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What is WordCounter?

Apart from counting words and characters, our online editor can help you to improve word choice and writing style, and, optionally, help you to detect grammar mistakes and plagiarism. To check word count, simply place your cursor into the text box above and start typing. You'll see the number of characters and words increase or decrease as you type, delete, and edit them. You can also copy and paste text from another program over into the online editor above. The Auto-Save feature will make sure you won't lose any changes while editing, even if you leave the site and come back later. Tip: Bookmark this page now.

Knowing the word count of a text can be important. For example, if an author has to write a minimum or maximum amount of words for an article, essay, report, story, book, paper, you name it. WordCounter will help to make sure its word count reaches a specific requirement or stays within a certain limit.

In addition, WordCounter shows you the top 10 keywords and keyword density of the article you're writing. This allows you to know which keywords you use how often and at what percentages. This can prevent you from over-using certain words or word combinations and check for best distribution of keywords in your writing.

In the Details overview you can see the average speaking and reading time for your text, while Reading Level is an indicator of the education level a person would need in order to understand the words you’re using.

Disclaimer: We strive to make our tools as accurate as possible but we cannot guarantee it will always be so.

word count for essay

  • 0 Unique Words
  • 0 Characters
  • 0 Characters (no spaces)
  • 0 Sentences
  • 0 Longest Sentence (words)
  • 0 Shortest Sentence (words)
  • 0 Avg. Sentence (words)
  • 0 Avg. Sentence (chars)
  • 0 Avg. Word Length
  • 0 Paragraphs
  • 0 Syllables
  • 0 Words (Publisher)
  • N/A Reading Level  
  • N/A Reading Time  
  • N/A Speaking Time  
  • N/A Hand Writing Time  
  • More ( 0 ) Share

Keyword Density x1   x2   x3

Keep track of the number of words you write each day using the activity button.   ACTIVITY

This button helps you clean up your document by removing funky characters, unneeded new lines, etc.

  • Email Fix (Remove word wrapping)
  • Microsoft Word Document Fix (Remove invalid characters)
  • Remove multiple new lines

My Writing Details

  • N/A Reading Level
  • N/A Reading Time
  • N/A Speaking Time
  • N/A Hand Writing Time

Step 1. What do you want to share?

  • Unique Words
  • Characters (no spaces)
  • Longest Sentence (words)
  • Shortest Sentence (words)
  • Avg. Sentence (words)
  • Avg. Sentence (chars)
  • Avg. Word Length
  • Words (Publisher)
  • Reading Level
  • Reading Time
  • Speaking Time
  • Hand Writing Time

Step 2. What do you want to say?

Step 3. Where do you want to share it?

  • Keyword Density

Step 1. What do you want to say?

Step 2. Where do you want to share it?

Upload File

Click the upload button below to select a text document. Supported formats are PDF, TXT, DOC, DOCX, ODT.

Save To Drive

Use this button to save your current writing to Google Drive

You can turn on or off different counting options here.

  • Hand Writing Time Letters Per Minute Slow Normal Fast
  • Reading Time Words Per Minute Slow Normal Fast
  • Speaking Time Words Per Minute Slow Normal Fast

You can turn on or off different buttons provided for different functionalities.

  • ACTIVITY Keeps track of your word and character count.
  • AUTO-SAVE When turned on, WordCounter will automatically save your document every 30 seconds. You can then switch back to previous versions of your document at any time.
  • CASE Gives different case options. Applies to your entire document or only the text you select.
  • CLEAN TEXT After pasting a document into WordCounter, this will clean it up by removing invalid characters, word wrapping issues and unneeded new lines.
  • CLEAR Delete all of the text in your document.
  • DOWNLOAD Download your written text (PDF, TXT, DOC) to your device.
  • FIND AND REPLACE Find and replace any words or sentences you want.
  • GOAL Set writing goals (such as 500 words) and WordCounter will let you know when you've reached them. You can also share and embed your goals.
  • PRINT Print your document quickly and easily.
  • PROOF READ   WordCounter reads your document back to you. Make sure to turn up your volume! Rate Valid values are 0.1 to 10 Pitch Valid values are 0 to 2 Voices
  • REDO Redo your last changes. Click multiple times to redo multiple changes.
  • SAVE Saves your text for later retrieval. Be sure and click the SAVE button each time you want to save.
  • SAVE TO DRIVE Saves your document to Google Drive. Great for backup purposes.
  • SPEED Use a timer to see how fast you're typing.
  • SPELL A powerful spelling and grammar checker for your document.
  • TALK TO TYPE   Speak into your microphone and WordCounter will type for you. Language Country
  • THESAURUS Select (with your mouse) a word in your document and click the thesaurus button to get a list of synonyms.
  • UNDO Undo your last changes. Click multiple times to undo multiple changes.
  • UPLOAD Upload your existing document (PDF, TXT, DOC, DOCX, ODT) into WordCounter.

Enter the number of characters, words, sentences or paragraphs you want to set for a goal.

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Record your count of words and characters.

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Previous activities.

You can edit and delete your records.

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Essay Word Counter

Start typing to get a list of keywords that are most used

What Is Essay Word Counter?

An essay word counter is a simple yet powerful tool that has the ability to quickly count the number of characters and words within an essay. While the primary goal of an essay word counter is to measure characters and words, this tool allows you to determine the number of sentences and paragraphs that your essay consists of.

If you're tasked with reading your essay aloud in front of a classroom, this online word counter can help you prepare by providing you with an estimated speaking time and reading time. If you're asking yourself "How do I count the words in my essay?", plugging your essay into an online word counter will allow you to receive nearly instantaneous results.

Benefits of Using This Tool Compared to Alternatives

Online word counter tools offer the functionality you need to determine what your current essay word count is. There are several additional tools that can provide you with similar functionality, which include Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and PDF documents. Even though all of these alternatives allow users to measure the word count and character count for their essay, they lack many of the extra features that set the online tool apart from the competition.

Wordcounter vs Microsoft Word

When comparing this online word counter to Microsoft Word, the online word counter allows users to paste any kind of text into the box. Even if the text comes from a PDF file, it can be easily copied into the word counter. Among all of the alternatives for an essay word counter, Microsoft Word may be the most comprehensive of the three. Along with measuring the number of words, it can also count characters, pages, lines, and paragraphs. The main issue with Word, however, is that it's less intuitive than using an online tool.

When you click on word count in Microsoft Word, you'll be provided with data on the lines, paragraphs, words, and other aspects of your essay. However, the word count extends to every page of the Word document. To identify the number of words and characters in a specific section, you'll need to highlight the section and select the word count option again.

Wordcounter vs Google Docs

As for Google Docs, this tool doesn't display a status bar that tells you how many words are present in the document. To receive an updated word count, you must select the "Tools" tab that's found in the "Menu" section. From here, you'll be able to select "Word Count". When compared to the online word checker tool, Google Docs doesn't include information about how many sentences are in your essay or the frequency of a specific word.

Wordcounter vs PDF Tool

When it comes to a PDF document, you'll find that these documents are similar to Google Docs in that they don't include a status bar. You're also unable to access any kind of menu that allows you to view the word count of the essay you're writing. There are two distinct options for identifying the word count in your essay. First, you can convert the PDF file into what's known as the Rich Text Format, which makes it easier for you to count the words. You could also upload the file directly into this online word counter, which will give you an accurate word total.

The primary benefit of using the online word counter tool is that there are a number of exclusive features like speaking time and reading time that can't be found in other tools like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Essay Length Best Practices

Whether you're writing an essay for a high school class or for graduate school, there are some best practices that can guide you through the process and help you write the best essay. The most important element of writing an essay is getting the length right. If the essay is too long, there's a good chance it isn't as succinct and direct as it should be. The essay length guidelines you should adhere to include:

High school essay

The average essay word count for a high school essay is 300-1,000 words. Most high school essays are five paragraphs long with an introductory paragraph, three total body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph.

