Readability Score Checker
A readability score checker is a tool that estimates how hard a text is to read from sentence length and word…
Free sentence counter
Count sentences, check average sentence length and find the long ones to split.
Result
0Sentences
0Avg words per sentence
0Long sentences
Sentence detection is an estimate. Headings or list items without end punctuation join the next sentence.
The free sentence counter runs in your browser, needs no sign-up and never sends what you type anywhere.
Quick answer
This sentence counter counts the sentences in your text, shows the average words per sentence and lists every sentence over your limit. Rule of thumb for web writing: keep the average at 15 to 20 words and split any sentence longer than 25 words, while mixing short and medium sentences for rhythm.
What is a sentence counter?
A sentence counter is a tool that splits text into sentences at full stops, question marks and exclamation marks and counts them. Average sentence length is the total number of words divided by the number of sentences.
How do you use the Sentence Counter?
- Paste your text into the box.
- Set the long sentence limit, for example 20 words.
- Read the sentence count, average length and number of long sentences.
- Split or shorten each sentence in the long sentence list.
- Paste the edited text again to confirm the average dropped.
What is a good average sentence length?
An average of 15 to 20 words per sentence reads easily for most web audiences. Many plain language guides suggest keeping most sentences under 20 to 25 words. The W3C writing for accessibility tips also recommend short sentences and paragraphs.
How do I count sentences in a paragraph?
Count each group of words that ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. This tool does it automatically and skips the full stops in common abbreviations such as e.g., Dr. and decimal numbers like 2.5, which manual counting often gets wrong.
Are long sentences bad for SEO?
Long sentences are not a ranking factor, but they make content harder to read and scan. Google asks for content that is written for people, so clear, short sentences help visitors understand your page and act on it.
Quick reference
| Average words per sentence | How it reads | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 8 or fewer | Very easy but choppy | Join some sentences |
| 9 to 14 | Easy | Good for most web pages |
| 15 to 20 | Standard | Good for articles and guides |
| 21 to 25 | Fairly hard | Split the longest sentences |
| Over 25 | Hard | Rewrite into shorter sentences |
Worked example
Example
Example: a 420 word blog section has 18 sentences, so the average is 420 divided by 18, about 23.3 words per sentence. The tool flags 7 sentences over 20 words. Splitting 5 of them adds 5 sentences, bringing the average down to 420 divided by 23, about 18.3 words.
Frequently asked questions
How does the tool decide where a sentence ends?
A sentence ends at a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark followed by a space or the end of the text. Common abbreviations such as Mr., Dr., e.g., i.e. and etc. and decimal numbers are protected so they do not split a sentence.
Are headings and bullet points counted as sentences?
A heading or bullet without end punctuation joins the next sentence, which can make it look long. For the most accurate count, paste only the body text, or add a full stop after each list item before checking.
What long sentence limit should I use?
Use 20 words for general web content and blog posts, 25 for technical or academic writing and 15 for content aimed at a wide or mobile audience. Lower limits are useful while editing to find the worst sentences first.
How do I shorten a long sentence?
Split it at a conjunction such as and, but or which, remove filler phrases like in order to, and move side details into a new sentence. Turning a list inside a sentence into bullet points also helps.
Does this tool also count words?
Yes. It shows the total word count used to calculate the average sentence length. For character counts or readability scores, use the character counter or readability score checker.
Is my text private?
Yes. Sentences are counted in your browser with JavaScript. Nothing you paste is sent to a server or saved, so drafts and client copy stay on your device.
Sources
Facts checked against these official pages. Read how I check facts in my editorial policy.
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