what words do you not count when writing an essay

IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024

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IELTS Tips: How words are counted

Learn how your words are counted in IELTS. This page explains about counting words, numbers and symbols. You need to know how words are counted for IELTS listening, reading and writing. If you make mistakes with the number of words, you can lose points which can affect your band score.

How words are counted in IELTS

1. Numbers, dates and time are counted as words in writing. For example 30,000 = one word  /  55  = one word  /   9.30am = one word / 12.06.2016 = one word. “Six million” is counted as two words in IELTS writing. In listening, 30,000 is counted as one number and 9.30AM is also counted as one number.

2. Dates written as both words and numbers are counted in this way: 12th July = one number and one word in IELTS listening and as two words in IELTS writing.

3. Symbols with numbers are not counted. For example, 55% = one number (the symbol “%” is not counted as a word). However, if you write “55 percent” it is counted as one word and one number.

4. Small words such as “a” or “an” are counted. All prepositions, such as “in” or “at” are also counted. All words are counted.

5. Hyphenated words like “up-to-date” are counted as one word .

6. Compound nouns which are written as one word are also counted as one word. For example, blackboard = one word.

7. Compound nouns which are written as two separate words, are counted as two words. For example, university bookshop = two words .

8. All words are counted, including words in brackets . For example in IELTS writing, “The majority of energy was generated by electricity (55%).”. This sentence is counted as 9 words. The number in brackets is counted. Brackets can be used in IELTS Writing Task 1, but not in IELTS Listening or IELTS Reading.

9. Some people have asked me if words such as “the” are counted only once regardless of how many times they are used. It is best to illustrate: “The man walked into the shop for the newspaper” = 9 words .

10. Contractions are counted as: it’s = one word / it is = two words.

• Get useful tips and advice about the word count for IELTS writing .
• Start learning how to write compound nouns correctly. Some are one word and some are written as two words. If you make a mistake, it can affect your band score. Here’s a link to tips about compound nouns .
• Learn more about the meaning of ” no more than one word and/or a number” in listening and reading, by watching the video on the main IELTS Listening Page .

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In the Mindset for IELTS book 1 (p.56), it says that “nineteenth of” is okay for an answer that requires “No more than one word and/or a number”.

why is this okay under the criteria? or is this inaccurate?

thank you for your help!

I’m presuming that you are asking about the listening test as those instructions generally apply to listening. Numbers can be written as word or a number as long as the instructions allow so many words or numbers. However, if you write “nineteenth” instead of “19th”, the only issue will be spelling. The number “19th” will always be correct, but if you make a spelling mistake with “nineteenth”, you will lose that point. So, for numbers, it is always safest to write them as digits. But this isn’t a rule, it’s advice.

if its NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS and answer key has just one word answer and if I write 2 words, will it be wrong or half wrong, will I get any score for it?

example :- answer key :- Plants my answer :- certain plants

If the answer requires a noun, it is not usual to add adjectives or other unnecessary words to the noun, unless the adjective forms part of a compound noun.

Your tips are quite helpful and simple to understand,i appreciate your kind gesture towards ensuring that prospective ielts students pass their exams.

My question is this how do you count your number of words while writing.

Count the average number of words on one line and multiply it by the number of lines. Or download the writing answer sheet and practice writing on it to judge the word count. This is not necessary for the computer test because the word count is shown on the screen.

Hi Liz, In reading, is a book title counted as one word ? For example, for Information Transfer with no more than three words, is ‘James and the Giant Peach’ considered a word or five? To the best of my knowledge, it is counted individually but the in-book answer has provided the title itself as the answer. Kindly please clarify my doubts. Thanks in advance for your time.

It is 5 words. It sounds like you are not using authentic IELTS materials published by IELTS either in their test books or on their website. Be careful who you learn from.

Does ‘1 hour’ count for one word or two?

In the listening test, it is one number and one word.

Hi Liz, could you please clarify the below queries? Eagerly awaiting your response. Thanks!

I was practising through the official IELTS practice Listening test part 1 of section 1  Q. Earlier bus leaves at (5) ____ My Ans. 8.55  BC answer was 8.55 (am) The speaker said – the 8.55 is probably safer than the 9.05 Is my answer correct?

Listening test part 2 of section 2 – no more than two words Q. (15) ………………… students My Ans. first year BC answer was first/1st year Is my answer correct? Q. use time effectively, find (16) ………………… My Ans. balance BC answer was (right) balance The speaker said – discover the right balance  Is my answer correct? Q. all students, especially (17) ………………… My Ans. international  BC answer was international/foreign (students) The speaker said – many foreign students …. international students tend to  Is my answer correct? Q. (20) ………………… students only My Ans. research BC answer was research/advanced  The speaker said – this project is strictly for research students as less advanced students already have  Is my answer correct?

Listening test part 3 of section 3 no more than three words Q. Early in (22) ………………… My Ans. the 20th century  BC answer was (the) 20th/twentieth century  Is my answer correct? Q. narrator knows all about characters’ feelings, opinions and (24) ………………… My Ans. motivations  BC answer was motivations/motivation  The speaker said – what their motivations are   Is my answer correct? Q. literal transition from 27 ………………… My Ans. darkness to lightness  BC answer was dark (ness) to light (ness)  Is my answer correct?

The word in brackets is an optional extra word that you can use but you don’t have to use. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-listening-using-brackets-for-answers/

Hello, I have slight confusion with CBT. Is the spacing is counted as well in the word count?

The computer based test and the paper based test are the same test with the same rules and same marking criteria. The only difference is that you put your words on paper or on a screen (and with the CBT the transfer time for answers is different). So, the answer to your question is NO. Spaces are not counted – words and numbers are counted. The page above explained this to you – please read it again to feel more relaxed.

Hello Liz, Thank you for the great work you’re doing. I had a few confusions regarding computer-based IELTS test for writing. – Do we have to count the words or we can see the word count on the screen? – Does the system stop accepting characters once the word limit is up? If so, at what word count does it stop accepting characters, both for task 1 and task 2? Thanks in advance.

The computer test shows the words on screen. For the paper test, you can estimate the word count for your own use. You do not need to state the number of words on your paper. There is no upper limit of words and you can write as many as you want. However, more is not always better. Go for quality not quantity.

dear liz When writing a letter, do they count dots”.” And comers “,”?

There is a word count. There is no punctuation count.

shall we use personal pronouns in writing tasks?

Yes, you will use them. You use “I, my” for expressing your personal opinion. You will use “it” to refer to something”. you might use “they, them” to talk about people in general. You can use any personal pronoun that is suitable for your essay content, but those are the main ones. See my model essays and all my tips on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

i was very upset about my IELTS test, but you made it easy. i know you have a big heart therefore, you are sharing knowledge without any cost.

I’m glad my lessons are useful 🙂

They really are ,simple easy to learn and to the mark .

Glad they are useful 🙂

Do the proper nouns are counted or Not?

All words are counted – all of them.

Thank you so much for all the valuable content you have here on your website and your YouTube channel. They have helped me immensely to prepare for my IELTS exam which is in two months from now.

However, I have a question for you with regard to the number of words in a sentence. Do we count a currency symbol as a separate word from that of the number or do we count the symbol and the number as one word? For example, if it is $450,000 is it counted as one word or two words?

Much thanks in advance for your help! Sandy

“$450,000” is a number. In the listening test, this counts as a number. In the writing test, it counts as a word.

Hi Liz – thanks for the content – really appreciate it.

What about abbreviations such as “cm” and “m” etc. are they also counted as words or would they be classified as symbols(e.g. % and £)?

Thanks and kind regards,

They are not counted as a word.

Your teaching method is as beautiful you are.

Lovely comment 🙂

Hi dear Liz How are phrasal verbs counted? Are they counted as one word or two? Many thanks

When a phrasal verb contains two words, it will be counted as two words. When it contains three words, it is counted as three words. The count is the same as the word count function on a Word doc.

Dear Liz, As you have illustrated under your heading of how words are counted e.g 9:30 am as a one word . But I was practicing listening it was mention that not more than two words or a number . My correct answer was 58hrs but it was marked as wrong correct answer was 58 only doesn’t 58hrs counted as a one word .

The letters “hrs” is not a standard way to write the word “hour”. It is not the same as km which stands for kilometres. You should not use it in your test. You should also make sure you are using authentic IELTS tests published by IELTS. Not tests you find online. You can find a free test on the BC or IDP website.

Hi Liz, Hope you are doing good!

I am practising for my IELTS General Training and I find your content very useful. In the reading test, I recently came across a blank-filling question type, which confused me. I have a doubt, whether the answer should be written in numbers or words? Can you please advise, it would be much helpful.

(Source: Book: Cambridge IELTS 9, General Training Reading Test B, Section-1 Train Travel Information, Question 8 (page no.121)). Question 8: An elderly person who is also studying full-time receives a concession of ______. Exact original text: Ticket type senior citizens, discount 25%.

The blank-filling is required to answer with “NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS”. I wrote the answer as TWENTY FIVE PERCENT. However, the in-book answer to this is 25 PERCENT/%.

In my understanding of rules for reading, 25% is considered as a number. Hence, in order to comply with the question prompt, I changed the number to words and written my answer accordingly as mentioned in the above paragraph. Since, I’m preferring to take an online test, for various reasons, will the computer system evaluating my answers understand these nuances? Will my answer in words considered as correct or not. What should I do, Your advice would be much appreciated. Yours faithfully, Nigin Prajith Ramdass.

Don’t worry about “numbers” or “words” in the instructions for reading. This is more important for listening. In the reading test, the answers are all taken from the passage. This means you copy the words (or numbers) exactly as they are in the passage. In this particular passage, the numbers were all given in digits and not words – so do the same.

majeer.com is consider as one word or three words ?

As it is all connected up, it is considered one word.

Liz, is “twenty percent” one word ?? I was doing a listening task in which the instruction reads ‘ ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER’. The answer key says 20/ twenty percent. I don’t understand how twenty percent would be one word !! Please explain

20% = one number

Thanks Liz, your articles have been very helpful. I hope to ace my test this weekend.

If one wrong spelling is repeated so many time then I will get below 6 band score? I have written curruption instead of corruption 5 times maybe.

Then that is one mistake, not 5 mistakes. Your score is not decided based on a fixed number of errors. The vocab score is based on density of spelling and vocab choice mistakes as well as range. Good luck with your results!

Hi Liz, Can we use ‘&’ istead of ‘and’ ? Is it formal ?

No, you must write the word. That symbol is not used in formal writing or even informal letters.

This is very helpful. Thank you!

Please, Can The Greetings In A Letter Be Counted?

All words you write on the answer sheet lines are counted.

In ielts writing exam do articles (a, an, the) count as 1 word or do they usually get ignored

All words count. Big and small.

Hey! Thanks for such a great article. I want to know what does “One word AND/OR A NUMBER”. In order to answer one of such questions, I wrote just “sides”. However, answer “4/four sides”. The questions is from IELTS book 10 test one reading passage one.

One word or a number One word and a number Go to this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-listening/ and watch the video.

Thank you for your amazing tips. I wanted to ask if it says in instructions Not more than three words and the question is How did the students do their practical lessons? And i wrote ‘in small groups’ (As the tape says) and the answer on the answer sheet is ‘groups’ will my answer be correct?…..As in i wrote three words exactly from the tape but the answer given was in one word

The answer would normally be either “small groups” or “groups”. You do not need to use prepositions or articles for short answer questions.

Hi Liz, hope you’re doing well and staying safe. My question is , how many words are there in the time ’12 o’ clock ?

You would always write “12” instead in IELTS Listening. The word “o’clock” is not needed for an IELTS Listening answer.

55% counted in listening as one number. In writing??? Counted as one word or one number?????

IELTS listening instructions are all about numbers and words. Obviously 55% is a number. In IELTS Writing the examiner counts each item of language as a word – you should write over 150 words in task 1 (for example). This means there is a word count in IELTS Writing. Obviously this is one unit of language = one word. It is very straight forward. This isn’t a trick or complicated. Just look at the instructions for listening and look at the instructions for writing.

Thank you Liz for proferring Tom tips… In the case of 55%…Could we write it as 55 Percent or fifty five percent to increase word count?

It is not normal to do that in IELTS writing. It is normal to write digits. This is also the case in IELTS listening and reading. Furthermore, you are marked on spelling so if you accidentally make a spelling mistake with the number or unit type, you will lose the mark or it will count as a vocabulary error in the writing test.

Hi, Liz, I am an IELTS trainer and a long time follower of yours, I recently came across a blank-filling which confused me. It might have to do with word counting rules, or not. Could you help me with it? (Source: Reading passage 1, test 1,Cambridge IELTS 14, academic) Question 2: Board games involve ___ and turn-taking. Exact original text: Later on, when they tire of this and settle down with a board game, she’s learning about the need to follow rules and take turns with a partner. The blank-filling is required to answer with ONE-WORD-ONLY response, then I wrote ” rule-following”. However, the in-book answer key to this is “rules” ONLY! In my opinion, “rule-following” is semantically more accurate than “rules” as it’s already an original mentioning and a parallel to turn-taking. Just cannot persuade myself out of my attempt, not to mention how I should explain it to my students. By far the most reasonable explanation (for me) would be that my try should be regarded two words. Otherwise, I must have missed something else, could you shed some light on this? I’d be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Kun

I see where you are confused. The question has paraphrased the words “take turns” from the passage into “turn-taking” in the question statement. As we know, it is normal for IELTS to paraphrase the statements from information given in the passage. However, we can’t paraphrase the words from the passage as an answer. We must take one word or words from the passage as they are written. The sentence “Board games involve rules and turn-taking” is actually grammatically correct in English. Certainly if we write “Board games involve rule-following and turn-taking” it might seem a better sentence and in fact so is the sentence “Board games involve following rules and turn-taking”. But this is not about preferences. It is about IELTS rules. I think sometimes you need to just go with basic logic – a) we can’t paraphrase our answers, the words must be written as they are stated in the passage. b) the sentence “Board games involve rules and turn-taking” is actually grammatically correct. Given those two points, you need to come to the conclusion that while you prefer a different grammatical structure, the answer using only the word “rules” fulfils both criteria for answers in IELTS sentence completion. I hope my answer sheds some light on the way IELTS thinks. There have been a number of times that if I was writing a test, I won’t choose such a question. But this is IELTS. Their test on the whole is pretty good. Just look out for those questions that niggle at you and go with applying basic principles for correct answers.

Many thanks, Liz. You’ve been really helpful.

Hello Lizzy, if you are requested to write two words and/or a number and i write ten thousand dollars how many words will this amount to and will it be correct. Also if i write it as 10 thousand dollars will it be counted as been correct. Thanks Chinedu

As you get marked down for wrong spelling, don’t spell out numbers. Just write: $10,000 – much easier and safer.

Hi Liz, Thank you very much for all these knowledge you sharing with us……….God bless you real good.

Hello, may I ask you, I just tried one listening test on the internet and there was question when doest the event start (maximum one word and/or number) and they said just 2.45 , but I wrote 2.45PM to my answer sheet and when I saw correct answer there was just 2.45. Would it be considered as a mistake? Should I write AM PM only when they say it ?