College admission essay

This essay should be around 200-650 words long. Along with having a set word limit, these essays should include a look at your motivations and interests.

Undergraduate essay

This essay can be around 1,500-5,000 words long. The content and length depend on the college and program you're entering.

Graduate admission essay

An admission essay should be 500-1,000 words in length. Make sure you include a lengthy personal statement that details your motivations and academic achievements.

Graduate school essay

This extended essay word count is usually around 2,500-6,000 words. The assignment you receive depends on the course you're in. Most graduate-level essays are lengthy and can involve research papers.

IB extended essay

The IB extended essay word count is 4,000 words. This essay is mandatory for every student of the International Baccalaureate program and is based on independent research.

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COMMON QUESTIONS

How many pages is 1500 words.

How many pages is 1500 words? 1500 words is about 3 pages single spaced or 6 pages double spaced.

How Many Pages is 800 Words?

How many pages will 800 words yield? Just slightly longer than a more common word count of 750 words, 800 words is about one and three-fifths of a page single spaced, and a little over 3 pages double spaced.

How Many Pages is 600 Words?

How many pages will 600 words take up? The short answer is about one and one-third of page single spaced, and two and two thirds of a page double spaced.

How Many Pages is 300 Words?

How many pages is 300 words? The answer is close to two-thirds of a page single spaced, and around one and one-third of a page double spaced.

About Word Counter

Word Counter is an easy to use online tool for counting words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and pages in real time, along with spelling and grammar checking. Get started by typing directly into the text area above or pasting in your content from elsewhere. Word and character counts will display at the top, any writing mistakes will be underlined and your most frequently used keywords will appear to the right.

You can also use Word Counter to track your text length against common web standards like Twitter's tweet character count (140), Google's meta description (300), and Facebook's average post display length (~250). If your text is longer than 360 characters the counter will show you the number of sentences, paragraphs and pages instead; useful metrics for blog posts, articles, papers, essays, dissertations and other long-form content.

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word count for essay

word count for essay

Students’ best word counter tool

Use Word Counter Tool to Count Number of Characters, Words, Sentences, and Paragraphs in the Text

Type your text directly into our tool or copy and paste it

The system automatically counts all the symbols

Get complete info about the number of words and characters in your paper

What is the online word counter?

The count of words is a vital metric to track in a variety of situations. It plays a huge role in essays and other academic papers. At the same time, word count is vital in some professional writing fields, such as publishing, advertising, and legal proceedings. It becomes especially important when the text is meant for Google Ads, social media, apps, Google meta titles and descriptions, and other cases when certain word count limitations apply. The word counter online by Studyfy is a free tool designed to help you calculate the count of words in your documents. Also, it can help you define the number of paragraphs, sentences, letters, and characters. And the best part of it is that there are absolutely no limitations on the number of attempts or words you can count with our tool!

word count for essay

What makes Studyfy word counter tool the best?

Our tool is the best choice for students and professionals due to the intuitiveness, user-friendliness, high speed, and accuracy. See other advantages of our tool.

Free word counter & no sign up

How often do you decide to use a free tool and stumble upon a long and tedious registration process? Forget about this with Studyfy! Our tool is free and you can use it without registration.

Fast speed & ease of use

The two most significant pros of our online tool are that it works fast and is super intuitive in use. All you need is to paste or type your text into the box and click the button. And that’s all, only a few simple steps!

One tool to calculate everything you need

Students, writers, bloggers, and other professionals who have to deal with certain word counts, will find all metrics they need in our tool. Although it is called a word calculator, it can also help you define the number of characters, sentences, and paragraphs. It is one tool for multiple purposes!

Free features

Service that helps make your papers perfect.

Studyfy is your perfect destination for flawless texts! With a dedicated team of qualified essay editors and proofreaders, we offer art essay writing service , philosophy essay writing (including " write my philosophy essay " requests), term paper writing , and nursing essay writing . Our experts are always ready to proofread and edit your works, helping you with your homework and leaving a lasting impression on your professor. Don't hesitate to rely on Studyfy for all your academic writing needs!

How does online word counter tool work?

Insert the text.

Type your text in the box of our tool or simply paste it. You can use our tool for your essay and any other type of text, with no word or other limitations.

Real-time results

You don't need to click any buttons since our tool works on a real-time basis. It will give you instantaneous results.

Get your words counted

Get a report on the number of words, and characters both with and without spaces, sentences, and paragraphs!

Tell Us Your Instructions

Who is our text word counter designed for?

Bloggers and marketing specialists, students and teachers, content writers, other users, our customer reviews.

Thousands of users have already tested our top word counter tool for academic, professional, and personal purposes and loved it thanks to a high speed, user-friendliness, and other pros. Here’s what they say:

I prefer to write essays by my own. And it always need to be the right lenght by words and by paragraphs.This tool helps a lot in such case: here is everything I need calculated in one click.

It helped me to be more productive in writing papers as a freelancer at my free time out of studying. It very quick and simple with everything that is needed to be in such tool.

I use it regularly for my papers, and this is free and really good! Thank you guys, I start writing papers quicker since I started using Studyfy!

Great tool! It calculate everything counts everything in the blink of an eye! I tried a lot of such services before I've find this one. The tool I’ve tried so far!

Frequently asked questions

Is it really free, will i see the characters count with or without spaces, how many times can i use your tool without registration, will it count the sentences or paragraphs, get the most out of studyfy essay word counter.

  • Using the free tools by Studyfy, you can rest assured that your data is not being collected or stored. We ensure that your papers remain unique.
  • We also guarantee complete confidentiality to everyone who requests the help of our professional writers and editors.
  • We only help you calculate your text parameters and help with writing.
  • All personal data remains confidential.
  • Users’ safety is our top priority!

Word Counter

Learn how to master your assignments within a short amount of time and increase the word count in your essay. Furthermore, you will find plenty of free word counter tools in this post.

So, you’ve been assigned to write 5 or 10-page essay and don’t know where to start and how to meet how to hit this number of pages? Don’t worry. Just read this post and follow our advice to boost your writing skills. Here, you will find:

⚙️ 15 Word Count Tools

✅ step-by-step guide on how to write your 10-page essay, 📝 6 tips on how to increase a word count in your writing.

You may be wondering, why it is important to know the word count in your academic paper or blog post. Here’s the thing: some professors may assign both minimum and maximum word limit for your paper.

As for blogging, it’s simple: if you write 4,000 words post, chances are that your reader would never reach it to the end. On the other hand, if you write it too short, you won’t be able to catch the reader’s attention, and it’s likely that Google won’t rank it high. And, according to Brian Dean , the ideal blog post length is 1,000-2,000 words.

So, let’s analyze your writing, using the tools below:

1. WordCounter - Count Words & Correct Writing

This tool would be helpful to any writer. The analytics it provides shows the word, characters, sentences, and paragraphs count. The service will also analyze reading level using Dale–Chall readability formula , as well as reading and speaking time.

2. Word Counter – Count Words and Check Grammar

The service would be helpful for both bloggers and students. This tool will help you to analyze your blog post or academic paper, check the word count, determine the keyword density, and even check your grammar.

3. Count of Words

The free calculator allows you to count words within two simple steps: type or paste your text into the box and press the “Count Words” button. Bonus: this website also can help you to get the accurate character number and learn how to spell words.

4. Easy Word Count

The word count app would help you to determine the number of words, characters and characters without spaces. This tool would be helpful for both students and freelance writers.

5. Character Count Tool

This tool will help you to find the answer on the question “How to see how many words you typed?” The app would provide you with detailed statistics on word count: syllables, sentences, unique words, average word and sentence length, difficult words, etc. You will also find all the necessary stats on your text readability.

