how long is a 2 page essay

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• College University and Postgraduate
• Academic Writing

How to Write a Two Page Essay Quickly

Last Updated: March 28, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 99,078 times.

Writing a two page essay can be a daunting task. After all, writing takes specific skills and a lot of practice. If you are well-organized and have a specific plan, it can be done both successfully and quickly. College students, high school students, and people in most professions have to write from time to time (or every day). For many people, writing can be stressful. It helps to have a system in place to help make the process as efficient (and painless) as possible.

Getting Organized

• If your instructor has given you a clear prompt, decide now how you will approach the question. For example, if the given assignment is "Write an essay on the women's movement. Was it successful?", you will need to decide which side you are going to take. Once you narrow your focus, your essay will be much easier to organize.
• If you have a much broader assignment, it will be up to you to focus your topic. For example, if your assignment is "Write about something that interests you", you will not want to make the topic of your essay "Sports," especially for a short two-page essay. Choose a very specific topic, such as "Tailgating in the American South."

• It's unlikely that you will need further research for a two-page paper, but if you aren't sure about the requirements, ask your teacher.

Drafting Your Essay

• For example, if you're supposed to write a two-page essay about something that interests you, think about who your audience is (and how much explaining you'll have to do), what is the most relevant information, and why your topic is interesting to you.
• Branching is another technique you can use while creating your thesis. Try to imagine your topic as a tree. Write your basic idea in the middle of your paper, and then "branch" out from there, adding ideas and thoughts to your central topic.
• Another approach to try is brainstorming. To do this, write down anything and everything you know or need to know about your topic. Don't edit yourself, just get some thoughts down on paper. Once you can see your ideas, they will start to take shape. It's often helpful to do this before you try to write a formal outline, as you'll have a better idea of what you want to cover.

• For example, if you were writing an essay about college sports, a poor thesis would be, "College sports are very controversial in many ways." This is too vague, and it does not clearly take a position to argue. It will leave your reader wondering what argument you are making in your essay.
• An example of a strong thesis for the same topic might be, "College athletes should be paid a salary for playing their sport." This is more successful because it indicates the topic you will address. It's also limited enough that you can adequately discuss it in a two-page paper.

• You don't necessarily need to do a formal outline to start with. Brainstorming or making a list-type outline, where you list out ideas that are related to your topic without putting them in a specific order, can help you know what you want to write about.
• Once you have listed the ideas that support your thesis, you'll have a better sense of how to organize them.

• Note that not all teachers prefer or even accept this type of thesis, which is often referred to as a "multi-prong" or "three-prong" thesis. However, this type of thesis is often appropriate for very short writing assignments such as a two-page essay. If you're not sure what your teacher's preferences are, ask before you begin writing.
• It's helpful to list specific examples in your outline, so that you know what evidence you have for each point. This can also be helpful to show you whether you have gaps or imbalances in your approach. For example, do you have just one example for one point, but three for another point? It would be better to use roughly the same number of examples per point, or even see if the less-supported point could be incorporated elsewhere.

• One type of citation is known as parenthetical documentation. For this method, you provide information about the source within the text of your essay. An example of this would be, "Brown argues that Einstein's theory of relativity is the most important scholarly achievement of the twentieth century (292)." The name Brown refers to the author of the book in this example, and 292 is the page number where this information is found. There are different ways to cite various sources, so make sure you know how to properly credit all of the sources you plan to use. [1] X Research source
• Sometimes you may be asked to use footnotes or endnotes. While less common in brief essays, some teachers and bosses prefer them. Footnotes and endnotes include more thorough information about the source used. Often, when they replace parenthetical documentation, a Works Cited page is not required. [2] X Research source

Writing Your Essay

• Make sure that each body paragraph has a topic sentence . This sentence makes it clear to your reader what each paragraph is about. For example, if you were writing an essay about the labor force during World War II, you might say, "Women were an important part of the workforce in World War II because they learned new jobs that were previously reserved only for men."
• Include specific supporting examples in each body paragraph. For instance, if you were writing an essay about the labor force during World War II, you might say, "Many women became welders during World War II, which illustrates that gender roles in the workplace were changing."

• Start off with a broad contextual statement, but don't make it so broad as to have no relevance. Statements that begin like "Throughout history" or "In modern society" are "fluff" statements and don't provide any real context for your argument.
• A good way to think of your introduction is as an inverted pyramid. Start with the broad statement that sets the scene, and then narrow down until you reach your thesis.
• Include your thesis statement at the end of the conclusion.
• Spend some time on your first sentence. It should be interesting and grab the attention of your reader. Try starting with a fascinating example or an exciting quotation.
• Use your conclusion to tie together the strands of your argument. In some cases, such as persuasive essays , it's appropriate to include a call to action. You can also return to an anecdote or theme you brought up in the introduction to give your paper great symmetry.

• Watch out for the passive voice. Beginning writers often use the passive voice because it's wordier, which may be mistaken for "fancier." Here's an example of the passive voice: "It is believed by many that today's growing social violence is being caused by video games." Be verbs are often signs of passive voice. Reword it actively this way: "Many people blame video games for today's growing social violence." This is a clear grammatical order: People (subject) blame (verb) video games (direct object).
• Avoid wordy constructions such as "It is believed that" or "This is suggestive of that." You can communicate these ideas more clearly and concisely: "People believe that" or "This suggests that."

• Some short essays may be more appropriate in the first-person, using "I." If you've been assigned to write a personal or persuasive essay, the first-person voice is often more personal and effective than using third-person.
• Aim for parallel structure in sentences. Often, sentences end up sounding clunky if you ignore parallel structure. For example: "Paying college athletes is more important than to give them scholarships." Convert the infinitive "to give" to the gerund form "giving" for parallelism: "Paying college athletes is more important than giving them scholarships."

• Here are some examples of transition words: similarly, in comparison, as a result, otherwise. During the editing process, you can try using several variations to see which best fits your style of writing. [8] X Research source

Editing Your Essay

• Be aware that the "grammar check" in word processors is often incorrect about issues, and may even suggest changes that make your writing incorrect. Don't rely only on technology.

• There are several methods for creating a title. One idea is to begin your title with a question, such as "How..." or "Why...". Another method is to choose a specific example that occurs within your paper and use that as a starting point for your title. [10] X Research source

Community Q&A

• Take a break if you need to. Writing takes a lot of practice! Ask for help if you need it, and just keep practicing and editing. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/basic-principles/parenthetical-versus-narrative
• ↑ https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/documentation-guide/chicago-style/footnotes-and-endnotes
• ↑ https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/body-paragraphs
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/introductions/
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines
• ↑ https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sites/default/files/2021-05/accs_elements-and-structure-of-an-essay_rev2016.pdf
• ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/list-transition-words.html
• ↑ https://researchguides.uic.edu/c.php?g=252299&p=1683205
• ↑ https://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/titles.pdf

About This Article

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Sue Pattillo

Aug 31, 2016

Did this article help you?

Jasmin Robbins

Apr 16, 2018

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

2 Page Essay: Examples, Topics, & Word Count

What does a two page essay look like? If you’re a student, you’ve probably asked yourself this question. 2 page essays are usually assigned to check one’s ability to formulate their thoughts. A two page essay word count is 450 to 500 words (12 pt double-spaced). A paper of 2 pages usually consists of 5 to 6 paragraphs.

When choosing a topic for a 2 pages essay, remember that it is quite a short piece. That’s why your topic shouldn’t be too complicated. You might want to focus on football, bullying, basketball, or responsibility.

If you’re searching for 2 page essay examples, look at the list below. We’ve gathered a collection of A+ samples for you to get inspired. Knock them dead!

2-page Essay Examples: 41733 Samples

Repairing donated children books.

• Subjects: Education Education Issues

Henry Thoreau: The Concept of the Friendship

• Subjects: Literature Poems

The Articles of Confederation. Nullification and Secession

• Subjects: Politics & Government Social & Political Theory

Early Musique Concrète Co-Composition: Pierre Schaeffer, Pierre Henry, John Cage, Vladimir Ussachevsky, and Otto Luening

• Subjects: Art Music Genre

Neuropsychological Assessment: Individually Administered Intelligence Tests

• Subjects: Applications of Psychology Psychology

The Way to Rainy Mountain: Analysis of the Text

• Subjects: American Literature Literature

Organizational Behaviour: Leading Human Resources

• Subjects: Business Management

Father and Son Relations: Analysis of the Movies

• Subjects: Entertainment & Media Movies

Sex Marriage: Personal Opinion

• Subjects: Family, Life & Experiences Marriage

Globalization: Metaphysical Perspective of the Western Industrialized World

• Subjects: Sociological Theories Sociology

Why We Fight: Military Industrial Complex and Its Impact on the American Life

• Subjects: History United States

Navy White Hat Eulogy Essay

• Subjects: Culture Traditions

Debate: Fingerprinting and Background Check vs. Invasion of Privacy

• Subjects: Criminology Law

The Bible: Eve and Female Place in the World

• Subjects: Religion Theology

What Makes a Real Hero: Ideas by Bolt, Douglas, and Albom

• Subjects: British Literature Literature

Public Health Communication: Quit Smoking

• Subjects: Health & Medicine Public Health

Report of an Orchestra Concert

• Subjects: Art Concerts

The Case in Huntingdon as One More Cause to Talk about Inequality

Where rampages begin: the issue with the school shootings.