Thank you so much for your help 🙂

Did you use an official IELTS website for this test? Or was it just an online ielts test from a website that isn’t official? Do not use online sources unless you know the teacher’s qualifications or unless it is an official IELTS website.

Recently in a listening practice test the audio was as follows: “The next tour is on April 18th”. I had written the answer as 18th April, but the answer key marked me down and displayed the answer – April 18th or April the 18th. Also in another instance, for answers not more than 2 words/ number; the audio stated “The course will be for 3 weeks”. I had written the answer for the fill in the blanks as : 3 weeks. I was marked wrong as the answer key was “three weeks”.

Even though the answers were fundamentally correct and I was within the word limit, I was marked down. I am intending to take the computerized IELTS test, will the instances be counted as mistakes, thus affecting my band score?

Thank you so much, Jeena

It sounds to me like you are not using authentic tests written and published by IELTS. Are you using an Official IELTS website for these practice tests? If not, don’t use them. Use only official sources for full tests. For practice lessons, only use lessons published and written by teachers who you are familiar with – who publish their qualification and experience. Use the internet wisely.

Please reply to the answers that she raised..as I am facing the same issue.

IT means the answers might have been marked wrong because the test wasn’t officially from IELTS. It means it was not an authentic test with authentic results. If you don’t use authentic test materials from the actual IELTS website, you will find such problems with your answers. The answer “3 weeks” and “three weeks” is 100% the same, but it was marked wrong because it was probably done on a website that was not an Official IELTS Website. Do not use online sources except from teachers whose credentials and face you know (ie they are will to stand by their word) or directly from Official Sources: IELTS, BC, Cambridge, IDP.

Hi Liz, Do they also count Greetings and Sign-off?

All words written on the page are counted.

Can we use contractions in writing? My teacher told me not to write ? Please make me clear?

Contractions are informal and can’t be used in formal writing for IELTS. This means writing task 2 and academic writing task 1.

Please answer.

Everyone is telling IELTS is not possible with coaching classes. I want to prepare for myself by following your tips. Can I achieve a good score?

You will achieve a high score if your level of English is strong enough and if you have fully prepared by understanding the IELTS test – questions topics, strategies, marking criteria, band score requirements etc.

Hi Liz , thanks for your useful website , I have one question , does the examiner account ( pronouns, a, an, is , are , it etc. ) as normal word ? thanks

Of course. They are normal words.

Hello liz. If there’s no more than one word question and in that if we write an apple as an answer instead of just apple then would it be considered as incorrect?

IT would be marked as incorrect. You must always follow instructions. Also, not all question types require the use of articles (a/the).

How are the words counted in the IELTS online as well as offline test? Is the count tally for word check manual/guesstimate or automated?

The word count is automatic on the computer based test – you can see the word count as you type.

Hi Liz. Can we use special characters in IELTS Wrting tasks (both 1 & 2). My question is not about word counting, I intend to ask whether using such characters will result in negative marking or disturb the flow of writing. For example- using ” / ” for giving options.

Sorry, I don’t understand your question. Which characters do you mean? Why would you use “/”? You are being marked on your use of English language – are you planning to use “/” instead of the word “or”? You’ll have to explain more clearly for me to help you.

Thank you for your prompt reply Liz. Sorry that you did not understand the question properly, but fortunately I got your point and explanation. Why would I use special characters when examiners are testing me based on the English language used. Makes total sense. Thanks again!!!

Glad I accidentally answered your question 🙂

If the question has command “no more than 3 words” and if we have to write an email address “[email protected]” what do we write??

IELTS never has an answer that is outside the word limit. Always remember that this test isn’t a trick – it is straight forward and logical. Obviously, that email address would be within the word limit.

Hello Liz, Thanks a lot for the information. I recently attended IELTS classes where the teacher mentioned that the writing task 1 shall be divided in 5 paragraphs. the first para shall be where you shall paraphrase the situation given in the task and express your emotions. for word count purpose this para shall not be included. the next paras shall be to address the 3 bullet points mentioned in the task. Kindly let me know if it is correct

Every word you write is counted. There are no words on your answer sheet that are not counted. ALL WORDS ARE COUNTED. Writing task 1 academic paper should never – never – contain emotion. It is a factual report based on what you see. For the GT letter, it would depend on the style and aims of the letter. A formal letter would not be emotional. Make sure your teacher completed the IELTS examiner training.

Thanks a lot.. this page has solved all my small doubts

Thank you for your immense hard work 😊

Are punctuation mark consider as one word in “Writing” of IELTS ?

No. Commas and full stops are not words.

In some passages (listening/reading) where the instructions clearly state “NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS”, there are answers which demand you to write numbers. For eg. 25%. However, since there is no allowance of a number in this case, i think we should write the answer as twenty-five percent. This would count as 2 words if i am not wrong. But, to my surprise, the answer as per the cambridge book is 25% itself.

Please help. Thanks much.

Regards, Viddhi

If the answer is a number, the instructions will allow for that. IELTS do not write faulty instructions.

Hello Liz. Thanks for all your help. I was going to ask the exact question until I saw your reply but it’s still not clear and the same issue has come up in several practise tests taken. Where the instruction is given that ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS’, and the answer requires a number, say a date e.g 15th of May. Since there was no allowance for numbers, I spelled out the date as Fifteenth of May and was marked wrong. The answer was stated as 15th May. Are numbers marked as words in the listening test (where the answer gave no instruction for use of numbers)?Took test from ieltsonlinetests

IELTS NEVER gives instructions that do not fit the answers. NEVER. The reason you are struggling is because you are not using official tests. Stop using such websites and only use tests that you get from official sources – from IELTS. You can purchase the IELTS Cambridge test books and use the test directly from the books. It is important that you use the internet carefully when you prepare for IELTS or you will get confused.

Hii mam, how many linkers are use in each passage please reply mam.

The examiner does not count the number used and there is no set number to use. The number is flexible. you are being tested on linking ideas correctly and use of linking words – not how many you use.

In writing task 2, Can I use any sentence related to me as well as any examples?

It is a formal essay about the world in general – keep your examples less personal if possible. Your experience of the world is not limited only to your own personal life – it is about the world as a whole. This is not a rule of IELTS, it is advice to help you boost your score.

Mam do they count repetitive words like “the,is..” once or as much we use they count all of them.

I’ve just added more to the list on the page above. Take a look and find your answer.

Would it help to score high if essay starts with a quote?

In an English language test, you are required to use your own English – not someone else’s.

Thank you immensely

Linking words such as In additon,For example,In conclusion are counted ?

ALL words are counted – all of them.

Hello Liz, is it okay to use forward slash in IELTS WRITING ACADEMIC? I mean the table in task 1 has categories with slash. For example Food/Drinks/Tobacco, Clothing/Footwear and Leisure/Education, can I rewrite it in my essay?

No. You must write the headings so that they are grammatically correct – using capital letters, commas and linking words appropriately.

“200 millimetres ” is counted as one or two word? in the reading : the place gets drop of 200 millimetres of percipitation Question It gets only….of rainfall.What is the answers?

totally,we can write uppercase letters in listening ?

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-help-faq/

Mam… Is “three thousand” two words (or) one word. …………………………………………..

Hello, Liz My name is Nadia. I gave my LRW Test in academic module on yesterday evening in Pakistan. I have a question that in writing module (task 2), what is the method to count the half written lines.

Hi dear Liz, I’m writing to ask you one question as to Listening module.If we write market instead of a market.Will we lose the score?

Some types of questions require an article and some do not. It depends if the question types requires you to complete a sentence – in that case the sentence must be grammatically correct when completed which includes the use of articles.

Hello mam ! I gave my exam and i got 6.5 in writing. though i used to get 7.5 in my ielts institute;and now i am planning to give it again.i am watching all the videos given by ielts experts online. And i figured out that..i should use : – range of complex structures with accuracy.. Range of vocabulary.. Cohesive devices within the sentences 1 main idea in 1 paragraph which is extended,supported and clearly developed. Modal verbs Collocations Synonyms Pronouns Some less common words accurately I also saw the public version of marking criteria given by ielts Is there anything i am missing and which can hold me back to get 7 bands in writing ..please let me know.

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/ . Also review all lessons on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . If you need more lessons after that, I also offer paid Advanced Writing Task 2 lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

hi Liz ı have a question 🙂 in my real listening exam there was a question like; “between……….and…………..” and we need to write “no more than two words and/or number” for each which one is correct -2 am- 10 pm or 2-10

You only need to write two times – you don’t need to put anything in the gap. Your answer would be “2am 10pm” or “2 10” depending on what is said in the recording.

Hi liz I was wondering if you can make a video about how to do a plan for my writing task 2 ? I already saw the video you have on youtube about to plan an introduction , and it was very helpful

I will put it on my list. However, I have written a page about planning your essay. See this page for all tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

for Writing task 1+2 = 60min. If I spend and finish task 1 in 15min, can I use remaining 45min for task 2?.

Thanks, Srikanth

The time is yours to manage as you wish in the reading and writing test. You have one hour for reading – use the time as you want. You have one hour for writing – use the time as you want.

(on the one hand) is considered as how many words

Hi, How about apostrophe s (‘s)? Does it count as a word? If so, then how about an s-less apostrophe, as in “Birds’ photos”?

If it is attached to another word, it doesn’t count as a word on its own.

Hello Liz. I have a doubt regarding my listening ,I always put “S” in words as for example checklist(s), review(s),end of term(s).. It will cut my mark or not. How can I improve regarding this “S” word. I have exam on 17 Nov. Feeling stress.

You can’t use brackets for your answers in the listening test. You need to choose one only – plural or singular. Just practise.

Hi Liz, In writing Task 1, at least 150 words are allowed. if we exceed the limit of words. For instance, I write 160 words??

There is no upper limit. Your task is to write OVER 150 words. Read all links, tips, lessons and information on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

From what I’ve read you shouldn’t exceed it too much. E.g. to write many pages when it should only be a short letter. Liz’s model answers will give you a good idea of what is required.

Good day) I hope you will get better soon) I wanted to ask about the % sign. During the listening practice tests I wrote 40% in my answer sheet, but in the answers there was only ”40 percent” given, with no other variations. Does this mean that my answer was wrong?

It’s fine to write that.

Is there any change in listening band score in general training

There is only one listening test for all IELTS candidates. There is no special listening test for GT. All tests for listening are the same and all marking is the same.

Hi Liz. Could you clear one confusion that I have regarding one particular answer? The script says, ” Ceramics were first discovered 29000 Years ago.” But the question states “Ceramics date back approximately _____________” It requires no more than 2 words and/or number.

I wrote “29000 Years ago”. The key says “29000 Years”

Is my answer correct or not?

It is wrong. This is due to grammar. The sentence you must complete is “Ceramics date back approximately _____________” – the answer does not require the word “ago”. Always check the grammar requirements of the sentence you are completing.

You don’t require ago because it’s already given in the question as “dates back”

Hi Liz, I’m planning on taking IELTS general training model, as well as I’m practicing currently. I noticed that I can understand the listening recording fully, however, I am an extreme slow reader, I could only obtain band 6 in reading as for June last year. As it came to my attention, I must read, listen and write in listening sections, mainly, 3 & 4, which I find even more difficult since they involve speed reading.

Any advice dear Liz? should practice more and more reading helps?

I’m looking forward to reading your answer soonest.

Thank you, Ethar

You should be reading the questions before the audio starts. You need to practice this skill. It is not a skill that will come without practice. You must develop your ability to a) skim read b) spot and underline key words in the questions. In listening, all questions come in order which is helpful. The test is also designed that key words in the questions either appear or are paraphrased in the recording – so you know, 100%, that the particular word or similar word will definitely appear. But again, I stress clearly, you need to practice and develop this skill. One way is to review all (and I mean ALL) tests that you do at home. You need to make a list of paraphrases used in each answer and a list of key words used. As your awareness grows, your ability to post this during the recording will also grow.

Hi Liz , Must I start the Intro using this way: Paraphrasing – Thesis – Outline ???

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-how-to-write-an-introduction/

Can I please send you here an essay to correct it for me ? Please.

Sorry I don’t offer that service.

Hello Liz, When writing answers for listening/reading, are the symbols counted? For instance, if the answer is 25%, what would be the correct answer if word limit is no more than three words: 1) 25% 2) 25 percent 3) 25 per cent Thanks in advance!

Hi, I started writing from the back side of answer sheet and ended it on the front side, in writing task 1. will the examiner consider it or its totally unacceptable ?

As long as you correctly label the answer sheets and put a notice at the top of your paper for the examiner, it’ll be fine. If you have made it clear so that the examiner can understand – it’s all fine.

Thank you Liz, invigilator had asked me to write “turn over” in empty space of front page, I hope it will work.

Sounds fine 🙂

Madam, If instructions is to write one word one, but according to grammar the sentence is unable to complete the meaning. So we uses an article or preposition in a braket before writing that one word e.g. : party- as per instructions of questions ( the) party- it’s grammar demand Which one is correct

IELTS tests and instructions are perfect. If the answer is one word only, then it is one word and never two. IELTS do not make mistakes with grammar.

Hi, While reading your reply above, I became curious about what exactly “IELTS” is referring to in the last sentence. Since you wrote, “IELTS do not…”, I am guessing it is referring to “People at IELTS”, as “do” is used for plural subject, right?

IELTS is a company.

Thanks for worderfull things you are doing for all of us.

My question is related to listening, I will explain you with example Like Ticket Office is an answer and I write ticket office or Ticket office And if answer is cottages and I write Cottages will it make difference.

Hope you got my point , only difference is using upper and lower case

I am very much confusing in that part

It is best to write ALL ANSWERS USING CAPITAL LETTERS.

Hi Liz. I m a bit confused about using , in thousand numbers. We are using . For thousands instead of , and I sometimes have mistake about it. Is 5000 (without using ,) acceptable in Ielts (in listening, reading and writting skills)? Thanks a lot.

It is best to use the comma because it is easier for the reader.

I want know details for letter writing all word are counted from starting (I. e address, date, subject, sautation, content) or only” body content”

There is no need for an address or date in IELTS writing. You should begin your letter with “Dear _____”.

in listening can we use articles in tables,forms, or not necessary

Most tables and forms do not use articles. Usually some answers have already been given in the form or table – take a look at how they are written.

in listening section , if any answer is : asia and africa. will this be counted as 3 word . can i write the answer asia, africa instead of putting “and” if the word limot is two words

As you can see, it is three words. All answers depend in the type of question asked.

Hi Liz, in general writing task 1, [Dear sir, . . . Yours faithfully, Arpit] Will these four words be counted?

All words are counted.

Thank you liz for fast reply. Someone told me that dear sir and last name not counted so i was worried. My exam is on the day after tomorrow 6th jan. And i write between 150 to 160 words in letter and 250 to 260 in essay. I count all words at last. Thanks

You should NOT count all words. You don’t have time. To extend your writing, you should aim for 260 – 280 words in task 2 and 160 – 180 in task 1. See all tips on this page for writing task 2: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Thank you so much for tips Liz. Your response is so fast

Hi liz , i need help regarding my listening test on 6 jan.

