GITNUX MARKETDATA REPORT 2024

Statistics About The Average Words Per Sentence

The average number of words per sentence in the English language is typically around 15 to 20 words.

Last Updated: June 18, 2024

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In this post, we explore a diverse range of statistics related to average words per sentence, spanning from famous literary works to the preferences of different types of readers. From renowned writers like Ernest Hemingway and George Orwell to contemporary sources such as The New York Times and academic writing standards, these statistics shed light on the varying lengths and styles of sentences found in written text.

Statistic 1

"According to Text Analyzer Tool by OnlineUtility, the average words per sentence for a random 212 words English paragraph are 14.12."

Statistic 2

"Writer Ernest Hemingway reportedly wrote sentences averaging just 1.5 words."

Statistic 3

"Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address had an average of 24.5 words per sentence."

Statistic 4

"Academic writing often contains sentences of 25-35 words."

Statistic 5

"JK Rowling’s Harry Potter novels contained sentences with an average of 12 words per sentence."

Statistic 6

"Sentences in The New York Times average 25.3 words."

Statistic 7

"Traditional newsprint sentences once had average lengths of 35 to 40 words due to width restrictions."

Statistic 8

"In blog posts, the ideal sentence length is said to be between 15 to 18 words."

Statistic 9

"The average sentence length for kids’ books is 14 words."

Statistic 10

"The Institute for Excellence in Writing suggests adult reading should average 20 words per sentence."

Statistic 11

"The average written sentence has 14 to 20 words in the English language, but spoken English typically averages between 5 to 10 words."

Statistic 12

"Scientific research papers often contain sentences averaging 25 words."

Statistic 13

"George Orwell's "Politics and the English Language" emphasizes a general reduction to an average sentence length of 15-20 words."

Statistic 14

"According to checks made in July 2021 by Expresso-app, the Wall Street journal averages 22 words per sentence."

Statistic 15

"According to a 2017-2018 survey by Medium, the optimal sentence length for its readers was 20-28 words."

The analysis of sentence length across various contexts reveals a wide range of averages, from as low as 1.5 words per sentence in Ernest Hemingway’s writing to as high as 35-40 words in traditional newsprint. Different genres and mediums have their own preferences, such as academic writing favoring longer sentences of 25-35 words and blog posts aiming for a shorter range of 15-18 words. This diversity in sentence length highlights the importance of adapting writing style to fit the intended audience and purpose, showcasing the flexibility and nuances of effective communication.

Jannik Lindner

Jannik is the Co-Founder of Gitnux and has been working in the digital space since 2016. He is specialized in content and tech.

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