• Subjects: Sociology Violence

Love is women’s whole existence

How did it feel being a governor.

• Subjects: Government Politics & Government

Innovation Of The Workplace

• Subjects: Business Employees Management

Sense of Humor: How Does It Help?

• Subjects: Emotions Family, Life & Experiences

Approaches To Capacity Planning And Control

A clockwork orange by anthony burgess, the lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring and its production by means of detailed planning, storyboarding, and collaboration.

• Subjects: Art Film Studies

Changes in Life: Positive and Negative Effects

• Subjects: Life Philosophy Philosophy

“Soldier’s Home” by Ernest Hemingway

The virtue of moving forward in “a rose for emily” by william faulkner, travelling along the oregon trail, a new dawn: the abolishment of slavery in the usa, “city of god” (2002) by fernando meirelles, discovering cumberland island.

• Subjects: Geography Sciences

Common Sense and Related Writings

How serfdom saved the woman’s movement.

• Subjects: Literature World Literature

An Overbooking Problem in Calgary

• Subjects: Business Company Information

Disguise: Does It Reveal More than It Hides?

• Subjects: Psychology Social Psychology Deviations

Challenges of HRM: Conclusion & Solutions

• Subjects: Business Managerial Duties

The Types of Plate Tectonics Essay

• Subjects: Ecology Environment

Exhaustion in Victim Care Professions

• Subjects: Psychological Issues Psychology

Effects of the New Deal on America

Self-reliance: the communal past as a model for the future, evaluation of operant conditioning theory by b.f. skinner.

• Subjects: Behavior Management Psychology

Gambling in Four Perspectives

Metamorphoses by ovid: the character of phaeton, team leader: exploiting new opportunities, the government is invading people’s privacy, the gain of consciousness in the “epic of gilgamesh”, the neo-vygotskian approach to child development.

• Subjects: Education Pedagogy

Quality Management for Organizational Excellence

Some thoughts on what is to be done.

• Subjects: Historical Literature Literature

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Maximum Input and Output

• Subjects: Psychologists Psychology

Oral versus Written Administration of the Geriatric Depression Scale

Freud’s theory of personality development and ocd.

• Subjects: Development Psychology

How to Prevent School Violence

Plato’s theory of forms: summary essay.

• Subjects: Philosophical Theories Philosophy

Accounting in Business

• Subjects: Accounting Business

Stylistic Analysis of Film Script

Blanchard and fiedler leadership models, juvenile justice system in “sleepers” film by barry levinson, segway ht: business model and planning.

• Subjects: Business Case Study

Do People Choose What They Are Attracted To?

‘sociometric stability and the behavioral correlates of peer acceptance in early childhood’, “the visitor” by thomas mccarthy, the book of genesis: towards understanding creation theology, the long voyage by jorge semprun, google refused trademark for nexus one.

• Subjects: Business Marketing

Roman Civilization: Senate and Augustan Regime

• Subjects: Ancient History History

The Cold War and Its Influence on Europe

• Subjects: Eastern Europe History

Objective Personality Tests

A critical evaluation of criteria for a successful presidency from a citizen’s perspective.

• Subjects: Politicians Politics & Government

“Brain Plasticity and Behavior” by Bryan Kolb, Robbin Gibb, and Terry E. Robinson

• Subjects: Health & Medicine Neurology

China Town – New York

• Subjects: Entertainment & Media Journalism

Use of Performance Appraisals as a Reward System

Status, role, primary groups, and secondary groups in social interactions between different racial and ethnic groups, paris and its tourist places.

• Subjects: Countries Studies Sciences

ART VITALIS The New Jersey New Music Forum – CONCERT REPORT

Socrates: his life, philosophy, & death.

• Subjects: Historical Figures History

After the Oil Crisis, a Food Crisis? Global Rising Food Prices and Their Effects

• Subjects: Economics Finance

The Importance of the Logical – Mathematical Intelligence in Mathematics Teaching

• Subjects: Approach to Learning Education

Do People Inherit their Personality?

Conceptual approaches to learning and performance, rise of christianity in europe and islam in the middle east.

• Subjects: Religion Religion History

Chicago: Crossroads of America

• Subjects: Art Art Exhibitions

My life in Western Europe in 600 AD

• Subjects: History Medieval History

US-China: The Art of Negotiation

• Subjects: Business Business Critique

The Problem with Mr. Gunes

• Subjects: Literature Plays

Pursuit of Happiness by Women in Modern Day America

• Subjects: History Women Studies

UN Summit in New York: Ending Global Poverty

Important characteristics for effective teaching.

• Subjects: Education Pedagogical Skills

Principle of Observation

Data analysis and maintenance.

• Subjects: Data Tech & Engineering

Leon Golub: Historical witness

• Subjects: Art Artists

Technology and Communication Connection: Benefits and Shortcomings

What makes airplanes fly the industrial revolution, heredity and natural selection.

• Subjects: Genetics Sciences
• Words: 1108

Formative Assessment: Gauging the Outcome of Educational Activities

• Subjects: Education Education Theories

Innovation, creativity and design

• Subjects: Business Entrepreneurship

Marketing environments and their effects on business

Total quality management in the hospitality industry, eddy cue as a creative thinker, the ethical dilemma – how to make the right decision.

• Subjects: Family, Life & Experiences Personal Experiences

The Major Medical Causes of Maternal Deaths and Ways to Reduce It

• Subjects: Health & Medicine Healthcare Research

Journal Entry, Hermaphrodite or Intersex

• Subjects: Gender Studies Sociology

Spotlight on Plagiarism Phenomenon

• Subjects: Education Writing & Assignments

Story of Jacob and Esau

Marlow in “heart of darkness”, simplicius simplicissimus: the thirty years’ war period.

• Subjects: History Western Europe

First Look into Human Development in United Arab Emirates

Learning to see & learning to listen, contrasting an online class to a traditional class, why i am studying engineering.

• Subjects: Engineering Tech & Engineering

Water Resources Management

• Subjects: Environment Environmental Management

Solving the Raised Issues: Gateway Resort Ltd

Measuring economic health, understand buying trends and the psychology of consumer behavior.

• Subjects: Brand Management Business

Okrent, Daniel. Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. Scribner (May 11, 2010)

Blood clot risk from stents seen in african-americans, marketing: sales function.

• Subjects: Business Financial Marketing

A Critical Discussion of the Family Medical Leave Act

• Subjects: Family Law Law
• Words: 1001

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the best college essay length: how long should it be.

College Essays

Figuring out your college essay can be one of the most difficult parts of applying to college. Even once you've read the prompt and picked a topic, you might wonder: if you write too much or too little, will you blow your chance of admission? How long should a college essay be?

Whether you're a terse writer or a loquacious one, we can advise you on college essay length. In this guide, we'll cover what the standard college essay length is, how much word limits matter, and what to do if you aren't sure how long a specific essay should be.

How Long Is a College Essay? First, Check the Word Limit

You might be used to turning in your writing assignments on a page-limit basis (for example, a 10-page paper). While some colleges provide page limits for their college essays, most use a word limit instead. This makes sure there's a standard length for all the essays that a college receives, regardless of formatting or font.

In the simplest terms, your college essay should be pretty close to, but not exceeding, the word limit in length. Think within 50 words as the lower bound, with the word limit as the upper bound. So for a 500-word limit essay, try to get somewhere between 450-500 words. If they give you a range, stay within that range.

College essay prompts usually provide the word limit right in the prompt or in the instructions.

For example, the University of Illinois says :

"You'll answer two to three prompts as part of your application. The questions you'll answer will depend on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program , and if you've selected a second choice . Each response should be approximately 150 words."

As exemplified by the University of Illinois, the shortest word limits for college essays are usually around 150 words (less than half a single-spaced page). Rarely will you see a word limit higher than around 650 words (over one single-spaced page). College essays are usually pretty short: between 150 and 650 words. Admissions officers have to read a lot of them, after all!

Weigh your words carefully, because they are limited!

How Flexible Is the Word Limit?

But how flexible is the word limit? What if your poignant anecdote is just 10 words too long—or 100 too short?

Can I Go Over the Word Limit?

If you are attaching a document and you need one or two extra words, you can probably get away with exceeding the word limit by such a small amount. Some colleges will actually tell you that exceeding the word limit by 1-2 words is fine. However, I advise against exceeding the word limit unless it's explicitly allowed for a few reasons:

First, you might not be able to. If you have to copy-paste it into a text box, your essay might get cut off and you'll have to trim it down anyway.