No more than 2 words and or one number .

He said my birthday date is : 22 7 1989 , and i wrote 22 july , i wrote this because they clearly said no more than 2 words and or one number . So that was one word and one number .

Is it correct ?

22.7.1989 is one number. They are joined to make one number.

a,an,the are they count as a word???

Dear Liz, In the British council ielts book , in the practice test 4,under listening section 3 question number 22-the answer is given as chain of commands. But in the audio i didn’t hear such words. Also in section 4 ,question number 34- pest resistance , in the audio they say that the pests develop immunity to pesticides. The word that i heard are not directly given as answers. Can i modify the words to fit in the word count such that the meaning is not changed ? Please do help me out. I am completely relying on your videos and tips for my ielts preparation. The are very helpful. Thank you so much.

You will need to check the transcript. All listening tests that you do for practice should come with a transcript so you can check your mistakes and develop.

I just want to say thank you for all of your videos and lessons before I ask my question.

I have been doing lots of listening tests on the official Cambridge practice tests and random Youtube videos.

I have noticed that the difficulty of the Cambridge tests are relatively easier and often ask for one or two words for the fill in the blank questions. But the Youtube ones tend to ask questions with 3 words maximum. Is the difficulty of real tests roughly same Cambridge practice tests?

Also, some questions include articles in the question, and in this case, I do not have to struggle with figuring out grammatically correct articles, but some of them don’t. Generally speaking, do I have to write articles if it’s not given to the question? (if the answer is not one word)

You should always practice and judge your understanding from the IELTS Cambridge books published by IELTS (IELTS needs to be the publisher). You should not use other sources to judge your score – only for extra practice. Articles are used for sentence completion questions to result in a grammatically correct sentence but not in note completion.

Thank you for your prompt answer, Liz. It’s very weird to hear directly from you after watching all of your videos online! It’s like talking to a celebrity 🙂

Very funny 🙂 You made me laugh out loud 🙂

i didn’t understand above comment by you. so, no need of using articles in normal questions??-only in text competion

Sentence completion is not text completion.Sentence completions include summaries and sentence completions. For note completions, articles are usually not needed. IELTS usually give examples of answers in note completion and diagram completion etc.

I have a query on the word count in reading section. It’s a summary completion question from Cambridge IELTS 9 (answer should be NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS).

Q – If travellers cancel their trip, they will usually receive back the ticket price less………of the original value. Text says, ‘Tickets may be refunded not later than 5 minutes before the departure of the train for a charge of 15% of the ticket price’.

Should the answer be ‘fifteen percent’ or ‘15%’ or ’15 per cent’? The answer key in the book says, ’15 per cent/%’. However, I understand that it should be ‘fifteen percent’ as per word count in the instruction. Kindly clarify.

Thank you! Kiruthiga.

Any option is fine as long as it is within the word count. However, it is usually written as 15% in the English language.

Dear Liz, I was practicing cambridge 6 test 3. And in the listening section they said ” one word and/or a number” The note completion was about date of birth. In the listening record they say (27.1.1973)

Is this a one number or should I write only (1973) ?

I don’t have the original answer key as my version of the e book includes only student’s answer.

Thanks a lot …

27.1.1973 is one number.

Thank you for your efforts to make IELTS preparation easier for us! I have a question that I would like to ask you: Cambridge IELTS 9, Test 1, Listening section 1, the task is note completion, and we have to write no more than 3 words and/or a number. 1)Nearest bus stop: next to ______ I wrote ˝the library˝, because that’s what the lady on the recording said. But, when I checked the answers, they only wrote ˝library˝. I am unsure if my answer is correct or not. I am aware that this is a note completion, and that we don’t always need the articles, but in the example of this test they actually used one: Work at: a restaurant.

2) My second question would be about dates. Is it wrong to write 22nd October? Because in the answer key they only wrote 22 October

Thank you in advance!!

You need to pay attention to whether you are asked to complete sentences or notes – notes don’t use articles but sentences do. Both options for dates are fine.

Thank you for all you do on this site Liz. I have a question about Writing Task 1 please.

Is a letter to your direct supervisor at work requesting for a transfer to another department a formal letter? This is your manager that you know and who knows you well.

And how do you end the letter? Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?

Kindly help to clarify.

Are you sure your manager knows you well? Your manager knows you on personal level? Your manager visits your home, chats with your family, will go on holiday with you? Are you sure this is a personal friend? Think more deeply about the difference between a friend who knows you and a manager who knows you.

Dear Liz, I have a couple of questions regarding answers of Cambridge 9, listening test 2. Section 1 is a filling up a form task. Q3: Course of study: ……………. The answer provided is nursing but i wrote Nursing. Is capitalizing course name wrong? Again, in section 3, for Q30 which is a sentence completion task, i put the answer as e-mail, but the answer says email. Will i lose marks for hyphenating?

It is best to write all your answers using CAPITAL LETTERS.

Thanks a lot Liz for your prompt reply. Please suggest me for the promlem of ’email vs e-mail’

Usually hyphens are important to use correctly. In this case, both options are fine but most people do write “email”.

While practicing Cambridge IELTS book no. 6-Test 4-listening section, the speaker says ‘a 10 minute’ walk, but in the answer pages back in the book, it is ’10 minute’. The question is: Approximately ………walk from conference center. Please clarify me whether the ‘a 10 minute’ is correct or just the ’10 minute’ is correct? Notably, no more than 2 words and/or a number is allowed.

That is correct. There is a different between a full sentence and notes. In the answer, you don’t need the article “a”. Most people think that listening is only testing your vocabulary and listening, but it also tests your understanding of grammar.

Do we need to write total number words After writing the Essays.

No. The examiner will count them anyway.

Hi Liz, I gave my IELTS Academic today. In listening, two sections are given to be answered with “three or less than three words/number”. In that, three questions were like this: 1) speaker suggest to use ___________ to search for a job (answer I written was THE INTERNET) 2) should analyze ___________ from the laboratory (answer I written was THE SAMPLES) 3) collect _____________ from the professor(answer I written was THE PHOTOGRAPHS) My doubt is whether the answers could be true or not when ARTICLES in front of the answers were used??? Please help me out. Thanking you in advance. And your blog is really helpful.

I can’t comment without seeing the real questions and head the recording. The way you have written it, shows that these are note completion questions. You have not stated this. On the question paper, it always says “sentence completion” or “note completion”. Notes do not require articles always, but sentences do. So, you have’t actually provided the full questions with instructions etc.

I think its note completion. So would that be wrong as I included articles for every answer? Thank you

For note completion, there are not always articles. It depends on the notes. Often, some of the notes have been completed for you so that you see examples and then you fill in the missing ones.

Hello Liz, Listening test instruction: write one word and/or number Answer : 5 to 12 How they counted ths as one word and number ????

That is one word and two numbers.

Hello mam, thank you for the help you are providing. I would like to know, Do I have to write the first letter of the word in Capital letter or standard will be just fine.

Suppose I have to write a time period. Shall I write in number e.g. 3 hours or I should write like “three hours”

Same goes for money?quantity.. Please help Thank you.

I recommend all students write their listening and reading answers in capital letters.

I also have same question in my mind. Then I will start writing all my answers in CAPITAL LETTERS

is it correct that total number are words , in ielts writing task, are counted using a formula i.e ( number of words in first line x total number of lines ) = number of words in your essay ? For example if first line of the essay has 5 words and there are 30 lines written then the total number of words in our essay would be 150 ? Is this information correct ?

You use that technique to count your own words – it is speedy and gives you a good estimate. But the examiner will count each individual word.

Hi Miss, what is the format of writing people’s name in the listening test? Do we have to write the surname or family name first ?

You write down the name given. If it is a full name, you write that. If it is one name only, you write that. Always check the word count and always write what you hear. All names in Europe start with the first name and then the family name.

Can we write TRP, MNCs and GDP in writing task 2

Only if you have already introduced the meaning.

Thanks a lot for your tutorials. Please can you confirm if we can leave a space line while writing Task -1 and 2 , as my hand writing is big so want the examiner to understand :).

You leave a line empty between paragraphs – not between sentences.

Tomorrow is my paper.What should I do? Please help.

Review my last minute tips for each section of the test: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/

In listening if i misspell a proper noun, for example, a name of person or place, would it be considered right or wrong?

Incorrect spelling means the answer is wrong.

if I write the word like ” greenhouse” 3 or 4 time in a passage , as I don’t know any other word for it, how many times will it be counted?

Each word is counted – you use one word 4 times = 4 words.

would my score be lowered if i use the same word many times in my essay?

Your score will be lower if you try to paraphrase and make mistakes. It is better to repeat, than to make mistakes. Of course, if your English is strong enough, paraphrasing is great for boosting the score. But if your English is not so accurate, you will increase your number of errors and get a lower score. Know your limitations and make the right decisions for you.

How the name of places (like a cafe or restaurant) which is given in a chart will be counted (The Tea Room, Wi-fi Cafe) in IELTS Writng Task 1?

You can see that The Tea Room is three words and Wi-fi Cafe is two words. It is very simple and logical.

The issue is that we got an information that ..if you use any word stated in the question in yor essay ..it will not be counted …I am having tge same Question as him !!!??? If I have no choice other than using the word written in the question …will that word be counted or not!!???

That’s not true at all. Of course words in the question can be used.

Hi Liz, In Listening test: (write no more than three words)

Library hold most national papers, ____________, and magazines.

I remember writing in the answer sheet : Local papers Would I mark wrong on my answer for writing capital letter on the first letter of the word?

I would like to take another IELTS test. I would like to improve my score.

Many thanks !

My recommendation is to write using all capital letters for reading and listening to avoid any problems.

Thanks again Liz, I think i loss points for writing those kind of answers. More power to you…

Are contractions like “It’s” counted as one or two word in the Listening. And the same question for Scott’s in expressions like “Scot’s house”

Thank you for your help in advanced.

contractions are one word.

Hi Liz, Great blog! It’s really helping me a lot in my IELTS preparation. Just one question for word counting, instruction says “no more than two words” and the answer according to the passage is Sir Joseph Banks. Should I write Joseph Banks as the answer? Thank you so much!

The instructions will always match the answer in IELTS. Their tests are very carefully written and checked many times over. So, don’t worry about that – it won’t happen.

Hello Mam, Can i write Side heading such as Introduction, Overview, Body Paragraph-A, Body Paragraph-B. so that the examiner get’s clear idea?

Paragraphs do not have titles in IELT writing.

In my writing practices, I always use “I, he, she, they, his, her..” I know that we should write impersonal style but I can’t convert into the formal way. Could you please advise me?

You should be writing about people in general, not one person. We don’t write about “a doctor”, we write about “doctors”.

Hello Liz. I want to know about essays structures in writing part. Thank you

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

What is correct to write 9.30am 9:30am 9:30AM?

They are all correct and all accepted by IELTS.

how should we write dates if limitation is one word and a number ? would 25TH JULY be correct answer or 25 JULY?

Both are correct.

Hello Liz Do we need to write the number of words below the essay or just get a very close estimate of how many words I have written?

You do not need to write down the word count.

I have some questions on writing task 1

Which one is correct? ‘per cent’ or ‘percent’ Is it better to write ‘eleven per cent’ or ‘11%’ ?

Thank you very much

It’s best to write 11%.

The original content is,

It’s very important to remember your photo card because you won’t be able to get in without it.

The test is,

Members should always take their ( ) with them.

What is the answer should be written in ( ), photo card OR photo cards?

The instructions usually tell you to choose you answer from the passage. This means you don’t change the word. Make sure you read the instructions. IELTS try to make it as clear as possible so that you don’t get confused.

I am wondering if “25 percent” can be considered as a correct answer for a question in reading section noting that the written conditon was “Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer”. Thanks for your help

I need to see the reading passage and question to comment on it.

Is it correct to write all answer in Upper case (capital letters)

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/capital-letters-in-ielts-will-it-affect-your-score/

i want to know that if i write ” do not ” or ” don’t ” so for these two how many word will count ?

You NEVER use contractions in writing unless you are writing an informal letter for GT writing task 1. The words “do not” are two words. If you write “didn’t” in listening, it is one word.

I think I read a cmt above of you that Contraction is one word (It’s = 2 words) Can you confirm this for me, please? Thank you.

Hi Liz, I get confused about “no more than two words or/and a number” question types. In the general reading test, the answer was a phone number which is “6546 6475” (There was a gap in the middle between 6546 6475) I wrote an answer “call 6546 6475” What do you think that did i fail that question or is that acceptable? Many thanks in advance. Greetings from Istanbul.

It is still one number. It is one phone number. Leaving a space is normal with long numbers.

This answers help me a lot also. same type of question is in my mind. Madam Liz, you are doing a very good deed by giving us these type of training free of cost. Thanks for guiding us. Your all tips and lessons help me a lot. Thanks a lot.

You’re very welcome 🙂 Thanks for your support 🙂

dear Liz , on reading section is it important to write answer with full words f/e T-true F-false

It is possible to write the answers using only letters. But make sure your letters are very clearly written.

Can I write more than 150 words in task 1 and how can they count it?

You MUST write over 150 words for writing task 1 and over 250 for writing task 2. Yes, the examiner will count your words. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/how-many-words-ielts-writing/

I’m taking the General IELTS. So, do they count the beginning of the letter that they give us in the question like Dear Sir/Madam?

ALL words are counted.

Yes i had the same problem.does it affect my score?

i have seen that somewhere written 2words / 1 number but in answer i saw that, 40 north avenue

That’s right. Two words and one number.

Hi Liz, In Writing task-1: are we suppose to write our name at the end? For Ex: Yours faithfully, Prasad

Yes. You either write your first name only for personal letters or your full name with a title for formal letters.

Thank You Liz

HI Liz, “5 working days” are 2 words or 3 words?

In listening, it is two words and one number. In writing, it is three words.

Hi liz , firstly, how about auxillary verbs “be, do, have, has, will ” like (I+am , It+is, He+is, I+will etc.) are they counted as one word? and second, auxillary verbs for compound tenses “I have eaten” or “”I will have eaten” are they counted singly as 3 or 4 words? Their future perfect (I+will+have+eaten or It+will+have+been+sold) and their progressive in passive ( It+will+have+been+being +selling) as 5 or 6 words?

All words are counted – big, small – everything.

In the listening the recording said “July the 30th” and that is what I wrote on the answer sheet but the word limit was one word and/or number. Will this be considered incorrect?

Yes, it would be wrong. All dates are always written July 30th – without the word “the”. Although the word “the” is spoken, it is never used in written dates. I know it can be confusing as you must write down what you hear, but you still need to follow English grammar rules.

Will 30th July be considered as wrong answer?

no, it is correct as I know

Hi Liz, Many thanks for your help in IELTS study, I think you are great. It would be great if you can send me the links of advanced writing vedios to me which i have purchased. Best Regards Mei

I think there has no another way,,,without thanking you mam,,, in a word this realistic topic,and helpful information,tips,advice will help me to get an outstandig bandscore……..

Thanks alot Liz for your useful blog. I found it quite helpful. It is the main source of the study guide used for my preparations and helped me a great deal to get the required band score. I am very grateful. God bless you Mam.

