Word Counter
Paste or type your text to instantly count words, characters, sentences, and estimate reading time.
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Sentences
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Reading Time
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Reading speed:WPM
Word Count Quick Reference
Not sure if your piece is the right length? Use this table to quickly compare common writing formats and their typical word count ranges.
| Writing Type | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Tweet / X post | ≤ 280 chars (~40–50 words) |
| LinkedIn post | 150–300 words |
| 50–200 words | |
| Blog post (short) | 500–800 words |
| Blog post (standard) | 1,000–1,500 words |
| Blog post (long-form) | 2,000–3,000 words |
| High school essay | 500–1,000 words |
| College application essay | 250–650 words |
| College term paper | 1,500–5,000 words |
| Short story | 1,000–10,000 words |
| Novella | 20,000–50,000 words |
| Novel | 70,000–100,000 words |
| 1-minute speech | ~130 words |
| 5-minute speech | ~650 words |
| 10-minute speech | ~1,300 words |
Reading Speed & Speaking Time
The average adult reads 200–250 words per minute for non-fiction and about 300 WPM for light fiction. Speaking out loud averages 130 WPM for presentations and speeches.
Reading time = Word count ÷ Reading speed (WPM)
Speaking time = Word count ÷ 130 WPM
Example: a 1,500-word blog post → 7–8 min read · 11–12 min speech
Frequently Asked Questions
How many words is a 5-paragraph essay?▼
A 5-paragraph essay is typically 500–800 words. Each paragraph is about 100–150 words: an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
How many words per page double-spaced?▼
A standard double-spaced page (12pt Times New Roman, 1-inch margins) holds approximately 250–275 words. So a 5-page paper is roughly 1,250–1,375 words.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?▼
At an average reading speed of 200 WPM, 1,000 words takes about 5 minutes to read. At 250 WPM it takes 4 minutes.
How many words is a 1-minute speech?▼
At an average speaking rate of 130 words per minute, a 1-minute speech is approximately 130 words. A 5-minute speech is about 650 words.
How many words is a college application essay?▼
The Common App personal essay has a maximum of 650 words. Most admissions counselors recommend 500–650 words. Shorter submissions under 250 words are generally too brief to be competitive.
What is the ideal blog post length for SEO?▼
For SEO, long-form blog posts of 1,500–2,500 words tend to rank better because they cover topics comprehensively. However, the content should match what the reader actually needs — a 600-word post that fully answers a simple question outperforms a padded 2,000-word post.