If you exceed the word limit in a noticeable way, the admissions counselor may just stop reading your essay past that point. This is not good for you.

Following directions is actually a very important part of the college application process. You need to follow directions to get your letters of recommendation, upload your essays, send supplemental materials, get your test scores sent, and so on and so forth. So it's just a good general rule to follow whatever instructions you've been given by the institution. Better safe than sorry!

Can I Go Under the Word Limit?

If you can truly get your point across well beneath the word limit, it's probably fine. Brevity is not necessarily a bad thing in writing just so long as you are clear, cogent, and communicate what you want to.

However, most college essays have pretty tight word limits anyways. So if you're writing 300 words for an essay with a 500-word limit, ask yourself: is there anything more you could say to elaborate on or support your points? Consult with a parent, friend, or teacher on where you could elaborate with more detail or expand your points.

Also, if the college gives you a word range, you absolutely need to at least hit the bottom end of the range. So if you get a range from the institution, like 400-500 words, you need to write at least 400 words. If you write less, it will come across like you have nothing to say, which is not an impression you want to give.

What If There Is No Word Limit?

Some colleges don't give you a word limit for one or more of your essay prompts. This can be a little stressful, but the prompts generally fall into a few categories:

Writing Sample

Some colleges don't provide a hard-and-fast word limit because they want a writing sample from one of your classes. In this case, a word limit would be very limiting to you in terms of which assignments you could select from.

For an example of this kind of prompt, check out essay Option B at Amherst :

"Submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay."

While there is usually no word limit per se, colleges sometimes provide a general page guideline for writing samples. In the FAQ for Option B , Amherst clarifies, "There is no hard-and-fast rule for official page limit. Typically, we anticipate a paper of 4-5 pages will provide adequate length to demonstrate your analytical abilities. Somewhat longer papers can also be submitted, but in most cases should not exceed 8-10 pages."

So even though there's no word limit, they'd like somewhere in the 4-10 pages range. High school students are not usually writing papers that are longer than 10 pages anyways, so that isn't very limiting.

Implicit Length Guideline

Sometimes, while there's no word (or even page) limit, there's still an implicit length guideline. What do I mean by this?

See, for example, this Western Washington University prompt :

“Describe one or more activities you have been involved in that have been particularly meaningful. What does your involvement say about the communities, identities or causes that are important to you?”

While there’s no page or word limit listed here, further down on page the ‘essay tips’ section explains that “ most essay responses are about 500 words, ” though “this is only a recommendation, not a firm limit.” This gives you an idea of what’s reasonable. A little longer or shorter than 500 words would be appropriate here. That’s what I mean by an “implicit” word limit—there is a reasonable length you could go to within the boundaries of the prompt.

But what's the proper coffee-to-paragraph ratio?

Treasure Hunt

There is also the classic "treasure hunt" prompt. No, it's not a prompt about a treasure hunt. It's a prompt where there are no length guidelines given, but if you hunt around on the rest of the website you can find length guidelines.

For example, the University of Chicago provides seven "Extended Essay" prompts . You must write an essay in response to one prompt of your choosing, but nowhere on the page is there any guidance about word count or page limit.

However, many colleges provide additional details about their expectations for application materials, including essays, on FAQ pages, which is true of the University of Chicago. On the school’s admissions Frequently Asked Questions page , they provide the following length guidelines for the supplemental essays: 

“We suggest that you note any word limits for Coalition or Common Application essays; however, there are no strict word limits on the UChicago Supplement essays. For the extended essay (where you choose one of several prompts), we suggest that you aim for around 650 words. While we won't, as a rule, stop reading after 650 words, we're only human and cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention indefinitely. For the “Why UChicago?” essay, we suggest about 250-500 words. The ideas in your writing matter more than the exact number of words you use!”

So there you go! You want to be (loosely) in the realm of 650 for the extended essay, and 250-500 words for the “Why UChicago?” essay.

Help! There Really Is No Guidance on Length

If you really can't find any length guidelines anywhere on the admissions website and you're at a loss, I advise calling the admissions office. They may not be able to give you an exact number (in fact, they probably won't), but they will probably at least be able to tell you how long most of the essays they see are. (And keep you from writing a panicked, 20-page dissertation about your relationship with your dog).

In general, 500 words or so is pretty safe for a college essay. It's a fairly standard word limit length, in fact. (And if you're wondering, that's about a page and a half double-spaced.) 500 words is long enough to develop a basic idea while still getting a point across quickly—important when admissions counselors have thousands of essays to read!

"See? It says 500 words right there in tiny font!"

The Final Word: How Long Should a College Essay Be?

The best college essay length is usually pretty straightforward: you want to be right under or at the provided word limit. If you go substantially past the word limit, you risk having your essay cut off by an online application form or having the admissions officer just not finish it. And if you're too far under the word limit, you may not be elaborating enough.

What if there is no word limit? Then how long should a college essay be? In general, around 500 words is a pretty safe approximate word amount for a college essay—it's one of the most common word limits, after all!

Here's guidance for special cases and hunting down word limits:

If it's a writing sample of your graded academic work, the length either doesn't matter or there should be some loose page guidelines.

There also may be implicit length guidelines. For example, if a prompt says to write three paragraphs, you'll know that writing six sentences is definitely too short, and two single-spaced pages is definitely too long.

You might not be able to find length guidelines in the prompt, but you could still hunt them up elsewhere on the website. Try checking FAQs or googling your chosen school name with "admissions essay word limit."

If there really is no word limit, you can call the school to try to get some guidance.

With this advice, you can be sure you've got the right college essay length on lockdown!

Hey, writing about yourself can even be fun!

What's Next?

Need to ask a teacher or friend for help with your essay? See our do's and dont's to getting college essay advice .

If you're lacking in essay inspiration, see our guide to brainstorming college essay ideas . And here's our guide to starting out your essay perfectly!

Looking for college essay examples? See 11 places to find college essay examples and 145 essay examples with analysis !

Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

How Long Is an Essay? The Ultimate Essay Length Guide

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?

📏 essay parts: recommended length.

• 🤔 How to Make Essays Shorter or Longer
• 📑 Essay Length & Formatting
• ❓ Different Academic Levels FAQ
• 📚 Essay Length: Different Types
• ⭐ Other Aspects
• 📝 Essay Examples

🔍 References

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:

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 first 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 .

An introduction must have a hook, some background information, and a thesis statement. While the attention grabber and the thesis are usually brief, you may need 2 to 3 sentences for the background. 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 take up 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 contains the most information, it’s necessary to explain and support your ideas properly. That’s why it’s no big deal if your body paragraphs go slightly over the word limit.

How Many Body Paragraphs Should Be in an Essay?

Like the word count, the number of paragraphs is determined by the type of 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 paragraphs as there are points in your thesis statement. Each one should have a purpose and support your arguments. If there’s any fluff, it’s better to get rid of it.

How Long Should a Conclusion Be?

Like the introduction, the conclusion consists of 50-80 words . It’s essential to keep it simple and only mention the central ideas. A weak concluding sentence may affect the reader’s understanding of the topic and spoil the overall impression of your paper.

🤔 How to Make Essays Shorter or Longer: Best Tips

Undoubtedly the essay’s content is more important than the number of words you use. But there are times when students go more than 10-15% below or over the limit. Is there a solution to this problem?

Yes, there is! In this section, we will share the most useful tips to help you stay on point with your paper’s word count.

How to Make Essays Longer

Since having enough words is essential for a good grade, we’ve collected the best tips that can help you lengthen your essay without teachers noticing:

• Use relevant quotations.  You don’t need to litter your essay with citations, but using them whenever appropriate is a great idea. For instance, if you’re working on a book analysis, referencing a couple of direct quotes from the source text will make your essay more credible and increase the word count.
• Give examples.  Go through the claims in your paper and provide additional evidence where possible. It will make your essay longer and more informative.
• 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. 
• 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.
• 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. 

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.
• Remove needless transitions.  Transitions can indeed maintain the flow of the paper. But some transitional phrases can be easily removed.
• Get rid of unnecessary adverbs and adjectives.  Some students tend to overuse adjectives and adverbs. It adds wordiness to their writing.
• 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.
• Delete “that.”  In most cases, the word “that” can often be easily removed from texts.

Another cool trick is to use our summarizing tool as essay shortener. Try it out!

📑 How Long Is an Essay Depending on Formatting?

