grade 12 essay word count

ESSAYS GRADE 12 NOTES - LITERATURE STUDY GUIDE
The structure of an essay
Steps to writing an essay in the exams
Narrative essays
Descriptive essays
Reflective essays
Discursive essays
Argumentative essays
Writing an essay from a picture
Essay checklist
What is expected from you in the exam

To write a successful exam essay, you need to give yourself time to plan your ideas and write a draft. Once you have edited and corrected your draft, your final essay should be a well-structured and interesting piece of writing. In this section, you will learn how to express yourself using the rules that will earn you marks in the final Grade 12 exam.

1. All about essays

1.1 the structure of an essay.

An essay must have an introduction, a body and a conclusion.

Introduction The introduction is the first paragraph of an essay. It should catch the reader’s attention and suggest what the essay is about (the topic).

Body The longest part of an essay is the body of the essay. It is divided into paragraphs. Each paragraph usually contains one main idea about the essay topic.

Conclusion The last paragraph in an essay is the conclusion. It brings the essay to an end. No new information is given in the conclusion, but it often brings together some key points or ideas.

Coherent - expressed in a clear way that is easily understood
Logical order - Arranging information so that the points follow each other in an order that makes sense.

Essay structure

1.2 Steps for writing an essay in the exams

There are four main steps involved in writing an exam essay:

Step 1: Choose your topic and type of essay Step 2: Plan your essay Step 3: Write and edit your draft essay Step 4: Write your final essay

Step 1: Choose your topic and type of essay Topic In the essay section of the exam, there will be about eight topics. You need to choose one of these topics on which to write your essay. You only need to write one essay.

Essay type A particular topic may suit one type of essay better than another type of essay. For example, if a topic asks whether you agree or disagree, then use the argumentative essay type. The table below shows brief descriptions of the five essay types. See pages 9 to 38 for more information on each essay type.


1		It tells a story; will have the word story in the topic; has characters, setting, plot
2		It describes an experience, an event or a place
3		It shows how you think or feel about a topic. It shows your emotions, hopes and dreams
4		It must present BOTH sides of an issue based on the topic.
5		It must support ONE side of an issue based on the topic

Hint:

Choosing an essay topic in the exam

Step 2: Plan your essay Decide which type of essay you think is most suitable for the essay topic. Remind yourself of the features of this type of essay. Plan your essay by writing down your ideas for the content of the essay. The content refers to the main ideas (points or details) in your essay – what it is mainly about. It must be relevant to the topic. Once you have written down a few ideas, you can organise them by numbering them. This will show the order of your paragraphs for the structure of your essay. There are many different ways to plan an essay. For example, you could use a mind map. Use the planning method that works best for you. There are examples of planning tools on pages 5 and 6.

Essay content planning

Ways to plan an essay

A plan helps you think about what ideas you want to include in your essay. It also helps you put your ideas into a clear structure. You will earn marks for showing your planning. You can use a mind map or an ideas list to plan your essay.

An essay must be between 250 to 300 words long.

Hint:
Essay proofreading and editing

The way you write your essay creates a style of writing. The words you chose and the length of your sentences are two examples of how a writing style is created.
Think about your audience to help you chose the right register for your essay. Register can be formal. For example; if your audience is a teacher or informal if your andience is for example a friend.
The tone of the essay is the feling the write gives the writing. For example, the tone could be playful or serious.

Step 4: Write your final essay Write your final essay by rewriting your draft. Make sure that you make all the changes you marked in your draft so that your final essay has no mistakes and clearly expresses all your best ideas. When you have finished your final essay, cross out your planning and draft essay. If you do not do this, the examiner may mark your draft and not your final essay.

Hint:
Final essay

2. The five essay types

There are different types or genres of essays. Each type is written for a different purpose. To prepare for the exam, you need to revise how to write five types of essay:

The main features of each type of essay and guidelines for writing each type of essay are given in this section. To prepare for the exam, practice writing the different types of essays.

2.1 Narrative essays

A narrative essay tells a story or describes a sequence of events. It can be written from any perspective (first person or third person narrative). The first person narrator will use the pronouns “I” or “we”, while the third person narrator will use pronouns such as “he”, “she”, “they” and “them”. A narrative essay can include dialogue (speech between characters in the story) and often includes interesting descriptions. This helps the reader to imagine what is happening, so the story comes alive.

Hint:

A learner’s example of a narrative essay using the four steps Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay

This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted a narrative essay type: I am an old desk in a classroom and this is my story…

Note: Write a narratiove if the word "story" is in the description. Always give your essay a title.

Step 4: Write the final essay Note: By including her edits from her draft essay, the learner greatly improved her final essay.

I am an old desk in a classroom and this is my story…
Hello there! My name is Pine. I am an old, broken-down desk, situated at the back of a science classroom. Nobody sits on me anymore. My bits and pieces are scattered around the whole school.
You may think that I am kind of silly-looking and old. In fact, I am very special; legends have sat on me. You don’t know them all but one may stand out in particular – Mark Shuttleworth! He makes my wooden heart beat stronger with pride and he makes me forget about back pain… caused by those rotten, rusted nails!
The other legends you won’t know, but they stayed special to me. I felt their pain when they failed a test. My age- lines grinned and smiled and rejoiced with them when they excelled! I know they made it far and move forests today, but as for me …
I am still here …
The engravings on my head show my life’s story. The story of loneliness. Frustration. Excitement. Pain. (Notice the word “pain” is very similar to my name). And of course, love…
Did I mention that I am a double desk? A desk for two? I have seen all kinds of love: childish love, forbidden love and great love. I know everything there is to know about
science because I have learned it over and over again. But, I don’t understand love.
Love is mystical. Love is kind. Love is blind …
I see the new generations grow older. They grow bolder. They will always be stronger. And my heart grows fonder … Maybe I really know what love is.

word count: 262

Main features of a narrative essay that are shown in this learner’s story


Characters	Pine, learners (including famous people), and lovers, who used the desk
Plot	The story has a strong story line. The desk remembers people who have used it, and how they made it feel. It ends with the climax - as the desk realises that it loves learners who use it.
Setting	The science classroom.
Theme	The movement of learners through the classroom - they move on as they grow up, but the desk remains. The meaning of love.
Structure	From the past to the present, looking ahead to the future; from the concrete to the abstract.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used, for example: age-lines, legends, scattered move forests, rejoice, excelled, rotten, frustration, forbidden love, mystical. Short sentences and paragraphs add impact.

Activity: Writing a narrative essay

Here are some narrative essay topics to help you to practice your writing skills:

Write a story that includes the following words: Suddenly there was absolute silence... NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.
Write a story that begins with the following words: It was the greatest day of my life. NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be used in the first sentence of your introduction.

2.2 Descriptive essays

In a descriptive essay, the writer describes an experience, an event, a situation, an object or a person. The purpose is to allow the reader to imagine what is being described as clearly as possible. Writing a descriptive essay is like creating a picture with words, rather than telling a story.

Hint:
In a descriptive essay, you must describe an experience or event

A learner’s example of a descriptive essay using the four steps

Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay

This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted a descriptive essay type: The scene in the waiting area of a clinic OR a doctor’s surgery. Note; The word scene in the topic sentence suggests that a descriptive essay is appropriate for this topic

A clinic waiting area is possibly one of the most awkward places to be. You come in through the door, go to reception to tell the friendly lady that you are here for an appointment with the doctor and as you go to take a seat, you politely nod to all the other people.
With all this friendliness you would think that some people would be talking to each other, but for some unknown reason there is a silence among the adults. The only voices you hear are the receptionists talking on the phone and the little kid who is nagging his mum if he can go build a puzzle or play with the toys.
A few characters will always be found in the waiting area. For example, there will almost always be a kid with a sports injury accompanied by his hysterical mother. And then there’s also the person with flu-like symptoms even in the middle of the summer.
And lastly, there is the person who just calmly sits and reads one of the magazines that are three years old, but appear to be in perfect condition.
As you sit there in your boredom unable to figure out what could be wrong with the calm and collected man, you decide to read one of those magazines. ‘Home and Décor’ is the magazine closest to you, ironically enough, since you find this magazine in a clinic which is coloured pale green and grey, but you decide to read through it anyway. And at that moment when you find a great article, you hear the receptionist calling, “Mr.. ………, could you follow me to the doctor's office, please?"

word count: 271

Main features of a descriptive essay that are shown in this learner’s essay


Characters	Receptionist, the child, the mother, other people waiting in the queue
Plot	Description and observation of events from the moment of registration with the receptionist up to the point where the patient is called to see the doctor.
Setting	The waiting area of the clinic.
Theme	Awkwardness of being in a small public space with strangers.
Structure	The events move from the arrival up to the point when the doctor is ready to see the patient.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used, for example; hysterical, flu-like symptoms, calm and collected man, coloured pale green and grey.

Activity: Writing a descriptive essay Here are some descriptive essay topics to help you to practise your writing skills:

Write an essay on the following topic: Life with my neighbors
Write an essay on the following topic : It was a dream come true! NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.
Write an essay on the following topic : An amazing performance.

2.3 Reflective essays

A reflective essay is written to explain what the writer thinks, and/or feels, about an object, an idea, a situation or an experience. It is subjective (based on the writer’s personal experience) and uses first person pronouns (“I”, “we”, “us”). A reflective essay usually includes the writer’s emotional reactions or feelings. It could be about, for example, a dream, your hopes for the future or a past event.

A learner’s example of a reflective essay using the four steps

Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted a reflective essay type: Things I would like to achieve by the time I am 30. A reflective essay will be about what you think and feel about a topic. It shows your emotions, hopes and dreams.

Step 4: Write the final essay

Note: Leave a line between each paragraph to make your essay easy to read.

There are a number of things success is not. It’s not money or power, although I have to admit these do have a certain ring to them. Success is bounding out of the door in the mornings because you can’t bear to contain the excitement of going to work (a bit pretentious, but you get the point). Success is bringing together people with universal dreams and inspiring the people you work with to walk the extra mile.
I want that – I want success. I used to sit in front of the television watching ‘Pinki and the Brain’ and every single day Pinki asked Brain, “What are we going to do today?” and Brain would answer with such determination, “Today we’ll conquer the world”. I guess it must have brainwashed me somehow, for now I strive for the same thing.
You know how they say that people reach their prime when they reach 30, “just enough ignorance still to have energy and just enough smarts to use the energy wisely”. At 30,
* intend †o be confidently walking †o †he door of my office, marked “Senior Auditor”. Never once have I dreamt about the whole suburban living, a white picket fence with two- poin†-five angelic children. No, * dream of making a name for myself on the corporate ladder.
This isn’t some futile dream I’ll give up half way through. I’ll reach the top and I know this because dreamers have to be doers in order to be achievers. Recently deceased Steve Jobs once said, “Those who are crazy enough to think they can conquer the world are the ones who usually do.”

word count: 260

Main features of a reflective essay that are shown in this learner’s essay


Characters	The speaker (the writer) is the main person in this story, as it is about personal hopes and dreams. Steve Jobs is quoted as an inspiring person.
Introduction	The writer introduces the main idea for the essay - "success".
Body	The writer's viewpoint is supported by examples of what personal success means to the writer.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used, for example; success is bounding out of the door, universal dreams, walks the extra mile, conquer the world, brainwashed, a white picket fence with two-point0five angelic children.

Activity: Writing a reflective essay

Here are some reflective essay topics to help you to practise your writing skills:

Write an essay that includes the following words: ‘I wish I hadn’t ...’ NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.
Write an essay that includes the following words: As I looked at that photograph ... NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.
Write an essay that includes the following words: This experience has made me realise that ... NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.

2.4 Discursive essays

The word “discursive” comes from the word “discourse” which means the sharing of thoughts and ideas. A discursive essay presents both sides of an argument. Its purpose is to tell the reader about various sides of a topic. This could be the advantages and disadvantages of something, or the reasons for or against a particular point of view. It must be objective (looking at both sides equally), and give a balanced view. In the conclusion, the writer usually gives a summary of the main points, and suggests, or recommends, some action or way forward. In the conclusion, the writer may state the opinion, or view, with which he or she personally agrees. However, the reasons for that decision must be clearly shown in the essay.

