About the Syllable Counter
A syllable is one beat of sound in a word: cat has one, water has two, banana has three. Counting them matters for poems, haiku, song lyrics, speech and teaching reading. Type or paste your text and this counter shows the total number of syllables, the number of words, the average per word and a line-by-line breakdown, with the count next to every word. If you write three lines, it checks whether they follow the haiku pattern of five, seven and five. The count uses spelling rules and a list of common exceptions, so it is right for most words but can be off by one for unusual ones. Everything is calculated in your browser.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Syllable Counter
- 1Type or paste your text into the box.
- 2Put each line of a poem or song on its own line.
- 3Read the totals and the count for every line.
- 4Check the small tags to see how each word was counted.
- 5Copy the summary if you want to keep it.
Rules of thumb for counting by hand
Every syllable has one vowel sound. So count the groups of vowels, not the letters: beautiful has three groups (eau, i, u). A final silent e does not make a syllable, so make has one and table has two because of the le ending. The endings -ed and -es add a syllable only after t, d, s, x, z, ch, sh or a soft c or g.
Some pairs of vowels split into two syllables: idea (i-de-a), science (sci-ence) and lion (li-on). These are the cases where counters most often disagree, so the tool keeps a list of the common ones.
Where syllables matter
- Haiku and other poem forms with fixed counts.
- Song lyrics, where each line must fit the tune.
- Teaching children to read and spell, by clapping the beats.
- Speech writing and rhythm in headlines.
- Learning pronunciation: stress falls on one syllable in each word.
Related tools
Check other measures of your text with the Word Counter and the Readability Score Checker, which also uses syllables. For rhythm in speech, the Speech Length Calculator estimates how long a text takes to say, and the Tongue Twister Generator gives you something to practise. Syllables are a guide, so read your lines aloud as well.
Features
- Total syllables, words and average per word
- Line-by-line counts for poems and lyrics
- Count shown next to every word
- Haiku (5-7-5) check
- Longest word shown
- Handles apostrophes, capitals and punctuation
- Private, runs in your browser
Frequently asked questions
How do you count syllables?
Count the vowel sounds you hear. Say the word slowly and tap once for each beat. Silent letters, like the e at the end of make, do not count.
How accurate is the counter?
It works from spelling rules plus a list of tricky words, so it is usually right. English spelling has many exceptions, so double-check unusual or foreign words and important lines.
What is a haiku?
A short Japanese poem form. In English it is often written in three lines of five, seven and five syllables.
Why does the count differ from my dictionary?
Some words can be said with different numbers of syllables, such as every (two or three), different (two or three) or fire (one or two), depending on accent.
Does the count include numbers?
No. Digits are ignored. Write numbers as words if you want them counted.
Can I use it for song lyrics?
Yes. Matching the syllables in each line of a verse helps lyrics fit the melody. Put each line on its own row.
Is my text saved?
No. It stays in your browser and is not uploaded.