6. Word Counter | KeywordTool

Here’s another service that will count text length online. The tool will immediately provide you with word and character count. This website would be helpful not only for academic writing but also for blogging, SEO and SMM.

7. Doc Word Counter

If you don’t want to copy and paste your text from the document to determine the number of words, try this tool. The service supports all major document file formats to provide you with the most accurate results. It also supports Japanese and Chinese languages.

8. Word Counter | Grammica

Here’s another great service for all writers. It will count the number of characters, words, sentences and paragraphs. The website also offers free popular SEO tools that would be helpful for students too. For example, online grammar checker, spell check, paraphrasing tool, etc.

9. Word Count Tool

This free online word counter provides you with immediate accurate results. It will calculate words, characters, sentences, and readability index. As a bonus, you can find words-to-pages table.

10. Number of Words

Another word count app to find out how many characters, words, and paragraphs. It will also tell you the number of pages, both single and double spaced.

11. Free Word Counter | Grammar

Check this online character and word counting tool. You’ll get results immediately. It will show the number of characters, words, sentences, etc. Additionally, this website provides free grammar and punctuation check. Also, you can install a browser extension to check your writing for style, spelling and grammar problems.

12. Online Word Counter | Textfixer

TextFixer is a well-known online service for writers, SEO specialists and marketers. Among other tools like Random Word Generator or Word to HTML Converter, you will find a Word Count Checker. All you have to do is just paste your text into the box and click “Count Words” button.

13. WordCounter | DataBasic

Here’s another simple tool to analyze your texts. You can paste your text or a link, upload a file, or use a sample. The online app is available in English, Spanish, Portugese and Danish languages.

14. Word Counter for Android

If you’re looking for an essay word counter to use on your Android smartphone or tablet, you should try this free tool. It would count number of characters, sentences, words and paragraphs as you type. You can save drafts and access to the stats: unique words, average word and sentence length, etc.

15. Word Count App for iOS

Well, you’ve been assigned to write a 2,500 - 3,000 words. It would not be easy, but we’ve prepared a step-by-step guide that will help you to cope with this task within just one day:

  • Eat your meals. Choose a healthy breakfast to fuel your body and mind. If you’re caffeine addict, it is acceptable to drink a cup of coffee. However, avoid drinking it too much of it as you may find yourself crashing after a few hours. Check out our post to find a list of products that would help your brain to function well.

Remember, you should be able to stay focused as long as possible, so turn off your phone and avoid constantly checking Facebook and Twitter updates. There are plenty useful apps that can help you to block distracting websites and apps.

  • 8 AM – 9 AM: Have breakfast and do your morning exercise. This would help you wake up and get a lot of extra pep in your step.
  • 9 AM – 9:20 AM: Choose your essay topic and approach. Choose only one essay question you have the most knowledge about or have some strong opinions. The next step you should take is to decide how you are going to tackle the question.
  • 9:30 AM – 11 AM: Plan your essay. Write a plan and essay outline. Determine key points you will use in your main argument. Make a list of supporting arguments and counterarguments.

11 AM – 11:45 AM: Write an introduction. Now, when you know what and when you’re going to write in your essay, it’s time to start your intro. Introduce key argument and tell your readers how you will support it. Make a short outline in your introduction so you indicate exactly what it is you’re planning to argue.

Remember, don’t get stuck into your essay introduction – you would be able to improve it at the editing stage.

  • 11:45 AM – 1 PM: Make a research. Use the next hour to do your research and find quotes and references to support your arguments. You can use Google Scholar to find quotes for your paper without wasting time going through endless paragraphs. Don’t forget to note your sources and format them for the bibliography. This will save you a lot of time and help to avoid plagiarism.
  • 1 PM – 1:45 PM: Take a break and have a lunch.

1:45 PM – 6 PM: Write the essay body. You’ve already done the research to support ideas you set out in your outline. So it’s time to use these evidence and put them into your paper. If you still don’t believe you can write a 10 page essay, here’s the trick: pick out a single point and head back to your research. We’re sure that there will be additional quotes that you could throw in to make your point even clearer.

If you decide to use many quotes from other sources, remember to paraphrase your arguments. This would give the paper your own voice. Moreover, you will be able to determine which words are someone else’s and which are yours. Use the proper citation!

One more thing we would like to discuss is the conclusion. It shouldn’t be too long, even if you still don’t meet the word count. All you have to do is just summarize the arguments you discussed in the body and explain how they all support your response to the essay question.

  • 6 PM – 6:45 PM: Don’t forget about your dinner!
  • 6:45 PM – 10:30 PM: Polish your paper. Well, congratulations. You’re almost there. All you have to do is read through your essay, check if it flows nicely and how your paragraphs are linked. Revise your grammar and spelling mistakes. Make sure that your paper meets all professor’s requirements.

Now, you know how to write a 10 page essay within just one day. However, we do not recommend to procrastinate and leave your assignments to the last day.

If you find out that your paper doesn’t meet the word count set by professor, we’ve got some tips on how to increase the wording without making the essay weak:

Add more examples

Scan your essay and find out if there is any any place where you can insert example to support your thesis statement. You may also provide additional cases which will make your essay stronger and show your understanding of the topic.

Present different viewpoints

Another effective approach to increase word count and improve your essay is to provide different viewpoints to your own. You can discuss these alternative attitudes and explain why you think your conclusions are exceptional.

Doing this simple exercise will make your essay more powerful and show that you have considered a range of different opinions. Bonus: you will add more words.

Clarify thesis statement

In case if adding examples and presenting counter arguments doesn’t make sense, perhaps, you may try to clarify the thesis statement. How to do this? Just add a couple specific statements to explain the original one.

Add more sources

Here’s the deal: the more sources you have in your essay, the stronger it would be. So spend some time searching for additional sources you haven’t mentioned in the paper to support the statements and conclusions you’ve made.

Add quotations

You’ve might already placed appropriate quotations in your essay. In this case, you can skip this suggestion. However, if you haven’t used any, using quotations that support your statements can become an outstanding way to add more words to your paper and improve it at the same time.

Rewrite your introduction and conclusion

If all the methods mentioned above still haven’t enabled you to reach your word count minimum and you still need to add some filler, take a look at your introduction and conclusion. If you tried everything else, it’s better to add words it to these two sections than in the essay body.

Now you know that it is possible to write a 3000 word essay in just one day, increase the word count in your essay and have all the necessary tools to calculate the number of words in your writing. We hope these guidelines would be helpful for school, college, and university students, as well as for bloggers and content marketers.

Updated: Oct 25th, 2023

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This page is for everyone interested in getting one of the most important metrics for any paper — word count. Not only does it include reviews with links for 15 word count tools, but will also give you tips on how to increase the length of your paper. Apart from that, it has a guide on writing a 10-page essay.

📝 Essay Word Count Calculator

Essay word count calculator.

This calculator multiplies the number of pages by the average number of words per page to calculate the total word count of your essay.

Why is Word Count Important?

How to use the essay word count calculator.

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Is there a guide on how to write a quality essay in 1 day?

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The Write Practice

3 Easy-to-Use Tools to Count Your Words

by Joe Bunting | 38 comments

Want to Become a Published Author? In 100 Day Book, you’ll finish your book guaranteed. Learn more and sign up here.

So you need to get a word count for the latest chapter of your novel or an essay assignment for school ? Don't worry, here are three easy-to-use tools to count your words.

3 Tools to Count Your Words

Need to get a word count on your latest writing project? Here are three tools that can help.

Why Count Words?

If you're an experienced writer, this might already be obvious to you. However, if you're new to writing, you need to know that keeping track of your word count is a central habit of a writer.

You count words for two main reasons.

1. Because Publishers Count Words

In school, writing assignments are usually measured by page length (e.g. please turn in a three-page essay on Jane Austen's use of satire in Emma by Friday ).