Objective - giving a general point of view

Hint:
hint In a discursive essay, you must show both sides of the topic

A learner’s example of a discursive essay using the four steps

Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted a discursive essay type: Freedom of choice has both advantages and disadvantages Discuss this statement.

In a discursive essay you must present BOTH sides of an issue. For example, the advantages AND disadvantages of a topic.

South Africa has become one of the most democratic countries in Africa. We, as South Africans, are privileged to be able
to enjoy many rights that enable us to live freely and democratically in our country. One of the many rights we share is the freedom of choice. All citizens are free to choose whatever they want to eat, wear and listen to, among other choices. However, freedom of choice has both advantages and disadvantages.
Freedom of choice gives one a sense of individuality. Nothing feels as satisfyingly good as being able to make our own choices without being obliged to satisfy the government or anybody else. It prevents people from entering into situations that are uncomfortable for them and instead allows them to make choices that suit their own needs. Knowing that you are no† restricted by anything is definitely an advantage.
However, there are not always advantages to having freedom of choice. The fact that all citizens have the freedom to make their own choices can be dangerous. The choices people make are not always good and tend to violate other people’s rights as well. Perhaps the most common example would be the freedom a woman has to choose to terminate a pregnancy. It has been argued that by this choice, an unborn baby’s right to life is violated, besides the fact that the woman also puts her own health in danger.
There are pros and cons to everything. Nothing is ever completely and comfortably positive. It has become clear that while freedom of choice is great, we cannot be sure that it has not come with its own disadvantages. It seems right to conclude that it is every citizen’s responsibility to exercise his or her freedom of choice wisely. After all, every right comes with a responsibility.

Word count: 300


Content	The writer presents two sides of the argument, and makes a judgement at the end of the essay
Introduction	The writer introduces the main idea for the essay - freedom of choice.
Body	The writer presents both the advantages and disadvantages of freedom of choice. The writer organises the paragraphs by presenting arguments for, followed by arguments against, the topic. The concluding line shows the writer's personal view.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used, for example; Freedom of choice gives one a sense of individuality; the choices people make are not always good and tend to violate other people's rights as well; an unborn baby's right to life is being violated; nothing is ever completely and comfortably positive.

Activity: Writing a discursive essay

Here are some descriptive essay topics to help you to practise your writing skills:

Sport can unite or divide people. Discuss your views.
Do subjects offered at school prepare you for life? Discuss your views.
Wearing school uniform is very important. Do you agree? Discuss your views on wearing school uniform.

2.5 Argumentative essays

In an argumentative essay, the writer expresses his or her opinion or viewpoint on a topic. The purpose of the essay is to try to convince, or persuade, the reader to agree with that opinion. The writer’s opinion about the topic is clear throughout the essay. It is a subjective essay, and strong personal opinions may be expressed.

In an argumentative essay, you must express your personal opinion about the topic

In an argumentative essay you must take a stand on a topic and then support your point of view.

A learner’s example of an argumentative essay using the four steps

Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted an argumentative essay type: Today young people are influenced more by their friends than by their parents. Do you agree?

Step 2: Plan the essay This learner used a list to plan her essay.

Step 3: Write and edit the draft essay

Today Young People Are More Influenced By Their
Friends than by Their Parents
Are young people influenced more by their peers than their parents? In a modern world, most certainly! Rapid change has taken place over the past 10 years in our modern world. Family values and norms have a question mark behind them. Parenthood is not exactly what it used to be.
How can you explain why a grade seven boy would share a cigarette with his friends in a portable toilet on the school premises? A number of factors need to be considered to explain such actions: peer pressure, growing population numbers and time.
There are definitely many factors that contribute †o †he influence of peers dwarfing †he influence of parents on youth. One reason is the number of people in the world. With growing populations, it is becoming more difficult †o be unique and special. This is a big problem for teenagers, because they want to be seen and recognised. Peer influences provide a solution where parent influences do not. By doing what †heir friends want to do, youth make their voices heard. Peers: 1 Parents: 0.
Another big contributor †o peer influence is †time. Teenagers spend much more time with their friends. Apart from the time spent together at school, many afternoons are spent together watching television. It is thus obvious that much more time
is spent with friends than with family. The more time spent with peers, †he more influence †hey have on youths. Peers: 2 Parents: 0.
*I† is thus understandable why so many youths are influencing by their friends. The facts show that in a modern society, this movement is inevitable. But it does not excuse any form of misbehavior against parents. It most certainly does not excuse parents from doing their job.

Word count: 282

Main features of an argumentative essay that are shown in this learner's essay


Content	The writer begins with a general statement and moves on to explain her point of view. The viewpoint is supported with good reasons.
Introduction	The writer introduces the main idea for the essay by giving some background to the topic.
Body	The writer supports her viewpoint with examples. Related facts are combined within paragraphs. Use is made of connecting words to back up the argument. For example, How else can you explain; but; thus
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used. For example, values and norms; peers; dwarfing the influence of parents; in a modern society this movement is inevitable.

Activity: Writing an argumentative essay

Here are some argumentative essay topics to help you to practise your writing skills:

Most teenagers today do not pay much attention to leading a healthy life. Do you agree?
Technology has changed the lives of teenagers. Do you agree?
Should alcohol and cigarettes be advertised in the mass media? Discuss your views.

2.6 Writing an essay from a picture

There is always a question in the exam that asks you to write an essay based on a picture. You only need to write an essay about ONE of the pictures. Choose which picture you are going to write about. Then you need to decide what type of essay you are going to write. The content of your essay must link with the picture. Looking closely at the picture, identify information you can use in your essay. For example, the picture below shows a man who is:

Laughing/smiling
Dressed smartly in a shirt and tie
Holding a baby
Speaking/listening on the telephone
Writing something in a book/diary

There are five different types of essay that could be written about this picture, as shown below.

	1. A narrative essay
	2. A reflective essay
	3. A descriptive essay
	4. A discursive essay
	5. An argumentative essay

A learner’s example of an essay from a picture using the four steps

Time had always been her biggest obstacle. Bigger than the rocks she had to climb over to get to the river – the only escape she had from her troubled surroundings. Bigger than the barrels of water she had to carry on her head, when it felt like the heat of the sun was going to consume her frail body. Bigger than the weight she felt lying on her body after the sun had gone to bed and her mother laid her head to rest after the long day.
Time was strange and unkind to her in many ways. It always ran away whenever she enjoyed something, like a midnight swim in the river or the hours spent learning at school. Yet it always seemed to linger longer when her deepest wish was to escape from her current situation.
Time. Some call it a gift. She calls it a jail that keeps her caught up in a routine of wishing it away but wanting to hold onto it for just a while longer. The hands that point out the time, point at her in return. They point out what happened in the past, constantly reminding her of her own weakness.
Seconds become minutes. Minutes become hours. Her redemption seems light years away, while the past feels so close that she can smell the burnt food on the gas burner mixing with the smell of sweat and her own fear.
Although years have passed, sometimes she feels six years old again. She hears the door open just as it did many times in the past and she wishes that time would grant her one last favour – to turn the hours into minutes and the minutes into seconds. Seconds away from freedom is where she still longs to be.

Word count: 297


Content	The writer has interpreted the picture in a figurative way. That is, the watch reminds the writer of time and how it is linked to the events in someone's life.
Introduction	The writer introduces the main idea for the essay by giving some background to the topic - time
Body	In each paragraph, the writer talks about a different aspects of time in the woman's life; and how it did not work in her favour - it was a jail, not a gift. The essay ends with the character wishing that time would go faster, so she can escape from her current situation and be free of her past.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting figurative language is used, for example: the metaphor ' hands of time' can refer to the watch as well as to what happens to the character in the story. Alliteration is used in 'linger longer' to emphasise the slow passing of time.

Activity: Writing an essay from a picture

2.7 essay checklist.


Essay instructions	I understand the exam instructions for writing an essay.
Essay topic	I understand the essay topic I have chosen.
Essay type	I understand the features of the essay type I have chosen:

Planning	I can show evidence of essay planning.
Content	Each point in my plan is relevant to the essay topic. I will use these points in my essay.
Purpose/audience	I understand the purpose of the essay type I have chosen. I understand the audience for the essay type I have chosen.

Sentences	I have not repeated sentences in my paragraphs, I have used full sentences.
Paragraphs	My ideas link and are well organised in paragraphs. Each paragraph contains a new idea. Ideas are not repeated. The ideas in the paragraphs link to the essay topic.
Essay structure	The first paragraph of my essay introduces the topic. The body of my essay has a few paragraphs related to the topic. The last paragraph is clearly the conclusion or ending of the essay.

Choice of words/diction	I have chosen my words carefully to make my essay interesting.
Verb tenses	I have used the correct tenses (past, present or future)
Concord	My nouns and verbs are in agreement
Spelling	My spelling is correct
Punctuation	My sentences start with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark. I have used apostrophes correctly.

3. What is expected from you in the exam?

In the exam, you must write one essay that is no less than 250 and no more than 300 words long (about 1 to 1 1/2 pages). The essay is worth 50 marks out of 100 marks in the exam - half the total marks for Paper 3. Examiners will give marks for your essay based on:

Content and planning (30 marks)
Language, style and editing (15 marks)
Structure (5 marks)

The rubric on the next two pages is a table the examiners use to mark your essay. It shows the five levels of achievement that the examiners can award an essay, from the lowest achievement (Inadequate column) to the highest achievement (Exceptional column). The table also describes the skills the examiner looks for when marking. For example, when marking an essay’s content, the examiner will assess how well the ideas relate to the topic, and whether they are well planned and organised. The rubric is a useful guide for you to use when practising your essay writing because it reminds you of the skills the examiner will be assessing when marking your exam.


(Response and ideas) Organisation of ideas for planning; Awareness of purpose, audience and context 30 MARKS



Tone, register, style, vocabulary appropriate to purpose/effect and context; Word choice; Language use and conventions, punctuation, grammar, spelling 15 MARKS

	13	10	7	4

Features of text; Paragraph development and sentence construction	5	4	3	2	0-1

How Many Words Should Your Essay Have for Grading High?

How many words are in an essay?

This question bothers all students, whether in middle school or college. Two reasons:

They don’t have word count guidelines to know how long their essay should be to grade high. Or, they struggle with the word limit within a paper and wonder if they can go under the suggested length.

The essay length varies, depending on many factors: subject, purpose, and academic level. Essays are usually shorter than dissertations or research papers. The thesis is the longest one.

In this article, I’ll answer two popular questions: How long is an essay? How many paragraphs are in an essay?

Also, let’s learn how long each essay part is and if it’s okay to go beyond or under the suggested length.

How Long is an Essay, Depending on the Type?


High-school	350-1,000	Students learn to write standard 5-paragraph essays with an intro, core, and conclusion.
College admission	250-650	These are concise texts, with a word limit prescribed by admission officers. Applicants write essays expressing their motives to enter a particular college.
Undergraduate	1,500-5,000	The length depends on several factors: subject, paper type, and purpose.
Graduate admission	500-1,000	Like admission essays, these are statements about achievements and motivations to continue learning.
Graduate	2,500-6,000	These are enhanced research papers with more complex structures. You write them to prove your Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees.

The above rules are average. They may vary at different educational institutions. It stands to reason that elementary-level students write short essays. And their papers get longer in their middle 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades, etc.

Often, there’s no exact word number or page count for academic papers. Guidelines usually prescribe a supposed range: 500-850 words, 5-7 pages, and so on. When in doubt, you can ask your instructor.

How Many Paragraphs is an Essay? 6 Main Lengths

You won’t find any rule prescribing a set number of paragraphs for an essay. Five-paragraph essays are a standard, but it doesn’t mean ALL papers should follow it.