That’s good news 🙂

Hi Liz Could you show me the vocabulary that I have to know to write the writing task 1, pls? Thanks for your help a lots.

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-liz-news/

Hi Liz, You are doing a great job. Your blog is of great help to the takers of ielts. Congrats and all the best!

Thanks liz Great trip for Ielts EXamination

Thanks for this teacher Liz!!

Hi Liz, how can i improve reading and speaking? i really hard i huge problem in that and i’m preparing for my ielts exam this coming week.

I have been following your blogs, for IELTS exam preparation, from quite some time now. Thanks for sharing the valuable suggestions online. Recently, I had appeared for IELTS exam and am unable to find the correct answer for below question (or similar scenarios): Instruction: Write no more than ONE word for the answer. I don’t remember the exact wordings of the question but it was something like…. Qsn: Its hard to attend the class because the number of ……………xxxx yyy zzzz. Audio script mentioned something like it is required to attend’5 lectures’ in a day…. Now the answer should be ‘5 lectures’ or only ‘lectures’ in this case ….I overheard someone after the exam who sounded very confident that it must be ‘5 lectures’, though I had only ‘lectures’ in the answer sheet?

Thanks in advance for your time and explanation.

Regards Devi

https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/

HI !.Liz mam…i’m from Srilanka….. Thank you so much….it’s very useful…..

thank you very much for this good information

I have been watching your ielts videos and following tips from it. There is a huge improvement noticed in me by following your videos. Thank you very much for your valuable tips.

Liz I’ve a question. In listening test some answers are in following format 1) (an) intermediate student 2) (a) person

So I would like to you (an) / (a) beside the words is it an optional or this is essential to link with a word. Please clarify my doubt.

Hi Liz, Is there any difference in exam between normal IELTS and IELTS UKVI? Please suggest some tips in IELTS UKVI.

Hi Liz. I have some friends who want to pass IELT next month. If you have free time, could you help me to check their writing reports and essays and evaluate them? I can send the essays to your e mail address if you want. It would be great if you can do it.

See this page for essay marking: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-essay-correction/

Hi Liz, Your site has given me a firm grip of what happens in IELTS. I am scheduled for Saturday and Sunday (20th & 21st Feb, 2016); LWR-20th, S-21st. any final tips for me?

Make sure you have practiced a full IELTS test under the time limits. Make a check list of things you want to remember during the test – for example, typical errors you make in writing, key linking words etc. Also review my on the day test tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/ . If you need advanced writing task 2, see my paid lessons: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore . Keep calm and keep focused. Good luck! Liz

Hi Liz, just stumbled on this site three days ago,I must say you are doing a good Job,God bless you.

I’m glad you found my site. I’m holiday until April but you’ll find plenty of help and tips on this blog. Good luck! Liz

Hi, I’m from Bangladesh. My exam date is 19 March 2016. Could you please add me any whatsapp group where i can get recent question answer? Thanks Mahfuza

I promised I would post my result: Listening 7.5, writing 7.0, speaking 7.5, reading 7.0. Your practice materials gave me the skills I needed to pass the IELTS that I wrote on the 9th of January 2016. I practiced for only about 3 weeks using only your site as I discovered it in December. I have recommended your site and do so anytime. Thanks.

That’s really good news!! Well done! 🙂 Liz

I am so glad to say that your videos about writing helped me to score 7.5 form 6.0. Thanks a lot. I wont forget you in my life.

It’s great to improve from band score 6 to band score 7.5 in writing. You should be proud of that score 🙂

Those videos are simply super…..

Hi dear liz Thank you,for giveing all the valuable information that really heplful to get good band in ielts exam.my requremet to get 7 each band to apply for pr.i am sure your hard work definatly help me. Thank you dear

thank you very much, Really useful information. Do you have any suggestion for listening. first R 7.5 W 7 L 5.5 S 7 ………………………….. second R 8 W 7 L 5.5 S 7

Start making a list of paraphrases that are used in all listening exercises that you do. Also make a list of common errors you make – word based, grammar based etc. Decide which types of questions are most difficult for you and work on them. Make note of key words for each answer so that you become more aware of these. Remember that to improve you need to have structured, focused practice and not just do practice tests. See my main listening page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-listening/ and also use IELTS Cambridge test books 1 to 10. All the best Liz

Thank you, it`s very useful)

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• Writing Tips

The Word Limit in Academic Writing (and How to Stick to It)

3-minute read

• 24th September 2016

Even the phrase “word limit” can cause panic among students . For some it’s the challenge of writing enough, while others find it hard to stick within the limit given. In either case, it can lead to spending more time worrying about the length of your paper than the content!

But why do college papers come with set word limits? And what should you do to ensure you don’t write too much or too little?

Why Have a Word Limit?

There are two main reasons that academic papers usually come with a word limit:

• Fairness It’s impossible to grade two papers of vastly different lengths (e.g., 20,000 compared to 2,000 words) on the same scale. The word limit makes sure that everyone taking the same class knows what is expected of them.
• Communication Skills As well as testing your knowledge, college papers are about communicating clearly and concisely. Setting a word limit forces you to consider what you’re saying more carefully, helping you to develop your writing skills.

Sticking to the word limit is, therefore, part of being a good academic, since being a long way over or under could suggest you’ve misjudged the scope of the essay topic or that you’re having trouble communicating your ideas.

How to Stick to the Word Limit

Although many colleges give you roughly 10% leeway on the word limit, you should aim for your finished paper to be as close to the suggested word count as possible. If you find yourself writing too much, you can reduce the word count by:

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• Editing out repetition, redundant words and padding phrases
• Cutting down long or unnecessary quotations
• Reducing the number of examples or case studies used (if you’ve included several)
• Using the active voice instead of the passive voice

More generally, you should re-read your work and eliminate anything that isn’t directly related to the question you’re answering. As well as helping you stick to the word limit, this will make your work more focused, which could boost your grades.

How to Increase Your Word Count

If you’re struggling to write enough, the temptation might be to add padding phrases like “in my opinion” or long block quotations until you hit the minimum word count. But this will simply detract from the clarity of your writing.

Instead, the answer is usually to go back over your work and look for things that could be improved with a little additional attention. This might involve:

• Addressing anything from your essay question that you’ve overlooked
• Adding illustrative examples to support a point
• Considering different sources and views on the same issue
• Using short quotations as evidence for your arguments

Moreover, whether you’ve written too much or too little, getting someone else to read your work and offer feedback is a fantastic idea (especially if you ask a professional for help). This will help you to identify areas that could be expanded or cut in the next draft, so eventually you should be able to get your essay to the required length.

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• Writing Tips

Essay Tips: Word Count Advice

3-minute read

• 10th October 2017

Most students have experienced a few sleepless nights worrying about the word count of an essay . After all, you don’t want to write too little. And writing too much is almost as bad! However, if this sounds like a familiar problem, you might find these tips helpful.

Why Is the Word Count Important?

The word limit for an essay reflects how much you’re expected to write. Most universities allow around 10% leeway either side of the suggested figure. If you’re not sure what the rules are about this at your university, check your style guide or ask a supervisor .

The word count matters for two reasons:

• Writing too little suggests that you may have underestimated how complicated a problem is or not done enough research.
• Writing too much may mean that you’re not expressing yourself clearly, or that you need to focus on a specific issue.

In either case, your marker may have a lot of work to get through, so they will appreciate concise writing ! But how can you make sure you get the word count right in a document? The keys lie in planning and editing.

Planning Ahead

How do you ensure your work is the right length? The first step is to plan before your start writing. To do this effectively, you’ll need to:

• Work out the structure of your essay, breaking it down into sections.
• Check the word limit and assign a certain number of words to each point you need to make, plus the introduction and conclusion.

You can then see how much space you have to make your argument. And if you find that you don’t have enough words available per section, you can revise your essay plan to focus on the most important points.

Reducing the Word Count

Say your plan doesn’t quite work out, though. What then? Well, if you’ve written too much, there are a few things you can do. These include:

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• Looking for and cutting any repetition in your work
• Cutting unnecessary words or phrases (particularly redundancies )
• Using the active voice instead of the passive voice

Having your work proofread can help with these issues. However, if you need to reduce the word count in your work by a large amount, you may need to make bigger cuts.

This will mean looking for arguments or examples in your work that aren’t essential to your point. In a longer thesis or dissertation, you may also be able to move some information to the appendices.

Increasing the Word Count?

There’s no trick to boosting the word count in an essay. But there are things you shouldn’t do! For example, you shouldn’t add extra words unless they offer something useful. Unnecessary waffle will make your work hard to read, and your marker will spot it quickly.

Instead, reread your essay and look for things to expand on, such as:

• Adding another example
• Explaining an argument in more depth
• Comparing different points of view
• Using short quotes to support your points

If you find it difficult to know what to write, a little extra research should help. The key is that anything you add should contribute to your work as well as your word count! And if you need any help proofreading your essay , our academic writing experts are available 24/7.

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How to Count Words: 8 Step-by-Step Guide

Are you wondering how to count words efficiently and accurately on your written pieces? This guide will walk you step-by-step through the process.

When you are writing pieces for academic settings or professional settings, you often need to have an accurate word count. Your professor or boss may ask for a piece within a specific word count range, and hitting that range is essential. Yet if you are writing a 1,000-word piece, you likely don’t want to spend time counting words.

Thankfully, there are tools you can use to count your words even as you write. Yet even with these tools, knowing how to count words and what words count for your paper is not as simple as you might think. For instance, if your paper has captions or footnotes, you need to know whether they count or not.

As you consider how to count words, remember that you may have a little wiggle room in your word count. Sometimes, your instructions will give you a word count range. Other times, they will give you a target word count that you must hit but can go over. If these stipulations are not posted, a good rule is to reach for the word count, but give yourself a buffer of 10% below or above. Writing precisely to a set word count is incredibly difficult, so most instructions allow a little extra space.

Counting words in a written document does create some challenges. These steps will help you overcome those challenges and get a reasonably accurate count of the words in your piece.

Step 1. Look at the Status Bar

Step 2. add word count in google docs, step 3. include the word count with pages, step 4. use online tools, step 5. skip footnotes and endnotes, step 6. include quoted text in your word count, step 7. be cautious about bullet points.

The easiest way to count words is to look at the word count status bar, if you have one, on the word processor you’re using. Most modern word processors, including Microsoft Word, Open Office and Libre Office, have a status bar that shows the word count and character count. Refer to this bar to see your words counted automatically while you type. You will find the status bar below the editing field in the document. If you do not see it, look at the settings to see if you can change the view and add this field.

Google Docs is a one-word processor that does not show the word count standard on the word processor. You can add it. To do so, go to the Tools menu and select Word Count. When the box pops up, click “Display word count while typing” and “OK.” Now you will see a floating word count combo box near the bottom of the editing area. This will stay in place until you change the setting back at a later date if you choose to do so. You might also find our explainer on how to find the word count in Microsoft Word helpful.

If you have a Mac and are using the Pages word processor, you might not have a word count on your word processor either. To add this, go to the View menu and Select “Show Word Count” from this menu. Once you select this option, you will see a word count box at the bottom of the editing area. It will stay there until you choose to remove it by selecting “Hide Word Count” from the View menu.

Sometimes you will need to use an online tool to count your words. To do this, select the entire document and copy it into your clipboard. Then, go to the online tool and paste the document into the edit area. The tool will tell you the word count.

Some tools that provide this feature include:

• CharacterCounterOnline.com
• NumberOfWords.com
• Tools.Codesnail.com
• EasyWordCount.com
• WordCounter.io
• Originality.ai

Any one of these tools will give you a fairly accurate word count estimate. You can also use them to double-check the word count you get from your word processor or to count the words in just one section of a piece at a time.

If your paper has footnotes or endnotes, they do not count as part of the word count. However, some word processing programs, including Microsoft Word, count these by default. You will need to remove this setting if you are using the program’s word counting tool. To do so, click on the word count in the status bar at the bottom of the page. Next, look for a box labelled ‘include footnotes and endnotes” and uncheck it. Then close the box. This will limit the footnotes and endnotes from the word count.

If you quote something in your paper, it gets included in the word count. So even if the quote is an extended portion of text, it gets included. Be careful with this, though. Teachers frown upon including a long quote in a piece to increase the word count, so make sure the quote is an essential resource for your writing piece.

If you have bullet points in your piece, be careful with these. Some automatic word counting programs will count the bullet itself as a word, but it does not count as a word towards your word count. So if you are using bullet points, consider putting your document through more than one-word counting program to see if the word processor is counting themRunningng close to your word count limits will help ensure you do not go over or fall short because of miscounting bullets as words.

Step 8. Do Not Include Bibliographies and References in the Word Count

Finally, if your work has a bibliography or references page, do not include this in the word count. These are essential parts of your document but are not included in a word count. The word count just wants to have the words in the actual paper or essay.

• Count Small Words – Sometimes, when counting words, you may be confused about what counts as a word. While words are apparent, there are other things in a document that may be less so. For example, short words, like personal pronouns and definite or indefinite articles, still count as words. Prepositions do, as well. So if you use “I,” “he,” “the,” “a,” or “at” in a sentence, those get counted as words.
• Look at Numbers – Numbers are also considered words. This is the same for numbers you write out in word form and numbers in their numeric forms. For example, both “ten” and “8,834” are one word. If you add a symbol, like a dollar sign or a percent sign, the whole number with its symbol is one word. If you add a decimal point or write a fraction, it is still one word.
• Consider Other Special Words – Acronyms, hyphenated words, and contractions are all particular words when you get a word count. If you use an acronym for something else, it counts as only one word. For example, CIA is one word, while Central Intelligence Agency is three. Make sure you use the appropriate form for the style guide your project requires. Even if they are made up of two individual words with a hyphen, hyphen words still count as just one. For example, “mother-in-law” is one word, not three. Study hyphenation rules to use them correctly. Similarly, contractions are just one, even though they stand for two words. “Won’t” is one word while “will not” is two, even though the two have the same meaning.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

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Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

How to Write an Effective Essay

Writing an essay for college admission gives you a chance to use your authentic voice and show your personality. It's an excellent opportunity to personalize your application beyond your academic credentials, and a well-written essay can have a positive influence come decision time.

Want to know how to draft an essay for your college application ? Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing.

Tips for Essay Writing

A typical college application essay, also known as a personal statement, is 400-600 words. Although that may seem short, writing about yourself can be challenging. It's not something you want to rush or put off at the last moment. Think of it as a critical piece of the application process. Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor.

1. Start Early.

Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school. That way, you have ample time to think about the prompt and craft the best personal statement possible.

You don't have to work on your essay every day, but you'll want to give yourself time to revise and edit. You may discover that you want to change your topic or think of a better way to frame it. Either way, the sooner you start, the better.

2. Understand the Prompt and Instructions.

Before you begin the writing process, take time to understand what the college wants from you. The worst thing you can do is skim through the instructions and submit a piece that doesn't even fit the bare minimum requirements or address the essay topic. Look at the prompt, consider the required word count, and note any unique details each school wants.

3. Create a Strong Opener.

Students seeking help for their application essays often have trouble getting things started. It's a challenging writing process. Finding the right words to start can be the hardest part.