However, measuring by page-length is inaccurate and, in many cases, unhelpful. Font, spacing, and formatting changes can alter the number of pages, and if you're writing a newspaper, magazine, or book, the pages will be in a variety of different sizes anyway. Measuring by word count, on the other hand, is consistent.

Furthermore, publishers often pay on a per-word basis, and so it makes sense for professional writers to keep track of how many words they write.

But what if you're not a professional writer? Why should you count words then?

2. Counting Words Can Motivate You

Many famous writers have kept daily word count goals. Ernest Hemingway is reported to have written 500 words per day. Stephen King writes 2,000 words per day, even on holidays. Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope wrote 3,000 words per day.

Setting a daily word count goal can inspire you.

One of the best known word count goals is  NaNoWriMo (or National Novel Writing Month). Every November, thousands of writers challenge themselves to write 50,000 words in a month (that's 1,667 words per day, by the way).

Another resource for writers is my friend Jeff Goins' 500 Words a Day Challenge , which is a 31-day writing challenge that over a thousand writers have participated in.

3 Tools to Count Words

How do you keep an accurate word count?

1. Count Words With Microsoft Word

The most-widely used word processor makes it easy to count your words.

On Windows , there are two ways to see the word count. On the Review tab, just next to Spelling and Grammar Check, and on the home ribbon beside the page number.

Count Words Microsoft Word

On Mac , you can find the word count under Tools -> Word Count.

Word Count shorcut

2. Take Word Counts to the Next Level With Scrivener

While Microsoft Word is a decent word processor for writing essays and articles, if you're writing a novel or book, you need a more powerful tool.

Scrivener  is a perfect tool for finding your word count because it not only keeps your word count visible, it allows you to track your daily word count and the word count for your entire project. You can learn more about Scrivener on our review here .

Count Words with Scrivener - Word Count Targets

In Scrivener, you can set the project targets to your daily word count and track your progress. Also, notice the word count visible at the bottom of the application.

3. A Fast, Online Word Counter

If you don't have access to either of these tools, you can find, free online word counters. One of the best, in my opinion, is  WordCounter.net .

WordCounter.net - Word Counter

Word Counter is a free, online word count tool.

Challenge Yourself to Write 1,000 Words Today

These tools can change your life.

How would your life be different if you challenged yourself to write 1,000 words a day? ( Share that challenge on Twitter )

Even if you took the weekends off, in just a month, you would have 22,000 words. In six months, you would have written 132,000 words, easily enough for a long novel. After the first year, you could have written  two  books.

It starts by taking just a few seconds to track your words.

Do you have a daily word count goal? What is it?

Write 1,000 words today. Keep track using one of the tools above.

When you're finished, share your best 250 words in the comments section below . And if you share, please be sure to give feedback on a few practices by other writers.

word count for essay

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38 Comments

Miriam N

I participated In NaNoWriMo myself. My novel concluded before I reached the word count but it was still a great experience. I’ll have to post my practice later when I have time. (WOOT FIRST COMMENT)

Joe Bunting

Nice, Miriam. That’s a huge accomplishment. Also, way to get in first! 🙂

Avril

The following is EXACTLY 250 words:

I never lied before I worked here. It started with little comments, like telling a caller the boss, Robert, wasn’t in, when he was on a personal call. Next I found myself assuring a caller that our Director of Marketing had sent out the requested materials the previous Friday, when in fact Hannah had returned from lunch drunk, passed out in the lobby, and we called her husband and told him to take her home.

People tell you, “The watched pot never boils”, meaning some things happen so imperceptibly, that if you dedicate yourself to watching for the smallest advance, you’ll never see it. The lesson, I suppose, is that it won’t do any good to watch a process too closely, as there is nothing to see.

I wonder if maybe people are getting this lesson backwards. If something can happen slowly and nearly undetectably to the naked eye, then shouldn’t we watch it very, very vigilantly, to catch it before it boils over? That’s how the lying exploded. Over time Robert and Hannah escalated their expectations of us, that we say any damn thing they wanted us to say, to get them out of their chronic bungling.

That is how, today, I found myself insisting to that nice man, Tom Contreras, that Robert could not meet with him. I gave him my best “trust me, would I lie to you” smile, and convinced him he had made a grievous error, and his appointment had been for the prior day.

Diane Turner

This is so true. After a while and after being asked to do it over and over, we are able to block even the slightest twinge of guilt. I like your line: …trust me, would I lie to you. Nice piece.

Thank you 😉

Wow this is so good, Avril. I loved the way you combine story with psychological observation so deftly. And I really like the way you bring us into the lives of these characters so completely in just a few paragraphs. Great job!

Thank you for the compliment and encouragement Joe.

Wow this is really good Avril. I love the way it sounds when I read it. Great job!

Thank you Miriam. The feedback from you and Joe today is especially helpful as I hone in on my “voice.”

It is only 811 words. Hope that’s enough. Thanks for yet another great prompt.

2012 Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz, California, is a tri-era promenade: pre-earthquake, early post-quake, and now. Something to note as you look up and down the stretches of the Pacific Garden Mall. Parts of each era remain and shoulder up, intermingled and interwoven, in a strange dichotomy of style and sensibilities, palpable to six senses – senses that must include “feel.” Before the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, old family businesses struggled against a fluctuating economy and decay – Leask’s, Ford’s, the stately Cooper House, the Hihn Building – only to disappear into quake rubble and oblivion. From the earthquake ruins, the silent overgrown lots have slowly and painfully risen, Phoenix-like, to house modern replicas and buildings, saved from demolition, clothed in new paint, giving concrete testament to the power of Mother Nature’s onslaught.

It looks somewhat new, somewhat tidy, with new business owners, full of dreams, bringing new energy, unaware of the strange angles. It’s all here, the very Gen X storefronts of The Gap, Border’s, Starbuck’s, Cinema 9 and the upper-storied upper-classed condos to old fringe establishments – Logo’s, The Avenue Bar, Book Shop Santa Cruz – and the eminent Santa Cruz elder statesmen – Del Williams, The Del Mar Theater, The Palomar Hotel, Annieglass. The sun has slipped below the rooflines of the Cooper House across the street, giving the street a bluish cast, and the wind swirls, scuttling the dry leaves of late summer and wafting in the briny smell of the sea.

From my vantage perched high on a coffee shop stool, I pull on my sweater and watch and reflect. While much has changed in the last twenty-four years, much remains the same in this funny, strangely odd little place on Planet Earth. The city fathers have looked to upscale the look of this funky street, yet the fringe folks looking for attention or a handout – homeless street people, mentally ill who have slipped through the cracks, angry young people, savvy panhandlers – remain entrenched, some living in alleyways, doorways, and the lush underbrush of this tourist mecca by night and by day claiming a butt-sized patch of sidewalk. With hats and instrument cases open wide, ragged street musicians, some phenomenally talented troupes of drummers from some other cultures and guitar players belting protest songs, stake out street corners and make this city inhale and exhale. I remember the tiny ancient fiddler who played off-key, who died last year, and I wonder about the strange man in the pink tutu and tights, with matching umbrella, who, in scuffed ballet shoes, shuffled up and down the sidewalk in slow motion, his gaze unwavering, daring you to look away first.

