What this sentence counter does
Most counters give you one number and stop there. This one shows its work. You get the total sentence count, plus a list of every sentence in your text with its own word count next to it. If a sentence runs past 25 words, it turns red and gets a "long" tag, so you can find the heavy parts of your writing in seconds.
It also counts with more care than most free tools. Many counters simply split your text at every full stop. That breaks on everyday writing: "Dr. Smith" turns into two "sentences", and "3.5" breaks in half. This counter knows the common abbreviations (Dr., Mr., Mrs., e.g., i.e. and more), understands initials like J. K. Rowling, and treats decimals such as 3.5 and $2.99 as single numbers. The result is a count you can trust.
How to use it
- Type or paste your text into the box above. The counts update as you type, so there is no button to press.
- Read the big number for your total sentences, along with words, characters and paragraphs.
- Scan the sentence list. Each sentence shows its word count. Red ones are over 25 words.
- Fix the long ones if they feel heavy. Split them where you see an "and" or a "but", or move extra detail into a new sentence.
- Copy your text back when you are happy with it. Your words were never uploaded, so there is nothing to download.
A quick example
"Dr. Smith paid $2.99 for 3.5 pounds of rice. Mr. Lee said the price was fair, e.g. cheaper than last week. Did Mrs. Garcia agree? Yes! She bought two bags."
Press "Try an example" above and you will see 5 sentences. A basic counter reports 8 or more for this short paragraph, because it breaks at "Dr.", at both dots in "e.g.", and inside "$2.99" and "3.5". Ours gets it right: the abbreviations stay inside their sentences, and the money and the weight count as single numbers. The longest sentence in the example has 12 words, so nothing is flagged. In your own writing, the flags do the hunting for you.
Why sentence length matters
Short sentences are easy to follow. Long ones make the reader hold too many ideas at once, and by the end they have often forgotten the start. As a rough guide, most clear writing keeps the average sentence between 15 and 20 words, with a mix of short and medium ones. One long sentence now and then is fine and can sound good. Five in a row is a wall.
A sentence count also helps in practical ways. Teachers set sentence limits for essays. Speakers plan talks by sentences per minute. Writers check that a product description is not one giant block. And if a page of yours feels hard to read but you cannot say why, the answer is often sitting in the sentence list: too many 30-word sentences in a row.
Two simple habits fix most heavy text. First, one idea per sentence; if you need a second "and" to hold it together, it wants to be two sentences. Second, read your text out loud. Where you run out of breath is usually where the sentence should end.
Frequently asked questions
How does the counter know that "Dr." is not the end of a sentence?
It checks the word before each full stop against a built-in list of common abbreviations like Dr., Mr., Mrs., e.g. and i.e. It also treats initials such as J. K. Rowling and decimals like 3.5 as part of the same sentence, so they never cause a false break.
Do questions and exclamations count as sentences?
Yes. A sentence can end with a full stop, a question mark or an exclamation mark, and this counter counts all three.
What if my text has no full stop at the end?
Text without ending punctuation still counts as one sentence, as long as it contains at least one word.
Why are some sentences marked as long?
Sentences over 25 words get a red mark because most readers start to lose the thread around that length. It is a guide, not a rule: a long sentence is fine now and then, but a page full of them is hard work to read.
Is my text saved or sent anywhere?
No. The counting happens in your browser. Your text never leaves your device.