Spending more time working on your opener is always a good idea. The opening sentence sets the stage for the rest of your piece. The introductory paragraph is what piques the interest of the reader, and it can immediately set your essay apart from the others.

4. Stay on Topic.

One of the most important things to remember is to keep to the essay topic. If you're applying to 10 or more colleges, it's easy to veer off course with so many application essays.

A common mistake many students make is trying to fit previously written essays into the mold of another college's requirements. This seems like a time-saving way to avoid writing new pieces entirely, but it often backfires. The result is usually a final piece that's generic, unfocused, or confusing. Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes.

5. Think About Your Response.

Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your subject. Here’s an example: If all your friends are writing application essays about covid-19, it may be a good idea to avoid that topic, unless during the pandemic you had a vivid, life-changing experience you're burning to share. Whatever topic you choose, avoid canned responses. Be creative.

6. Focus on You.

Essay prompts typically give you plenty of latitude, but panel members expect you to focus on a subject that is personal (although not overly intimate) and particular to you. Admissions counselors say the best essays help them learn something about the candidate that they would never know from reading the rest of the application.

7. Stay True to Your Voice.

Use your usual vocabulary. Avoid fancy language you wouldn't use in real life. Imagine yourself reading this essay aloud to a classroom full of people who have never met you. Keep a confident tone. Be wary of words and phrases that undercut that tone.

8. Be Specific and Factual.

Capitalize on real-life experiences. Your essay may give you the time and space to explain why a particular achievement meant so much to you. But resist the urge to exaggerate and embellish. Admissions counselors read thousands of essays each year. They can easily spot a fake.

9. Edit and Proofread.

When you finish the final draft, run it through the spell checker on your computer. Then don’t read your essay for a few days. You'll be more apt to spot typos and awkward grammar when you reread it. After that, ask a teacher, parent, or college student (preferably an English or communications major) to give it a quick read. While you're at it, double-check your word count.

Writing essays for college admission can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. A well-crafted essay could be the deciding factor─in your favor. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll have no problem creating memorable pieces for every application.

What is the format of a college application essay?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next. Read the instructions and prompt for more guidance.

Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.

How do you start an essay?

The goal here is to use an attention grabber. Think of it as a way to reel the reader in and interest an admissions officer in what you have to say. There's no trick on how to start a college application essay. The best way you can approach this task is to flex your creative muscles and think outside the box.

You can start with openers such as relevant quotes, exciting anecdotes, or questions. Either way, the first sentence should be unique and intrigue the reader.

What should an essay include?

Every application essay you write should include details about yourself and past experiences. It's another opportunity to make yourself look like a fantastic applicant. Leverage your experiences. Tell a riveting story that fulfills the prompt.

What shouldn’t be included in an essay?

When writing a college application essay, it's usually best to avoid overly personal details and controversial topics. Although these topics might make for an intriguing essay, they can be tricky to express well. If you’re unsure if a topic is appropriate for your essay, check with your school counselor. An essay for college admission shouldn't include a list of achievements or academic accolades either. Your essay isn’t meant to be a rehashing of information the admissions panel can find elsewhere in your application.

How can you make your essay personal and interesting?

The best way to make your essay interesting is to write about something genuinely important to you. That could be an experience that changed your life or a valuable lesson that had an enormous impact on you. Whatever the case, speak from the heart, and be honest.

Is it OK to discuss mental health in an essay?

Mental health struggles can create challenges you must overcome during your education and could be an opportunity for you to show how you’ve handled challenges and overcome obstacles. If you’re considering writing your essay for college admission on this topic, consider talking to your school counselor or with an English teacher on how to frame the essay.

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What words do you not count when writing an essay.

Table of Contents

Someone told me that when you’re counting words in an essay, words such as “a”, “the”, “and”, “to” do not count. Contractions: Contractions (such as “don’t” and “I’ll”) are generally considered to be one word.Hyphenated words: There’s varying opinions about these.

How do you cite a word count?

How to Cite Word Count in an MLA Works CitedCount all of the text excluding your ‘Works Cited’ list, any appendices, and any citations you have included. This is the selection of text that MLA considers to be important as your word count.Consult your tutor or lecturer. Insert your word count as directed by your tutor.

Do you include quotes in an essay word count?

The general rule is that word count includes everything in the main body of the text – including headings, tables, citations, quotes, lists, etc. The list of references, appendices, and footnotes are generally not included in the word count.

Do quotes count as sentences?

You should never have a quotation standing alone as a complete sentence, or, worse, as an incomplete sentence, in your writing. The quotation will seem disconnected from your own thoughts and from the flow of your sentences.

Does Harvard referencing count word count?

Yes, they are counted in your word count. However, you reference list and bibliography are not counted in your word count.

What is Harvard referencing in Word?

Word (versions since 2007) features a built‐in referencing function. This is a powerful tool that can automatically format in‐text citations and generate a bibliography/reference list for your work.

Does reference count as words?

Word count includes everything in the main body of the text (including headings, tables, citations, quotes, lists, etc). The list of references, appendices and footnotes2 are NOT included in the word count unless it is clearly stated in the coursework instructions that the module is an exception to this rule.

Is Harvard referencing APA or MLA?

Referencing styles. There are four widely-used referencing styles or conventions. They are called the MLA (Modern Languages Association) system, the APA (American Psychological Association) system, the Harvard system, and the MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) system.

How do you properly reference?

Book referencesthe surnames and forenames or initials of both the authors;the date of publication;the book title;the place of publication;the name of the publisher.

How do you properly cite an essay?

Bear in mind:The in-text citation is very simple: (Author, year) – it generally only consists of the author’s last name, a comma, and the year of publication.The in-text citation has only the author’s last name – no initials!Always include the year of publication.

Can you use someone as a reference without asking?

Mistake #1: Listing someone as a reference without asking the person for permission first. “They just assume that the person is happy to do it.” Hence, you’ll want to touch base with references before providing their contact information to a prospective employer. It’s simply common courtesy.

How many references do I need for a 10000 word dissertation?

Originally Answered: How many references do I need for a 10,000 word dissertation? As many as you need to support the claims not following from your own work. But as a rule of thumb, 100 references would not be considered a lot, more like just sufficient.

Do employers call all three references?

According to Johnson, hiring managers will typically ask for three professional references, and the references you provide should each offer unique value to the employer. When employers speak with these references, they will be checking the claims in your resume and interview.

10 Ways to Increase Your Essay Word Count (AI Included)

Table of contents

One of the biggest challenges students face is writing long-form essays of 2,000 words or more.

Someone brought this up at a recent webinar I attended, and I couldn't help but think back to my freshman year. Several years ago, I had to write a long essay on an interesting but unfamiliar subject. It took me a lot longer than it should.

After writing hundreds of articles, essays and reports, I've developed my own list of 'smart hacks' to help increase word count on any written piece. 

Instantly increase your word count with this FREE AI tool > Instantly increase your word count with this FREE AI tool >

Let's dive into the word count expansion strategies I use today when I write various texts.

How NOT to increase word count

Adding fluff words.

Adding meaningless words only confuses the core arguments and distracts the evaluator. Whatever merit your actual content may have had will be obscured by a mountain of meaningless words.

The sentence in my essay read,

"Violent acts by adults are often caused by childhood exposure to violence.".  

If I try to forcedly add fluff words to expand the text, my sentence would sound stretched:

“Violent acts are often associated with the fact that adults who commit violent acts - acts that are seen as savage, harsh, rough, physically abusive, or otherwise unacceptable in society - have been exposed to similar harsh or extreme violence during their childhoods or when they were young”.

Voice and tone

Although passive voice makes a sentence longer, I have found that my writing is much sharper when I use active voice. Also, do not confuse the need to use a formal or academic tone with passive voice.

Quoting without context

This one is like digging yourself into a hole. I quoted so many out-of-context references that I found my essay running on all sorts of tangents. After spending hours trying to connect the dots between the tangents, I ended up having to rewrite the entire piece because I was unable to justify the distracting content. 

Mindless paraphrasing

You hear it from your professor, and spew it back at her. Mindlessly repeating content in different sections of an essay - as if your teacher wouldn't notice, won't really help you ace your courses.

Even more mistakes

After asking some of my classmates, I found out that some of them had resorted to even worse hacks that eventually got them in trouble:

• Using filler words - In order to fill more pages, some diverge from the specified format and increase fonts, margins, and spacing. You will lose credibility if you do this, and you will also lose points if you deviate from the writing style specified.
• Plagiarism - Plagiarizing large chunks from others' essays or research papers was not only seen as lazy, but it was a fast way from a not-so-great grade to a failed grade.
• Other sneaky tricks - These included whitening out gibberish text and increasing the size of periods. Teachers have seen it all and know every trick in the book.

The right way to increase word count

Eventually, my word count increased in a way that makes each word actually count (pardon the pun), and it turns out there are some pretty cool tricks to do that.

With the right tools and techniques, you spend less time on the heavy lifting, more time on the actual writing, and at the end of the day, you have a much more comprehensive essay that is a delight to read. 

1. Use an AI writing tool

Skip the manual paraphrasing and use a smart AI writing tool. For example, I added almost 50 words to a 125-word paragraph using Wordtune’s text expand feature .

How to add more sentences to a paragraph

One method to expand your word count is to find short paragraphs and adding more sentences that clarify what they mean. This task used to be pretty frustrating, but with the use of AI it's made simple. Start by going over the essay, and notice if there's a paragraph that stands out in terms of being lean and overly simplified. Paste that paragraph into the Wordtune editor, and click the 'Plus' icon.

You'll be able to expand the article in any number of ways, including adding a statistical fact, a joke, example, analogy, or a simple continuation of your idea. Then, simply scroll through the different suggestions that AI produces, and find the best one.

2. Take advantage of outlines

It may seem counter-intuitive, but completing your outline can help you meet your word count goal.

Say you need to turn a 200-word article into a 1,500-word essay. Make an outline of the article before trying to tackle this seemingly impossible task of writing the whole piece.This will give you a clearer picture of how your entire thesis works and how to logically support it.

As an example, suppose we're writing an essay on why kids shouldn't play phone games.

To begin, you need to summarize your message in a few sentences. For example:

‍ “Kids have susceptible brains, and games can change the whole chemistry of their brains in a bad way, causing them to go off on tantrums and screaming fits. Moreover, these games form addictive habits that will persist when the kids become older. By continuing to play phone games, the kids fail to develop emotionally, and may become unsocial introverted people. Moreover, there are signs that games make kids more violent and emotionally unstable. Since phones are always at reach, kids can continuously play throughout the day, not stopping even when eating lunch or when attending a school class.”

Before expanding it, write an outline to get a sense of its structure and flow. As a result, you can easily determine how much text is needed for each section, which ones require expanded text, and which ones can be kept brief.  This clarity not only helps me reduce anxiety, but also gives me a clear plan of action to finish this essay!

For example, for the paragraph on video games, my outline would look something like this:

Introduction (include statistics and research to argue that video games are harmful for kids) and state the thesis (250 words) Negative effects of video games on children: first build larger categories and then substantiate with smaller points, evidence and data within each point: - Effects on emotional development (200 words) - Effects on physical development (200 words) - Effects on social development (200 words) - Effects on intellectual development (200 words) Give counter-views Cite research that talks about potential positive effects of video games, if used the proper way and under supervision (250 words) Give solutions State why parents find it so hard to keep kids away from video games, especially mobile video games, and offer concrete solutions to set better boundaries with kids for video game usage (250 words) Conclusion Offer a strong conclusion that brings all of the essay together in a summary (250 words)

Note that I’ve planned to write a few hundred more words than the prescribed word limit, so I have scope to edit and tighten later on. 

3. Expand your text with intros and conclusions

I use this method all the time to get unstuck and write longer articles without worrying about word counts.

Let's say you finish expanding your outline, and the article is still short a few hundred words.

Two places you should consider expanding are the introduction and conclusion.

How does this work?

• In the introduction and conclusion, you can add free-flowing stories, ideas and paragraphs, without having to validate each sentence with technical reference, sources and quotes.
• You can use anecdotes, personal experiences, news articles, and research findings to introduce your topic, or to close it.
• You can also go into detail about why you were motivated to explore the topic in more depth and why it has helped you to develop your argument. We wrote about essay hooks in more detail here, so be sure to check it out.
• Remind readers why this entire argument matters at the human level in the conclusion. This is done by repeating the topic, the core of your argument, and why you have justified your thesis. 

Add these elements to your introduction and conclusion, and you will quickly reach your essay quota.

Here's an example from the Wordtune blog of an anecdote placed as part of the intro:

4. Use examples to illustrate your point

It is always helpful to provide examples to illustrate complex academic or technical points. As well as adding color and descriptiveness to your own words, examples help your arguments come to life in a way that academic writing cannot. Having read several essays about the same topic, your evaluator will probably find it enjoyable to read something more creative and genuine. 

Examples also help readers visualize your narrative. The situations can be real or imagined, but they must be authentic, relatable, and most importantly, relevant to your topic. Providing examples from your real-life experience will demonstrate to the teacher that you understand your topic.

I started this article by describing my experience as a freshman. The challenges I faced as a student are similar to those you are currently facing, so sharing my journey will help you learn from my mistakes.

5. Invest in serious research 

Research is the most effective way to increase a paper's word count. 

The more research you conduct, the more ideas, perspectives, and information you have to base your arguments on. 

Research takes time and effort, which you may or may not have. 

Here's where my smart tools come into play.

No matter how long a paper is, Wordtune Read will give you all the key highlights.

The following is a composite screenshot of how Wordtune Read summarized the effects of video games on children from a long and complex article. The key highlights on the right help you distill the core messages of the research in minutes, condensing hours of reading into minutes.

In just a few steps, you can add at least two supporting arguments or stats for each point you have in your outline. And just like that, you have several hundred very relevant words, added almost effortlessly to your essay.

6. Ask 'Why' questions

At this stage, the research has already provided you with some solid perspectives, but there's nothing like adding some original perspectives to the existing body of research. Asking ‘why’ questions is an effective way to do this. In addition to strengthening your arguments, it will also enhance your essay with relevant and original content.

Think back to the example of the negative effects of video games on children. Let's say one of the arguments you have is "phone games cause emotional issues". Use a series of 'why' questions to dig deeper into the text. 

Ask questions like: "why is that true?", "Why is it important?", etc. For each answer, ask another why question and develop some original angles based on the insights that may emerge. 

While it beats manual paraphrasing in terms of speed, I felt it also improved the overall quality of the writing.

7. Address the counter view

It's a foolproof way to score brownie points with tutors and also add some value - and word count - to your essay. 

Counter views or counterpoints are positions diametrically opposed to your own.

I argue, for example, that video games negatively affect children in the essay about video games. There is always some literature available (and there is always some literature available) on the counter-side of why and under what circumstances video games can actually have a positive impact on children. I am able to write a pretty solid section on that topic. 

By balancing the pros and cons of both arguments, I will also be able to bridge the two points of view.

Just like that, you've added about 200 words to your essay!