Each essay consists of three parts:

Introduction . Often, it’s one paragraph introducing your topic and thesis to readers. When writing complex papers like dissertations, your intro section can be 2-3 paragraphs.
Body. It’s a core section discussing the topic in detail. The number of paragraphs here depends on your paper’s type and complexity. This part is 1-4 paragraphs unless you write extended research papers.
Conclusion. Like intros, this section is often one paragraph summarizing the essay.

Below, I’ll cover the six main lengths to show how to balance a word count in essays.

One-paragraph essays

150-200

Aimed at practicing the concepts of paragraph writing. It can be a summary or an extended definition. Common for elementary and middle school students.

Three-paragraph papers

500	– Intro paragraph = 25% – Body paragraph = 50% – Concluding paragraph = 25% Assigned to practice cohesive and logical writing with introduction, body, and conclusion. The body section is the longest one here.

Five-paragraph essays

1,000

– Intro = 100-200
– Body paragraph 1 = 150-250
– Body paragraph 2 = 150-250
– Body paragraph 3 = 150-250
– Conclusion = 100-150

It’s a standard essay structure for high school students learning to build arguments. Most types of fall into this category.

Extended papers

1,500; 3,000; 5,000

– Check the guidelines
+/- 10% of the prescribed length allowed

Assigned in college to undergraduates getting their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Such papers need deep research and may be of a more complex structure.

Dissertation

10,000; 15,000

Paragraph length by section, in % of the total length:

– Abstract – 5%
– Intro – 10%
– Literature review – 25%
– Methodology – 15%
– Result – 20%
– Discussion – 15%
– Conclusion – 10%

It’s a final project for Bachelor’s and Master’s to prove they’re worth their degree. Dissertations have a complex structure and need original research.

40,000-60,000

Paragraph length by section, in % of the total length:

– Abstract – 5%
– Intro – 10%
– Literature review – 25%
– Methodology – 15%
– Result – 20%
– Discussion – 15%
– Conclusion – 10%

Assigned to doctoral students getting PhDs. Its structure is as complex as a dissertation but with more details. The focus is on the research and data analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is essay length important.

Yes, it is. Prescribing a length, instructors understand if you can organize thoughts and arguments. An essay of 1,000 words requires more research and effort than a 350-word paper, agree? The specified length also helps you understand how complex your work should be to grade high. Longer essays teach you to write cohesive texts, choose arguments, and think critically.

Don’t write essays for the sake of count. Quality matters, so please focus on arguments, evidence, and analysis. Avoid placing too many transitions, generic words, and lengthy expressions. Make your every word and sentence count.

How many words are in an essay sample?

350 words at least.

It depends on the essay type you write. Thus, a high school essay sample will be 350 words at least. If you need a college application essay, consider personal papers of 250-650 words. Check essay samples of 800-1,000 words if you need a standard college paper. More complex works like graduate school essays or dissertations will be 3,000+ words.

How long is each part of an essay?

Stick to the 80/20 rule when calculating the length of each essay part. An essay body is the core section of academic papers: Make it 80% of the text. The remaining 20% goes to an introduction and a conclusion.

Say you write a 1,000-word essay. It means you will have 800 words in the body; 100 words go to the introduction and 100 words — for a concluding paragraph. You can go 10% below or above the prescribed limit. (Unless your instructor sets specific limitations.)

How many sentences are in an essay?

21-34 sentences for a standard 5-paragraph essay.

It depends on your essay type and the required word count. I’ll take a standard 5-paragraph college paper as an example:

You have one introductory paragraph, which is 3-5 sentences average. Other 3-5 sentences go to your conclusion. The body consists of three sections, 5-8 sentences each (1). So, here we have it: 21-34 sentences in an essay.

How many words are in an essay introduction?

Take 10-15% of the total length required. Thus, if you need to write a 1,000-word essay, your introduction will be 100-150 words.

For advanced research papers, where intros are longer than one paragraph, stick to 100-150 words per paragraph average. Such texts are usually above 3,000 words, so you’ll follow the 80/20 rule anyway.

Can I go under the suggested length?

It’s not advisable. Please do your best to meet the minimum word count given in the assignment. If the guidelines say “350-600 words,” write at least 350 words in an essay. Sometimes, a 10% deviation is acceptable, but don’t take this rule for granted. Most instructors won’t appreciate your 315-word paper if they ask you to write 350 words at least.

How to make your essay longer?

Add more examples and evidence to the body paragraphs.
Explain and analyze every argument in detail.
Mention counterarguments if applicable.

Can I make my essay longer?

Yes, you can exceed the word limit by 10% if allowed by your course instructor. For example, if you get an assignment of 500-700 words, it’s okay to submit a 770-word essay for a review.

Important! Always ask your instructor if the 10% rule is available in their course. And exceed the word count only if you have critical information to add.

Academic writing is all about rules and instructions. Essay length isn’t an exception:

Every college paper has a prescribed, approximate word count to follow. When asking, “How long is an essay?” remember the answer will depend on several factors:

Academic level. (Middle and high school students write short essays. Undergraduates and graduates craft longer and more complex papers.)
Type and purpose. (Research-based essays are longer than reflective stories you write for college admission officers.)
Instructions you get from a teacher. (Check them: The supposed essay length is often there.)

How many words are in an essay? You can answer this question now.

References:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/paragraphs_and_paragraphing/paragraphing.html
Essay samples
Essay writing
Writing tips

How Long Is an Essay? The Ultimate Essay Length Guide

It’s safe to say that most students struggle with the word limit within an essay. Sometimes, it’s hard to find ideas for a text and meet the word requirement for every part of the paper. With so many factors influencing essay length, it’s easy to get confused.

The picture enumerates the factors influencing essay length.

Luckily, our custom-writing team has your back. In this article, our custom-writing experts will answer all your questions regarding essay length. We will also help you write papers with an ideal number of words!

📜 Is Essay Length Important?

📏 essay parts: recommended length.

🤔 How to Make Essays Shorter or Longer
📑 Essay Length & Formatting
❓ Different Academic Levels FAQ
📚 Essay Length: Different Types
⭐ Other Aspects
📝 Essay Examples

🔍 References

Often, the phrase “word limit” causes panic among students. After all, if an essay is too long or too short, your grade will be lowered. However, in reality, there’s nothing to worry about. When it comes to words, limitations are beneficial for both the students and the professors.

Let’s see what exactly it means.

Many people believe that the longer an essay is, the better. However, according to Frontiers, research shows that it’s a bias that couldn’t be further from the truth. A perfect-length paper is one that allows students to express their ideas and showcase their knowledge fully while keeping it clean and simple.

What Influences Essay Length

Various factors determine the length of an essay. Here are the most important ones:

	Some themes may require more explanations and supporting ideas to prove a point or convey a message to the reader.
	For instance, if your topic is related to literature, you might need more words and descriptions to get the point across. Subjects such as science or management typically require shorter papers.
	Usually, the more advanced the students are, the more complex their papers get. For example, high school essays differ from ones for college and university in terms of length and presentation.
	Students may be asked to write various types of essays—such as short, extended, narrative, or persuasive—throughout their careers. The essay’s type reflects in both its outline and length.

Let’s start with the essentials. Usually, assignment length is given as a number of words rather than pages. Unless your supervisor or instructor mentions any specific limitations, it’s acceptable to be 10% below or above the word limit.

It’s also worth knowing the 80/20 rule . According to it, the body should constitute 80% of the text, while the intro and the conclusion take up the remaining 20%.

Keep reading to learn more about the recommended length of each essay part. The main numbers are shown in the table below:

	3-5 sentences (50-80 words)
	5-8 sentences (80-200 words)
	3-5 paragraphs
	3-5 sentences (50-80 words)

How Long Should an Introduction Be?

An introduction is the first section and the face of your essay. For that reason, it needs to be compelling and well-thought-out. Usually, it consists of 3 to 5 sentences or 50 to 80 words .

An introduction must have a hook, some background information, and a thesis statement. While the attention grabber and the thesis are usually brief, you may need 2 to 3 sentences for the background. To avoid going overboard, try to stay on topic and don’t add any filler.

How Long Is a Body Paragraph in an Essay?

The length of a body paragraph may vary. Sometimes, it can be limited to a single sentence. In other cases, it may take up a whole page. Usually, it’s recommended to have between 80 and 200 words (5-8 sentences) per body paragraph.

Since the paper’s body contains the most information, it’s necessary to explain and support your ideas properly. That’s why it’s no big deal if your body paragraphs go slightly over the word limit.

How Many Body Paragraphs Should Be in an Essay?

Like the word count, the number of paragraphs is determined by the type of paper and its topic. The minimum is 1. Generally, however, the body consists of 3-5 paragraphs , 1 for each argument.

To improve your paper’s structure, ensure that there are as many paragraphs as there are points in your thesis statement. Each one should have a purpose and support your arguments. If there’s any fluff, it’s better to get rid of it.

How Long Should a Conclusion Be?

Like the introduction, the conclusion consists of 50-80 words . It’s essential to keep it simple and only mention the central ideas. A weak concluding sentence may affect the reader’s understanding of the topic and spoil the overall impression of your paper.

🤔 How to Make Essays Shorter or Longer: Best Tips

Undoubtedly the essay’s content is more important than the number of words you use. But there are times when students go more than 10-15% below or over the limit. Is there a solution to this problem?

Yes, there is! In this section, we will share the most useful tips to help you stay on point with your paper’s word count.

How to Make Essays Longer

Since having enough words is essential for a good grade, we’ve collected the best tips that can help you lengthen your essay without teachers noticing:

Use relevant quotations.  You don’t need to litter your essay with citations, but using them whenever appropriate is a great idea. For instance, if you’re working on a book analysis, referencing a couple of direct quotes from the source text will make your essay more credible and increase the word count.

Original	Revision
In Indian culture, hair symbolizes self-respect, a sense of belonging, and pride.	In Indian culture, hair symbolized self-respect, a sense of belonging, and pride: ”Our mothers had taught us that only unskilled warriors who were captured had their hair shingled by the enemy.”

Give examples.  Go through the claims in your paper and provide additional evidence where possible. It will make your essay longer and more informative.

Original	Revision
Directors considered the dark side of speed, driving, mobility, and all the other icons associated with the road.	Directors considered the dark side of speed, driving, mobility, and all the other icons associated with the road. Some well-known examples are movies such as (1969), (1963), and (1963-64).

Use transitional expressions.  Adding transition words and phrases is a natural way of increasing the number of words. It will also improve your essay’s readability.

Original	Revision
The book’s author believes this is just a general misconception.	However, the book’s author believes this is just a general misconception.

Add more references.  Providing references is always a good idea when writing a formal essay. That way, you will increase the number of words and make your paper more credible.

Original	Revision
It is believed that writing, reading, or reciting poetry positively affects our psychological well-being.	According to another article published in the  in 2014, the practice of writing, reading, or reciting poetry positively affects our psychological well-being.

Work on your descriptions.  If you struggle to develop new ideas, go over what you’ve already written and consider adding some descriptive words. It’s a great idea for creative essays to include more imagery.

Original	Revision
They believe that language is more than a communication tool and should be introduced in a playful way for most effectiveness.	They believe that language is more than a simple day-to-day communication tool and that it should be introduced in a pleasurable and playful way for the most effectiveness.

How to Shorten an Essay

Another struggle of academic writing is cutting down the number of words in your essay to meet a set limit. We are here to tell you that it’s not that hard. Writing straightforwardly and keeping your sentences short is a key to concise content. Here are several strategies you may use to tighten a lengthy essay:

Choose the active voice.  It takes up less space than passive voice. Using it also makes your writing more professional and compelling.

Original	Revision
The research was conducted by  .	conducted the research.

Remove needless transitions.  Transitions can indeed maintain the flow of the paper. But some transitional phrases can be easily removed.

