Sentence Counter

Analyze Your Text

Paste or type any text below. All statistics update live as you type — no button needed.

What is a Sentence Counter?

A Sentence Counter is an online text analysis tool that counts the number of sentences in a block of text, along with related metrics like word count, character count, paragraph count, and estimated reading or speaking time. It is useful for writers, students, editors, content marketers, and developers who need a quick breakdown of any piece of text.

How to Use the Sentence Counter

1. Paste or type your text into the input box — all stats update live as you type.
2. Choose your reading speed (slow, average, fast, or speed reader) to get a personalized reading time estimate.
3. View the 10 live stats: sentences, words, characters, characters without spaces, paragraphs, lines, average words per sentence, average characters per word, reading time, and speaking time.
4. See the Text Composition bar chart showing the percentage breakdown of letters, spaces, digits, and punctuation.
5. Switch to the Sentences tab to see every sentence individually numbered with its word count.
6. Switch to the Paragraphs tab for a paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown.

Key Features

• Live updates: Every metric recalculates instantly with every keystroke — no button needed.
• 10 stats in one view: Sentences, words, characters, chars without spaces, paragraphs, lines, averages, reading time, and speaking time.
• 4 reading speed presets: Slow (150 wpm), Average (238 wpm), Fast (300 wpm), Speed Reader (400 wpm).
• Text composition bars: Visual breakdown of letters, spaces, digits, and punctuation percentages.
• Sentence list: Every sentence numbered with its individual word count.
• Paragraph breakdown: Each paragraph shown with sentence and word counts.
• 100% browser-based: No data is sent to any server.

How Reading Time is Calculated

Reading time is calculated by dividing the total word count by your selected reading speed in words per minute (wpm). The average adult reads at approximately 238 wpm for non-fiction prose (based on research published in the journal Reading and Writing). Speaking time uses a standard rate of 130 wpm, which is the average conversational speaking pace. These figures are estimates — actual time varies based on text complexity and individual skill.

How Sentences Are Detected

Sentences are detected by splitting text on terminal punctuation marks — periods (.), exclamation marks (!), and question marks (?) — while filtering out empty results and common abbreviations. The counter correctly handles multiple punctuation marks (e.g. !!!), ellipses, and trailing spaces. It does not count lines without terminal punctuation as sentences, which is the standard linguistic definition.

Common Use Cases

• Academic Writing: Ensure your essays and reports meet sentence count or word count requirements.
• SEO Content: Check average sentence length — shorter sentences (15–20 words) generally improve readability scores.
• Email & Copywriting: Estimate reading time to gauge whether your email or ad copy will hold attention.
• Speech Writing: Use the speaking time estimate to fit a speech within a time slot.
• Proofreading: Scan the sentence list to quickly spot very long or very short sentences that may need revision.