8. Use quotes and references

While the bibliography section doesn’t usually count towards the overall essay word count, there are some easy tricks you can use to maximize the references. Once you are done with the essay, run through your list of citations and find interesting quotes that you may have missed, which you can now incorporate.

9. Get feedback from a friend

If you're like me, working on the same essay for a long time with complete immersion means you develop blind spots to obvious misses and flaws in your text. This could be especially problematic for non-native English speakers .

Ask a trusted friend or peer to look over your essay again. Share your essay on Gdoc with your friends and find out if they spot something that seems missing, out of place, or that stands out like a sore thumb.

Also, ask them to question your assumptions in the essay - this may give you new angles and perspectives to explore, thus expanding the word count even further.

Your friends will help you find the problematic paragraphs in your writing and make them more concise and effective .

10. Add text while editing

Once you have finished writing your essay, you can use the review stage to edit and add text to your essay.

This is another great opportunity to use your AI writing tool, and get suggestions for ways to make your sentences more fluent . You can also replace superfluous words with stronger vocabulary, and pick alternative ways to word sentences that contain repetitive words.

Try and spot long, convoluted sentences and break them up to smaller sentences.

Keep it long and interesting

Essays that meet the prescribed criteria, including word count, indicate to your teachers that you not only possess subject matter knowledge, but also writing, grammar, logic, research, and communication skills.

You can find interesting angles even in the most mundane sounding topics if you challenge yourself to do the work and not worry too much about the word count. With the 11 smart hacks - including use of the smart writing tools - essay writing and meeting the specified word count becomes much easier! 

Learning how to expand a text in an interesting way - and not just by adding fluff - makes you a better writer regardless of the format - essays, reports, statements of purpose - even books! 

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Do Examiners count words?

No, Examiners do not count the number of words on IELTS essays.

This is something that has changed.

In the past, IELTS essays were required to have a minimum number of words.

The scoring system no longer contains anything about number of words.

Unfortunately, teachers who don’t keep up to date on changes may tell you that you need a certain number of words.

How many words do you need?

It’s not about a number!

It’s about writing enough words to accomplish the task.

Your Task Response score is based on you fully answering the topic.

You will need enough words to fully and completely support your reasons .

Your ideas must be detailed and specific.

Focus on what actually affects your score!

Don’t make the Examiner jump to conclusions

If the Examiner has to make an inference or a leap in logic, your score will go down.

You need each sentence to build logically on the one before it.

Every detail and example must directly support the reason you provided.

If the Examiner is unclear how a detail is related, your score goes down.

What is the danger of writing too much?

Often if students are writing too many words on practice essays , they’re going over the time.

• 20 minutes for Task 1
• 40 minutes for Task 2

That’s not a lot of time!

On test day, if you write too many words you are spending too much time on ideas.

You’re doing it at the expense of using high level vocabulary and linking phrases.

Alternatively, you’re adding additional reasons but not supporting them .

More words, more problems

When you write too much, you also risk making more errors.

• Grammar errors
• Spelling mistakes
• Punctuation mistakes

If you’re spending time writing more than is needed, you won’t have as much time to check your essay .

This is a double whammy!

You have more text with potential errors, but less time to check it!

Don’t stress about IELTS Writing word count!

Don’t count the number of words in your essays.

Instead, focus on completing the task !

You need enough words to answer the question with strong, supporting details.

You don’t want anything extra or it can create unnecessary problems!

For all the IELTS Writing strategies you need, sign up for 3 Keys IELTS!

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Frequently asked questions

How do i stay under the word count on my college application essay.

Write concisely and use the active voice to maintain a quick pace throughout your essay and make sure it’s the right length . Avoid adding definitions unless they provide necessary explanation.

Frequently asked questions: College admissions essays

When writing your Common App essay , choose a prompt that sparks your interest and that you can connect to a unique personal story.

No matter which prompt you choose, admissions officers are more interested in your ability to demonstrate personal development , insight, or motivation for a certain area of study.

The Common App essay is your primary writing sample within the Common Application, a college application portal accepted by more than 900 schools. All your prospective schools that accept the Common App will read this essay to understand your character, background, and value as a potential student.

Since this essay is read by many colleges, avoid mentioning any college names or programs; instead, save tailored answers for the supplementary school-specific essays within the Common App.

Most importantly, your essay should be about you , not another person or thing. An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability.

Your essay shouldn’t be a résumé of your experiences but instead should tell a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding your message and content. Then, check for flow, tone, style , and clarity. Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors .

If your college essay goes over the word count limit , cut any sentences with tangents or irrelevant details. Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

If you’ve got to write your college essay fast , don’t panic. First, set yourself deadlines: you should spend about 10% of your remaining time on brainstorming, 10% on outlining, 40% writing, 30% revising, and 10% taking breaks in between stages.

Second, brainstorm stories and values based on your essay prompt.

Third, outline your essay based on the montage or narrative essay structure .

Fourth, write specific, personal, and unique stories that would be hard for other students to replicate.

Fifth, revise your essay and make sure it’s clearly written.

Last, if possible, get feedback from an essay coach . Scribbr essay editors can help you revise your essay in 12 hours or less.

Avoid swearing in a college essay , since admissions officers’ opinions of profanity will vary. In some cases, it might be okay to use a vulgar word, such as in dialogue or quotes that make an important point in your essay. However, it’s safest to try to make the same point without swearing.

If you have bad grades on your transcript, you may want to use your college admissions essay to explain the challenging circumstances that led to them. Make sure to avoid dwelling on the negative aspects and highlight how you overcame the situation or learned an important lesson.

However, some college applications offer an additional information section where you can explain your bad grades, allowing you to choose another meaningful topic for your college essay.

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

• Extracurriculars, especially sports
• Role models
• Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
• Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
• Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
• Overcoming a difficult class
• Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

Yes. The college application essay is less formal than other academic writing —though of course it’s not mandatory to use contractions in your essay.

In a college essay , you can be creative with your language . When writing about the past, you can use the present tense to make the reader feel as if they were there in the moment with you. But make sure to maintain consistency and when in doubt, default to the correct verb tense according to the time you’re writing about.

The college admissions essay gives admissions officers a different perspective on you beyond your academic achievements, test scores, and extracurriculars. It’s your chance to stand out from other applicants with similar academic profiles by telling a unique, personal, and specific story.

Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial to avoid distracting the reader from your college essay’s content.

A college application essay is less formal than most academic writing . Instead of citing sources formally with in-text citations and a reference list, you can cite them informally in your text.

For example, “In her research paper on genetics, Quinn Roberts explores …”

There is no set number of paragraphs in a college admissions essay . College admissions essays can diverge from the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in English class. Just make sure to stay under the specified word count .

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

• Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
• Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
• Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
• Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
• Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

You can use humor in a college essay , but carefully consider its purpose and use it wisely. An effective use of humor involves unexpected, keen observations of the everyday, or speaks to a deeper theme. Humor shouldn’t be the main focus of the essay, but rather a tool to improve your storytelling.

Get a second opinion from a teacher, counselor, or essay coach on whether your essay’s humor is appropriate.

Though admissions officers are interested in hearing your story, they’re also interested in how you tell it. An exceptionally written essay will differentiate you from other applicants, meaning that admissions officers will spend more time reading it.

You can use literary devices to catch your reader’s attention and enrich your storytelling; however, focus on using just a few devices well, rather than trying to use as many as possible.

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

• Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
• Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

• Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
• Focuses on you and your experiences
• Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
• Is creative and original

Unlike a five-paragraph essay, your admissions essay should not end by summarizing the points you’ve already made. It’s better to be creative and aim for a strong final impression.

You should also avoid stating the obvious (for example, saying that you hope to be accepted).

There are a few strategies you can use for a memorable ending to your college essay :

• Return to the beginning with a “full circle” structure
• Reveal the main point or insight in your story
• Look to the future
• End on an action

The best technique will depend on your topic choice, essay outline, and writing style. You can write several endings using different techniques to see which works best.

College deadlines vary depending on the schools you’re applying to and your application plan:

• For early action applications and the first round of early decision applications, the deadline is on November 1 or 15. Decisions are released by mid-December.
• For the second round of early decision applications, the deadline is January 1 or 15. Decisions are released in January or February.
• Regular decision deadlines usually fall between late November and mid-March, and decisions are released in March or April.
• Rolling admission deadlines run from July to April, and decisions are released around four to eight weeks after submission.

Depending on your prospective schools’ requirements, you may need to submit scores for the SAT or ACT as part of your college application .

Some schools now no longer require students to submit test scores; however, you should still take the SAT or ACT and aim to get a high score to strengthen your application package.

Aim to take the SAT or ACT in the spring of your junior year to give yourself enough time to retake it in the fall of your senior year if necessary.

Apply early for federal student aid and application fee waivers. You can also look for scholarships from schools, corporations, and charitable foundations.

To maximize your options, you should aim to apply to about eight schools:

• Two reach schools that might be difficult to get into
• Four match schools that you have a good chance of getting into
• Two safety schools that you feel confident you’ll get into

The college admissions essay accounts for roughly 25% of the weight of your application .

At highly selective schools, there are four qualified candidates for every spot. While your academic achievements are important, your college admissions essay can help you stand out from other applicants with similar profiles.

In general, for your college application you will need to submit all of the following:

• Your personal information
• List of extracurriculars and awards
• College application essays
• Transcripts
• Standardized test scores
• Recommendation letters.

Different colleges may have specific requirements, so make sure you check exactly what’s expected in the application guidance.

You should start thinking about your college applications the summer before your junior year to give you sufficient time for college visits, taking standardized tests, applying for financial aid , writing essays, and collecting application material.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

• A unique, personally meaningful topic
• A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
• Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
• Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
• Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
• A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

In most cases, quoting other people isn’t a good way to start your college essay . Admissions officers want to hear your thoughts about yourself, and quotes often don’t achieve that. Unless a quote truly adds something important to your essay that it otherwise wouldn’t have, you probably shouldn’t include it.

Cliché openers in a college essay introduction are usually general and applicable to many students and situations. Most successful introductions are specific: they only work for the unique essay that follows.

The key to a strong college essay introduction is not to give too much away. Try to start with a surprising statement or image that raises questions and compels the reader to find out more.

The introduction of your college essay is the first thing admissions officers will read and therefore your most important opportunity to stand out. An excellent introduction will keep admissions officers reading, allowing you to tell them what you want them to know.

You can speed up this process by shortening and smoothing your writing with a paraphrasing tool . After that, you can use the summarizer to shorten it even more.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

In your application essay , admissions officers are looking for particular features : they want to see context on your background, positive traits that you could bring to campus, and examples of you demonstrating those qualities.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

You don’t need a title for your college admissions essay , but you can include one if you think it adds something important.

Your college essay’s format should be as simple as possible:

• Use a standard, readable font
• Use 1.5 or double spacing
• If attaching a file, save it as a PDF
• Stick to the word count
• Avoid unusual formatting and unnecessary decorative touches

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

• A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
• A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

Campus visits are always helpful, but if you can’t make it in person, the college website will have plenty of information for you to explore. You should look through the course catalog and even reach out to current faculty with any questions about the school.

Colleges set a “Why this college?” essay because they want to see that you’ve done your research. You must prove that you know what makes the school unique and can connect that to your own personal goals and academic interests.

Depending on your writing, you may go through several rounds of revision . Make sure to put aside your essay for a little while after each editing stage to return with a fresh perspective.

Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your language, tone, and content . Ask for their help at least one to two months before the submission deadline, as many other students will also want their help.

Friends and family are a good resource to check for authenticity. It’s best to seek help from family members with a strong writing or English educational background, or from older siblings and cousins who have been through the college admissions process.

If possible, get help from an essay coach or editor ; they’ll have specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and be able to give objective expert feedback.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Include specific, personal details and use your authentic voice to shed a new perspective on a common human experience.

Through specific stories, you can weave your achievements and qualities into your essay so that it doesn’t seem like you’re bragging from a resume.

When writing about yourself , including difficult experiences or failures can be a great way to show vulnerability and authenticity, but be careful not to overshare, and focus on showing how you matured from the experience.

First, spend time reflecting on your core values and character . You can start with these questions:

• What are three words your friends or family would use to describe you, and why would they choose them?
• Whom do you admire most and why?
• What are you most proud of? Ashamed of?

However, you should do a comprehensive brainstorming session to fully understand your values. Also consider how your values and goals match your prospective university’s program and culture. Then, brainstorm stories that illustrate the fit between the two.

In a college application essay , you can occasionally bend grammatical rules if doing so adds value to the storytelling process and the essay maintains clarity.

However, use standard language rules if your stylistic choices would otherwise distract the reader from your overall narrative or could be easily interpreted as unintentional errors.

Use first-person “I” statements to speak from your perspective . Use appropriate word choices that show off your vocabulary but don’t sound like you used a thesaurus. Avoid using idioms or cliché expressions by rewriting them in a creative, original way.

If you’re an international student applying to a US college and you’re comfortable using American idioms or cultural references , you can. But instead of potentially using them incorrectly, don’t be afraid to write in detail about yourself within your own culture.

Provide context for any words, customs, or places that an American admissions officer might be unfamiliar with.

College application essays are less formal than other kinds of academic writing . Use a conversational yet respectful tone , as if speaking with a teacher or mentor. Be vulnerable about your feelings, thoughts, and experiences to connect with the reader.

Aim to write in your authentic voice , with a style that sounds natural and genuine. You can be creative with your word choice, but don’t use elaborate vocabulary to impress admissions officers.

Admissions officers use college admissions essays to evaluate your character, writing skills , and ability to self-reflect . The essay is your chance to show what you will add to the academic community.

The college essay may be the deciding factor in your application , especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

Some colleges also require supplemental essays about specific topics, such as why you chose that specific college . Scholarship essays are often required to obtain financial aid .

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July 8, 2023

College Essay Length: Go to the Maximum Word Count

Previously Published on September 24, 2017:

College applicants should use the real estate offered in college essays to make their case — all of it! If the maximum word count for a college admissions essay is 650 words, applicants should not write 500 words. They should write 650 words — or pretty close to it.

When you’re a real estate developer in Manhattan, and you’re allowed to build twenty-five stories, you don’t construct ten stories and dedicate the rest of the space for the native pigeons of Manhattan. You build up —twenty-five levels. The pigeons have the skies.

And yet even though it seems only logical that college applicants should use all of the allotted real estate to make their case in essays, to tell their stories, to distinguish themselves in super competitive applicant pools, it never ceases to amaze us how many students write essays that don’t come anywhere near the maximum word count. Instead, they leave the space on the table to the disservice of their candidacies.

Students Should Go to the Word Limit in Every College Essay

It’s not as though students only make the mistake of leaving words on the table in their Common Application Personal Statement . They also often do so in their equally as critical supplemental essays.

If Brown University asks applicants to write a 200-250-word essay on how students would take advantage of the Open Curriculum, as the Ivy League school does on its 2022-2023 application, students should not offer them 200 words. College applicants are not interior designers — blank space does not look lovely. They should submit 250-word essays. 

When Brown admissions officers come across an essay that doesn’t come close to the school’s maximum word count, they’re likely to think, “This student doesn’t love our school enough to put in the work to write an essay just for us. She probably wants to go elsewhere.”