Original	Revision
Furthermore, it has been discovered that children who play violin have stronger visual and verbal pattern abilities.	Discoveries show that children who play violin have stronger visual and verbal pattern abilities.

Get rid of unnecessary adverbs and adjectives.  Some students tend to overuse adjectives and adverbs. It adds wordiness to their writing.

Original	Revision
The whole article focuses on the mechanics of easily managing fear itself.	The article focuses on the mechanics of managing fear itself.

Avoid running starts.  Some students like to start their sentences with long phrases like: “there are,” “it is believed,” or “the fact that.” Getting rid of them makes texts much more concise.

Original	Revision
The fact that the dialogue contains some Shakespearean elements emphasizes the protagonist’s longing for his lover.	Shakespearean elements in the dialogue emphasize the protagonist’s longing for his lover.

Delete “that.”  In most cases, the word “that” can often be easily removed from texts.

Original	Revision
The idea that was expressed in the novel translated well into the live-action movie.	The idea expressed in the book translated well into the live-action movie.

Another cool trick is to use our summarizing tool as essay shortener. Try it out!

📑 How Long Is an Essay Depending on Formatting?

As we mentioned earlier, the essay’s length is usually limited by the number of words. But sometimes, a teacher may ask you to write a specific number of pages. This is trickier because the amount of text you can place on the page depends on the formatting. By using the font size and spacing properly, it’s possible to make the paper visually longer or shorter. Let’s discuss it in more detail.

The picture describes how formatting affects essay length.

Essay Spacing: How Does It Affect the Length?

Adjusting the spacing between lines.  Try to make the changes as slight as possible. For instance, if you were asked to double-space the paper, use 2.1 or 2.2 spacing instead. Another option is to slightly extend spaces between paragraphs.
Extending the margin size.  You can increase the right and bottom margins by a quarter to make very subtle changes in length. For example, if the margins are 1 inch , you can set them at 1.25 inches instead. 
Increasing the spacing between characters.  It is less noticeable than the line spacing. Still, try not to overdo it and keep the numbers between 1.2 and 1.5 . 
Adjusting the footer.  Add a footer with page numbers to stretch the bottom margin even further.
Lengthening the header.  You can extend your header by adding your name, e-mail address, or other relevant information. Another option is double-spacing it.

Length of an Essay: Font and Size

Using the right type of font.  If your instructor didn’t specify which font you should use, go for the bigger ones. We suggest Arial, Bangla Sangam MN, Cambria, or Quicksand. They will make your text look longer without being too on the nose.  
Using a bigger font size.  This is another technique that can come in handy. However, be careful and don’t increase your font by more than 0.1-0.5 pt.  
Increasing the size of periods and commas.   This is one of the less noticeable tricks you can use. For instance, if your paper’s font is 12 pt. , increase it to 14 pt. only for punctuation marks. Italicizing periods and commas will also add several lines of length to your essay.

What to Do if There Are No Length Guidelines

Sometimes a teacher sets no word limit for a written work. What to do in that case? Well, first, you can ask your professor to confirm if they have simply forgotten to mention it. But if that’s not the case, here are a couple of helpful solutions:

Think of the paragraph number.  Sometimes, you may be given the number of paragraphs instead of words. In that case, you can decide on the number of words depending on how many paragraphs you have. 
Think about the topic’s complexity.  The length of your paper is also directly dependent on the theme. If the topic is simple, 4-5 paragraphs will be enough. A more complex issue may require an in-depth explanation, so your essay can be 6-8 paragraphs long.

❓ Essay Length for Different Academic Levels FAQ

The length of the elementary school essay is usually short. Usually, a paper needs to have around 3-5 paragraphs, with 4-5 sentences per paragraph. Primary school essays can be 1-2 paragraphs long.

The word limit for a middle school essay is usually between 300 to 1000 words. The most common essay length is 500 words, which is about 5 paragraphs. However, it may differ from school to school.

The length of the high school essay may differ depending on the school and the complexity of the task itself. Usually, however, a paper can be between 300 to 1000 words long.

The length of the undergraduate college essay often falls within the range of 1500 to 2100 words. It translates into roughly 5-7 pages. 5 pages is the most common essay length at this level.

When it comes to the graduate school admission essay, the word limit is usually between 500 and 1000 words. It’s possible to go slightly over or below the set limit; however, it’s best to stick to the requirements as close as possible.

📚 How Long Should an Essay Be: Different Types

Now, let’s talk about different types of essays. How long should they be? Keep reading to learn about the length of college essays, short and extended ones, scholarship essays, and research papers.

How Long Is a College Essay?

When it comes to a college essay, it’s more important to stick to the word limit than with any other paper. Some teachers may refuse to read it unless it meets all the requirements.

The shortest limit for a college essay is about 250 words which is the shortest length of a Common App personal statement. It’s also rare to see a good college essay with over 650 words . So, an average piece usually has between 150 and 650 words ; you can go over or below the limit by 50.

How Long Is a Paragraph in College Essays?

A college essay usually consists of 4-5 paragraphs . One paragraph takes about 1/3 of the page, which is roughly 5 sentences . Each sentence corresponds with one of the following components:

Topic sentence.
Explanation.
Transitions.

College Essay Length Requirements: Top 5 Schools

To understand the requirements for a college application essay even better, take a look at the table below. It showcases the top 5 schools and their length criteria for personal statements. Keep it in mind when writing your college essay:

HBS essay length	900-word limit
UC essay length	350-word limit
Chicago Booth essay length	300-word limit
UChicago essay length	650 suggested word limit
AMCAS essay length	5300 characters (spaces included)

How Long Is a Short Essay?

A short essay is usually 500 words long. Using 12pt Times New Roman font with standard margins and double spacing should result in about 2 pages of text.

Extended Essay Length

An extended essay is different from a short or a standard one. It requires extensive research and thorough explanation. That’s why the upper limit for this kind of essay is 4000 words . In this case, a typical essay length is 3500 words or 18 paragraphs .

Scholarship Essay Length

Generally, scholarship papers have a limit of 500 words , which is 1 page in length. Most scholarship programs provide additional requirements that indicate the minimum number of words or pages. If there are no set limitations, you can stick to the limit.

How Long Is a Research Paper?

Typically, a research paper is between 4000 and 6000 words long. Sometimes, there are shorter papers, which have around 2000 words, or in-depth ones with over 10000 words.

⭐ Other Aspects of Essay Length

When it comes to essay length, many different aspects come into play. Here, we’ve gathered all the essential information regarding an essay’s number of pages, paragraphs, words, and references.

How Many Paragraphs Are in an Essay?

Sometimes, it is more convenient to count paragraphs rather than words. Let’s now figure out how many paragraphs are in essays of different lengths. You may also check out the examples to see what such an essay looks like:

Words	Paragraphs	Example
250-word essay length	4
300-word essay length	4-5
500-word essay length	6	Water Cooling Tower Construction Site’s Problems
600-word essay length	7
800-word essay length	8-9
1000-word essay length	10
2000-word essay length	18-19

How to Count Paragraphs in an Essay Based on Word Count

You can also count the number of body paragraphs for your essay using the formula below:

Number of body paragraphs (average) = (TWC – TWC*0.16)/100

TWC – total word count
0.16 – an average percentage of total word count for introduction and conclusion
100 – an average number of words per paragraph

How Many Pages Are in an Essay?

The number of pages in your essay may vary from subject to subject. But it’s still possible to determine the number of pages based on word count. Check out the numbers below to see the conversions with bonus examples:

	Pages (Double-spaced)	Example
How many pages is a 200-word essay?	1	Food Safety: A Policy Issue in Agriculture Today
How many pages is a 250-word essay?	1
How many pages is a 300-word essay?	1	The Major Causes of the Great Depression
How many pages is a 400-word essay?	1,5
How many pages is a 500-word essay?	2
How many pages is a 600-word essay?	2	Single-Parent Families: Source Analysis
How many pages is a 700-word essay?	2,5	CytoGainer Overview: Purpose and Results
How many pages is a 750-word essay?	3	Modeling Sustainable Food Systems
How many pages is a 800-word essay?	3
How many pages is a 900-word essay?	3,5
How many pages is a 1000-word essay?	4
How many pages is a 1500-word essay?	6
How many pages is a 2000-word essay?	8	Advocacy Campaign: the Problem of Childhood Obesity

You can also use a specialized calculator such as Word Counter to determine a number of pages in your essay.

What Does an Essay Look Like when Typed?

You might be wondering: what do essays of different lengths look like when typed? Well, here’s the table where you can find out the metrics for single- and double-spaced papers.

	Single-spaced	Double-spaced	Example
What does a 200-word essay look like?	0,5 pages	1 page	How Hate Took Hold of Him: Parrish Reflection
What does a 250-word essay look like?	0,5 pages	1 page	What Social Factors Prevent Adolescents to Acquire Appropriate Education in Their Later Life
What does a 300-word essay look like?	0,5 pages	1 page	“Racial Inequality, at College and in the Workplace” by Johnson
What does a 500-word essay look like?	1 page	2 pages
What does a 600-word essay look like?	1 page	2 pages	“8 Million Have Slipped Into Poverty Since May as Federal Aid Has Dried Up” by Jason DeParle
What does a 750-word essay look like?	1,5 pages	3 pages	Methods for Avoiding Relapse
What does a 1000-word essay look like?	2 pages	4 pages	Heroin Distribution and Its Use Within the United States
What does a 2000-word essay look like?	4 pages	8 pages

How Many Pages Are in a Handwritten Essay?

In case you need to turn in a handwritten paper, you should check out the table below.

How many pages is 150 words handwritten?	0,5
How many pages is 200 words handwritten?	1
How many pages is 250 words handwritten?	1
How many pages is 300 words handwritten?	1,25
How many pages is 350 words handwritten?	1,5
How many pages is 400 words handwritten?	1,5-2
How many pages is 500 words handwritten?	2
How many pages is 600 words handwritten?	2
How many pages is 700 words handwritten?	2,5
How many pages is 800 words handwritten?	3
How many pages is 1000 words handwritten?	4

Counting Words in a Handwritten Essay

If you don’t have enough time to count the words in your handwritten essay one by one, here’s what you can do:

Count how many words there are in one line. Take the first and last lines and a line in the middle of a page. Let’s say there are 15, 14, and 15 words in them. Then, the average number of words per line is 15.
Next, count how many lines there are on one page. Let’s say there are 17 lines on a page.
Take the number of words per line and multiply it by the number of lines per page. In our case, we multiply 15 by 17. So, there are 255 words per page on average.
Finally, multiply the number of words per page by the number of pages. If your essay has 3 pages, it is approximately 765 words long.

How Long Does it Take to Write an Essay?

It is crucial to know how long writing will take you, especially if you are working on an exam essay or just short on time. Note that you need to consider the time for typing and researching necessary to complete a piece. Research time may vary. Usually, it’s 1-2 hours for 200-250 words .

The picture shows the fact about the average speed of writing.

Below, we’ve gathered the average writing time for average and slower writing speed:

	Time (Slow)	Time (Average)
How long does it take to write 250 words?	50 min	6.3 min
How long does it take to write 300 words?	60 min	7.5 min
How long does it take to write 500 words?	100 min	12.5 min
How long does it take to write 750 words?	150 min	18.8 min
How long does it take to write 800 words?	160 min	20 min
How long does it take to write 1000 words?	200 min	25 min
How long does it take to write 1200 words?	240 min	30 min
How long does it take to write 1500 words?	300 min	37.5 min
How long does it take to write a 2000-word essay?	400 min	50 min

And here are the results in pages:

	Time (Slow)	Time (Average)
How long does it take to write a 2-page paper?	200 min	25 min
How long does it take to write a 3-page paper?	300 min	37.5 min
How long does it take to write a 4-page paper?	400 min	50 min
How long does it take to write a 5-page paper?	500 min	62.5 min
How long does it take to write a 6-page paper?	600 min	75 min
How long does it take to write a 7-page paper?	700 min	87.5 min

How Many References Does an Essay Need?

