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.
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?
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:
📏 Essay Parts: Recommended 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:
How Long Should an Introduction Be?
An introduction is the opening 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.
A hook, some background information, and a thesis statement are the fundamental constituents of an introduction. While the attention grabber and the thesis are usually brief, you may need 2 to 3 sentences for the context. 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 fill 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 comprises the most details, it’s necessary to explain and support your ideas properly. That’s why it’s no big deal if your body sections go slightly over the word limit.
How Many Body Paragraphs Should Be in an Essay?
Like the word count, the paragraph count is defined by the format of a 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 subsections as there are points in your thesis statement. Each one should have an objective and support your position. If there’s any fluff, it’s better to get rid of it.
How Long Should a Conclusion Be?
A conclusion consists of 50-80 words like an introduction. It’s essential to keep it plain and only mention the central thoughts. A weak closing sentence may affect the reader’s understanding of the topic and spoil the overall opinion about your paper.
🤔 How to Make Essays Shorter or Longer: Best Tips
Undoubtedly the essay’s content is more vital than the wordcount. But there are times when students go more than 10-15% below or over the limit. How could we overcome this issue?
Below, we will share the most efficient tips to help you stay on point with the word limits.
How to Make Essays Longer
Since having enough words is principal for a good grade, here is how to lengthen your essay without teachers noticing:
- Use relevant quotations. You don’t need to litter your essay with citations, but using them whenever relevant is a great idea. For instance, if you’re working on a book analysis, referencing a couple of direct quotes from the original work will make your essay more credible and increase the word count.
Example:
- Give examples. Go through the claims in your paper and provide additional evidence where possible. It will make your essay longer and more informative.
Example:
- 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.
Example:
- 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.
Example:
- 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.
Example:
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.
Example:
- Remove needless transitions. Transitions can indeed maintain the flow of the paper. But some transitional phrases can be easily removed.
Example:
- Get rid of unnecessary adverbs and adjectives. Some students tend to overuse adjectives and adverbs. It adds wordiness to their writing.
Example:
- 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.
Example:
- Delete “that.” In most cases, the word “that” can often be easily removed from texts.
Example:
Another cool trick is to use our summarizing tool as essay shortener. Try it out!
📑 How Long Is an Essay Depending on Formatting?
As stated before, the essay’s length is normally specified by the number of words. Although, sometimes, a teacher may ask you to produce a specific number of pages. This is trickier as the amount of text you can place on the page is conditioned by the formatting. By adjusting the font size and spacing properly, it’s possible to make the paper visually longer or shorter. Let’s discuss it in more detail.
Essay Spacing: How Does It Affect the Length?
- Adjusting the interline spacing. Try to make the changes as slight as possible. For instance, if you were required to double-space the paper, use 2.1 or 2.2 spacing. Another option is to slightly extend spaces between paragraphs.
- Extending the margin size. You can enlarge the right and bottom margins by a quarter to make very subtle modifications in length. For example, if the margins are 1 inch, you can set them at 1.25 inches instead.
- Increasing the intercharacter spacing. It is less evident than the line spacing. Still, try not to overdo it and keep the numbers between 1.2 and 1.5.
- Modifying the footer. Add a footer with page numbers to stretch the bottom margin even further.
- Extending the header. You can lengthen 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 proper 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 one more technique that can come in handy. However, be attentive and don’t grow your font by more than 0.1-0.5 pt.
- Maximizing the size of periods and commas. This is one of the less perceptible tricks you can utilize. 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 work.
What to Do if There Are No Length Guidelines
Teachers do not necessarily demand particular word limits for written works. What to do in that case? Begin by asking them to confirm if they have simply forgotten to mention it. But if that’s not the issue, here are several 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 circumstanced by the theme. If the topic is simple, 4-5 paragraphs will be enough. A more sophisticated issue may require an in-depth explanation, so your essay can be 6-8 paragraphs long.
❓ Essay Length for Different Academic Levels FAQ
How long is an essay in elementary school?
Elementary school essays are usually short. The basic recommendation for a paper is to have around 3-5 paragraphs, with 4-5 sentences per each. Primary school assignments can be 1-2 paragraphs long.
How long is an essay in middle school?
The word limit for a middle school essay ranges between 300 to 1000 words. The most spread length is 500 words, which is about 5 paragraphs. However, it may differ from institution to institution.
How long is a high school essay?
The length of the high school essay may contrast depending on the school and the complexity of the task itself. Usually, however, a paper is between 300 to 1000 words long.
How long is an undergraduate-level essay?
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 prevalent volume at this level.
How long should an essay be at a graduate college level?
