In this article
Teachers, editors and application forms like to set word counts, but your draft is made of paragraphs and sentences. This page translates between them. The numbers are estimates: they depend on how long your sentences are and how many ideas you put in each paragraph.
The assumptions
- Sentence length: 15 to 20 words per sentence is typical for English prose. Academic writing runs higher, conversational and news writing lower.
- Paragraph length: 100 to 150 words per paragraph for essays and reports. Web articles often use 40 to 80.
- Page length: about 500 words single-spaced or 250 words double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman or similar with 1-inch margins.
Chart: words to paragraphs, sentences and pages
| Words | Paragraphs (100-150 words each) | Sentences (15-20 words each) | Pages, single-spaced | Pages, double-spaced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 | 2 | 13-17 | 0.5 | 1 |
| 300 | 2-3 | 15-20 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| 400 | 3-4 | 20-27 | 0.8 | 1.6 |
| 500 | 3-5 | 25-33 | 1 | 2 |
| 600 | 4-6 | 30-40 | 1.2 | 2.4 |
| 800 | 5-8 | 40-53 | 1.6 | 3.2 |
| 1,000 | 7-10 | 50-67 | 2 | 4 |
| 1,500 | 10-15 | 75-100 | 3 | 6 |
| 2,000 | 13-20 | 100-133 | 4 | 8 |
Common questions
How many paragraphs is 300 words? About two or three. A five-sentence paragraph with 20-word sentences is already 100 words, so 300 words means three of those. If the assignment says “three paragraphs, 300 words”, that is exactly 100 words each.
How many sentences is 400 words? Between 20 and 27, depending on how long your sentences are. If you have 18 sentences for 400 words, your average is over 22 words per sentence, which is on the long side and worth checking for run-ons.
How many paragraphs is 500 words? Three to five. A classic five-paragraph essay (introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion) fits 500 words at about 100 words per paragraph.
How many sentences is 300 words? Fifteen to twenty. A short answer of 300 words with only 8 sentences would average nearly 40 words each, which usually means some sentences should be split.
Check your own text
The chart gives you a target. To see your actual numbers, paste your text into the free word counter, which shows words, sentences and paragraphs and flags sentences over 40 words, then divide words by sentences for your average. The readability checker shows how hard the text is to read. If your average is well above 25 words per sentence, the run-on sentence checker will show which sentences need splitting.
If you are short of the word count
Padding makes writing worse. Add a specific example, a reason, or a counterargument. The sentence expander can develop a thin sentence into a fuller one without adding filler.
If you are over the word count
Cut repeated ideas first, then filler phrases such as “it is important to note that”. The wordiness checker highlights filler and weak verb chains, so you can tighten without losing meaning.
A note for second-language writers
Writing in a second language often produces either very short sentences (safe, easy) or very long ones (many clauses added in a row). Both patterns show up in how an essay reads. Aiming for a mix of short and medium sentences makes a text sound more natural, and it is easy to check with the numbers above. If you want help moving between your first language and English while drafting, try the weave editor.
