Word count reducer
Wordy phrases found
Swaps replace common padded phrases with shorter ones. They do not rewrite your ideas, so read the result once before you submit it. Need characters, sentences or reading time? Open the full Word Counter.
Paste your essay, statement or post into the box above and set your word limit. The checker shows how many words you are over or how many you have left, and lists common wordy phrases it finds, such as "due to the fact that" (because) or "in order to" (to), with the words each swap would save.
Press Apply all swaps to replace them in one go, or edit by hand. It is a plain phrase list, not an AI rewriter: it never changes your argument, and Undo puts your text back. Everything runs in your browser, so the text is not uploaded or saved.
Where to cut first when you are over a word limit
Phrase swaps usually save 2 to 5 percent. For bigger cuts, work from the largest units down:
- Repeated points: if two paragraphs make the same argument, keep the stronger one.
- Long openings: a first paragraph that restates the question can often lose half its words.
- Summaries in the conclusion that repeat every point word for word.
- Quotations: quote the few words that matter and paraphrase the rest.
- Hedges and intensifiers: "very", "really", "quite", "basically", "actually" rarely add meaning.
- Passive sentences: "the survey was carried out by the team" becomes "the team ran the survey".
Common wordy phrases and shorter swaps
These are some of the swaps the checker looks for. A dash means the phrase can usually be deleted.
- in order to: to
- due to the fact that: because
- at this point in time: now
- in the event that: if
- a large number of: many
- has the ability to: can
- it is important to note that: (delete)
- prior to: before
- make a decision: decide
- whether or not: whether
How much over is too much?
It depends on who set the limit. Online forms such as college application portals often stop you typing at the limit, so you must be at or under it. Some teachers allow about 10 percent either way; others deduct marks for any overrun. If the brief does not say, treat the limit as a hard maximum.
- Common App personal essay: up to 650 words.
- UCAS personal statement: limited by characters (4,000 including spaces), not words. Check the character count in the full Word Counter.
- Abstracts: often 150 to 300 words, set by the journal or course.
Cut text to a word limit
- Paste your text into the box at the top of this page and enter your word limit.
- Look at the wordy phrases list and press Apply all swaps, or edit by hand.
- If you are still over, cut repeated points and long openings, then paste your latest draft again to recheck.
Related tools and guides
FAQ
- How do I reduce my word count?
- Paste your text above, set the limit, and apply the phrase swaps. Then cut repeated points, long introductions and filler words like very or really until you are under the limit.
- Does this tool rewrite my essay with AI?
- No. It only swaps a fixed list of padded phrases for shorter ones, such as in order to for to. Your sentences and ideas stay yours, and Undo restores the original.
- Is my text uploaded?
- No. Counting and swaps run in your browser. Nothing is sent to our server except an anonymous count that the tool was used.
- How are words counted?
- A word is anything between spaces or line breaks, the same rule most word processors use. Hyphenated words like well-known count as one.
- Can I go over a word limit by 10 percent?
- Only if your brief or teacher says so. Online application forms usually block anything over the limit, and some markers penalise any overrun.
- Why does my count differ from Word or Google Docs?
- Dashes, slashes, numbers and pasted symbols are treated slightly differently by each tool. If you are close to a hard limit, leave a few words of room.