And if that thought crosses the mind of an admissions officer, the odds are strong that the same admissions officer is unlikely to offer that student a spot in the incoming class. And, of course, this doesn’t just apply to Brown — it applies to every highly selective institution in America.

Students Should Use the Maximum Word or Character Count in Short Answers Too

We can’t stress enough the importance of taking advantage of the real estate an applicant is afforded in essays to make their case. But don’t be fooled that an essay only means boxes on The Common Application that allow students to include 100 words or more.

After all, many top schools pose short answer questions too. Maybe they’re called short-takes. On the 2022-2023 application, the University of Southern California , for instance, asks applicants to name their favorite movie of all time, their dream job, favorite trip, and favorite snack, among others.

Students should go up to the maximum character count in these opportunities too — and  opportunities  is the apropos word because they’re opportunities to wow admissions officers, present a window into a student’s world and distinguish themselves from other talented applicants. In short, students should not just name their favorite movie — they should say why concisely.

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Your fuel to word fire, 10 tips to count words in an essay when writing.

When writing an essay, there are many things to consider, but it’s often the case that the most important concern that students have is making sure that they meet the word count. It may not be the most artistic way to write a paper, but churning out enough text to hit the mandatory word count is essential to ensure that a student reaches the minimum requirements of the assignment and can qualify for full credit. Too often this results in repetition and filler as students struggle to fill the space, but it is nevertheless an essential requirement. In this article, we’ll take a look at some tips to help you make the word count when writing your next essay.

Basic Rules for Counting Words in an Essay

So where should you start to make sure your paper is long enough?

• DO use your word processor’s word count feature. Almost every word processing program automatically counts the words that you type. Watch the word counter as you type to ensure that you always achieve the right word count. You’ll want to make sure that your word processor’s word count function is set correctly, though. Some are set by default to count characters (with or without spaces) instead of words, so make sure that you have it set to display the word count rather than the character count.
• DO NOT make the font larger. Many students try to fool their instructors by using a large font or a specialty font with expanded spacing or larger width so that their writing takes up more space with fewer words. This might have been effective when papers were submitted on paper and a small difference in font size—say, size 13 instead of 12—wasn’t immediately noticeable. But with most papers submitted electronically, instructors can fairly easily see the word count and how much a student actually wrote.
• DO NOT use extra-wide margins. Similarly, the old trick of expanding the margins doesn’t help when papers are submitted electronically. While the naked eye might not see the difference between a standard 1-inch margin and a 1.25-inch margin, the automatic word counter will nevertheless reveal your real word count, so you won’t be fooling anyone.
• DO estimate how much you write. Sometimes, you are asked to write by hand, such as in a test or exam situation, and you need to know how much you are writing. When you do so, you can try to estimate how much you are writing by counting approximately ten words to the line, or around 250 words to the page. It’s not as common to have to estimate your word count today as it was twenty years ago, but it can sometimes still happen.
• DO NOT vamp. Trying to make word count can be nerve-wracking, especially when you feel like you don’t have enough to say. Don’t try to fill the page with irrelevant material or repetition. This is called vamping, and it’s a sure-fire way to weaken your paper’s argument. It’s sometimes better to turn in a paper that is good but slightly too short than to load your paper with filler that distracts from your main point.
• DO consider professional help. If you aren’t able to make your word count, an online academic essay writing service like SmartWritingService.com can provide legit professional writing help. Online expert writers can create custom papers that meet the word count and show you how a professional would approach your topic. When you see how a professional would assemble research and develop an argument, you’ll have an arsenal of tips and tricks you can use to expand your word count and create a powerful essay that meets length requirements.
• DO more research. If your paper isn’t making the word count, it’s often because you don’t have enough research to fully develop your good ideas. If you need more content in the paper, visit your college or university library to locate additional high-quality resources so you can develop more content and additional supporting points to help expand and defend your thesis.
• DO NOT simply add quotes. Many students like to try to meet the word count by filling the paper with quotes, especially long ones, to take up space and ensure they don’t have to write as much original text. This is not an effective way to meet the word count because most academic writing styles limit the amount of quoted material in a paper, typically requiring quotes to make up less than 20% of the paper. Too many quotes and there won’t be enough original content, which can negatively impact your grade.
• DO edit and revise your paper carefully. While editing is often thought of as cutting things out, editing can also involve adding material, specifically explanatory and connecting material. When you edit and revise, you’ll often find areas that are unclear or would benefit from additional explanation in order to be clear, adding words to your paper.
• DON’T give up. It can be easy to get frustrated when writing a paper, and too much frustration can make it hard to churn out enough text to fill up the page. Stay relaxed and keep your eye on the prize. When you are relaxed and in good spirits, the words will flow more easily and you’ll be more likely to write an essay that meets the length requirements.

To conclude, we hope our essential rules and tips for counting words in an essay when writing helped you a lot. Good luck with your academic writing in college and school!

• students english
• write articles

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Essay Word Counter

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What Is Essay Word Counter?

An essay word counter is a simple yet powerful tool that has the ability to quickly count the number of characters and words within an essay. While the primary goal of an essay word counter is to measure characters and words, this tool allows you to determine the number of sentences and paragraphs that your essay consists of.

If you're tasked with reading your essay aloud in front of a classroom, this online word counter can help you prepare by providing you with an estimated speaking time and reading time. If you're asking yourself "How do I count the words in my essay?", plugging your essay into an online word counter will allow you to receive nearly instantaneous results.

Benefits of Using This Tool Compared to Alternatives

Online word counter tools offer the functionality you need to determine what your current essay word count is. There are several additional tools that can provide you with similar functionality, which include Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and PDF documents. Even though all of these alternatives allow users to measure the word count and character count for their essay, they lack many of the extra features that set the online tool apart from the competition.

Wordcounter vs Microsoft Word

When comparing this online word counter to Microsoft Word, the online word counter allows users to paste any kind of text into the box. Even if the text comes from a PDF file, it can be easily copied into the word counter. Among all of the alternatives for an essay word counter, Microsoft Word may be the most comprehensive of the three. Along with measuring the number of words, it can also count characters, pages, lines, and paragraphs. The main issue with Word, however, is that it's less intuitive than using an online tool.

When you click on word count in Microsoft Word, you'll be provided with data on the lines, paragraphs, words, and other aspects of your essay. However, the word count extends to every page of the Word document. To identify the number of words and characters in a specific section, you'll need to highlight the section and select the word count option again.

Wordcounter vs Google Docs

As for Google Docs, this tool doesn't display a status bar that tells you how many words are present in the document. To receive an updated word count, you must select the "Tools" tab that's found in the "Menu" section. From here, you'll be able to select "Word Count". When compared to the online word checker tool, Google Docs doesn't include information about how many sentences are in your essay or the frequency of a specific word.

Wordcounter vs PDF Tool

When it comes to a PDF document, you'll find that these documents are similar to Google Docs in that they don't include a status bar. You're also unable to access any kind of menu that allows you to view the word count of the essay you're writing. There are two distinct options for identifying the word count in your essay. First, you can convert the PDF file into what's known as the Rich Text Format, which makes it easier for you to count the words. You could also upload the file directly into this online word counter, which will give you an accurate word total.

The primary benefit of using the online word counter tool is that there are a number of exclusive features like speaking time and reading time that can't be found in other tools like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Essay Length Best Practices

Whether you're writing an essay for a high school class or for graduate school, there are some best practices that can guide you through the process and help you write the best essay. The most important element of writing an essay is getting the length right. If the essay is too long, there's a good chance it isn't as succinct and direct as it should be. The essay length guidelines you should adhere to include:

High school essay

The average essay word count for a high school essay is 300-1,000 words. Most high school essays are five paragraphs long with an introductory paragraph, three total body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph.

College admission essay

This essay should be around 200-650 words long. Along with having a set word limit, these essays should include a look at your motivations and interests.

Undergraduate essay

This essay can be around 1,500-5,000 words long. The content and length depend on the college and program you're entering.

Graduate admission essay

An admission essay should be 500-1,000 words in length. Make sure you include a lengthy personal statement that details your motivations and academic achievements.

Graduate school essay

This extended essay word count is usually around 2,500-6,000 words. The assignment you receive depends on the course you're in. Most graduate-level essays are lengthy and can involve research papers.

IB extended essay

The IB extended essay word count is 4,000 words. This essay is mandatory for every student of the International Baccalaureate program and is based on independent research.

How to Shorten an Essay: 4 Techniques to Reduce Word Count

If you need to shorten your essay by 100-500 words, or even more, you can use one or more of four techniques. You can clean up your sentences, remove repetition, summarize your examples, and/or cut out an entire section.

One of my subscribers recently asked me, “ How do I compress an essay of 700-1000 words, or even more, to just 300 words? ”

In this tutorial I will show you four easy ways to shorten your essay by as much or as little as you wish. I am giving them to you in the order you should try them out.

Here are four techniques to shorten your essay:

Technique #1: Sentence Cleanup

When I taught essay writing in college, I noticed that students wrote sentences that were just too wordy. 

They used 20 words where 10 would have probably done the trick. If you examine your sentences, you’ll often find that you can say the same thing in much fewer words.

“In my opinion, there are many people who want to lose weight.”

This sentence contains 12 words. 

Here’s how we can shorten it by performing a Sentence Cleanup.

First, you never have to say, “ In my opinion, ” because if it were not your opinion, you wouldn’t be stating it. Okay? So, let’s cross out “ in my opinion. ”

“ In my opinion, there are many people who want to lose weight.”

We just cut out three words. 

Next, the phrase “ there are ” is usually unnecessary, and if you take it out, your sentence will become more elegant. So, let’s do it. Let’s just cross it out.

“ There are many people who want to lose weight.”

We also have to cross out the extra word “ who ” because it is only needed if you use “ there are. ”

We just got rid of three more words. 

And so our sentence becomes:

“Many people want to lose weight.”

How many words is that? That is now a six word sentence. Guess what – we just cut this sentence in half. 

Do this enough times in your essay, and it will get a lot shorter.

“How do I cut out 200 words from my essay to make it shorter?”

This sentence contains 14 words. Let’s perform a Sentence Cleanup.

Notice that it is pretty obvious that to cut out 200 words from an essay will make it shorter. Therefore, stating that you want to do it “ to make it shorter ” is unnecessary. 

If we get rid of that phrase, we’ll cut out 4 words from this sentence and make it a lot more elegant. 

“How do I cut out 200 words from my essay to make it shorter ?”

Technique #2: Removing Repetition

Repetition can be found on all levels – in a sentence, in a paragraph, or a section. When you reduce or eliminate repetition in your essay, you are making it less redundant. “Redundant” just means repetitive and therefore useless.

In the last example we just did, we eliminated a redundancy from a sentence. And that’s part of a Sentence Cleanup. But you can also find and eliminate entire redundant sentences.  

Look for repetitive phrases, sentences, and even passages in your content and remove them. 

Students often repeat things over and over, using different words, thinking that they’re writing great content. Those are your opportunities to significantly shorten your essay while improving it at the same time.

Here’s an example from a fictitious student essay. Let’s say the student writes about his trip to Paris and states:

“ I found that Parisians are very nice if you talk to them in French. ”

And then, in the same or even a different paragraph or section, the following sentence would appear:

“Parisians can be very nice people, but they really prefer that you speak French with them.”

Well, the two sentences say the same thing, just using different words. 

So, what do you do? 

Pick the longer sentence and just delete it.

Sometimes you will find a whole paragraph in your essay that is repetitive and can be removed without the essay losing any meaning. If you find such a paragraph, just delete it.

Technique #3: Zooming Out

Make sure that you go through your essay using the first two techniques before you employ this and the next one. 

The only case where you would do Zooming Out first would be if you had to shorten your essay drastically – by 30% or more. 

If you’ve cleaned up all your sentences and removed all repetitive content, and you still need to lose hundreds of words, the Zooming Out technique will really help. 

Here’s how it works. 

You may have heard that in essay writing, you are supposed to proceed from general to specific. Whether you stick to this rule really well in your essay or not, I want you to notice something. 

In your essay, you make statements that are:

• very general
• less general
• somewhat specific
• very specific

The most general statement in your essay is the thesis because it summarizes the entire essay. And the most specific parts of your essay are examples .

So, in order to shorten your essay, you can summarize your examples. I call this Zooming Out because you are taking something that was very specific (zoomed in) and making it more general (zoomed out). 

Let’s say you’re writing about the harms of second-hand smoking. And in one of the sections you provide an example of your friend or someone in the news who became seriously ill because she lived with a smoker for a long time:

“My friend Isabelle was married to a chain smoker. Her husband refused not only to give up his habit but even to reduce it. As years went by, Isabelle began to notice some respiratory symptoms. At first, she developed a light but persistent cough. Then, she started to feel out of breath more and more often. When she finally went to a pulmonologist, a test revealed that she had COPD, a serious lung disease.”

This example is 74 words long. And this is your opportunity to shorten your essay dramatically. 

You can simply contract this example into one short sentence and write something like this:

“A friend of mine developed lung disease after having lived with a chain smoker for twelve years.”

Now, this sentence contains only 17 words. We just cut out 57 words just by Zooming Out on one example. 

We are Zooming Out because we are no longer exploring this example in detail. We simply provide a fact without giving a lot of specific information. 

So, look for these detailed examples in your essay and just summarize each of them into one short sentence.

Technique #4: Cutting out a Section

This technique works very well to cut out a big chunk of your essay in one fell swoop.

Let’s say that you wrote an essay in which you have four supporting points to prove your main point, your thesis. 

If this is a 2,000-word essay, then each section is approximately 500 words long. But do you really need four reasons/sections to support your point?

Is it possible that if you provide only three supporting points, your essay will still work very well?

For example, if you argue that apples are a great food, you could have four supporting points, claiming that apples are:

But what if you simply took out one of these points? Let’s say that you eliminate the section about the portability of apples.

Will your essay still work? Sure it will. It will work just fine with the three remaining supporting points. And you just cut out 500 words (in a 2,000-word essay). 

After you have cut out a section, make sure to go back to your thesis statement and edit it to reflect the change.

I’ll leave you with one final tip. When trying to choose which sentence, paragraph, or section to cut out from your essay, go for the content that you know is not the best.

For example, you may have a section in your essay where you quote too much. Or, perhaps you were not very careful in paraphrasing, and your passage sounds too much like the original source. These would be great bits of content to get rid of.

I hope this was helpful. Now go ahead and shorten your essay to your heart’s desire!

How to Write a 300 Word Essay – Simple Tutorial

How to expand an essay – 4 tips to increase the word count, 10 solid essay writing tips to help you improve quickly, essay writing for beginners: 6-step guide with examples, 6 simple ways to improve sentence structure in your essays.

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

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What is WordCounter?

Apart from counting words and characters, our online editor can help you to improve word choice and writing style, and, optionally, help you to detect grammar mistakes and plagiarism. To check word count, simply place your cursor into the text box above and start typing. You'll see the number of characters and words increase or decrease as you type, delete, and edit them. You can also copy and paste text from another program over into the online editor above. The Auto-Save feature will make sure you won't lose any changes while editing, even if you leave the site and come back later. Tip: Bookmark this page now.