Fast forward to today. September 2014. Border’s is no longer. Forever 21, in eight-foot letters, is now emblazoned on the storefront. Del Williams Jewelry is but a memory. They were always able to locate the elusive replacement for broken treasures. Other business, too, are no longer a presence on the Garden Mall promenade. The economy has taken its toll here and everywhere. Starbuck’s and Peet’s, along with some local coffee beaneries, have customers bulging from their sticky doors, while the protesters of conditions and wages sport signs outside. The pan-handlers still hassle the diners who shovel in ethnic foods served in sidewalk cafes. The street musicians remain, despite the white-washed façade put on the buildings rimming the street, and they produce some of the best music you’ll hear. Life vibrates through the tree-named streets that surround the Garden Mall – Cedar, Walnut, Laurel – despite the few empty lots of weeds as tall as a man dotted here and there. Life vibrates and hums. The young people gather and spill into surf shops that tout the best wetsuits, the most chic attire. Cinema 9 has eleven screens, and on opening nights lines run around the corner and past the ATM machines for Bay Federal Credit Union. Yes, life’s heart still beats here.

A few feet from my perch sits a young woman, maybe 19 or so, a street person, asking passersby for spare change. Her voice is harsh, and she barks a “fuck you” to a man who spat some words at her. Hunched against the late afternoon chill and the taunt tossed from his retreating lips, she leans against the building and sucks in a sigh, herself complicit in his response. She knows it.

When she arrived here, she was undoubtedly full of dreams, as all those absent business owners must have been, too. Once optimism must have burned in her eager heart, as she made plans for a future here. Perhaps it still does, but it has burrowed itself deep inside, for time on the streets changes people, even the young ones. She’s alone, and, as night begins to fall in a strange town, I wonder if she feels the bony edges of fear.

I stuff my notebook in my bag, curl my hands around the steaming paper, and wander into the crowd.

Gosh Diane, this piece so effectively evokes that funky seaside town (I know, I’ve been there). This is nicely nuanced, you’ve drawn the personality of the neighborhood, how it looks and how it feels at street level. I’m familiar with the denizens already. I mean this ad a compliment, that it reminds me of one of my faves, Cannery Row by Steinbeck. Oh and the guy in the tutu, he’s from Fairfax.

Guest

Thank you, Avril, for reading my too many words and your kind words. Sorry. I didn’t read the instructions thoroughly. I am so happy that you know this little burg and recognize some of the landmarks. Fairfax? Really? We would always look for him when we fofund ourselves at the Garden Mall. Too funny. Again, thank you for reading.

Thank you, Avril, for taking the time to read my way-too-many-word piece and for your kind words. Next time I will read the instructions more carefully. I’m happy you recognized some of the landmarks of this little burg. It’s an interesting place, a place that engages all the senses. Fairfax? Really? My husband and I used to look for him every time we found ourselves on the Garden Mall. Again, thank you.

AnnM

This place is not so much about the rules Diane, but about the encouragement to write. Writing more is always a good thing if you are on a roll! We’re glad you shared.

Adelaide Shaw

Very well done! Your description of the town, the people, the changes, everything create a living, moving video in my mind. I feel as if i’ve just been there myself. Adelaide

Thank you, Adelaide. I’m happy you were able to visit here for a little while. It’s a special place.

You’re a very good writer, Diane. The description here is perfect. I bet you had a lot of fun writing this!

I did have fun writing it, Joe, but it brought back a lot of unfun memories. Thank you for your encouraging words and for this wonderful site.

Wow amazing Diane. I could feel and see everything you described. Based off of this I feel that you’re going to be a great writer. Keep up the great work!

Thank you so much for your kind words, Miriam, and for taking the time to read the piece.

You made me feel as if I’d like to go there and experience it for myself. Vivid descriptions and emotions draw you in.

Chloee

PI glazed my fingers over the peeling yellow with time flower wallpaper. My footsteps echoed though the enpty halls as the dust lifted from the ground. Silence filled the air one I would find at an funeral,quiet from neglect as if it was hiding a burning hatred for what I had did.

Rain slid down the clouded window pane and the pit pat in the roof sent a eiree chill down your spine. Memories followed my though the house as I breathed in the rich earthy smell of mothballs. Those memories wandered next to me hoping for me to look at them just to catch a fleeting look, toopen up the vault which I had buried them in.

This once was my childhood home where I spent long days and cold nights curled up asleep on my bed with dreams leading me into a false sense of security.

I took one last look around and shut the chipping word door. I sprinkled the last of the gasonle and struck a match, soon the house set fire, the flames licking the night sky as the stars twinkled in the inky blackness as the fire crackled from the heat.

I sat back a blank expression on my face.

“That’s finally done.” I said. I started walking with the embers glowing brightly behind me casting shadows.

Now I know that is part of a good story. Nice twist to start off visiting the childhood home, then burn it down.

This needs some cleaning up for spelling and grammar (for a practice this is fine though), but I loved the way you evoked sensual details as the character paces through the house. There’s a lot going on here, and like Avril said, this seems like a small piece of a promising story. Well done!

Nice job Chloee. I’m intrigued as to where this will go next. Keep up the good work!

It holds my interest as to why she sets fire to her childhood home? What bad memories are hidden there? Like Joe pointed out. it needs careful editing for mistakes. Adelaide

Alright. So a few practices ago I posted about Angela.(the post “You Need to Ask this Question Every Time You Sit Down To Write” specifically) This is a continuation of that post. Here is my 250 words.

Groggy, disoriented, confused, I slowly awoke to my surroundings. The first thing that I became aware of was the pounding pain pushing through my skull. Questions like: Where am I? What happened? Why can’t I move? Rose in my mind.

I opened my eyes to closer examine my surroundings. The ceiling was bare cement and seemed to animate cold to the very marrow of my bones. I tried to move my head to look at the walls but found it fixed in place. Panic slowly began to rise within me like a poison. Slowly I began to remember what happened until it came back in a rush. My apartment, escape, Andrew, the emerald. Where is the emerald! Came my panicked thought.

Frantically I looked around the room with my eyes but came upon nothing. Calm down Angela think this through. No need to lose control. I thought about that night. Where had the emerald been then? In my desk… until I put it on. My eyes drifted to my chest in hopes of seeing it there. It was gone.

My alarm began to rise again as did my scolding thoughts. Angela you idiot! You should’ve left the emerald in its holding spot but no you had to be noble and put it on. Just then the door opened.

“Ah you’re awake.” Came Andrew’s voice. He walked to a chair somewhere behind me and, by the sound of it, took out a pen and paper. “Now to business. Where is the emerald?”

I didn’t know what I was going to write about when I began, but I was in our local diner so I began about a waitress. I don’t know if I did a 1,000 words because I write on a yellow pad and haven’t transcribed it all yet. This is as much as I’ve typed so far, about 350 words.

Edna knew her customers. She had been waitressing at the Loganville diner for 20 years, and she had served many of the customers for the same 20 years. They had grown old together. Some had died during those years; some had been born.

When Bob died Edna had taken stock of her situation: two children married, one grandchild and another expected, living miles away, an old house paid for, a small pension from Bob’s union, a moderate savings account, the interest of which she and Bob never touched.

“Let it grow,” Bob had said. When I’m gone you will need the interest to supplement my pension.”

Edna could have used the interest now, but Bob’s voice came back to her in those few weeks right after he died. “Let it grow.” So, she did and got a job at the diner.

“I never waitressed before,” she had told Fonda, the owner, “but I’m strong and a hard worker.

“Well…”

Edna almost heard the wheels spinning in his head as Fonda Metatakis thought it over. “Can you operate a cash register? They’re all computerized now.”

“I can use a computer, and I’m a quick learner.”

“Well… O.K. Part time to start, one to five in the afternoons at first, then maybe later full time.”

Edna suspected he gave her the job because Bob had died. Everyone in town knew it. Bob was always talking to people whether he knew them or not. and, if he didn’t, he soon did. Fonda probably thought she needed the money. She did, but it wasn’t until after she had asked for the job did she really know why. She would use this money for living expenses, as little as possible, and add the rest to her savings as a legacy for her grandchildren.

It was something she used to fantasize about when she was a child–a legacy left by some unknown relative or stranger because she had done a good deed. For a time she had gone out of her way to help strangers even if they really didn’t need it.

