How Long is The Average English Sentence?
Average sentence length in written English has dropped significantly over the past few decades. In the mid-1980s, the average sentence in published prose contained 10 words.
By the early 2000s, the average sentence contained only eight words. This drop is due to an increased usage of contractions
(e.g., “can’t” instead of “cannot”), fewer prepositions (e.g., “at” instead of “in”), shorter clauses, and more complete sentences. On average, today's typical American adult can read and understand 400-500 words per minute.
The average sentence is around 150 words. And while a sentence is often thought of as a complete thought, it can be broken down into smaller parts.
A good rule of thumb is that if a sentence sounds incomplete, it probably is.
5 Main Points About The Average English Sentence
Here 5 main points about the average English sentence are discussed
1. Why Should I Care About Average English Sentence Length?
Average sentence length isn’t very interesting until you know the answer to the next question: what are the implications of average
English sentence length for my writing?
To answer this, you need to understand the difference between passive and active voice.
This question is a quick way to check your understanding of the basics of sentence structure and vocabulary usage.
The average length of a sentence in the English language ranges from three to five words.
This question is also a good way to gauge whether you have the proper vocabulary to communicate effectively with your audience.
You can also use this question as a starting point for your next question
: How often should I check my email?
2. What is a Good English Sentence Length?
English grammar is often thought to be rigid, but the rules are there for a reason. There is no one standard length for a good sentence.
Each word has its purpose, which is why it’s so important to make sure every word you use has a reason for being there.
So, what exactly is a good English sentence length?
There is no definite answer to that question. And it depends on the kind of content you’re writing
. But there are some general guidelines.
According to the Associated Press Stylebook, it’s generally considered acceptable to use three sentences per paragraph in the body of a story, but only two sentences in the headline.
Writing a great sentence length doesn’t mean making the reader read and finish every word.
It means giving them enough to get the point across while leaving enough to read themselves.
The trick is to think of it like this:
A great English sentence length is the amount of effort it takes for someone to grasp the point of what you’re saying.
3. How Do I Calculate My English Sentence Length?
To calculate your English sentence length, first count the number of words in your sentences. Add one comment for each period or comma and another for each new paragraph. Then, add two words for each apostrophe (if there are any).
After you have added the total number of words, divide that figure by the total number of sentences. Don’t worry about the grammatical rules; just count everything that is part of a sentence, including nouns, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, pronouns, and articles.
4. How Long Can a Sentence Be in Other Languages?
Of course, the length of sentences varies considerably across languages. A very short sentence in English can be just as informative as a longer one, while a short sentence in French can carry significantly more meaning than the same one in English.
The problem is that people rarely pay attention to the length of a sentence, which means that in most languages, it is acceptable to write long sentences, even if they sound odd to the average English speaker.
The longest sentence that could reasonably be expected in an English article is somewhere around 350 words. However, for most languages, the limit is much higher.
5. Can I Use a Computer to Calculate My English Sentence Length?
You could if you are willing to spend about $30. That’s all the computer needed to calculate the sentence length of over 1 million words. It uses algorithms to count the number of letters in the word and the number of spaces between the letters.
It then converts this data into a percentage of the entire text to give you an indication of the relative length of your text.
Final Thoughts
Most people tend to write short sentences. They use simple language with few conjunctions. This is one reason why short paragraphs are so effective. By breaking a paragraph into shorter sentences, the reader’s eyes can more easily move down the page.
But, because of this, it’s hard to convey complex ideas. So, we try to combine multiple ideas into one sentence. To do this, we often use complex, compound sentences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a typical English sentence?
15–20 words
A common plain English guideline says an average of 15–20 words (Cutts, 2009; Plain English Campaign, 2015;
Plain Language Association InterNational, 2015). Such sentences are clearer, less intimidating, and easier to scan (Cutts, 2009; Vincent, 2014).
Is a 45-word sentence too long?
Of course, some gifted writers can create long sentences that are pleasant to read; they usually use lengthy parallel phrases in a series.
That technique works well in literature. But for most of us doing legal writing, staying under 45 words will work better.
What is the longest sentence in jail?
In 1981, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA, Dudley Wayne Kyzer received the longest single sentence of 10,000 years for murdering his wife.
He then received a further two life sentences for murdering his mother-in-law and a college student.
What is the longest word sentence in history?
The Guinness Book of Records lists the longest proper sentence as one from William Faulkner's novel 'Absalom, Absalom!' (1,287 words).
What is the youngest age to go to jail?
In the United States, the age varies between states, being as low as 6 years in South Carolina and 7 years in 35 states; 11 years is the minimum age for federal crimes.
What sentence has all 26 letters in it?
An English pangram is a sentence that contains all 26 letters of the English alphabet. The most well-known English pangram is probably “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”
Which is the shortest word?
The shortest word is a. Some might wonder about the word I since it consists of one letter, too. In sound, a is shorter because it is a monophthong (consists of one vowel),
while I am a diphthong. Both do consist of one letter in the English writing system, and in most fonts, I am the narrowest letter
Why do judges give 2 life sentences?
The combination of multiple sentences would lead to an increase of years until a defendant is eligible for parole.
One of the main purposes of back-to-back life sentences is also to limit the eligibility of defendants to parole, increasing the number of years they must serve.