Knowing the word count of a text can be important. For example, if an author has to write a minimum or maximum amount of words for an article, essay, report, story, book, paper, you name it. WordCounter will help to make sure its word count reaches a specific requirement or stays within a certain limit.

In addition, WordCounter shows you the top 10 keywords and keyword density of the article you're writing. This allows you to know which keywords you use how often and at what percentages. This can prevent you from over-using certain words or word combinations and check for best distribution of keywords in your writing.

In the Details overview you can see the average speaking and reading time for your text, while Reading Level is an indicator of the education level a person would need in order to understand the words you’re using.

Disclaimer: We strive to make our tools as accurate as possible but we cannot guarantee it will always be so.

• 0 Unique Words
• 0 Characters
• 0 Characters (no spaces)
• 0 Sentences
• 0 Longest Sentence (words)
• 0 Shortest Sentence (words)
• 0 Avg. Sentence (words)
• 0 Avg. Sentence (chars)
• 0 Avg. Word Length
• 0 Paragraphs
• 0 Syllables
• 0 Words (Publisher)
• N/A Reading Level  
• N/A Reading Time  
• N/A Speaking Time  
• N/A Hand Writing Time  
• More ( 0 ) Share

Keyword Density x1   x2   x3

Keep track of the number of words you write each day using the activity button.   ACTIVITY

This button helps you clean up your document by removing funky characters, unneeded new lines, etc.

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Step 1. What do you want to share?

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Step 2. What do you want to say?

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Step 2. Where do you want to share it?

Upload File

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You can turn on or off different counting options here.

• Hand Writing Time Letters Per Minute Slow Normal Fast
• Reading Time Words Per Minute Slow Normal Fast
• Speaking Time Words Per Minute Slow Normal Fast

You can turn on or off different buttons provided for different functionalities.

• ACTIVITY Keeps track of your word and character count.
• AUTO-SAVE When turned on, WordCounter will automatically save your document every 30 seconds. You can then switch back to previous versions of your document at any time.
• CASE Gives different case options. Applies to your entire document or only the text you select.
• CLEAN TEXT After pasting a document into WordCounter, this will clean it up by removing invalid characters, word wrapping issues and unneeded new lines.
• CLEAR Delete all of the text in your document.
• DOWNLOAD Download your written text (PDF, TXT, DOC) to your device.
• FIND AND REPLACE Find and replace any words or sentences you want.
• GOAL Set writing goals (such as 500 words) and WordCounter will let you know when you've reached them. You can also share and embed your goals.
• PRINT Print your document quickly and easily.
• PROOF READ   WordCounter reads your document back to you. Make sure to turn up your volume! Rate Valid values are 0.1 to 10 Pitch Valid values are 0 to 2 Voices
• REDO Redo your last changes. Click multiple times to redo multiple changes.
• SAVE Saves your text for later retrieval. Be sure and click the SAVE button each time you want to save.
• SAVE TO DRIVE Saves your document to Google Drive. Great for backup purposes.
• SPEED Use a timer to see how fast you're typing.
• SPELL A powerful spelling and grammar checker for your document.
• TALK TO TYPE   Speak into your microphone and WordCounter will type for you. Language Country
• THESAURUS Select (with your mouse) a word in your document and click the thesaurus button to get a list of synonyms.
• UNDO Undo your last changes. Click multiple times to undo multiple changes.
• UPLOAD Upload your existing document (PDF, TXT, DOC, DOCX, ODT) into WordCounter.

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Free Online Word Counter for Essays

Use our word counter to check how many words are in an essay instantly.

How Our Word Count Checker Works

Count words or characters in your essay, paper, or any other academic text in a few clicks. Insert your text and enjoy accurate results – it’s as simple as that!

Tick the box to proceed further – your text won’t be saved in our system.

Enter the text to check how many words or characters it contains.

Have word count calculated automatically and get your result instantly.

Features of Our Word Counter Tool

StudyCrumb’s word counter is loaded with features that you will undoubtedly find pleasant. With the benefits you get, it definitely wins over any word counter tool online.

Our online word counter is an excellent option for everyone who doesn’t like distractions and extra manipulations. Just input your text and it will immediately calculate the words.

There is no need to pay – we offer a free word counter with unlimited checks. You can start using it without registration and run as many checks as required.

Our essay word counter shows the number of words, characters, and symbols without spaces. It’s a one-stop instrument if you need a detailed report.

Need Expert Help

StudyCrumb is a go-to platform helping students with academic writing. Entrust your paper to our professionals and they will take your writing to a totally new level!

Backed by qualified writers, we provide unique academic papers tailored to clients specific needs. Have an expert compose a customized paper from the ground up.

Take your writing to a whole new level with our editing and proofreading services. Our academic proofreaders will polish your text considering the number of words you need.

Why Choose StudyCrumb

Word Counter Online & Character Counter

Our tool goes beyond a simple text word counter. It works like a word character counter and offers multiple options. In case you have a special requirement from your professor, for example, a character limit, this tool will definitely come in handy. Likewise, you may need to find out the amount of characters without spaces. Our high-end instrument will be an all-inclusive solution. Just input the necessary part and calculate the number of symbols in your text.

Word Count Checker

It’s very important to stay on the top of your page word count. Students may think that several slips every here and there won’t cause much harm. But your school may have strict requirements to the acceptable limit for every academic work. While you are expected to write 150 words in an essay introduction, this amount won’t suffice in an introductory part of your research paper. So if you need to know how many words are in an essay or its particular section, use our tool for a quick result.

Character Count Without Spaces

Things get trickier if you need to find out the number of characters without spaces. No worries! With our character calculator at your fingertips this won’t be a problem. Our free character counter can exclude the spaces so you can enjoy accurate results. This is a perfect feature for writers, translators and students who have a very peculiar requirement. Just copy-paste any passage in an online character counter and it will handle everything in seconds.

Character Count Tool

Sometimes, the limit is measured in characters. That’s when you may need a tool that can handle character count online. We’ve got you covered! Our team saw that situation coming and did our best to provide you with this option. You can use our advanced tool to count characters in your document. And if the actual number doesn’t fit in the expected limit, you can easily modify your text in a respective field.

StudyCrumb’s Essay Word Counter: Handy Tool

We have developed this essay word counter to help students count the words and characters in their papers and academic texts. Are you writing an essay and want to make sure that your word count is precise? Or, maybe, you have a research paper or dissertation with a strict character limit requirement? Whatever your case is, our word count checker will be an irreplaceable instrument in your arsenal of writing tools. And the best part about this tool is its simplicity. Finding out how many words is this will no longer be a struggle. What’s more, you can make changes right in the editor field. You don’t have to switch between our tool and your document to meet the right limit. All results of word character count will be displayed instantly.

Count My Words in My Essay for Me!

Before you submit your newly-written paper, we advise you to count the number of words in it! StudyCrumb’s online tool can help you keep track of the number of words in your paper. It will allow you to concentrate on important topics. Now you won’t need to give yourself a headache wondering “how to check word count?” Just use StudyCrumb’s profitable tool that is always useful to keep handy. After all, knowing your word count can help to improve your work.  Hot tip: A nice way to establish a good word count is by determining whether the headings should be counted. And when headings do not count, they can be included in words in direct quotes. The quality of any essay might suffer if it is too long. Instead, aim for brief and catchy headings. And let a tool do all the counting the words for you!

Online Words Counting Generator for Different Types of Writing

Access our tool if you need counting number of words that you've written. It encourages every student to follow their word limit! This can be important for public speaking or speech preparation. Every guru at our speech writing services suggest finding balance especially when it comes to oral presentation. It is helpful if writing for advertising and academic goals is a big deal. Our tool also determines the word count limit. It is useful for writing social media headlines and Google meta descriptions.  Looking at your presentation and think “how many words is this text?” Try to count them to assess the word density. For some papers, it's common to submit up to a thousand words. But many writers end up over the limit or falling short. Knowing that you’re using count words in text for free is a great way to avoid such problems. Any argumentative essay writer will appreciate such a tool. It can become an essential metric for content writers, whether they are college students or professional authors. Calculate word length in many different ways. But keep in mind — our tool will help you determine it best. It's easy to use. So, save your time and avoid any stress. You can reuse it at any time.

Count the Words in My Essays & Papers

When composing essays and other kinds of written work, your first concern can be “how many words are in this essay?” It is important that students meet all requirements. Consequently, they should know how to count essay words accurately. Word count dendends on the depth of your project. That is why you may need professional essay help .  The first thing you should do is check what the instructor has suggested as a word count. An essay might require fewer words depending on the subject. If it turned out shorter than the assigned word count, you may want to focus on providing a high-level overview of the topic, especially if you need to write my dissertation . Longer papers can delve into more details. However, in both cases, it is important to keep an outline to guide your writing process. Next, check how many words in essay you wrote line by line. StudyCrumb’s tool lets you count the words beneath charts, graphs, and photos. Now you can use it instead of thinking “how many words is my paper?”

Why Is It so Important to Count the Words in an Essay Correctly?

Why is it so important for you to “count how many words are in my essay”? Why do you browse different sites? Looking for one to “count my essay words”? There are few answers to these questions. A critical aspect of knowing essay word limit is how you use the words. The time your audience has to read through your essay is limited. Therefore, it's important to organize your thoughts in a clear and concise way. Make a list of the key points and then spend some time on the important topics. Don't forget that StudyCrumb is essentially an academic service where you can buy essay on any subject and have all requirements met. So, using an online tool when you must know how to count how many words in an essay when writing is simply necessary. And StudyCrumb is here to help you out in whatever way you need!

Paragraph Word Count by StudyCrumb's Free Online Words Counting Tool

StudyCrumb's online tool is perfect when you want to know how many words in this paragraph! You don’t have to do anything otherworldly to use the paragraph word counter. All one should do is follow a simple instruction. This word counting program works well for longer text categories such as articles and novels. It works by dividing a text into several parts. This way you won’t have to do this yourself and wonder how many words are here. You can check the length of your text by using an online helpful tool! You can immediately check your characters and page count, as well as run a spelling check or free grammar check . A paragraph or sentence can also be counted! Remember that one can enable or disable the feature of counting spaces. Punctuation marks will be counted automatically.

Counting Words in a Sentence

Have you ever wondered how many words are in this sentence that you just wrote? StudyCrumb’s tool aims to help you just with that. Students can easily check the quality of their writing and the number of words calculator whenever they need it. Our tool can be accessed from any device, such as a computer or smartphone. It can calculate number of words in your sentences and paragraphs. So don’t waste your time! Save this page as your device’s bookmarks and check your texts when your professors demand it! It won’t cost you anything. The text you wrote would look even more beautiful. Having a handy word count scanner is consistently another latest useful feature!

Important Features of Our Word Count Estimator: Find Word Count Easily!

Every calculator for words list has a bunch of quality features. And StudyCrumb’s is not different. How do you get word count of a document with its help? It's quite straightforward. Copy and paste the desired text into a box. That’s it, that’s the total guide. Use our number of words counter online for free to determine how many pages, paragraphs, and sentences you've written. Moreover, you’ll be able to see the approximate time it would take the audience to read your text. Our words counting software provides only accurate results that one can get online. Moreover, it is 100% free! You don’t have to set up a new account, register, or post any credit card number to use our tool. Just paste your text and check its length as many times as you need. If your academic work has space for improvement or it lacks some sections, contact our thesis writing service . 

Writing Word Count With Spaces

Do you need to set up the word counter including spaces? It is one of the features our online words calculator has. Their number will be shown under the status bar below the text you paste in a box. This is a useful feature when you don’t feel like writing more content and can pass the spaces as an additional number of characters. Our word count tool online for free breaks the number of words based on the number of spaces that were used. It adds that number to the overall quantity of words in your paper. Simple math!

Word Count Without Spaces

StudyCrumb’s word calculation without spaces feature is useful. Test it if you wish to calculate word count of a document without any extra spaces. Everything is displayed under your input text box in the result section. Why would one need to check a writing word count without spaces though? It can help determine whether you should add anything to the paper or delete any content from it. After all, in this case, you won’t be able to use the “space number” excuse to nope out of writing more parts of your essay!

The Most Famous Word Counting Machine of All Time

StudyCrumb offers you one of the best word count tools and words to pages converters that can greatly assist you in writing an essay. Our website that counts words can help you with even the toughest assignments. It ensures that your essay is the correct word count. Our website to count words for free will also be useful for anyone who works in writing, academic or otherwise. It could be used to create a wide range of writing projects including in-app messages, meta descriptions, targeted content marketing, and social media threads. If you’re writing your paper, it will remind you that every word serves a purpose. Each one is placed there for a reason. Moreover, it will show you how long it would take for your audience to read your paper. So get checking right now! Be sure to use our plagiarism detector before submitting your composition.

Benefit From Our Online Essay Word Counter

StudyCrumb’s word counter for essay offers a whole pool of benefits. As our document word counter is free, it’s not the only benefit you can appreciate:

• It’s free and extremely simple to use.
• Our word calculator processes a large amount of data in a very short time.
• The tool will save much of your precious time.
• You can alter your text right in our tool.

Needless to say, while writing in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Google Documents, you can easily see word and character count. But if you are dealing with a pdf file, you should put in some extra effort. Luckily, with our paper word counter, you can solve this issue effortlessly.

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FAQ About Essay Word Counter

Have any unanswered questions about our word frequency counter? Check out the answers below and find a flash answer.

1. Do I need to register to use the word count checker?

No, StudyCrumb’s word count checker can be used without registration. We did our best to make the process as smooth as possible. You can check count values without creating an account.

2. Does your word counter check spelling?

Sure! Our instrument works like a spell checker and word count tool. This way, you can count symbols in your document and detect spelling errors, if there are any. Our tool will underline the areas that need extra attention.

3. Does this character counter include spaces or not?

Our character counter will show the count values both with and without spaces. Once you enter your text, you will get in-depth results where you will see characters including and excluding spaces.

4. Does your word counter tool save my text?

No, StudyCrumb’s word counter tool doesn’t save your text to the database. Your privacy is our top priority. We designed a tool that doesn’t store content you enter.

5. Do spaces count as words in an essay?

Yes, they do. Our word counter for free online will show you the number of words with or without spaces in a result section below the input box. These numbers will be vastly different. It only means that spaces count as words in an essay.

6. How do you find out how many words did I write?

Our tool is powered by an AI. So, it obviously knows how to count words. It divides the entire text by spaces and then counts the resulting pieces which are the words. Then it will show you the number of words it counted in a section below, as well as this number plus the number of spaces found in your text.

7. How do I check my word count on an essay quickly?

Just use our tool if you need to count the words in a document! It has a fast mode with an intuitive interface that delivers only accurate results. It is completely free, which means that you won’t have to suffer through a trial period or set up an account in order to use it.

8. Can you count the words in my document if it’s 50 pages?

When using a words count online, you should take into consideration your text’s font and formatting. For example, a page made of Times New Roman 14 is not the same as Arial 12. That said, our tool can handle a text of >100.000 characters and >15.000 words.

Other Tools You May Like

StudyCrumb offers you more than just a word counter. We’ve designed a whole bundle of free writing tools that can improve your academic experience. Check them out below!