“Thank you Dear, but I can carry this package. It was kind of you to offer.”

It hadn’t been easy, but now and then her help had been accepted. she made sure to tell them her name and to get theirs. For years she had checked the obituaries regularly. Adelaide

I’m starting to think of all the other little stories she has been a part of over the years and what happens next. I enjoyed reading it Adelaide

Thank you, Ann. Adelaide

Jackie Houchin

I like Edna. I wish I knew what was going to happen with her legacy she’d built up. A very interesting teaser, Adelaide.

Debra johnson

As I read this I could picture the diner the regulars went to in my home town… Everyone knew everyone and came to tell stories and have coffee and breakfast. It would be interesting to see what some of the stories Edna had heard over the many years she had worked there.

R.w. Foster

When I get in the zone, I write 1,000 words in two hours. Most of the time, i’m procrastinating, so it’s usually 250 a day.

Harry Nguyen

I use the tool http://wordcounttools.com and it works like a charm. Would you please help readers to revise the article and put it in?

go4convert

If somebody is looking for reliable and new service for counting, I would suggest countwordsfree.com as the one to be look at. Stop words exclusion and original text pre-processing as well as possibility to load and save the text from/into file makes this portal universal and quite useful for writers and seo specialists.

26pasteur

image finding Pasteur here, away from my wall…………………………………

Pills and pigs – here’s my excerpt. 27 minutes to free-write 1067 words.

“Okay, there is this new pill out,” he said, “barely fresh from clinical trials. It’s a calming pick-me-upper. It works I’m told very well for people like you, although I don’t know anyone personally yet. You will be the first. And there are a few side effects. Want to be a guinea pig?

Well, sure, why not. What did I have to lose for a month’s free supply? The possibility of becoming an actual pig? Yep, that’s what the bottle says. But, hey, who are they fooling, how does a human become an animal? Besides, the results, they were glowing to say the least.

One day later. So I took the first pill – pink and round – upon rising as prescribed. By noon I seemed to have more energy than usual. I took a 3 mile walk on my lunch break. Feeling good! I had a bit more of an appetite that night, but I figured I must have walked off a gazillion calories at noon, so I could afford an extra serving of buttered cornbread with my five-meat chili.

One week later. Wow, I’m cruising in high gear There’s no end to my energy. I rise, take a pink pill – have a little burp. Did I tell you they make me burp? They do, but no problem, I cover my mouth. Today however, the burp tasted good. Like the fried chicken I had last night. I tried to burp again, but couldn’t. But I definitely had fried chicken on my mind when I went to work.

Tinthia Clemant

I’m ready. Let’s do this!!!

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INSTANT the Best Word Counter for FREE

Welcome to word counter - your ultimate text analysis tool.

Whether you're crafting a blog post, polishing an essay, or refining a website page, word count matters. And that's where our Word Counter tool steps in, ready to guide you toward content perfection.

Check your content count words, characters, sentences, and spaces INSTANTLY . Just you can paste your content into our character counter online FREE tool. Using count characters FREE tool you can change like lower case generator, upper case to lower case, lowercase to uppercase, caps to lowercase, camel case, reverse text generator and more.

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  • View Results: Instantly see the total word count displayed on your screen.

Count Your Words with Precision: Your Ultimate Word Counter Tool

Are you struggling to meet word count requirements for your assignments, blog posts, or articles? Look no further! Our Word Counter tool is designed to make your life easier by providing a quick and accurate way to count the number of words in your text.

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The Word Counter is a simple yet powerful tool that helps you analyze the length of your text by counting the number of words it contains. Whether you're a student working on an essay, a writer crafting a blog post, or a professional preparing a report, our Word Counter is here to assist you in meeting those word count goals effortlessly.

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How to determine the word and character count in Microsoft Word

To check word count and character count in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

Word Count:

  • Open your Microsoft Word document.
  • Look for the "Review" tab in the top menu.
  • Within the "Review" tab, you should find a section labeled "Proofing."
  • In this section, there is a button labeled "Word Count." Click on it.
  • A Word Count dialog box will appear, displaying the number of words in your document.

Character Count:

  • To find the character count, you can use the same "Word Count" dialog box.
  • In the Word Count dialog box, there is an option that says "Include textboxes, footnotes, and endnotes." Make sure this option is checked if you want to include those in your character count.
  • The number of characters (with or without spaces) will be displayed in the same dialog box.

Alternatively, you can also find the word and character count at the bottom left corner of the Microsoft Word window. If you right-click on it, you can choose whether you want to see the word count, character count (with spaces), or character count (without spaces).

Counting Characters in Microsoft Excel

  • Open Excel: Begin by launching Microsoft Excel and opening the spreadsheet containing the text you wish to analyze.
  • Select the Cell: Click on the specific cell or range of cells that you want to determine the character count for.
  • Navigate to the Formula Bar: Locate the Formula Bar at the top of the Excel window, where the contents of the selected cell are displayed.
  • View the Result: The selected cell now displays the count of characters present in the specified text.
  • Copy the Formula: For multiple cells, copy the formula by selecting the cell, copying (Ctrl+C), and pasting (Ctrl+V) it into other cells.
  • Utilize AutoFill: Alternatively, employ the AutoFill feature by clicking and dragging the small square at the bottom-right corner of the cell with the formula to fill adjacent cells.

Word Count and Character Count in Google Docs

  • Access Google Docs: Begin by opening Google Docs and navigating to the document for which you want to obtain word and character counts.
  • Highlight the Text: Select the specific text or section of the document that you wish to analyze for word and character counts.
  • Navigate to the Toolbar: Look for the toolbar at the top of the Google Docs window, where you'll find various tools and options.
  • Word Count Feature: Click on the "Tools" option in the toolbar and select "Word count" from the dropdown menu. A small window will appear, displaying the word count for the selected text.
  • Character Count Feature: To obtain the character count, return to the toolbar, click on "Tools," and select "Word count" again. This time, check the box labeled "Include spaces" to view both word and character counts. Click "OK."
  • Review the Counts: The word and character counts for the selected text will now be visible in the Word Count window.

Word Count and Character Count in Apple Pages

  • Launch Apple Pages: Start by opening Apple Pages and accessing the document you want to analyze for word and character counts.
  • Select the Text: Highlight the specific text or section of the document that you intend to examine for word and character counts.
  • Navigate to the Toolbar: Locate the toolbar at the top of the Apple Pages window, where various tools and options are available.
  • Word Count Feature: Click on the "View" option in the toolbar and select "Show Word Count" from the dropdown menu. A small window will appear, displaying the word count for the selected text.
  • Character Count Feature: For character count, return to the toolbar, click on "View," and select "Show Word Count" again. Check the box labeled "Characters" to include character counts in the displayed information. Close the Word Count window.
  • Review the Counts: The word and character counts for the selected text will now be visible at the bottom of the Apple Pages window.

Word Count and Character Count in LibreOffice

  • Open LibreOffice: Begin by launching LibreOffice and accessing the document you want to analyze for word and character counts.
  • Select the Text: Highlight the specific text or section of the document that you wish to examine for word and character counts.
  • Navigate to the Toolbar: Look for the toolbar at the top of the LibreOffice window, where various tools and options are available.
  • Word Count Feature: Click on the "Tools" option in the toolbar and select "Word Count" from the dropdown menu. A Word Count window will appear, displaying the word count for the selected text.
  • Character Count Feature: For character count, within the Word Count window, check the box labeled "Characters" to include character counts in the displayed information. Click "OK" to close the Word Count window.
  • Review the Counts: The word and character counts for the selected text will now be visible in the status bar at the bottom of the LibreOffice window.

