Sentence Counter
Count the sentences in any text and see how long they are. The sentence counter shows your average and median sentence length, your longest and shortest sentences, and every sentence numbered with its word count, so you can spot the ones to split.
- Average and median length
- Stays on your device
Sentence length mix
How many of your sentences are short, medium and long.
A mix of lengths reads best. Several very long sentences in a row are a sign to split some.
Longest and shortest
Your longest sentence is the first one to check for clarity.
Add some text to see your longest and shortest sentences.
Sentence breakdown
Every sentence with its word and character count. Numbers stay the same when you sort.
Your sentences appear here, numbered.
How to count sentences online
Counting sentences with this sentence counter takes three steps, on a computer or a phone.
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Paste or type your text
An essay, an article, an email or a whole chapter. The counts update as you type.
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Read the numbers
Sentences, words, average and median words per sentence, and the length of your longest and shortest sentence.
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Check the breakdown
Every sentence is numbered with its word count. Sort by length to find the longest sentences first, then copy or download the list.
“Dr. Lee arrived at 9 a.m. She was early.” is 2 sentences, not 4. The counter knows that “Dr.” and “a.m.” don’t end a sentence.
Sentence counter features
The sentence counter goes beyond a single number, so you can see how your sentences are built.
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Numbered breakdown
Every sentence with its words and characters, in order or sorted longest or shortest first.
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x̄
Average and median
Average and median words per sentence, plus average characters per sentence.
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↕
Longest and shortest
Your longest and shortest sentences shown in full, ready to edit.
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CSV
Copy and download
Copy your sentences one per line, or download them as a spreadsheet file.
What counts as a sentence?
A sentence ends with a full stop, question mark, exclamation mark or ellipsis, followed by a capital letter, a number or the end of the text. The counter also handles the cases that trip up simpler tools:
- Titles and abbreviations such as Dr., Mrs., St., e.g. and a.m. don’t end a sentence.
- Initials and decimals such as J. K. Rowling and 3.5% are kept together.
- Web addresses such as example.com aren’t split at the dot.
- Quotes stay with their sentence: “Really?” she asked. is one sentence.
- Headings and list items on their own line count as sentences, even without a full stop.
- Chinese and Japanese sentences ending in 。！？ are counted too.
These are the same rules the word counter uses, so both tools give the same sentence count.
Average sentence length: what’s easy to read
Average sentence length is one of the simplest measures of how easy your writing is to read.
| Average words per sentence | How it reads | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | Easy and direct. Too many short sentences in a row can feel choppy. | Join a few closely related short sentences. |
| 15 to 20 | Easy to follow. This is the range plain-English guides recommend. | Keep a mix of shorter and longer sentences. |
| 21 to 25 | Fine for experienced readers, harder on a phone screen. | Split sentences that carry two ideas. |
| Over 25 | Hard work. Readers lose track of the point. | Break long sentences where one idea ends and the next begins. |
The Plain English Campaign says clear writing should have an average sentence length of 15 to 20 words, with one main idea in each sentence.
Average vs median words per sentence
The average (mean) is your total words divided by your sentences. The median is the middle sentence length when all your sentences are lined up from shortest to longest.
They tell you different things. Take five sentences of 5, 8, 9, 10 and 48 words: the average is 16 words, but the median is only 9. One very long sentence pulls the average up, while the median shows what a typical sentence looks like. If your average is much higher than your median, look for a few very long sentences in the breakdown.
How many sentences should be in a paragraph?
There’s no fixed rule, because a paragraph is one idea, not a number of sentences. As a guide, short paragraphs of one to three sentences are easier to read on a phone, which is why web pages and emails use them. Essays and reports usually need three to five sentences to introduce, support and close an idea.
The counter shows your sentences per paragraph so you can spot walls of text. It counts every line with text in it as a paragraph, the same rule as the word counter.
Count sentences in Word and Google Docs
Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365) shows words per sentence in its readability statistics: on the Home tab, open Editor, then Document stats. Google Docs has no sentence count: Tools → Word count shows pages, words and characters only. To count sentences in either, copy your text and paste it here.
Sentence counter FAQ
How do I count the sentences in my text?
Paste or type it into the sentence counter. The number of sentences appears straight away, with the average and median sentence length and a numbered list of every sentence.
What is a good average sentence length?
For most writing, 15 to 20 words. The Plain English Campaign recommends that average, with one main idea per sentence. A mix of short and longer sentences reads best.
What is median words per sentence?
The length of the middle sentence when they’re sorted from shortest to longest. It shows a typical sentence, and unlike the average it isn’t pulled up by one very long sentence.
Why does the counter show fewer sentences than full stops?
Not every full stop ends a sentence. Titles like Dr., abbreviations like e.g. and a.m., initials, decimals like 3.5 and web addresses are kept inside their sentence.
Does a long sentence mean it’s a run-on?
No. A run-on joins complete sentences without the right punctuation, and that can happen in a short sentence too. Check with the Run-On Sentence Checker.
Can I find my longest sentence?
Yes. Your longest and shortest sentences are shown in full, and you can sort the breakdown with “Longest first”.
Does it count sentences in other languages?
Yes, for languages that end sentences with . ? ! or …, and for Chinese and Japanese, which use 。！？. Languages that don’t mark sentence ends, such as Thai, can’t be split reliably.
Is my text saved or uploaded?
No. Everything is counted in your browser, and your text never leaves your device.
Sources and references
- How to write in plain English, Plain English Campaign
- Get your document’s readability and level statistics, Microsoft Support
More writing tools
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- Check Fragment or Sentence Checker Is it a fragment or a complete sentence? See why, with a fix for each. Open tool
- Count Line Counter Count total, blank and duplicate lines in text, lists, code or CSV. Open tool
- Convert Words to Pages Converter See how many pages your word count fills in any common font. Open tool