is-a.dev/tools/paragraph-counter/).

## Related

- [Paragraph counter](https://shahid09.is-a.dev/tools/paragraph-counter/)
- [Word counter](https://shahid09.is-a.dev/tools/word-counter/)
- [Character counter](https://shahid09.is-a.dev/tools/character-counter/)

## Sources

- [GOV.UK: Writing to GOV.UK standards](https://guidance.publishing.service.gov.uk/writing-to-gov-uk-standards/tone-of-voice/)
- [Unicode Standard Annex #29: Text Segmentation](https://www.unicode.org/reports/tr29/)