Word Count and Character Count in OpenOffice

  • Launch OpenOffice: Start by opening OpenOffice and accessing the document you wish to analyze for word and character counts.
  • Select the Text: Highlight the specific text or section of the document that you want to examine for word and character counts.
  • Navigate to the Toolbar: Look for the toolbar at the top of the OpenOffice window, where various tools and options are available.
  • Word Count Feature: Click on the "Tools" option in the toolbar and select "Word Count" from the dropdown menu. A Word Count window will appear, showing the word count for the selected text.
  • Review the Counts: The word and character counts for the selected text will now be visible in the status bar at the bottom of the OpenOffice window.

Social media posts word counts: character limits and aim for optimal text length

How do i use the word counter tool, is there a limit to the amount of text i can count, does the tool count words only, or does it include characters and spaces as well, can i use this tool to track keyword density, is this tool available in multiple languages, can i use the word counter for different types of content, how fast does the word counter provide results, is there a limit to the length of text the word counter can analyze, can i use the word counter on mobile devices, the word count tools.

  • Characters Counter
  • Words Counter
  • Sentence Counter
  • Spacebar Counter
  • Title Case Converter
  • Caps Generator
  • Lower Case Generator
  • Upper case to lower case
  • Lowercase to Uppercase
  • Caps to Lowercase
  • Reverse Text Generator
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College Essays

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Figuring out your college essay can be one of the most difficult parts of applying to college. Even once you've read the prompt and picked a topic, you might wonder: if you write too much or too little, will you blow your chance of admission? How long should a college essay be?

Whether you're a terse writer or a loquacious one, we can advise you on college essay length. In this guide, we'll cover what the standard college essay length is, how much word limits matter, and what to do if you aren't sure how long a specific essay should be.

How Long Is a College Essay? First, Check the Word Limit

You might be used to turning in your writing assignments on a page-limit basis (for example, a 10-page paper). While some colleges provide page limits for their college essays, most use a word limit instead. This makes sure there's a standard length for all the essays that a college receives, regardless of formatting or font.

In the simplest terms, your college essay should be pretty close to, but not exceeding, the word limit in length. Think within 50 words as the lower bound, with the word limit as the upper bound. So for a 500-word limit essay, try to get somewhere between 450-500 words. If they give you a range, stay within that range.

College essay prompts usually provide the word limit right in the prompt or in the instructions.

For example, the University of Illinois says :

"You'll answer two to three prompts as part of your application. The questions you'll answer will depend on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program , and if you've selected a second choice . Each response should be approximately 150 words."

As exemplified by the University of Illinois, the shortest word limits for college essays are usually around 150 words (less than half a single-spaced page). Rarely will you see a word limit higher than around 650 words (over one single-spaced page). College essays are usually pretty short: between 150 and 650 words. Admissions officers have to read a lot of them, after all!

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Weigh your words carefully, because they are limited!

How Flexible Is the Word Limit?

But how flexible is the word limit? What if your poignant anecdote is just 10 words too long—or 100 too short?

Can I Go Over the Word Limit?

If you are attaching a document and you need one or two extra words, you can probably get away with exceeding the word limit by such a small amount. Some colleges will actually tell you that exceeding the word limit by 1-2 words is fine. However, I advise against exceeding the word limit unless it's explicitly allowed for a few reasons:

First, you might not be able to. If you have to copy-paste it into a text box, your essay might get cut off and you'll have to trim it down anyway.

If you exceed the word limit in a noticeable way, the admissions counselor may just stop reading your essay past that point. This is not good for you.

Following directions is actually a very important part of the college application process. You need to follow directions to get your letters of recommendation, upload your essays, send supplemental materials, get your test scores sent, and so on and so forth. So it's just a good general rule to follow whatever instructions you've been given by the institution. Better safe than sorry!

Can I Go Under the Word Limit?

If you can truly get your point across well beneath the word limit, it's probably fine. Brevity is not necessarily a bad thing in writing just so long as you are clear, cogent, and communicate what you want to.

However, most college essays have pretty tight word limits anyways. So if you're writing 300 words for an essay with a 500-word limit, ask yourself: is there anything more you could say to elaborate on or support your points? Consult with a parent, friend, or teacher on where you could elaborate with more detail or expand your points.

Also, if the college gives you a word range, you absolutely need to at least hit the bottom end of the range. So if you get a range from the institution, like 400-500 words, you need to write at least 400 words. If you write less, it will come across like you have nothing to say, which is not an impression you want to give.

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What If There Is No Word Limit?

Some colleges don't give you a word limit for one or more of your essay prompts. This can be a little stressful, but the prompts generally fall into a few categories:

Writing Sample

Some colleges don't provide a hard-and-fast word limit because they want a writing sample from one of your classes. In this case, a word limit would be very limiting to you in terms of which assignments you could select from.

For an example of this kind of prompt, check out essay Option B at Amherst :

"Submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay."

While there is usually no word limit per se, colleges sometimes provide a general page guideline for writing samples. In the FAQ for Option B , Amherst clarifies, "There is no hard-and-fast rule for official page limit. Typically, we anticipate a paper of 4-5 pages will provide adequate length to demonstrate your analytical abilities. Somewhat longer papers can also be submitted, but in most cases should not exceed 8-10 pages."

So even though there's no word limit, they'd like somewhere in the 4-10 pages range. High school students are not usually writing papers that are longer than 10 pages anyways, so that isn't very limiting.

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Implicit Length Guideline

Sometimes, while there's no word (or even page) limit, there's still an implicit length guideline. What do I mean by this?

See, for example, this Western Washington University prompt :

“Describe one or more activities you have been involved in that have been particularly meaningful. What does your involvement say about the communities, identities or causes that are important to you?”

While there’s no page or word limit listed here, further down on page the ‘essay tips’ section explains that “ most essay responses are about 500 words, ” though “this is only a recommendation, not a firm limit.” This gives you an idea of what’s reasonable. A little longer or shorter than 500 words would be appropriate here. That’s what I mean by an “implicit” word limit—there is a reasonable length you could go to within the boundaries of the prompt.

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But what's the proper coffee-to-paragraph ratio?

Treasure Hunt

There is also the classic "treasure hunt" prompt. No, it's not a prompt about a treasure hunt. It's a prompt where there are no length guidelines given, but if you hunt around on the rest of the website you can find length guidelines.

For example, the University of Chicago provides seven "Extended Essay" prompts . You must write an essay in response to one prompt of your choosing, but nowhere on the page is there any guidance about word count or page limit.

However, many colleges provide additional details about their expectations for application materials, including essays, on FAQ pages, which is true of the University of Chicago. On the school’s admissions Frequently Asked Questions page , they provide the following length guidelines for the supplemental essays: 

“We suggest that you note any word limits for Coalition or Common Application essays; however, there are no strict word limits on the UChicago Supplement essays. For the extended essay (where you choose one of several prompts), we suggest that you aim for around 650 words. While we won't, as a rule, stop reading after 650 words, we're only human and cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention indefinitely. For the “Why UChicago?” essay, we suggest about 250-500 words. The ideas in your writing matter more than the exact number of words you use!”

So there you go! You want to be (loosely) in the realm of 650 for the extended essay, and 250-500 words for the “Why UChicago?” essay.

Help! There Really Is No Guidance on Length

If you really can't find any length guidelines anywhere on the admissions website and you're at a loss, I advise calling the admissions office. They may not be able to give you an exact number (in fact, they probably won't), but they will probably at least be able to tell you how long most of the essays they see are. (And keep you from writing a panicked, 20-page dissertation about your relationship with your dog).

In general, 500 words or so is pretty safe for a college essay. It's a fairly standard word limit length, in fact. (And if you're wondering, that's about a page and a half double-spaced.) 500 words is long enough to develop a basic idea while still getting a point across quickly—important when admissions counselors have thousands of essays to read!

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"See? It says 500 words right there in tiny font!"

