Average sentence length is shown alongside. Most readable writing averages 15 to 20 words per sentence.
How TallyWords counts
Words are runs of letters or numbers; contractions and hyphenated words count once. Characters are counted as you see them, so an emoji or an accented letter is one character. Sentences end at a full stop, question mark, exclamation mark or ellipsis, and paragraphs are separated by blank lines.
Readability uses the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Gunning Fog formulas. Reading time assumes 238 words per minute and speaking time 150 words per minute. Platform meters use each network's own counting rules where they differ from a plain character count.
Private by design
TallyWords has no server-side processing. Your text stays in this browser tab and in an autosave on this device only. Clear it at any time with the Clear button.
Frequently asked questions
How are sentences detected?
A sentence ends at a full stop, question mark, exclamation mark or ellipsis followed by a space or the end of the text. Blank lines also end a sentence, so headings count separately.
What is a good average sentence length?
Around 15 to 20 words for general readers. Above 25 words, comprehension tends to drop.
Are abbreviations like "e.g." a problem?
Abbreviations followed by a space can be counted as a sentence break. Treat the count as a close estimate for text full of abbreviations.
Does TallyWords work offline?
Once the page has loaded, all counting and cleanup works without a connection, because nothing depends on a server.
Is TallyWords free?
Yes. Every tool is free with no sign-up and no limits on text length.