As we mentioned earlier, the essay’s length is usually limited by the number of words. But sometimes, a teacher may ask you to write a specific number of pages. This is trickier because the amount of text you can place on the page depends on the formatting. By using 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 spacing between lines.  Try to make the changes as slight as possible. For instance, if you were asked to double-space the paper, use 2.1 or 2.2 spacing instead. Another option is to slightly extend spaces between paragraphs.
• Extending the margin size.  You can increase the right and bottom margins by a quarter to make very subtle changes in length. For example, if the margins are 1 inch , you can set them at 1.25 inches instead. 
• Increasing the spacing between characters.  It is less noticeable than the line spacing. Still, try not to overdo it and keep the numbers between 1.2 and 1.5 . 
• Adjusting the footer.  Add a footer with page numbers to stretch the bottom margin even further.
• Lengthening the header.  You can extend 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 right 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 another technique that can come in handy. However, be careful and don’t increase your font by more than 0.1-0.5 pt.  
• Increasing the size of periods and commas.   This is one of the less noticeable tricks you can use. 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 essay. 

What to Do if There Are No Length Guidelines

Sometimes a teacher sets no word limit for a written work. What to do in that case? Well, first, you can ask your professor to confirm if they have simply forgotten to mention it. But if that’s not the case, here are a couple of 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 dependent on the theme. If the topic is simple, 4-5 paragraphs will be enough. A more complex issue may require an in-depth explanation, so your essay can be 6-8 paragraphs long.

❓ Essay Length for Different Academic Levels FAQ

The length of the elementary school essay is usually short. Usually, a paper needs to have around 3-5 paragraphs, with 4-5 sentences per paragraph. Primary school essays can be 1-2 paragraphs long.

The word limit for a middle school essay is usually between 300 to 1000 words. The most common essay length is 500 words, which is about 5 paragraphs. However, it may differ from school to school.

The length of the high school essay may differ depending on the school and the complexity of the task itself. Usually, however, a paper can be between 300 to 1000 words long.

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 common essay length at this level.

When it comes to the graduate school admission essay, the word limit is usually 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 different types of essays. How long should they be? Keep reading to learn about the length of college essays, short and extended ones, scholarship essays, and research papers.

How Long Is a College Essay?

When it comes to a college essay, it’s more important 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 consists of 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.
• Transitions.

College Essay Length Requirements: Top 5 Schools

To understand the requirements for 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 writing 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:

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 with bonus examples:

You can also use a specialized calculator such as Word Counter to determine a number of pages in your essay.

What Does an Essay Look Like when Typed?

You might be wondering: what do essays of different lengths look like when typed? Well, here’s the table where you can find out the metrics for single- and double-spaced papers.

How Many Pages Are in a Handwritten Essay?

In case you need to turn in a handwritten paper, you should check out the table below.

Counting Words in a Handwritten Essay

If you don’t have enough time to count the words in your handwritten essay one by one, here’s what you can do:

• Count how many words there are in one line. Take the first and last lines and a line in the middle of a page. Let’s say there are 15, 14, and 15 words in them. Then, the average number of words per line is 15.
• Next, count how many lines there are on one page. Let’s say there are 17 lines on a page.
• Take the number of words per line and multiply it by the number of lines per page. In our case, we multiply 15 by 17. So, there are 255 words per page on average.
• Finally, multiply the number of words per page by the number of pages. If your essay 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 writing will take you, especially 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 vary. 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 require different references. You’ll find out how many of them should be in your paper in the table below!

📝 Essay Examples: Different Length

Finally, we’ve gathered some excellent sample essays of different lengths. Make sure to check them out!

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
• 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
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

Do you dream of being successfully admitted to college? Well, you probably know that admission is a long process that includes many challenging steps. One of them is a recommendation letter: a document written on your behalf that describes your characteristics as a student. If done well, such a letter...

Almost everyone feels insecure when they start working on their first resume. Suddenly there are lots of questions that need to be answered. What should I write? How should I write it? What should I include in my resume to make it more appealing? If you’re looking for answers to...

What’s the first thing we do when facing the unknown? We Google it, of course! Google is fundamental to our experience of the Internet. According to the statistics, more than 100 000 people press “search” on Google every second! At first glance, the process is straightforward. You type in what...

Ever heard of a smart egg tray? Welcome to 2024! Today, there are gadgets for everything, and the variety of intelligent devices available increases every day. Some of them can improve your life. Others seem a bit useless. Will a smart egg tray actually add value to your life, or...

Dorms become like a second home to many students during their university experience. And while dorm life can mean making new friends and having exciting adventures, adjusting to new routines is not always easy. Since most students who come to the dorms have no prior experience living outside their parents’...

Imagine you’ve just written a paper. You’re going to proofread it, right? But is proofreading enough to ensure the absence of any factual errors or unfounded conclusions? Can you say with 100% certainty that you cited every reference correctly? If you want to learn how to fact-check like a pro,...

Every year, millions of U.S. students decide which university they want to attend. Around 20% of students rely on college rankings to make their final decision. Over the last two decades, such rankings have significantly grown in popularity. But are these lists reliable? Which criteria can be trusted? And which...

Have you ever seen someone else’s success and thought to yourself: “Why can’t I do the same?” What was your thought process like? Perhaps you believed you lacked some innate quality. Or did you think you could have achieved the same thing if you had put in enough effort? The difference in these attitudes is defined by two distinct mindsets—growth or fixed. You will read all about them in this article by Custom-Writing.org. You’ll also...

Are you interested in having a side hustle? If you have a hobby you are passionate about, look no further. A hobby-based side hustle is a great way to spend time doing something you love, a great source of income, and a way to boost your resume! In this article by Custom-Writing.org, you will find: a list of 7 inexpensive hobbies available to anyone; ways to monetize them; their benefits for...

In 2024, online education remains one of the most searched terms. Not only can you undertake short courses, but it is now commonplace to get Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees online. Is this the right fit for you? Keep reading to find out! In this article, our custom writing team will:...

What is the number one reason for becoming a volunteer? You may already know that charitable organizations help people in need and allow everyone to make a difference. However, there are some material benefits as well. Volunteer experience can boost your career prospects: it increases your chances of getting into...

Are you excited about grammar? Have you ever read the dictionary for fun? Do you become enthralled by your textbooks? Whether you are a language nerd or not, crossword puzzles are here to help. In this article, you will find dozens of exciting puzzle resources to support your learning. You...

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How Long Should Your College Essay Be? What Is the Ideal Length?

What’s covered: , personal statement length vs. supplemental essay length, are college essay word limits hard, what if a college essay word count isn’t given, what if you need to submit a graded paper, where to get your essays edited.

Students often spend hours agonizing over the best topics for their college essays. While it’s natural to wonder whether your personal statement is original or compelling enough, there’s one aspect of the process that shouldn’t cause you undue stress—how many words should a college essay be? Fortunately, with a little research, you can uncover the ideal college essay length for all your applications.

Unlike high school assignments, which typically have a strict page requirement, most colleges provide a word limit or word range for their application essays. This practice helps ensure that essays are the same length regardless of font or formatting. A good guideline is that students should strive to get as close as possible to the upper limit of the word range without exceeding it. Keep reading to learn more about best practices for college essay length.

How many words should a college essay be? Personal statements are generally 500-650 words. For example, the Common Application , which can be used to apply to more than 800 colleges, requires an essay ranging from 250-650 words . Similarly, the Coalition Application , which has 150 member schools, features an essay with a recommended length of 500-650 words.

650 words is the most common limit for your personal statement, but some schools may ask students to write more or less. For example, ApplyTexas , a platform used to apply to Texas public universities and other select colleges, requests essays with requirements that vary by school. For example, students applying to UT Austin will need to submit an essay of 500-700 words, along with three short-answer questions of 250-300 words each.

On the other hand, the University of California (UC) application includes a Personal Insight section with eight prompts . Students are asked to respond to any four of these prompts, with each response topping out at 350 words.

Additionally, some schools request a few supplemental essays, which are typically shorter than a personal statement. These questions are designed to gain more information about a student’s interests and abilities, and may include topics like your reasons for wanting to attend their school, your desired major, or your favorite activity.

Most schools require 1-3 supplemental essays, though some may require more or none at all (see our list of top colleges without supplemental essays ). These essays tend to be around 250 words, but some may be just as long as your main essay. For example, Cornell requires applicants to write a second supplemental essay (of 650 words max) that is specific to the program they’re applying to. The exception to this is the Cornell College of Engineering, for which applicants are required to compose two supplemental essays of 250 words max each.

For best results, keep your essays within the word range provided. While you don’t have to hit the count exactly, you should aim to stay within a 10% difference of the upper limit—without including fluff or filler. For example, if the school requests 500 words, try to ensure that your essay is between 450 and 500 words.

For the Common App, try to stay within 550-650 words, even though the given range is 250-650. Any submission shorter than 500 words will make it look as though you simply didn’t care enough to give your best effort. An essay shorter than 500 words won’t be long enough to truly share who you are and what matters to you.

Exceeding the word count isn’t an option—the application portal cuts off anything over the maximum number of allowed words. This is something you want to be particularly careful of if you’re drafting your essay in a Word or Google document and pasting it into the application.

Although most schools provide applicants with a specific word count, some offer more general guidelines. For example, a college may ask for a particular number of pages or paragraphs.