The Final Word: How Long Should a College Essay Be?

The best college essay length is usually pretty straightforward: you want to be right under or at the provided word limit. If you go substantially past the word limit, you risk having your essay cut off by an online application form or having the admissions officer just not finish it. And if you're too far under the word limit, you may not be elaborating enough.

What if there is no word limit? Then how long should a college essay be? In general, around 500 words is a pretty safe approximate word amount for a college essay—it's one of the most common word limits, after all!

Here's guidance for special cases and hunting down word limits:

If it's a writing sample of your graded academic work, the length either doesn't matter or there should be some loose page guidelines.

There also may be implicit length guidelines. For example, if a prompt says to write three paragraphs, you'll know that writing six sentences is definitely too short, and two single-spaced pages is definitely too long.

You might not be able to find length guidelines in the prompt, but you could still hunt them up elsewhere on the website. Try checking FAQs or googling your chosen school name with "admissions essay word limit."

If there really is no word limit, you can call the school to try to get some guidance.

With this advice, you can be sure you've got the right college essay length on lockdown!

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Hey, writing about yourself can even be fun!

What's Next?

Need to ask a teacher or friend for help with your essay? See our do's and dont's to getting college essay advice .

If you're lacking in essay inspiration, see our guide to brainstorming college essay ideas . And here's our guide to starting out your essay perfectly!

Looking for college essay examples? See 11 places to find college essay examples and 145 essay examples with analysis !

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?   We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download them for free now:

Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

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Online Words Counting Generator for Different Types of Writing

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No, StudyCrumb’s word count checker can be used without registration. We did our best to make the process as smooth as possible. You can check count values without creating an account.

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Our character counter will show the count values both with and without spaces. Once you enter your text, you will get in-depth results where you will see characters including and excluding spaces.

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Our tool is powered by an AI. So, it obviously knows how to count words. It divides the entire text by spaces and then counts the resulting pieces which are the words. Then it will show you the number of words it counted in a section below, as well as this number plus the number of spaces found in your text.

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Other Tools You May Like

StudyCrumb offers you more than just a word counter. We’ve designed a whole bundle of free writing tools that can improve your academic experience. Check them out below!

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Word Counter Online & Character Counter

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It’s very important to stay on the top of your page word count. Students may think that several slips every here and there won’t cause much harm. But your school may have strict requirements to the acceptable limit for every academic work. While you are expected to write 150 words in an essay introduction, this amount won’t suffice in an introductory part of your research paper. So if you need to know how many words are in an essay or its particular section, use our tool for a quick result.

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How to Include a Word Count in Your Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

Including a word count in your essay may seem like a small detail, but it’s an important part of meeting your assignment’s requirements. Luckily, it’s a simple process that can be accomplished in just a few steps. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to add that word count with ease.

Step by Step Tutorial: Including a Word Count in an Essay

Before we dive into the steps, let’s talk about why you might need to include a word count in your essay. Sometimes, your teacher or professor will ask for this to make sure you’re meeting the length requirements for the assignment. Plus, it shows that you’re following directions and paying attention to detail.

Step 1: Finish Writing Your Essay

Complete your essay before you worry about the word count.

After you’ve finished writing your essay, you’ll have the final word count that you need to include. This is important because if you add the word count before you’re done, you might end up with the wrong number.

Step 2: Use a Word Processor’s Word Count Feature

Locate and use the word count tool in your word processor to find out the total number of words in your essay.

Most word processors, like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, have a built-in feature that automatically counts the words in your document. This is the easiest and most accurate way to find your word count.

Step 3: Place the Word Count at the End of Your Essay

Type out the word count at the end of your essay, usually after the conclusion.

Once you have your word count, you’ll need to decide where to place it in your essay. The standard practice is to include it at the end of your document, typically after the conclusion section.

After completing these steps, your essay will have the required word count clearly displayed. This not only meets the assignment’s guidelines but also gives a professional touch to your work.

Tips for Including a Word Count in an Essay

  • Always double-check the word count to ensure accuracy.
  • Include the word count on the same page as your essay, not on a separate page.
  • If your teacher has specific instructions on where to place the word count, follow them.
  • Don’t include the title page, headers, footers, or bibliography in your word count unless instructed.
  • Use the word count feature periodically as you write to keep track of your essay’s length.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do i include the word count in the header or footer.

No, the word count should be included in the main body of your essay, typically at the end.

Including the word count in the main body makes it easily visible to the reader and ensures it’s seen as part of the essay’s content.

Should the word count be bolded or in a different font?

The word count does not need to be bolded or in a different font, but it should be clear and easy to find.

Keeping the word count in the same font as your essay maintains consistency and prevents it from being distracting.

What if my essay is under or over the word count?

If your essay does not meet the required word count, you may need to add more content or edit for brevity.

Always aim to meet the word count requirements as closely as possible, as this is often a key component of the assignment.

Can I include the word count in the middle of my essay?

It’s best to include the word count at the end of your essay to avoid disrupting the flow of your writing.

Placing the word count at the end maintains the structure of your essay and keeps the focus on the content.

What if my word processor doesn’t have a word count feature?

If your word processor lacks a word count feature, you can use online tools or manually count the words.

Online tools can provide an accurate word count, but if you’re counting manually, be thorough to avoid mistakes.

  • Finish writing your essay.
  • Use your word processor’s word count feature.
  • Place the word count at the end of your essay.

Including a word count in your essay is a breeze once you know the steps. It boils down to finishing your essay, utilizing your word processor’s tool, and placing the count where it’s easily found. This simple act of including a word count not only ensures you’re meeting the requirements but also adds a professional touch to your work. While it might seem like a minor detail, it’s one that can have a big impact on how your essay is received. So, the next time you’re asked to include a word count, you’ll know exactly what to do. Remember, attention to detail can make all the difference in your writing. Now go ahead and hit that word count target like a pro!

Matt Jacobs Support Your Tech

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.

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  9. How Long is an Essay? Guidelines for Different Types of Essay

    Essay length guidelines. Type of essay. Average word count range. Essay content. High school essay. 300-1000 words. In high school you are often asked to write a 5-paragraph essay, composed of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. College admission essay. 200-650 words.

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    Use this calculator to check your essay's word count and ensure you've met the required length. This calculator multiplies the number of pages by the average number of words per page to calculate the total word count of your essay. Writing an essay is a complex process that requires careful planning, research, and execution.

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    1. Count Words With Microsoft Word. The most-widely used word processor makes it easy to count your words. On Windows, there are two ways to see the word count. On the Review tab, just next to Spelling and Grammar Check, and on the home ribbon beside the page number. On Mac, you can find the word count under Tools -> Word Count.

  14. How Long Should a College Essay Be?

    Revised on June 1, 2023. Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit. If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words. You should aim to stay under the specified limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely.

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    In the simplest terms, your college essay should be pretty close to, but not exceeding, the word limit in length. Think within 50 words as the lower bound, with the word limit as the upper bound. So for a 500-word limit essay, try to get somewhere between 450-500 words. If they give you a range, stay within that range.

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  21. How to Include a Word Count in Your Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Step 1: Finish Writing Your Essay. Complete your essay before you worry about the word count. After you've finished writing your essay, you'll have the final word count that you need to include. This is important because if you add the word count before you're done, you might end up with the wrong number.

  22. Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

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  23. How do I meet the word count?

    If your college essay goes over the word count limit, cut any sentences with tangents or irrelevant details. Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay. If you're struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

  24. Assessment Brief for Assesment Point

    2 it may be appropriate to use an Appendices section for the Essay, which is a useful reference for the reader. Please note that appendices are not included in the word count. The majority of references should come from primary sources (e.g., journal articles, conference papers, reports, etc.) although you can also utilise area specific textbooks. In the Essay, you must ensure that you use the ...