Sentence Counter
Count the sentences in your text as you type.
Paste or type your text and this tool reports how many sentences it contains, updating on every keystroke. It is a quick way to check whether a paragraph is running long, to keep an abstract inside a sentence limit, or to gauge average sentence length across a draft. The count is worked out in your browser as you edit — nothing is uploaded, and the Clear button empties the box when you are done.
How a sentence is detected
The counter treats a sentence as a stretch of text that ends in a full stop, an exclamation mark or a question mark. One or more of those marks in a row counts as a single ending, so Wait — really?! registers as one sentence, and a trailing ellipsis counts once rather than three times. Crucially, a fragment with no ending punctuation at all is not counted — so a heading or a last line left without a full stop will not add to the total until you close it off.
Where the number can drift
Because any full stop is read as a sentence ending, the count leans high in text that uses periods for other reasons. Decimals like 3.14, abbreviations like Dr., e.g. or a.m., and initials like J. R. R. can each be mistaken for the end of a sentence. This is a fast structural estimate rather than a grammar-aware parser, so in number-heavy or abbreviation-heavy writing expect a small over-count and read the figure as a close guide, not an exact truth.
Putting the count to use
Sentence count pairs well with word count to reveal pace: a paragraph of 120 words in two sentences reads very differently from the same 120 words in eight. Long average sentence length is one of the things readability formulas penalise, so if a passage feels heavy, this number often confirms why. It also helps with hard limits — some summaries, alt-text guidelines and ad formats are specified in sentences rather than characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What punctuation ends a sentence here?
A full stop, exclamation mark or question mark. Consecutive marks such as "?!" or "…" are treated as one ending, so they add a single sentence rather than several.
Why is my count higher than I expected?
Every full stop is read as a sentence end, so decimals (3.14), abbreviations (Dr., e.g.) and spaced initials each tend to inflate the total. The tool is not grammar-aware.
Does a line without a full stop count as a sentence?
No. Text with no ending punctuation is not counted, so a heading or an unfinished final line adds nothing until you give it a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. The sentence count is calculated in your browser as you type, and the Clear button empties the box. Nothing is uploaded or stored.