If you aren’t given a word count, try to adhere to the best practices and conventions of writing. Avoid writing especially short or overly long paragraphs—250 words per paragraph is generally a safe upper limit. If you’re asked to write a certain number of pages, single- or double-spaced, stick to a standard font and font size (like 12-point Times New Roman).

In the event that the college doesn’t offer any guidelines at all, aim for an essay length of around 500 words.

While essays are the most commonly requested writing sample, some colleges ask for additional pieces of content. For example, Princeton University requires students to submit a previously graded paper for evaluation .

Princeton offers guidelines that cover length, but if another school requests an old paper and doesn’t offer length requirements, a paper ranging from 3-5 pages should yield the best results. The goal is to select a paper long enough to showcase your writing skills and unique voice, but short enough that the admissions officer doesn’t get bored reading it.

Is your essay effective while staying within the required word count? It’s hard to evaluate your own writing, especially after rereading it numerous times. CollegeVine’s free Peer Essay Review provides an opportunity to have your essay reviewed by a fellow student, for free. Similarly, you can help other students by reviewing their essays—this is a great way to refine your own writing skills.

Expert advice is also available. CollegeVine’s advisors are prepared to help you perfect your personal statement and submit a successful application to your top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

• AI Content Shield
• AI KW Research
• AI Assistant
• SEO Optimizer
• AI KW Clustering
• Customer reviews
• The NLO Revolution
• Press Center
• Help Center
• Content Resources
• Facebook Group

How long is an Essay? A Guide to Appropriate Essay Length

Table of Contents

How long is an essay ? The length of your article is determined by several factors. These include level of education, course of study, departmental guidelines, and tutor’s requirements.

Compared to a research paper or dissertation, an essay is a shorter piece of writing. This article provides general guidelines for the length of different types of essays.

Since there are several essay types, it is crucial to understand the length required of your assignment. On average, an essay should be at least 700 to 1,200 words. It shouldn’t be too long or too short.

Usually, when an instructor hands out a project, the number of pages to be written will be given alongside. The instructor will often give the word count for the assignment, which will be more helpful than just telling the number of pages. This will mostly be a range (e.g., 500-800 words).

Most important in writing an essay is to prioritize quality over quantity. The focus should be on making a solid argument about the subject rather than hitting the specified word count. However, writing an essay according to the specified length is possible without compromising quality.

The specified length of your essay gives you a sense of how much information and complexity you can fit into the given space. This will determine how you outline your ideas and structure your argument.

The time needed for editing and proofreading also varies by the length of the essay.

A few tips to keep in mind when writing an essay include:

• An essay should have a minimum of three paragraphs. The paragraphs should contain the introduction, body, and conclusion, respectively.
• For an introductory paper, a five-paragraph structure is typical.
• The conclusion and introduction paragraphs are generally shorter.
• Each central idea should occupy a separate body paragraph.

There is a standard essay length for most high school, college, graduate, and professional schools. Although it is usually difficult to determine the length of an essay by words, working within the specified range is generally good. The following guidelines will help you determine how long your essay should be.

1. High School Essay

The recommended word count for a high school essay is 300 to 1000 words. It may vary, but you’ll often need to write a 5-paragraph essay that contains an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

2. College admission essay

College admissions essays are much shorter than any other. They range from 200 to 650 words and contain a few paragraphs that express your motivations and interests.

3. Undergraduate college essay

The length of undergraduate essays varies depending on the institution, course of study, and course levels.

However, no matter the length, every undergraduate college essay must include the following:

• Introduction
• Body (containing the subject arguments)

The word count of a typical undergraduate essay ranges from 1500 to 5000 words.

4. Graduate school admission essay

A typical graduate admission essay contains about 500–1000 words detailing your statement of purpose and highlighting some of your academic achievements.

5. Graduate school essay

Graduate school essays are usually more detailed and comprehensive, which means they tend to be longer. A typical graduate school essay ranges from 2500 to 6000 words.

First, you need to decide how many words your essay requires. Afterward, you can break it down into paragraphs. A short piece of 600-800 words will require that each section contains 100-150 words.

The introduction is one of the essential parts of an essay. The introduction is usually the same length as the conclusion and is shorter than the body. It should be just one paragraph and should match the length of the essay. For example, an essay with a length of 500 words would have an introduction of about 100 words.

The essay’s main body is usually the longest part and should take up the most space. It would be best to put each argument and idea in a separate paragraph. The paragraphs in the main body should be roughly the same length.

The conclusion of the essay is often a single paragraph. It should sum up the main points in a convincing way.

Writing your essay according to the specified length is essential, especially when your instructor recommends it. However, the length of your essay should not compromise its quality .

Creativity and originality are crucial factors in writing a well-structured essay, but it’s also vital that your essay is well-written.

Essay length can vary depending on the requirements of the forum you are submitting your work to. If the length is not specified, the specifications in this article should help you determine the length.

Pam is an expert grammarian with years of experience teaching English, writing and ESL Grammar courses at the university level. She is enamored with all things language and fascinated with how we use words to shape our world.

Explore All Long-form Articles

Write longer essays with these tips.

Almost all advice about how to make your essay longer tells you to do gimmicky things that will lead to…

Write a Unique 2000 Words Article in Record Time

Writing a 2000 words article in a short period can seem like an impossible dream for many writers. Are you…

The Ultimate Guide to How Long Should a Blog post be

How long should a blog post be is an often asked question. The answers are different according to whom you…

Interesting Basic Tips How to Make Your Essay Better

There might be a lot of tips you see online on how to make your essay better. An essay is…

The Longform Article: Why you need it

The longform article is meant to solve problems. But should you use long form pieces for every business problem? Keep…

How Many Pages is 3000 Words: A Key to Convert Word Count

To start, let’s define what a standard 3,000-word essay should look like. How many pages is 3000 words falls anywhere…

What this handout is about

This handout will help you understand how paragraphs are formed, how to develop stronger paragraphs, and how to completely and clearly express your ideas.

What is a paragraph?

Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. Many students define paragraphs in terms of length: a paragraph is a group of at least five sentences, a paragraph is half a page long, etc. In reality, though, the unity and coherence of ideas among sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. A paragraph is defined as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit” (Lunsford and Connors 116). Length and appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. For instance, in some styles of writing, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be just one sentence long. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph.

How do I decide what to put in a paragraph?

Before you can begin to determine what the composition of a particular paragraph will be, you must first decide on an argument and a working thesis statement for your paper. What is the most important idea that you are trying to convey to your reader? The information in each paragraph must be related to that idea. In other words, your paragraphs should remind your reader that there is a recurrent relationship between your thesis and the information in each paragraph. A working thesis functions like a seed from which your paper, and your ideas, will grow. The whole process is an organic one—a natural progression from a seed to a full-blown paper where there are direct, familial relationships between all of the ideas in the paper.

The decision about what to put into your paragraphs begins with the germination of a seed of ideas; this “germination process” is better known as brainstorming . There are many techniques for brainstorming; whichever one you choose, this stage of paragraph development cannot be skipped. Building paragraphs can be like building a skyscraper: there must be a well-planned foundation that supports what you are building. Any cracks, inconsistencies, or other corruptions of the foundation can cause your whole paper to crumble.

So, let’s suppose that you have done some brainstorming to develop your thesis. What else should you keep in mind as you begin to create paragraphs? Every paragraph in a paper should be :

• Unified : All of the sentences in a single paragraph should be related to a single controlling idea (often expressed in the topic sentence of the paragraph).
• Clearly related to the thesis : The sentences should all refer to the central idea, or thesis, of the paper (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Coherent : The sentences should be arranged in a logical manner and should follow a definite plan for development (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Well-developed : Every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately explained and supported through evidence and details that work together to explain the paragraph’s controlling idea (Rosen and Behrens 119).

How do I organize a paragraph?

There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. The organization you choose will depend on the controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few possibilities for organization, with links to brief examples:

• Narration : Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish. ( See an example. )
• Description : Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like. Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or by topic. ( See an example. )
• Process : Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence—first, second, third. ( See an example. )
• Classification : Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic. ( See an example. )
• Illustration : Give examples and explain how those examples support your point. (See an example in the 5-step process below.)

Illustration paragraph: a 5-step example

From the list above, let’s choose “illustration” as our rhetorical purpose. We’ll walk through a 5-step process for building a paragraph that illustrates a point in an argument. For each step there is an explanation and example. Our example paragraph will be about human misconceptions of piranhas.

Step 1. Decide on a controlling idea and create a topic sentence

Paragraph development begins with the formulation of the controlling idea. This idea directs the paragraph’s development. Often, the controlling idea of a paragraph will appear in the form of a topic sentence. In some cases, you may need more than one sentence to express a paragraph’s controlling idea.

Controlling idea and topic sentence — Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans.