When it comes to the graduate school admission essay, the word limit is regularly 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 essay types. How long should they be? Keep reading to learn about the volume of college essays, short and extended ones, scholarship essays, and research papers.
How Long Is a College Essay?
When it comes to a college paper, it’s more vital 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 comprises 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.
- Examples.
- Analysis.
- Transitions.
College Essay Length Requirements: Top 5 Schools
To understand the rules of 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 composing your college essay:
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:
- 250-word essay length is 4 paragraphs
Example: The Film “The Great Debaters” by Denzel Hayes Washington - 300-word essay length is 4-5 paragraphs
Example: Symbols in Ancient Sculptures of Zeus - 600-word essays are 7 paragraphs long
Example: Shonagon’s “The Pillow Book” as Historical Document - 800-word essays are usually 8-9 paragraphs long
Example: “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” and “The Subjection of Women” - 1000-word essay length is 10 paragraphs
Example: Why You Should Not Have Grades in School - 2000-word essays are 18-19 paragraphs long
Example: Instagram: Ethical and Legal Issues in The Content Production and Distribution
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:
250 words = 1 page
400 words = 1,5 pages
500 words = 2 pages
800 words = 3 pages
900 words = 3,5 pages
1000 words = 4 pages
1500 words = 6 pages
You can also use a specialized calculator such as Word Counter to estimate a number of pages in your essay.
What Does an Essay Look Like When Typed?
Wondering what do essays of different volumes look like when typed? Inspect the table where you can find out the metrics for single- and double-spaced writings.
How Many Pages Are in a Handwritten Essay?
In case you need to turn in a handwritten paper, examine the table below.
Counting Words in a Handwritten Essay
When you don’t have time to count the words manually, here’s the alternative:
- Determine the amount of words in one line. Take the first, middle, and last lines of a page. Let’s say there are 15, 14, and 15 words accordingly. Then, the average would be 15 per line.
- Next, calculate lines on one page. Let’s say there are 17 lines.
- Then, multiply words per line by lines per page. In our case, it is 15 x 17=255 words per page avg.
- Finally, multiply the number of words per page by the number of pages. If your work 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 the process will take you, more so 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 fluctuate. Usually, it’s 1-2 hours for 200-250 words.
Below, we’ve gathered the average writing time for average and slower writing speed:
And here are the results in pages:
How Many References Does an Essay Need?
Another essential part of any composition is the reference list. Different academic levels provide different instructions. You’ll discover how many of them should be in your document from the table below!
📝 Essay Examples: Different Length
Finally, we’ve gathered some excellent sample essays of different lengths. Make sure to check them out!
- 200 words: The Impact of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Agents on Marine Mammals
- 400 words: Types of Parenting Styles Analysis
- 500 words: Chemical Reactions and the pH Scale
- 600 words: The Measures of Central Tendency and the Descriptive Statistics
- 800 words: Isolation of Gram Positive and Gram Negative Bacteria
- 900 words: Vacation in Mexico City: Worth Visiting Sites
- 1000 words: The Impact of COVID-19: “The World After Coronavirus” by Y. N. Harari vs. “We Can’t Go Back to Normal” by P. C Baker
- 1500 words: Brown vs. The Board of Education: Reality of the XXI Century
- 3000 words: Lab Experiment on Photovoltaics
- 4000 words: Data Protection: Term Definition
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!
You may also like:
- How to Write a Process Analysis Essay: Examples & Outline
- How to Write a Precis: Definition, Guide, & Examples
- How to Write a Critical Analysis Essay: Examples & Guide
- How to Write a Narrative Essay Outline: Template & Examples
- How to Write a Formal Essay: Format, Rules, & Example
🔍 References
- Word Limits and Assignment Length: Massey University
- The Paragraph in the College Essay: California State University, Long Beach
- Introductions & Conclusions: The University of Arizona Global Campus
- How Long Should a Paragraph Be?: Daily Writing Tips
- Paragraphing (Length Consistency): Purdue University
- Hitting the Target Word Count in Your College Admission Essay: Dummies.com
- How Long Should Your College Essay Be? What is the Ideal Length?: College Vine
- Writing Personal Statements Online: Issues of Length and Form: Penn State University
- Pen Admissions: Essays: University of Pennsylvania
- Essay Questions: University of Michigan
- Essay Structure: Harvard University
- Components of a Good Essay: University of Evansville
- Write Your Essay: UNSW Sydney
- College Writing: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- 21 Helpful and Easy Tips to Make an Essay Longer: Seventeen
- How to Make a College Paper Longer: ThoughtCo
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