Another essential part of any composition is the reference list. Different academic levels require different references. You’ll find out how many of them should be in your paper in the table below!

	School	College	Bachelor	Master	Ph.D.
How many references in a 200-word essay	2	3	4	5	6
How many references for a 500-word essay	4	6	8	10	12
How many references for a 1000-word essay	8	12	16	20	24
How many references for a 1200-word essay	10	15	20	25	30
How many references in a 1500-word essay	12	18	24	30	36
How many references for a 2000-word essay	16	24	32	40	48
How many references for a 4000-word essay	32	48	64	80	96
How many references for a 5000-word essay	40	60	80	100	120

📝 Essay Examples: Different Length

Finally, we’ve gathered some excellent sample essays of different lengths. Make sure to check them out!

200-word essay example
300-word essay example	Modifications of the Nomi Move
400-word essay example
500-word essay example
600-word essay example
700-word essay example	Ethics, CSR, and Ignatian Values
800-word essay example
900-word essay example
1000-word essay example
1500-word essay example
2000-word essay example	Research Critique: The Importance of Relationships in Mental Care
3000-word essay example
4000-word essay example

We also recommend you check out our free essay samples sorted by pages:

1-Page Essay Examples
2-Page Essay Examples
3-Page Essay Examples
4-Page Essay Examples
5-Page Essay Examples
10-Page Essay Examples
20-Page Essay Examples
30-Page Essay Examples
40-Page Essay Examples
50-Page Essay Examples

Now you know all about essay length, word limits, and ways to lengthen or shorten your text. If you know other interesting tricks, make sure to share them in a comment! Good luck with your writing assignments!

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How Long Should Your College Essay Be? What Is the Ideal Length?

What’s covered: , personal statement length vs. supplemental essay length, are college essay word limits hard, what if a college essay word count isn’t given, what if you need to submit a graded paper, where to get your essays edited.

Students often spend hours agonizing over the best topics for their college essays. While it’s natural to wonder whether your personal statement is original or compelling enough, there’s one aspect of the process that shouldn’t cause you undue stress—how many words should a college essay be? Fortunately, with a little research, you can uncover the ideal college essay length for all your applications.

Unlike high school assignments, which typically have a strict page requirement, most colleges provide a word limit or word range for their application essays. This practice helps ensure that essays are the same length regardless of font or formatting. A good guideline is that students should strive to get as close as possible to the upper limit of the word range without exceeding it. Keep reading to learn more about best practices for college essay length.

How many words should a college essay be? Personal statements are generally 500-650 words. For example, the Common Application , which can be used to apply to more than 800 colleges, requires an essay ranging from 250-650 words . Similarly, the Coalition Application , which has 150 member schools, features an essay with a recommended length of 500-650 words.

650 words is the most common limit for your personal statement, but some schools may ask students to write more or less. For example, ApplyTexas , a platform used to apply to Texas public universities and other select colleges, requests essays with requirements that vary by school. For example, students applying to UT Austin will need to submit an essay of 500-700 words, along with three short-answer questions of 250-300 words each.

On the other hand, the University of California (UC) application includes a Personal Insight section with eight prompts . Students are asked to respond to any four of these prompts, with each response topping out at 350 words.

Additionally, some schools request a few supplemental essays, which are typically shorter than a personal statement. These questions are designed to gain more information about a student’s interests and abilities, and may include topics like your reasons for wanting to attend their school, your desired major, or your favorite activity.

Most schools require 1-3 supplemental essays, though some may require more or none at all (see our list of top colleges without supplemental essays ). These essays tend to be around 250 words, but some may be just as long as your main essay. For example, Cornell requires applicants to write a second supplemental essay (of 650 words max) that is specific to the program they’re applying to. The exception to this is the Cornell College of Engineering, for which applicants are required to compose two supplemental essays of 250 words max each.

For best results, keep your essays within the word range provided. While you don’t have to hit the count exactly, you should aim to stay within a 10% difference of the upper limit—without including fluff or filler. For example, if the school requests 500 words, try to ensure that your essay is between 450 and 500 words.

For the Common App, try to stay within 550-650 words, even though the given range is 250-650. Any submission shorter than 500 words will make it look as though you simply didn’t care enough to give your best effort. An essay shorter than 500 words won’t be long enough to truly share who you are and what matters to you.

Exceeding the word count isn’t an option—the application portal cuts off anything over the maximum number of allowed words. This is something you want to be particularly careful of if you’re drafting your essay in a Word or Google document and pasting it into the application.

Although most schools provide applicants with a specific word count, some offer more general guidelines. For example, a college may ask for a particular number of pages or paragraphs.

If you aren’t given a word count, try to adhere to the best practices and conventions of writing. Avoid writing especially short or overly long paragraphs—250 words per paragraph is generally a safe upper limit. If you’re asked to write a certain number of pages, single- or double-spaced, stick to a standard font and font size (like 12-point Times New Roman).

In the event that the college doesn’t offer any guidelines at all, aim for an essay length of around 500 words.

While essays are the most commonly requested writing sample, some colleges ask for additional pieces of content. For example, Princeton University requires students to submit a previously graded paper for evaluation .

Princeton offers guidelines that cover length, but if another school requests an old paper and doesn’t offer length requirements, a paper ranging from 3-5 pages should yield the best results. The goal is to select a paper long enough to showcase your writing skills and unique voice, but short enough that the admissions officer doesn’t get bored reading it.

Is your essay effective while staying within the required word count? It’s hard to evaluate your own writing, especially after rereading it numerous times. CollegeVine’s free Peer Essay Review provides an opportunity to have your essay reviewed by a fellow student, for free. Similarly, you can help other students by reviewing their essays—this is a great way to refine your own writing skills.

Expert advice is also available. CollegeVine’s advisors are prepared to help you perfect your personal statement and submit a successful application to your top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

2022 DBE Self-study Guides Gr. 12 English: Writing Essays and Transactional Texts

This study guide is intended to serve as a resource for teachers and learners. It provides notes, examples, problem-solving exercises with solutions and examples of practical activities.

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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!

And length isn't everything, right ladies? Ahem.

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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The Best College Essay Length: How Long Should It Be?

College Essays

Figuring out your college essay can be one of the most difficult parts of applying to college. Even once you've read the prompt and picked a topic, you might wonder: if you write too much or too little, will you blow your chance of admission? How long should a college essay be?

Whether you're a terse writer or a loquacious one, we can advise you on college essay length. In this guide, we'll cover what the standard college essay length is, how much word limits matter, and what to do if you aren't sure how long a specific essay should be.

How Long Is a College Essay? First, Check the Word Limit

You might be used to turning in your writing assignments on a page-limit basis (for example, a 10-page paper). While some colleges provide page limits for their college essays, most use a word limit instead. This makes sure there's a standard length for all the essays that a college receives, regardless of formatting or font.

In the simplest terms, your college essay should be pretty close to, but not exceeding, the word limit in length. Think within 50 words as the lower bound, with the word limit as the upper bound. So for a 500-word limit essay, try to get somewhere between 450-500 words. If they give you a range, stay within that range.

College essay prompts usually provide the word limit right in the prompt or in the instructions.

For example, the University of Illinois says :

"You'll answer two to three prompts as part of your application. The questions you'll answer will depend on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program , and if you've selected a second choice . Each response should be approximately 150 words."

As exemplified by the University of Illinois, the shortest word limits for college essays are usually around 150 words (less than half a single-spaced page). Rarely will you see a word limit higher than around 650 words (over one single-spaced page). College essays are usually pretty short: between 150 and 650 words. Admissions officers have to read a lot of them, after all!

Weigh your words carefully, because they are limited!

How Flexible Is the Word Limit?

But how flexible is the word limit? What if your poignant anecdote is just 10 words too long—or 100 too short?

Can I Go Over the Word Limit?

If you are attaching a document and you need one or two extra words, you can probably get away with exceeding the word limit by such a small amount. Some colleges will actually tell you that exceeding the word limit by 1-2 words is fine. However, I advise against exceeding the word limit unless it's explicitly allowed for a few reasons:

First, you might not be able to. If you have to copy-paste it into a text box, your essay might get cut off and you'll have to trim it down anyway.

If you exceed the word limit in a noticeable way, the admissions counselor may just stop reading your essay past that point. This is not good for you.

Following directions is actually a very important part of the college application process. You need to follow directions to get your letters of recommendation, upload your essays, send supplemental materials, get your test scores sent, and so on and so forth. So it's just a good general rule to follow whatever instructions you've been given by the institution. Better safe than sorry!

Can I Go Under the Word Limit?

If you can truly get your point across well beneath the word limit, it's probably fine. Brevity is not necessarily a bad thing in writing just so long as you are clear, cogent, and communicate what you want to.

However, most college essays have pretty tight word limits anyways. So if you're writing 300 words for an essay with a 500-word limit, ask yourself: is there anything more you could say to elaborate on or support your points? Consult with a parent, friend, or teacher on where you could elaborate with more detail or expand your points.

Also, if the college gives you a word range, you absolutely need to at least hit the bottom end of the range. So if you get a range from the institution, like 400-500 words, you need to write at least 400 words. If you write less, it will come across like you have nothing to say, which is not an impression you want to give.

What If There Is No Word Limit?

Some colleges don't give you a word limit for one or more of your essay prompts. This can be a little stressful, but the prompts generally fall into a few categories:

Writing Sample

Some colleges don't provide a hard-and-fast word limit because they want a writing sample from one of your classes. In this case, a word limit would be very limiting to you in terms of which assignments you could select from.

For an example of this kind of prompt, check out essay Option B at Amherst :

"Submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay."

While there is usually no word limit per se, colleges sometimes provide a general page guideline for writing samples. In the FAQ for Option B , Amherst clarifies, "There is no hard-and-fast rule for official page limit. Typically, we anticipate a paper of 4-5 pages will provide adequate length to demonstrate your analytical abilities. Somewhat longer papers can also be submitted, but in most cases should not exceed 8-10 pages."

So even though there's no word limit, they'd like somewhere in the 4-10 pages range. High school students are not usually writing papers that are longer than 10 pages anyways, so that isn't very limiting.

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Implicit Length Guideline

Sometimes, while there's no word (or even page) limit, there's still an implicit length guideline. What do I mean by this?

See, for example, this Western Washington University prompt :

“Describe one or more activities you have been involved in that have been particularly meaningful. What does your involvement say about the communities, identities or causes that are important to you?”

While there’s no page or word limit listed here, further down on page the ‘essay tips’ section explains that “ most essay responses are about 500 words, ” though “this is only a recommendation, not a firm limit.” This gives you an idea of what’s reasonable. A little longer or shorter than 500 words would be appropriate here. That’s what I mean by an “implicit” word limit—there is a reasonable length you could go to within the boundaries of the prompt.

But what's the proper coffee-to-paragraph ratio?

Treasure Hunt

There is also the classic "treasure hunt" prompt. No, it's not a prompt about a treasure hunt. It's a prompt where there are no length guidelines given, but if you hunt around on the rest of the website you can find length guidelines.

For example, the University of Chicago provides seven "Extended Essay" prompts . You must write an essay in response to one prompt of your choosing, but nowhere on the page is there any guidance about word count or page limit.

However, many colleges provide additional details about their expectations for application materials, including essays, on FAQ pages, which is true of the University of Chicago. On the school’s admissions Frequently Asked Questions page , they provide the following length guidelines for the supplemental essays:

“We suggest that you note any word limits for Coalition or Common Application essays; however, there are no strict word limits on the UChicago Supplement essays. For the extended essay (where you choose one of several prompts), we suggest that you aim for around 650 words. While we won't, as a rule, stop reading after 650 words, we're only human and cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention indefinitely. For the “Why UChicago?” essay, we suggest about 250-500 words. The ideas in your writing matter more than the exact number of words you use!”