Step 2. Elaborate on the controlling idea

Paragraph development continues with an elaboration on the controlling idea, perhaps with an explanation, implication, or statement about significance. Our example offers a possible explanation for the pervasiveness of the myth.

Elaboration — This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media.

Step 3. Give an example (or multiple examples)

Paragraph development progresses with an example (or more) that illustrates the claims made in the previous sentences.

Example — For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman.

Step 4. Explain the example(s)

The next movement in paragraph development is an explanation of each example and its relevance to the topic sentence. The explanation should demonstrate the value of the example as evidence to support the major claim, or focus, in your paragraph.

Continue the pattern of giving examples and explaining them until all points/examples that the writer deems necessary have been made and explained. NONE of your examples should be left unexplained. You might be able to explain the relationship between the example and the topic sentence in the same sentence which introduced the example. More often, however, you will need to explain that relationship in a separate sentence.

Explanation for example — Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear.

Notice that the example and explanation steps of this 5-step process (steps 3 and 4) can be repeated as needed. The idea is that you continue to use this pattern until you have completely developed the main idea of the paragraph.

Step 5. Complete the paragraph’s idea or transition into the next paragraph

The final movement in paragraph development involves tying up the loose ends of the paragraph. At this point, you can remind your reader about the relevance of the information to the larger paper, or you can make a concluding point for this example. You might, however, simply transition to the next paragraph.

Sentences for completing a paragraph — While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Finished paragraph

Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans. This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media. For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman. Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear. While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Troubleshooting paragraphs

Problem: the paragraph has no topic sentence.

Imagine each paragraph as a sandwich. The real content of the sandwich—the meat or other filling—is in the middle. It includes all the evidence you need to make the point. But it gets kind of messy to eat a sandwich without any bread. Your readers don’t know what to do with all the evidence you’ve given them. So, the top slice of bread (the first sentence of the paragraph) explains the topic (or controlling idea) of the paragraph. And, the bottom slice (the last sentence of the paragraph) tells the reader how the paragraph relates to the broader argument. In the original and revised paragraphs below, notice how a topic sentence expressing the controlling idea tells the reader the point of all the evidence.

Original paragraph

Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Revised paragraph

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Once you have mastered the use of topic sentences, you may decide that the topic sentence for a particular paragraph really shouldn’t be the first sentence of the paragraph. This is fine—the topic sentence can actually go at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph; what’s important is that it is in there somewhere so that readers know what the main idea of the paragraph is and how it relates back to the thesis of your paper. Suppose that we wanted to start the piranha paragraph with a transition sentence—something that reminds the reader of what happened in the previous paragraph—rather than with the topic sentence. Let’s suppose that the previous paragraph was about all kinds of animals that people are afraid of, like sharks, snakes, and spiders. Our paragraph might look like this (the topic sentence is bold):

Like sharks, snakes, and spiders, piranhas are widely feared. Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless . Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Problem: the paragraph has more than one controlling idea

If a paragraph has more than one main idea, consider eliminating sentences that relate to the second idea, or split the paragraph into two or more paragraphs, each with only one main idea. Watch our short video on reverse outlining to learn a quick way to test whether your paragraphs are unified. In the following paragraph, the final two sentences branch off into a different topic; so, the revised paragraph eliminates them and concludes with a sentence that reminds the reader of the paragraph’s main idea.

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. A number of South American groups eat piranhas. They fry or grill the fish and then serve them with coconut milk or tucupi, a sauce made from fermented manioc juices.

Problem: transitions are needed within the paragraph

You are probably familiar with the idea that transitions may be needed between paragraphs or sections in a paper (see our handout on transitions ). Sometimes they are also helpful within the body of a single paragraph. Within a paragraph, transitions are often single words or short phrases that help to establish relationships between ideas and to create a logical progression of those ideas in a paragraph. This is especially likely to be true within paragraphs that discuss multiple examples. Let’s take a look at a version of our piranha paragraph that uses transitions to orient the reader:

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, except in two main situations, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ instinct is to flee, not attack. But there are two situations in which a piranha bite is likely. The first is when a frightened piranha is lifted out of the water—for example, if it has been caught in a fishing net. The second is when the water level in pools where piranhas are living falls too low. A large number of fish may be trapped in a single pool, and if they are hungry, they may attack anything that enters the water.

In this example, you can see how the phrases “the first” and “the second” help the reader follow the organization of the ideas in the paragraph.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Lunsford, Andrea. 2008. The St. Martin’s Handbook: Annotated Instructor’s Edition , 6th ed. New York: St. Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

How Many Words per Page?

When you are given a writing assignment in college, either a certain number of pages or a particular word count is required. If the assignment is to write a six-page paper on a topic related to the American Revolution, you may wonder how many words are in six pages. The fact is there is no perfect answer to this question.

How many words there are on a page depends on the font type, font size, spacing, margins and paragraph length. Depending on the assignment, the Professor may require students to divide their papers into sections, with headings and subheadings. That can also affect the number of words per page.

General Requirements

For college essays and papers, the typical font types are Times New Roman, Arial, and Verdana. The standard font size requirement is 12pt, and the margin requirements are one-inch on all sides. Also, in college, papers must usually be double-spaced, though single-spacing can also be required by some Professors.

There are general guidelines, on how many pages it takes to reach a word count. For example, a 2000-word essay is approximately four pages when single spaced and eight pages when double spaced. A 60,000 word dissertation written by a Ph.D. candidate is about 120 pages single spaced and 200 pages double spaced.

Calculating Words per Page

Let’s say a student must write a short essay with 1000 words. The assignment calls for Times New Roman 12pt font, one-inch margins, and double spacing. So, how many pages is 1000 words going to take up? The answer is about four pages. If the student uses the Arial typeface instead, the total number of pages will be about 3.7. And when using Verdana, the number of pages will be approximately 4.4.

What about an essay that must be 1500 words? Using our Word Counter , the average number of pages for 1500 words is three pages when single-spaced and six pages when double-spaced. Now, let’s say the spacing must be 1.5 per the assignment instructions. If a student uses the Times New Roman font type, and the font size requirement is 12pt, then the number of pages to reach 1500 words is approximately 4.8, which rounds up to about five pages.

How Many Words are in a Speech?

Another typical college assignment entails giving a speech in front of your peers. For example, your Chemistry professor may require you to give a 5-minute speech on an element from the Periodic Table. In preparing the speech, you will need to know how many words are in a 5-minute speech . Again, there is no definitive answer because pacing (how many words you speak per minute) and pausing (breaking between sentences/paragraphs) will affect the total time it takes. Daphne Gray-Grant over at Visual Thesaurus writes: “The average person speaks at somewhere between 125 and 150 words per minute.”

For a five-minute speech done by a person speaking 150 words per minute, the approximate word count is around 750. However, as a general rule of thumb for giving speaches you should use around 100–200 words per minute. This is because for public speaking it is better to speak slowly so your audience understands what you are saying. Hence, a five-minute speech using this general rule will have somewhere in the range of 500–1000 words.

Word Counts for Publishing

For those people that are out of college and writing professionally (i.e. publishing their work), another factor when considering how many words there are per page is how the final work is to be printed. In addition to the layout, the font type and size used for published works is often quite different from college papers. For published books, mainly paperback novels, fonts such as Garamond and Calibri are often used. However, there is not hard and fast rule, as a different font can be utilized depending on the subject, genre, or any number of other factors. The size of the font often used in paperback novels commonly ranges from 10pt to 14pt.

Other factors that will affect the number of words per page in a published book include:

• Whether the book has pictures, charts, graphs, etc. The formatting for a book containing such elements means the word count will differ from a book that has only words.
• The spacing of the text and between paragraphs. In most paperback and hardcover novels, the text in the final printed book is single-spaced. Also, a lot of publishers like to put extra spaces between sections of the book to separate point-of-views and settings.
• The physical dimensions of the book. The typical dimensions for a novel are either 5x8 inches or 6x9 inches. It all depends on how the publisher prints the final work and whether it is a hardcover or paperback.
• The Reading Level of the book. For example, children’s books are going to have fewer words per page than a book meant for adult readers.

Common Novel: Word Counts per Page

How many words per page are there in a typical novel? For manuscripts, the answer is about 250–300 words per page if it is double-spaced. A manuscript for a novel is typically 500 words per page if single-spaced. When the final work is printed for sale and published, the number of words per page will differ.

So, how many pages is 500 words? For a manuscript, the answer is two pages if the word count per page is 250 and it is double spaced. If single-spaced, it is one page. It all depends on the font type, font size, spacing, and formatting of the text. If a novel has a total of 80,000 words with 300 words per page, the number of manuscript pages is 267.

It is interesting, as well as necessary at times, to look at the number of words per page. If you are a college student writing a paper, knowing how many words per page there are in your essay helps you track your progress to the required word count for the assignment. If you are an author working on your next bestseller, you should know that a typical manuscript with double-spaced text has about 250 words per page. Overall, there are multiple answers to the question regarding the number of words per page, as it all depends on font type, font size, and formatting.

