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How long is 100 words?
100 words is about a fifth of a single-spaced page (0.4 of a double-spaced one), or roughly one paragraph. It takes about 25 seconds to read and under a minute to say out loud.
Work it out
pages, single-spaced, Arial 12 pt, about 500 words a page
- Handwritten pages
- 0.4
- Reading time
- 25 sec
- Speaking time
- 40 sec–46 sec
- Typing time
- 2 min 30 sec
- Paragraphs
- 1
- Sentences
- 5–7
- Characters with spaces
- about 600
Write it in the word counter with a goal of at least 100 words.
Open the word counter100 words in pages
| Font, 12 pt | Single-spaced | 1.5 spacing | Double-spaced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arial | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Calibri | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Times New Roman | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Courier New | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
How long 100 words takes
| Activity | Time |
|---|---|
| Reading non-fiction (238 words a minute) | 25 sec |
| Reading fiction (260 words a minute) | 23 sec |
| Speaking at 130 words a minute | 46 sec |
| Speaking at 150 words a minute | 40 sec |
| Typing at 40 words a minute | 2 min 30 sec |
Estimates for US Letter or A4 with 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins and ordinary paragraphs; reading at 238 words a minute, speaking at 130 to 150.
What 100 words looks like
One solid paragraph of five to seven sentences, or about 600 characters with spaces. That is the length of a back-cover blurb, a short author or speaker bio, a product description on a shop page, or the summary at the top of a report.
In fiction, a story of exactly 100 words is called a drabble. Writing one is a good exercise: there is no room for anything that does not earn its place.
Making 100 words count
- Lead with the point. In a bio, say what you do in the first sentence; in a blurb, the hook comes first.
- One idea. A hundred words holds one idea well and two ideas badly.
- Cut the warm-up. Phrases like “In today’s world” or “I am writing to” use words without saying anything.
- Count as you go. Paste your draft into the word counter and set a limit of 100: the bar turns red the moment you go over.
Questions and answers
How many sentences is 100 words?
About 5 to 7 sentences of average length (15 to 20 words each). Short, punchy sentences give you more of them.
How many characters is 100 words?
About 600 characters including spaces, since an average English word is just under five letters plus a space. Long technical words push it up.
How long does it take to write 100 words?
Typing it takes two or three minutes at 40 words a minute. Writing a 100-word text that reads well usually takes longer, because short texts need the most editing.