So there you go! You want to be (loosely) in the realm of 650 for the extended essay, and 250-500 words for the “Why UChicago?” essay.

Help! There Really Is No Guidance on Length

If you really can't find any length guidelines anywhere on the admissions website and you're at a loss, I advise calling the admissions office. They may not be able to give you an exact number (in fact, they probably won't), but they will probably at least be able to tell you how long most of the essays they see are. (And keep you from writing a panicked, 20-page dissertation about your relationship with your dog).

In general, 500 words or so is pretty safe for a college essay. It's a fairly standard word limit length, in fact. (And if you're wondering, that's about a page and a half double-spaced.) 500 words is long enough to develop a basic idea while still getting a point across quickly—important when admissions counselors have thousands of essays to read!

"See? It says 500 words right there in tiny font!"

The Final Word: How Long Should a College Essay Be?

The best college essay length is usually pretty straightforward: you want to be right under or at the provided word limit. If you go substantially past the word limit, you risk having your essay cut off by an online application form or having the admissions officer just not finish it. And if you're too far under the word limit, you may not be elaborating enough.

What if there is no word limit? Then how long should a college essay be? In general, around 500 words is a pretty safe approximate word amount for a college essay—it's one of the most common word limits, after all!

Here's guidance for special cases and hunting down word limits:

If it's a writing sample of your graded academic work, the length either doesn't matter or there should be some loose page guidelines.

There also may be implicit length guidelines. For example, if a prompt says to write three paragraphs, you'll know that writing six sentences is definitely too short, and two single-spaced pages is definitely too long.

You might not be able to find length guidelines in the prompt, but you could still hunt them up elsewhere on the website. Try checking FAQs or googling your chosen school name with "admissions essay word limit."

If there really is no word limit, you can call the school to try to get some guidance.

With this advice, you can be sure you've got the right college essay length on lockdown!

Hey, writing about yourself can even be fun!

What's Next?

Need to ask a teacher or friend for help with your essay? See our do's and dont's to getting college essay advice .

If you're lacking in essay inspiration, see our guide to brainstorming college essay ideas . And here's our guide to starting out your essay perfectly!

Looking for college essay examples? See 11 places to find college essay examples and 145 essay examples with analysis !

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Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

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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.

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Essay Word Count – Different Types Of Essays

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When writing a college essay , the word count is crucial to keep in mind. Following the word count guidelines, typically given by the institution shows your capability to adhere to instructions and keeps your ideas in an organized and concise frame. Exceeding the word count by far can also result in penalties. Therefore, it is an essential skill to manage your word count effectively to write an influential and compelling essay.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1 Essay Word Count – In a Nutshell
2 Definition: Essay word count
3 Essay word count guidelines
4 Different parts, different essay word count
5 Reducing the essay word count
6 Increasing the essay word count
7 Using essay word count as a guide

Essay Word Count – In a Nutshell

An essay word count is the range of the number of words needed for an academic essay.
The word count usually varies depending on the education level, subject, or institution.
The word count typically ranges from 2500 to 3000 words, depending on the instructions.

Definition: Essay word count

An academic essay word count usually differs depending on the specific assignment, the course and departmental guidelines, and the level or area of study. The word count is usually shorter than that of a thesis or research paper . Typically, an essay word count ranges from 2500 to 3000 words.

Essay word count guidelines

The essay word count guidelines differ depending on the essay type . Below are some general guidelines:


High school level essay	300 to 1000 words	Five paragraphs featuring an intro, body, and conclusion
College admission essay	200 to 650 words	Strictly short essay expressing your motivations, goals, and interests
Undergraduate college essay	1500 to 5000 words	Essay word count differs based on the institution, course level, subject, and department
Graduate school admission essay	500 to 1000 words	They feature a longer personal statement and details of academic achievements and goals.
Graduate school essay	2500 to 6000 words	The word count varies based on the institution and subject.

Different parts, different essay word count

The different sections of an essay are also attributed different word counts.

The main body’s word count is usually longer because it features:

Concept development.

In addition, the body usually contains several paragraphs, depending on the overall word count.

Another part is the essay introduction , which must be proportional to the overall essay word count.

A 3000-word count should contain a one-paragraph introduction. Contrastingly, longer and more complex essays may contain two to three paragraphs that serve as the foundation.

Finally, there is the conclusion , which is often one paragraph. However, the conclusion can be longer in complex and longer essays.

It summarizes the essay.
It ties together the key arguments.

Reducing the essay word count

Sometimes, you may exceed the essay word count. Most institutions allow you to exceed the maximum word count by 10%.

If the maximum essay word count is 1000, you can write up to 1100 words.

However, if you exceed the essay word count too much, do the following to reduce it to the maximum count:

Eliminate any paragraph that is not relevant to your argument.
Get rid of any unnecessary explanations and examples that add to the word count unnecessarily.
Ensure that all your paragraphs are focused on a specific point and do not meander.
Go straight to the point and cut out any filler words and phrases.
Make your conclusion precise and decisive.
Cut out any out-of-place information
Combine similar points and explain them in one paragraph to reduce the length of the body.

Increasing the essay word count

When writing an academic essay, one of the key rules is meeting the minimum essay word length. However, sometimes meeting the minimum word count can be challenging.

In this case, you need tips for increasing your word count. Below are some things you can do to meet the required word count:

Add examples and more evidence to the paragraphs for further clarification and strengthening purposes.
Explain and analyze each example as you develop your essay and compose detailed arguments.
Expound on a different aspect of your essay subject in a new paragraph.
Increase the introduction word count by giving background information on the topic. You can have an introduction with more than one paragraph.
Wrap up your essay with a decisive and well-explained conclusion. It should wrap up your argument and summarize your article content.
Expound on your arguments instead of using straight-to-the-point approaches.
Make your arguments more convincing.

Using essay word count as a guide

The essay word count does more than guide you on how long the essay should be. Additionally, it helps you figure out how much information you should include in the essay and its complexity. Therefore, the word count will guide the development of your essay, including the thesis statement, which identifies your essay’s core subject and its arguments.

An essay with a short word count may require a specific topic. Also, it needs straightforward and focused arguments. In contrast, longer essays need a broader approach to the subject or complex arguments. However, the essay still needs to be focused.

Therefore, the essay word count will guide you while developing the essay outline . Your outline should clearly show how much evidence, detail, and argument you need for your writing. The essay word count will also determine how much time you spend on editing and proofreading .

What is an essay word count?

An essay word count is the range of the number of words that your essay should contain. It is usually given in the form of a word count range or the number of pages .

What is the value of an essay word count?

The word count guides you on how to approach an essay topic and the complexity of your content.

Who determines the essay word count?

The academic institution, department, or instructor usually provides the word count guidelines . Also, the subject and study level influence the word count.

Is it okay to exceed the word count?

You can exceed the word count by 10% of the provided maximum word count. You can also ask your instructor for guidelines.

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How to Reduce Your Essay Word Count

When it comes to writing essays, there are two frequent issues that arise; the word count is either too low or too high for the stated range of the essay. For those who perpetually end up with too few words, you need to figure out ways to increase your essay word count . For those who frequently find themselves with too many words on the page, there are some simple steps to take when editing to help reduce the number of words while at the same time making it a stronger piece of writing. Below are some suggestions to do this.

Rank Your Arguments

If you find you’re well above your word count maximum, the first step is to rank the points you use to substantiate your argument. By ranking the importance of the arguments you make in the essay, you can eliminate ones which aren’t as important as others, keeping the essay strong while removing large portions of writing. If you don’t want to eliminate any of the points, you can still reduce word count by mentioning all the arguments, but not writing as much detail about those not as strong as the more important points.

Focus on the Main Point

Once you determine what the important arguments are for your essay, read through it looking for any paragraphs or sentences which fail to address your main argument(s) or topic. It’s easy to accidentally go off on tangents when writing, and eliminating these tangents can help reduce word count. The more focused you can remain on your topic and arguments, the more concise your writing will be.

Use the Best Verb

This may sound obvious, but a lot of writers don’t do this well. When writing, always use the perfect verb rather than one that’s close, but not perfect. When you use the best verb possible, it will reduce the amount of writing you do in most cases. This is due to the fact that when you use a verb that’s not quite correct, you usually need to add more words to clarify your meaning. Here’s an example:

“They beat the opposing team by a lot of points.”

While “beat” is accurate in this case, it’s not the perfect verb because they not only beat the team, they beat the team by a lot. Using the better verb “trounce” in this instant will reduce the word count while still giving the same meaning as the longer sentence.

“They trounced the opposing team.”

Remove Adverbs

Look through your essay and see if you find any adverbs, especially adverbs which have “ly” endings. In many instances, these adverbs end up being filler words which end up being placed in the writing because it’s the way we talk, but the words don’t add anything beneficial to the actual essay. Go through the essay and ask if each one is needed and remove those that aren’t. Some words you may want to look out for are (click on image to expand to see better)

Remove Adjectives

Much in the same way as adverbs make their way into writing, multiple adjectives are used when one (or none at all) would suffice. Read the essay to see if all of the adjectives used are needed, and remove those which don’t add to the meaning of the sentence being written. Some common adjectives to look for are:

able, bad, big, different, early, first, few, good, great, high, important, large, last, little, long, new, next, old, other, own, public, right, same, small, young

(Photo courtesy of Matt Hampel )

I hate maximum word counts because I can never stay under them. Why do teachers do this to me? Why can’t I just write as much as I want?

If you saw what the majority of students turn in for homework, you would understand perfectly why there is either a maximum or minimum (sometimes both)for writing assignments.

This is such a challenge sometimes. I hate editing because I love all my words. It helps to know how to reduce the word count even though I don’t want to do it. I think teachers should let us write as much as we want. Isn’t that helping us to be better students than limiting the amount we can write?

Limiting the amount you can write is actually something that can help you write better. It forces you to clean up your writing and only make the most necessary points which will make it more concise and accurate. Editing is more important than the actual writing to write well for most people. Your teacher is doing you a great service by limiting the amount you can write.

This isn’t a problem. The problem is reaching a minimum word count. Anyone who complains about writing too much doesn’t know what a real writing problem is.

You’re correct! Because obviously there is only one type of writing style!

A classic case of someone thinking that the world revolves around them and not understanding that just because it’s not a problem they have, others can’t have it. A very narrow world view. You might want to actually try and see things from the perspective of others every once in awhile.

I write too much. I’ wordy. I always have to reduce word count. It’s as much of n issue for me is not having enough words is for you. I hate it when people dismiss problems of others jus because it happens not to be a problem for them.

This may not be an issue for you, but it is for many people like me. It’s pretty self-centered of you to think that only your specific problems matter.

Clearly your still in primary school. Just to inform you while I was in grades 6-12 I was always over the minimum/maximum word limits. Today in college I’m easily 1500+ over my maximum limit without headers, intros, and sources. I’m not saying your issue isn’t real I’m just explaining there’s always a flip side to a problem/issue.

I’m wordy. Far too wordy. I do my best writing when I have to edit myself and these ideas are good places for me to begin. I wish I could stay under my professor’s word count limits, but it never happens I guess it’s better than writer’s block, but it’s still an issue.

Learning to write concisely will improve your writing so much. It’s not easy, but it can make a huge impact on the points you’re trying to convey. it’s worth practicing it.

Yes, I agree!

I’m wordy. My best writing is edited, and these will help. I wish I could adhere to word limits. Better than writer’s block!

Editing is such an under appreciated part of writing. I love the quote that says that great writing is composed on the editing block. Reducing your word count shouldn’t be viewed as a chore but as an opportunity to improve your writing. Being able to get your point across concisely is a great skill to have.

I agree. Most students don’t realize the importance of good editing and how it can greatly improve their writing. I believe students should spend at least as much time editing their essays as they do writing them.

I always do this! I tend to write double the word count and spend the same amount of time editing it, it not more time! It’s so difficult and I have it but I enjoy the idea of it making me write better and improve my academic writing. The most difficult bit is that I feel it’s all relevant and then having to condense it as a academic writer whilst still making the assignment flow. Argh! Uni problems!