How to Write Essay Titles and Headers

Don’t overlook the title and section headers when putting together your next writing assignment. Follow these pointers for keeping your writing organized and effective.

101 Standout Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

Need a topic for your upcoming argumentative essay? We've got 100 helpful prompts to help you get kickstarted on your next writing assignment.

Writing a Standout College Admissions Essay

Your personal statement is arguably the most important part of your college application. Follow these guidelines for an exceptional admissions essay.

• Essay Topics
• Homework Help
• Essay Types
• Essay Examples
• Become a Tutor

2 Page Essay Writing Guide with Example

The average length of your school essay is around two pages. It usually contains 600-700 words. Hence, not too much space left for creative thought in 2 page essay examples you may find. It is essential to be able to express your thoughts comprehensively and coherently .

Sounds intimidating? Don’t worry, for we will talk about the peculiarities of writing a two-page essay. Most importantly, there will be a sample essay here in the guide for your reference.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to learn something new!

Our best tutors described all specifics of writing short essays in 500 Words Essay Guide with advanced tips for time-saving. If you gotta get fast and just do you two pages done, just continue reading!

Contents (Clickable)

   What does a Two-Page Essay Look Like?

A two-page essay generally contains the following elements:

• A thesis statement at the end of the introductory paragraph
• Transition words
• Facts and examples
• Introduction, body, and conclusion
• Citations and references list (if the essay requires research)

Of course, we should not forget that an essay should be easy to read. It should not sound too technical with deep words and complex sentence structure.

   Two-Page Essay Outline

1 introduction.

Here are its objectives:

• To attract your readers’ attention.
• To state the topic and subtopics you will cover in the content.
• To provide context and background information on the topic.

Take note: Don’t forget to write the thesis statement as you close your introduction.

This is the “meat” of your essay. Therefore, you should do the following:

• Support your thesis with two to four arguments.
• Arrange those arguments logically.
• Provide evidence and analysis.

3 Conclusion

The concluding paragraph is often underestimated by students. The conclusion should be:

• A summary of your main ideas with a powerful closing statement.

Take note: Your thesis statement should be reasserted in conclusion.

   Two-Page Essay Example

People throughout history have been worried about the emergence of new technological innovations. The invention of the printing press during the 16th century induced the fear that the human brain cannot cope with information overload. With the age of the internet, an individual will get the same fears that he or she hears today in the media. In fact, it has made both positive and negative effects on the functions of the human brain. The internet allows an individual to find a plethora of content, reading materials, and websites at the click of a button. Unfortunately, some content indexed by the internet may be harmful to an individual’s brain and mental health. For example, a person can become addicted to online casinos and poker websites. However, it is difficult to completely blame these gambling websites for causing addiction amongst its users.

Browse and download 2 page essay examples from the most full and up to date Free Online Essay Database at Homework Lab . All the examples of college essays have been donated by the students & verified by our Geeks to boost your writing creativity.

Find My Essay

Nevertheless, the internet enables people to quickly access information at any period of time. The brain optimally analyzes incoming sensory information whether a person watches a group of children playing in the park or a video online. Notably, the human brain does not handle every information coming from the senses. Instead, it is filtered and selected from the person’s past experiences . One must note— however— that the brain is perfectly adapted to cope with information overload, as it has built protection mechanisms against the latter. Moreover, constant access to information online may cause a person’s memory to deteriorate. It should be taken into account that the human memory system is arranged differently. Unconscious processes are the facade of the said system. In that regard, events that have emotional resonance or significance are easier to store in memory in contrast to abstract information or facts. However, the way it affects the development of the brain is unclear. Constant repetition of certain actions and experience are reflected in the structure of the brain. For instance, the cerebral cortex of experienced musicians— a region in the cerebrum responsible for motor skills and memory— differs greatly from other people. It can be gleaned that understanding information helps develop a person’s memory. Alternatively, some studies suggest that an important stimulus for brain development is the diversity of incoming data. In this case, comprehending fascinating information from the internet is much better than learning empty facts and figures. However, even web pages are usually overloaded with information to which an individual ’s short-term memory cannot cope with it. This may have a side effect on a person ’s memory system. Apparently, there is no clear perspective of the issue. A human being’s attention system is complex, as scientists have not established a common ground on how it functions. To begin, there are two-level attention systems — namely the conscious and the unconscious. The former “manages” attention, while the latter is responsible for processing important information coming from a person’s senses. These two-level systems allow an individual to concentrate on a difficult task. Hence, this explains why some people like to listen to music while working. Otherwise, they would be distracted, in which it would prevent them from solely concentrating on their tasks at hand. The internet, however, is capable to easily distract a person. For instance, an individual can easily access an engaging or entertaining content in a matter of seconds. This poses a problem considering that computers are used for work and leisure. Hence, this may require the person to exercise balance and self-discipline. Overall, the usage of the world wide web presently has made a profound impact on the human brain. The internet, despite its disadvantages, interestingly stimulates the functions of a person’s brain. However, self-discipline might be needed in order for people to increase their productivity at work.

Writing a two-page essay might be challenging for you (and perhaps, your other classmates) at first. But you’ll be able to write one in a jiffy with constant practice & exposure.

Besides, we also have professional Geeks to assist you anytime with your academics. Personally, I usually start with defining the best strategy to expand your topics and then help to select the best sources for the essay. Hence, a Geek may help to make your two pages intense and enriched — don’t hesitate to start!

Have an essay due? Need to write a college essay? Let Homework Lab help you with your task:

• Register at Homework Lab
• Plan and schedule your task
• Work on your own or request help from a Geek

Help With My Essay

Related articles.

Popular articles

• Pangram Solver
• Anagram Solver
• Rhyming Dictionary
• AI Title Generator
• Poem Title Generator
• Book Title Generator
• YouTube Title Generator
• Essay Title Generator
• Title Rewriter
• Title Capitalization
• Sentence & Paragraph Rewriter
• Essay Writer
• Book Title Wizard
• Random Movie Generator
• Fortune Cookie Generator
• Random European Country Generator
• Random Country Generator
• Empty and Invisible Character Generator – Blank ( ) Texts
• Random State Generator
• Prompts Generator
• Text Repeater (Add Text, Repeat, & Share)
• Speech Generator
• Character Name Generator
• Name Generators
• Pokemon Name Generator
• Character Backstory Generator
• Song Generator
• Poem Generator
• Word Search Puzzles
• Ideation Articles
• Random Topic Generator
• Writing Prompt Generator
• Random Essay Title Generator
• Writing Articles
• Online Word Counter
• Online Grammar Checker
• Headline Analyzer
• Best Book Writing Software and Book Writing Apps
• 150 Best Resources for Writers
• Productivity
• English Language
• Grammar Tips
• Headline Analyzer Tool
• Title Capitalization Rules
• For WordPress
• Publishing Articles
• Email Marketing
• Book Articles
• How to Get A Book Published
• Best Literary Agencies
• How To Self Publish a Book

How Many Words Is 2 Pages?

2 pages is 1000 words single-spaced or 500 words double-spaced . Documents that typically are 2 pages are high school and college essays, short blog posts, and news articles. A typical single-spaced page is 500 words long. It will take approximately 3 minutes to read 2 pages .

A 1,000 word count will create about 2 pages with single spacing or 4 pages double-spaced when using normal 1-inch margins, 12 pt. Arial font, and a standard A4 (letter size) page size.

However, the number of pages will vary depending on your margins, font family, font size, whether you use multiple spaces after a period , and your paragraph spacing settings. For example, 1 page single spaced created using Arial font will generate only 0.9 pages with Calibri or Times New Roman font.

Table of Contents

How many words is 2 pages single-spaced.

2 pages single-spaced is 1000 words. A standard single-spaced page contains 500 words.

How Many Words Is a 2 Page Essay or Paper?

A 2 pages essay will be 1000 words single-spaced or 500 words double-spaced. A standard single-spaced page contains 500 words.

How Many Words Is 2 Pages Double-Spaced?

2 pages double-spaced is 500 words. Teachers may ask you to write an essay using double spacing so that it's easier to read and easier to add comments/feedback to. A standard double-spaced page contains 250 words.

How Many Words Is 2 Pages Handwritten?

2 pages handwritten and single-spaced produces 500 words. Handwriting is about twice as large as words typed in 12 point Arial or Times New Roman font which makes single-spaced handwritten pages equivalent to double-spaced pages.

How Many Paragraphs Is 2 Pages?

2 words is about 5-10 paragraphs for essays or 10-20 for easier reading (to allow skimming). A paragraph length typically has 100-200 words and 5-6 sentences.

How Many Sentences Is 2 Pages?

2 pages is about 50-67 sentences. A sentence typically has 15–20 words.

Which Font Produces More Pages?

