OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Syllable Counter
Count Syllables Per Word and Per Line to Check a 5-7-5 Haiku
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How the Syllable Counter works
This syllable counter counts the syllables in any word, sentence or poem. It gives the total, the count for each line so you can check a haiku or a line of metre, the average syllables per word and a list of every word with its count.
How the syllable counter works
The counter finds groups of vowels in each word, since each spoken syllable has one vowel sound. It then corrects for common English patterns: a silent final e as in "stone", -es and -ed endings that add no sound as in "jumps" or "moved", and -ed after t or d that does, as in "wanted". The same method feeds the Flesch and Flesch–Kincaid scores in the readability checker.
First example. The haiku "An old silent pond / A frog jumps into the pond / Splash! Silence again." has 17 syllables in 13 words, 1.31 per word, and the lines count 5 / 7 / 5.
Second example. "Education is wonderful" has 8 syllables in 3 words, 2.67 per word: e-du-ca-tion is 4, is is 1 and won-der-ful is 3.
Is it always right? Not every word. English spelling is irregular, so names, loan words and words like "poem" (one or two syllables depending on accent) can be off by one. Check any line that has to be exact.
Syllable counts of words that people often miscount
| Word | Syllables | Split |
|---|---|---|
| fire | 1 | fire |
| every | 3 | ev-er-y |
| different | 3 | dif-fer-ent |
| interesting | 4 | in-ter-est-ing |
| comfortable | 4 | com-for-ta-ble |
| family | 3 | fam-i-ly |
| chocolate | 3 | choc-o-late |
| table | 2 | ta-ble |
| education | 4 | ed-u-ca-tion |
| wanted | 2 | want-ed |
| jumped | 1 | jumped |
FAQ
How do you count syllables in a word?
Say the word slowly and count the vowel sounds, or place a hand under your chin and count the times your jaw drops. Each vowel sound is one syllable.
How many syllables does a haiku have?
A traditional English haiku has 17 syllables in three lines of 5, 7 and 5. Paste yours and check the syllables-per-line figure. Put each line of the poem on its own line.
Does a silent e count as a syllable?
No. The final e in words like "make" and "stone" is silent, so the counter drops it. Words ending in -le after a consonant, like "table", keep it as a syllable.
Why does my count differ from a dictionary?
Dictionaries list syllables by pronunciation, which can vary with accent. The counter follows spelling rules and can be one out on irregular words. Proper names are the most common misses.
What is a good number of syllables per word?
Plain English writing averages about 1.4 to 1.5 syllables per word. Higher averages usually mean longer, harder words and a lower readability score. Children's books sit nearer 1.3.
See also: all Writing & Editing tools, Lists & Lines, Markdown & HTML, Ciphers & Alphabets.
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