Me Too!! I’m a bit crazy with writing! ;p

This is soooooo true and they don’t really teach you this in school. They tell you to write, but not to edit. I would have loved it if I was given a document that I had to keep the same meaning and important points, but shorten it by 200 words. It’s a skill I didn’t learn well in school but you need in the real world.

This is a new problem for me. I used to always be under word count, but recently I’ve started to always go over word count. I thought that being under was bad, but being over seems to be even more difficult. I’m not good at editing so it takes me so long to get under word count.

Editing is a lot like writing. The more you practice, the better you will get at it. Don’t get frustrated and continue to work on your editing skills. You’ll be surprised at how much better your writing gets the more you practice them. Good luck!

Seriously, who ever needs to reduce their essay word count? Everyone I know is always trying to make their word count. Do these people just write random things to get that high of a word count? That makes no sense…

ha ha. I assume you’re still in middle or high school with a comment like this. One day you’ll learn that writing can be fun and interesting, and when that happens, you won’t have enough space to write everything you want.

The thing is I am in middle school and always go 1000 words over the limit in my assignments. A good strategy that I use is to create a new document and copy and paste each paragraph. each time I copy a paragraph I try to delete some unnecessary words. This strategy works really well and it helps me a lot when doing assignments

For me i always go over because as I’m writing and sourcing things, I find other useful sections that provide good arguments and compassion’s. Currently I’m on a 3000 word essays and Iv done 4700 without an intro. My references are 700 so I’m technically 1000 over. I’m really struggling to condense it.

There’s an easy way to reduce your word count that works great for me every time. JUST DON”T WRITE SO MUCH!

I don’t know if you were being serious or not, but for some people that’s easier said than done. I tend to be wordy in my first drafts, and so when I go back through I cut a lot of words while editing. If I only wrote the exact number of words required the first time through, my grades would be a lot worse than they are. When I edit, I make my essays a lot better. I think most people do. If you’re only writing first drafts of any assignment, you’re not putting your best work forward. While your advice seems like it’s simple, it actually is bad advice for those who want to get good grades.

I think it’s difficult for people who have a hard time reaching a word count minimum to understand how difficult it is for those of us who have a hard time staying under word count. Although they are completely opposite problems, they are just as difficult for both sides. It’s kind of like two sides of the same coin.

It is, but those needing more words can source and add information, arguments and comparisons. But for those that have already done this it is difficult to cut and priorities your work based on what’s relevant or proves a better argument.

What if you have a lot to say on the topic? Should I just dumb down my writing because the teacher says that I have a maximum word count that I’m not supposed to exceed? Sometimes it’s important to write a lot when there’s a lot to be said.

Some of us like to write with detail and that can also make your word count extremely high. By toning down your piece and being a bit more general, it might also help decrease your word count.

I worry when I do this that I’m losing marks as I’m not explaining myself from cutting the work I did

I recently have found that I no longer have trouble reaching assigned word counts, but now I am constantly going over them. I’m not sure how this happened. Even worse, I think being over word count is even harder than being under it. Who would have thought?

I think this is a common problem as people become better writers. As you become more confident in your writing, you tend to write more. The previous writing problems turn into editing problems. the good news is that as you get better at writing, your wordiness will tend to go down again. Just like it to practice to increase your word count, it will take practice to reduce your word count as well.

I happened to be a wordy writer. I never seem to be able to stay under the assigned word count on my essays. I found that one of the best ways to reduce the amount that I write is to take the time to outline before I even start writing. If I outline and I see that the outline is too long, I know my writing is going to be long. That gives me the opportunity to focus on the most important points of the essay which helps to keep the word count down. I don’t know if this will work for everybody, but it works well for me and I thought I would share it in case it helps somebody else.

Use contractions when possible, use active voice and leave out the unnecessary adjectives. Be careful of going on tangents and stay on topic. Idioms and cliches are you enemy.

I’m 478 words over my essay maximum and I have no idea how I’m going to get it under the limit. All the words are important and if I cut anything, it ruins it. Why do I always have so much to say?

Were you able to get your essay under the limit? Learning to be concise in your writing is difficult, but it will make your writing a lot better in the long run.

Well Stephanie, you don’t have to take out anything! If you just write, maybe your teacher will give you easier stuff!

No, not quite.

Hey Stephanie, i totally feel you 🙁 I’m really wordy and i feel that adds to the uniqueness of my essays but sometimes it does get out of hand. Removing those words kind of ruins the flow of my essays and i don’t really know how to go about it :/

The best thing you can do for your writing is to learn to edit well.

That’s easy to say, but how do you learn to edit well? I want to reduce the number of words in my essays, but they all seem important. I don’t want to edit out words that are important to the essay. If all seem important, then how do you choose which ones to eliminate?

Practice. Editing is like writing…the more you do it, the better you become. You don’t even have to write to practice editing. take something someone else has written and see if you can make it read more cleanly. It can be fun and addicting.

You don’t even have to write to practice editing

Take the ‘even’ out for example.

Hi everyone! I need some help. I want to write a Book, but I can’t think of anything to write about! So can anyone Please Hep Me!!!

Write about the journey that lead you to writing a book. All the notable series of events

That is a really boring story. (At least mine is)

One day My friends Zoey, wrote a book, and it was really good, so I started to write one as well…

See, boring.

But thanks!

My time has come! I’ve got a lot of ideas, but I want to read the book, not write it. How about a person who has a normal, twenty-first century life falls into a different time, and everyone keeps insisting they belong there as a person the protagonist has never heard of. The protagonist knows that they don’t, but as time goes on, you, as the author, slowly reveal that everyone from that time is right and the protagonist was imagining their other life. Just an idea!

Write about something that you like or love tho do. I wrote a book about animals.

Of, and, but, by are evil words for me. Always get me.

im 1000 words (and counting) over the word limit, its due tomorrow and i wanna die

A few other tips:

1) Use the search bar to find the times you have said ‘that’ because most of the time you don’t actually need it for the sentence to make sense.

2) Also, you can try and reduce a phrase into one word. A a cause of this… = consequently…

3) If you are writing someone’s name (eg. an author or a president), then you can just use their surname.

4) This tip works particularly if you are writing a history essay, I always just say ‘America’ instead of ‘the USA’/’the US’. Also ‘The USSR’ instead of ‘The Soviet Union’ (also just say Britain, not the UK or Great Britain).

5) Sometimes you just have to look through and consider re-wording sentences: John Gaddis’s argument states that “Kennan was the architect of the Cold War” Gaddis disputes “Kennan was the architect of the Cold War”

“consequently” obviosuly does not mean “as a cause of this”

Great Britain is not the same as the UK.

I mustn’t write more than 150 words in my essay and it’s making me crazy :C

That’s not an essay, that’s a paragraph! I’m having trouble getting below 750.

Jesus Christ, what?

I did not say anything.

I’m submitting my English essay into the departments contest and the limit is 800 I originally had 1,332. These tips from both articles and comments are helping bunches let’s hope I can get it under the limit!

I’m 1500 words over on my dissertation.. i’ve used all these methods and i’m still way over the word limit.. H E L P

Have you tried to to move around sentences and maybe try to then get rid of some that don’t matter anymore?

I have this problem – I am currently over by 1046 words. But, through this process I have finally found a solution. Plan my paragraphs in advance making sure I estimate how much I should write for each paragraph; by using this as a mental guide as I write, I will know when to stop before I get the end and it’s all a bit too late.

I am 150 words over my 1000 word essay. I got into a essay writing mood and was going for 2 hr before i looked at my word count. All of my words are important but I have to get rid of some.

What are the six different essay lengths?

This is the second of three chapters about Essays . To complete this reader, read each chapter carefully and then unlock and complete our materials to check your understanding.

– Discuss why essays might vary in length

– Outline the six major lengths of academic essay

– Provide defining features for each essay length

Chapter 1: What is an academic essay?

Chapter 2: What are the six different essay lengths?

Chapter 3: What are the seven different types of academic essay?

Before you begin reading...

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The length of essay you’re assigned will likely depend on where you are exactly in your academic course. Generally, assignments at the start of a bachelor’s degree will be shorter than those required in a student’s final years, just like master’s and doctoral-level essays will continue to increase in both length and difficulty.

1. The One-Paragraph Essay

Generally about 150 to 250 words in length, the one-paragraph essay may be assigned by academic tutors simply in order to practise the basic concepts of paragraph writing, or it may also be used for specific purposes such as to practise summarising an article that’s been read in class or to write an extended definition of a concept. Additionally, one-paragraph essays may also be used as a diagnostic to quickly determine the level of a student’s writing. Unlike other essay lengths, for the one-paragraph essay, you’ll need to include at least some introductory, body and conclusive elements within the same paragraph.

2. The Three-Paragraph Essay

Usually around 500 words in length, the three-paragraph essay is generally used to introduce students to the concept that all essays should maintain an introduction , body section and conclusion if the writer wishes to produce cohesive and a logical writing. The introduction and conclusion will be the first and last paragraphs and tend to be a little shorter in length, while the central body paragraph will contain the essay’s content or argument. A simple table explaining the balance of content in a three-paragraph essay has been provided below:

About Essay Types 2.1 Three Paragraph Essay

3. The Five-Paragraph Essay

Around 1,000 words in length, the five-paragraph essay is generally set by tutors who are content that their students understand the introduction-body-conclusion essay structure and wish to allow more freedom to expand the ideas and arguments presented by the writer in the body section of the essay. This length of essay still only dedicates one paragraph to the introduction and conclusion , but allows three paragraphs to be dedicated to the exploration of the theme in the essay’s body. At this length, certain essay types such as cause and effect essays or compare and contrast essays may now be utilised. The following is a simple diagram of the balance of paragraph lengths in a five-paragraph essay.

About Essay Types 2.2 Five Paragraph Essay

4. The Extended Essay

The extended essay is the most common type of essay that’s assigned during a bachelor’s or master’s degree , and it may be of any length – although it’s unusual for such essays to be above 5,000 words. The most common lengths for an extended essay are 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 words, with a word count allowance of plus or minus 10%. Such essay types will most certainly require research and referencing skills , and may also begin to follow more complex structures such as are found in dissertations and theses rather than simply following the introduction-body-conclusion structure of shorter essays.

5. The Dissertation

Generally assigned as the final project for both bachelor’s and master’s degree , the typical length of an academic dissertation is 10,000 or 15,000 words. Unlike shorter essay types , dissertations have more complex structures and are almost always based around primary research (original research that the writer has conducted themselves). The following table demonstrates some of the key parts of a dissertation as well as the rough word count percentages for each section:

6. The Thesis

Finally, the thesis is the longest academic essay type and the one that’s reserved for doctorate students studying PhDs. Generally between 40,000 and 60,000 words in length, the doctorate thesis may contain all the elements of a dissertation but in much more detail and with more careful investigation. Such essays are almost certainly original and are based on primary research , with a larger focus on the accuracy of the literature review , data collection and data analysis . Many students will never encounter this essay type.

Once you can recognise which essay length you’ve been assigned, the next question covered in Chapter 3 is about determining the type of essay you have to write. This is because each essay type will require particular styles, structures, foci and language.

To reference this reader:

Academic Marker (2022) Essays . Available at: https://academicmarker.com/academic-guidance/assignments/essays/ (Accessed: Date Month Year).

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Our essays academic reader (including all four chapters about this topic) can be accessed here at the click of a button.

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College essay

How Long Should a College Essay Be? | Word Count Tips

Published on September 29, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on June 1, 2023.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit. If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

You should aim to stay under the specified limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, if you write too little, it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a thoughtful and developed essay.

Word count guidelines for different application types, how to shorten your essay, how to expand your essay, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Each university has a different suggested or required word count depending on which application portal it uses.

Some application portals will allow you to exceed the word count limit, but admissions officers have limited time and energy to read longer essays. Other application portals have a strict limit and will not allow you to exceed it.

For example, in the Common App , the portal will not allow you to submit more than 650 words. Some colleges using the Common App will allow you to submit less than 250 words, but this is too short for a well-developed essay.

Application portal	Word count	Strict limit?
Common App	250–650
Coalition App	500–650
UC App	Four 350-word essays

For scholarship essays , diversity essays , and “Why this college?” essays , word count limits vary. Make sure to verify and respect each prompt’s limit.

Don’t worry too much about word count until the revision stage ; focusing on word count while writing may hinder your creativity. Once you have finished a draft, you can start shortening or expanding your essay if necessary.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

On some application portals, you can exceed the word limit, but there are good reasons to stay within it:

To maintain the admissions officer’s attention
To show you can follow directions
To demonstrate you can write concisely

Here are some strategies for shortening your essay.

Stay on the main point

It’s good to use vivid imagery, but only include relevant details. Cut any sentences with tangents or unnecessary information.

My father taught me how to strategically hold the marshmallow pierced by a twig at a safe distance from the flames to make sure it didn’t get burned, ensuring a golden brown exterior.

Typically, my father is glued to his computer since he’s a software engineer at Microsoft. But that night, he was the marshmallow master. We waited together as the pillowy sugary goodness caramelized into gooey delight. Good example: Sticks to the point On our camping trip to Yosemite, my family spent time together, away from technology and routine responsibility.

My favorite part was roasting s’mores around the campfire. My father taught me how to hold the marshmallow at a safe distance from the flames, ensuring a golden brown exterior.

These college essay examples also demonstrate how you can cut your essay down to size.

Eliminate wordiness

Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay. If a word doesn’t add value, cut it.

Here are some common examples of wordiness and how to fix them.

	Problem	Solution
	We had done a lot of advance planning for our science project.	We had done a lot of planning for our science project.
	I didn’t know whether or not I should tell the truth.	I didn’t know whether I should tell the truth.
	When I was a child, I came up with an imaginary friend named Roger to get away from my parents’ fighting.	When I was a child, I invented an imaginary friend named Roger to escape my parents’ fighting.
Unnecessary “of” phrases	The mother of my friend was Marissa, who was a member of our church.	My friend’s mother Marissa was a fellow church member.
False subjects “There is/there are”	There are many large-scale farms in America, but there is a local sustainable farm preserved by my family.	America has many large-scale farms, but my family preserves a local sustainable one.
Unnecessary qualifiers	I pretty much just wanted a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone from Baskin Robbins.	I wanted a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone from Baskin Robbins.
Passive voice	Most of the German chocolate cake was eaten by me.	I ate most of the German chocolate cake.
Unnecessary helping verbs	I am going to be attending my school’s annual carnival.	I will attend my school’s annual carnival.

Use a paraphrasing tool

If you want to save time, you can make use of a paraphrasing tool . Within the tool you can select the “short” mode to rewrite your essay in less words. Just copy your text in the tool and within 1 click you’ll have shortened your essay.

If you’re significantly under the word count, you’re wasting the opportunity to show depth and authenticity in your essay. Admissions officers may see your short essay as a sign that you’re unable to write a detailed, insightful narrative about yourself.

Here are some strategies for expanding your essay.

Show detailed examples, and don’t tell generic stories

You should include detailed examples that can’t be replicated by another student. Use vivid imagery, the five senses, and specific objects to transport the reader into your story.


My mom cooks the best beef stew.	The sweet smell of caramelized onions and braised beef wafts from the kitchen. My mother attends to the stew as if it’s one of her patients at the hospital, checking every five to 10 minutes on its current state.
The shepherd’s pie reminded me of familiar flavors.	Reminding me of the warm, comforting blanket from my childhood, the shepherd’s pie tasted like home.
His hands were cracked and rough.	His hands were cracked and rough like alligator skin.

Reveal your feelings and insight

If your essay lacks vulnerability or self-reflection, share your feelings and the lessons you’ve learned.

Be creative with how you express your feelings; rather than simply writing “I’m happy,” use memorable images to help the reader clearly visualize your happiness. Similarly, for insight, include the follow-up actions from your lessons learned; instead of claiming “I became a hard worker,” explain what difficult tasks you accomplished as a result of what you learned.


After my best friend Doug moved away, it was really hard. Before, we used to always talk about video games, barter snacks during lunch, and share secrets. But now, I’m solo.	Before my best friend Doug moved away, we used to do everything together. We would spend countless bus rides discussing and strategizing sessions. At lunch break, we would barter Oreos and Cheez-Its while confiding in each other about whom we wanted to ask to the school dance. But now, I’m Solo, like Han without Chewbacca.
My mother’s death was difficult. My father’s grief made it difficult for him to take care of me and my brothers, so I took care of them.	After my mom passed, my grief was overwhelming, but my father’s was even deeper. At 13, I cooked, cleaned, and took care of my two younger brothers. Although the household responsibilities were tiring, I liked一and needed一the stability and purpose I derived from the new routine.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

Writing process
Transition words
Passive voice
Paraphrasing

Communication

How to end an email
Ms, mrs, miss
How to start an email
I hope this email finds you well
Hope you are doing well

Parts of speech

Personal pronouns
Conjunctions

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.

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

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.

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 .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Courault, K. (2023, June 01). How Long Should a College Essay Be? | Word Count Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved July 17, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/college-essay/college-essay-length/

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So apparently there was a word count max on the English essay I just wrote for my final exam

apparently it was 1200 and apparently 3 double sided legal pages is like slightly over or something but it’s fine 😝

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How To Put A Word Count In An Essay
Write an essay with word count 250-300 words
💣 Grade 12 english essay examples. 12Th Grade Students Essays. 2022-11-07
Free Essay Shortener
Essay Tips: Word Count Advice

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English 2020: Essay Writing
Maximize Your Essay Length with These Tips
Grade 12 Essay (The University I would like to Join)
CSS PMS English Essay
How to score full marks in Paragraph in English??|Important|TN Class 11 & 12|Public Exam 2023
When you're trying to reach the word count on your essay

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Guidelines for The Setting of Grade 12 Examinations in Languages
subject in Grade 12. ... Word Count: o Markers will be required to verify the number of words used. o Marks will not be deducted if the candidate fails to indicate the number of words used, or if the number of words used is indicated incorrectly. ... o Essay question on Poetry should be answered in about 250300 words - ...
How Long is an Essay? Guidelines for Different Types of Essay
Essay length guidelines. Type of essay. Average word count range. Essay content. High school essay. 300-1000 words. In high school you are often asked to write a 5-paragraph essay, composed of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. College admission essay. 200-650 words.
PDF NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 12
s. SECTION A: ESSAYQUESTION 1Candidates are required to write ONE essay of 400-450 words (2-21 . 2 pages) on ONE of the given topics. Candidates may write in any genre: narrative, descriptive, reflective, discursive, argume. tative, or any combination of these.1.1 My stumbl.
PDF Guideline for Teaching and Writing Essays and Transactional Texts
An essay is an extended piece of writing, in which a writer expresses his/ her point of view on the topic given. The length of texts ranges from: • 200 - 250 words for English Second Additional Language; • 250 - 300 words for English First Additional Language; and, • 400 - 450 words for English Home Language.
Essays Grade 12 Notes
In this section, you will learn how to express yourself using the rules that will earn you marks in the final Grade 12 exam. 1. All about essays 1.1 The structure of an essay. An essay must have an introduction, a body and a conclusion. ... Count the number of words in your essay and make any changes to meet the word limit. For example, you may ...
How Many Words Are in an Essay? The Length Guide
350 words at least. It depends on the essay type you write. Thus, a high school essay sample will be 350 words at least. If you need a college application essay, consider personal papers of 250-650 words. Check essay samples of 800-1,000 words if you need a standard college paper.
How Long Is an Essay?: Word Count Tips & Essay Length Tricks [+Examples]
Since having enough words is essential for a good grade, we've collected the best tips that can help you lengthen your essay without teachers noticing: ... How to Count Paragraphs in an Essay Based on Word Count . ... How many references in a 1500-word essay : 12 : 18 : 24 : 30 : 36 : How many references for a 2000-word essay : 16 : 24 : 32 ...
How Long Should Your College Essay Be? What Is the Ideal Length?
Personal statements are generally 500-650 words. For example, the Common Application, which can be used to apply to more than 800 colleges, requires an essay ranging from 250-650 words. Similarly, the Coalition Application, which has 150 member schools, features an essay with a recommended length of 500-650 words.
2022 DBE Self-study Guides Gr. 12 English: Writing Essays and
This study guide is intended to serve as a resource for teachers and learners. It provides notes, examples, problem-solving exercises with solutions and examples of practical activities. Language: English. Curriculum Alignment: CAPS aligned. Publication Date: 2022-02-10. Grade:
Essay Word Count Calculator
Use this calculator to check your essay's word count and ensure you've met the required length. This calculator multiplies the number of pages by the average number of words per page to calculate the total word count of your essay. Writing an essay is a complex process that requires careful planning, research, and execution.
The Word Limit in Academic Writing (and How to Stick to It)
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.
The Best College Essay Length: How Long Should It Be?
In the simplest terms, your college essay should be pretty close to, but not exceeding, the word limit in length. Think within 50 words as the lower bound, with the word limit as the upper bound. So for a 500-word limit essay, try to get somewhere between 450-500 words. If they give you a range, stay within that range.
How to Increase Your Essay Word Count
The word count at my University is a maximum word count, not a minimum. The word count is there to suggest the level of detail we're expected to go into. For example, my last essay had a 2,500 word maximum. I could easily have written a 10,000 word dissertation or a 100 word summary. For the detail expected. I ended up with 2,464 words.
Essay word counter
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.
PDF First Additional Language (Fal) Examination Guidelines Senior
GRADE 12 . 2015 . These guidelines consist of 21 pages. ... Essay . Section B: Longer Transactional Text . Section C: Shorter Transactional Text . RUBRICS: FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE ; Appendix A: Assessment Rubric: Essay17 ; ... Word Count: o Markers will be required to verify the number of words used.
Essay Word Count ~ Different Types Of Essays
Undergraduate college essay. 1500 to 5000 words. Essay word count differs based on the institution, course level, subject, and department. Graduate school admission essay. 500 to 1000 words. They feature a longer personal statement and details of academic achievements and goals. Graduate school essay. 2500 to 6000 words.
WordCounter
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 ...
How to Reduce Your Essay Word Count
Here's an example: "They beat the opposing team by a lot of points.". While "beat" is accurate in this case, it's not the perfect verb because they not only beat the team, they beat the team by a lot. Using the better verb "trounce" in this instant will reduce the word count while still giving the same meaning as the longer ...
What are the six different essay lengths?
4. The Extended Essay. The extended essay is the most common type of essay that's assigned during a bachelor's or master's degree, and it may be of any length - although it's unusual for such essays to be above 5,000 words.The most common lengths for an extended essay are 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 words, with a word count allowance of plus or minus 10%.
Grade 12 Level 4 Writing Sample
Write about where you would like your life to lead you. View full size. Student writing sample: Life is harder when you have choices. My culture believes that parents choose your path in life. Back in home my friends and I talked around what our parents wanted for us and worked carefully to get those goals. Then we moved here and I find myself ...
NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 12
GRADE 12 ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE P3 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 ... SECTION A: ESSAY QUESTION 1 Instructions to Markers: Candidates are required to write on ONE topic only. ... However, should the maximum word count be reached mid- sentence, read
How Long Should a College Essay Be?
Revised on June 1, 2023. Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit. If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words. You should aim to stay under the specified limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely.
So apparently there was a word count max on the English essay ...
A community for grade 12s in Ontario to discuss things about university admissions, OSAP, OUAC/OCAS uploads, and general program queries. ... So apparently there was a word count max on the English essay I just wrote for my final exam . apparently it was 1200 and apparently 3 double sided legal pages is like slightly over or something but it ...