Of the standard fonts used in essays and other documents, Verdana will create the most pages. On average, Verdana will create 1.1 pages for every 1 page written using Arial and 0.9 pages for every page written with Times New Roman or Calibri in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. These are just estimates . If you're looking to write the fewest number of words for your school assignment to meet a page count, we recommend using Verdana (if allowed) or Arial. A good rule of thumb is to use Arial font unless your teacher provides different guidelines for font or spacing.

How Long Does It Take to Write a 2 Page Essay?

On average it will take approximately 25 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard at a typing speed of 40 words per minute.

How to Write a 2 Page Essay

Writing a 2 pages essay, along with writing a five-paragraph essay , is one of the common assignments assigned to middle and high school students. Writing a 2 pages essay is no easy feat and requires careful planning in order to concisely convey your argument. You should focus on the following three areas:

The Introduction

The introduction of your essay should start with broad sentences, revealing the central idea of your essay, not the details and individual arguments.

Your primary focus should be describing, arguing, and explaining the points you listed in your introductory paragraph . Each paragraph should be less than 100 words.

The Conclusion

In the final or concluding paragraph, you need to summarize the key points of your essay and restate your main claim.

• How to Write a Descriptive Essay
• How to Write an Argumentative Essay

How Many Words per Page?

To quickly find out how many pages various word counts make, see the table below. You’ll be able to understand quickly how many words you need to write for your essays, blog articles, or memos with page limits:

• Accessibility

Forgot your password?

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive mail with link to set new password.

Back to login

• Have your assignments done by seasoned writers. 24/7
• Contact us:
• +1 (213) 221-0069
• [email protected]

How Long is an Essay: Length and Pages for Different Essays

How long is an Essay

When students are asked by their instructors, teachers, or professors to submit an essay, they are usually given a page limit to ensure that they do not write too much unnecessary content or too little.

At other times, students may be told to submit essays with a word limit. Normally, the word count should not go way below the requirement or higher, depending on the instructor’s preference or instructions. So, how many pages?

The length of an essay is a minimum of 2 pages all the way to 20 pages or above. The number of pages for an essay depends on the instructions of the assignment and the type of essay required. Short essays are 2 pages long, while medium essays are 5 pages. However, long essays are between 15 pages and 20 or more.

Factors Determining How Long an Essay Should be

An essay can have the same number of words but end up with a different number of pages with another one with the same length. This is because of different dynamics. Let us explore the various factors that determine the number of pages for an essay.

Also Read : 9 Different Types of Thesis Statements: With Examples for Each

1. Instructions of the Essay

The first obvious factor is the instructions provided by your instructor. As aforementioned, instructors will provide a page limit or word limit for most essays.

Therefore, if your instructor has specified that they require a certain number of pages, like 3 pages, for example, then you will need to write a 3-page paper to meet the scoring criteria.

You may be penalized if you write fewer or more pages. 

Need Help with your Homework or Essays?

2. the content of the essay.

The second factor that is tied to the first factor is the type of essay or content of your essay. Some essays will require you to provide detailed explanations to expound on every point. Such essays will be lengthy, with more pages.

However, some essays will require you to go straight to the point instead of expounding on every point. Such essays will be shorter because you will not write too much content.

3. The type and size of the Font

The third factor determining the number of pages for an essay is centered on the font and line spacing. When it comes to the font, if a larger font is used, then the number of pages will increase.

This is because a larger font will occupy more space. If a smaller font is used, then the number of pages will decrease because the number of words on each page will increase.

3. Spacing of the Line and Paragraphs

Concerning line spacing, if you use a smaller line-spacing option like 1.0 (single-space), then the number of pages in an essay will decrease.

If you use larger line spacing options like 2.0 (double-spaced) and above, then the page number will increase because fewer words will be needed to fill each page. 

4. The Size of the Paragraphs

Finally, the size of your essay’s paragraph will determine the number of pages for an essay.

If a paragraph is large, more words will fit into each page, reducing the need for an extra page to accommodate the words.

Smaller paragraphs that fit a third or a quarter of a page will increase the number of pages.

Number of words for common types of essays 

Also Read : Interpretive Essay Topics and Guide How to Write Interpretive Essays

Factors Determining the Number of Words in a Page

Various factors determine the number of words on a page . The first factor is spacing options. The smaller the spacing option, the more words will be required to fill a page.

The larger the spacing option, the fewer words that will be required to fill a page.

The second factor determining the number of words that can fit a page is the type of font, its size, and whether it is uppercase or lowercase.

This determines the number of paragraphs in an essay since large fonts tend to have many paragraphs than small fonts.

If smaller font sizes are used, more words will be required to fill a page.

If larger fonts are used, then fewer words will be required. Bold fonts occupy more space within a page, so fewer words will need to fill a page.

The same case applies to uppercase words. Uppercase words will occupy more space within a paragraph, decreasing the number of words required to fill a page.

Finally, the word limit required by the instructor will also determine the number of words on a page. Read more about an example of the number of pages in 1000 words to get the idea of what makes these factors come into play.

Get a Brilliant Essay today!

Let our essay writing experts help you get that A in your next essay. Place your order today, and you will enjoy the benefits.

Why do some Essays Require Single Space while others Double

The first reason is the type of essay and content. Some instructors will prefer letters to be written in a single space. Other instructors will prefer essays that require more explaining to be written in double space.

When the content of the essay is to be written straightforwardly, then the instructor will prefer the single-space option. In short, the type of line spacing will often depend on the instructor’s preference and the essay type. 

To know the difference between the number of pages for single-spaced and double-spaced, use our words-to-page converter , which is easy to use and absolutely free.

Also Read : How to Replace I in Essays: Alternative 3rd Person Pronouns

For many students, limiting their essay content to match the requirement is often difficult. This can be attributed to the fact that they do not know how many words fit a Word document and the factors that will affect the number of words within a page.

Jessica Kasen is experienced in academic writing and academic assistance. She is well versed in academia and has a master’s degree in education. Kasen consults with us in helping students improve their grades. She also oversights the quality of work done by our writers.

Related posts

essay writing problems

10 Essay Writing Problems and their Easy Solutions

writing essay on your phone

How to Write an Essay or paper on your Phone: 3 Easy Ways

essay writing is important

7 reasons why Writing is Important in College & in Life

How to Start a College Essay: 5 Effective Techniques

Access thousands of exclusive scholarships for free

"Be Bold" No-Essay Scholarship

Impressionable Openers

Descriptions and demonstrations, show vulnerability, be authentic, stay personal, fun & quirky, common mistakes to avoid in your college essay.

• Ways to Overcome Writer's Block

Frequently Asked Questions About Starting a College Essay

College essays are a huge part of your college career. If not huge, one of the biggest, and for someone who has been there and done that, I know the amount of pressure the beginning of a college essay, as well as the entire essay, can put on your shoulders.

Not only are you trying to juggle things like word count and grammar errors, but you're also trying to create the perfect college essay introduction that will attract admissions officers to your application or professors to your writing skills. And that, itself, can feel impossible, fill you with dread and self-doubt, but just breathe. I am here to help all present and future students know how to start a college essay.

Today is all about starting a college essay. I have come up with five easy and effective techniques that will help you create essays so good you're going to leave your readers wanting more , starting with your opening sentence! So, this is for all college students and college applicants. Stress no more! This guide was created to help you write a successful college essay. Let's get into it.

Visit our Scholarship Blog to learn how to create your free Bold profile , and start applying for scholarships designed to help you save BIG on your college education.

The beginning of your essay should, first and foremost, always have a strong opening sentence . This sentence sets the tone for not only your readers but for the entire essay. Having a wobbly, almost interesting opener can steer an admissions officer and/or professor away, so you want it to be strong. And it doesn't have to be complicated! Less is more in this situation. Here are a couple of ways you can accomplish this.

• Look within and be relatable
• Use your real life for inspiration
• Think about ways to evoke emotion

Here are some examples of impressionable openers:

• Example 1: When I was 11 years old, my mother told me she had cancer over breakfast.
• Example 2: Maybe yellow isn't my favorite color.
• Example 3: I sat next to this girl in class who made me feel stupid.

DISCLAIMER : your opener should ALWAYS adhere to the essay prompts. These are just a few examples that can capture your reader's attention almost immediately.

In order to keep readers interested, visuals are key . Image-based descriptions will not only add value to your writing, it will give your readers front seats to your essay's journey. These descriptions let actions speak for themselves.

Here is an example of a description and demonstration in an essay:

• Example 1: "I was sitting on a bar stool when the word 'cancer' hit me like the smell of her coffee brewing on the stove. The Rice Krispies were popping in my cereal bowl, and MTV Jams was playing in the background, yet all I could hear was the sound of doom all around me. The lips of my mother were moving, but I was frozen, crumbling on this stool like my mother's health. She was sick, and I didn't know how sick or what that even meant, and that terrified me."

Why This Works:

Here you can clearly feel the writers emotional state: shocked, still, scared. Not only is this moment at breakfast traumatic, you feel frozen in time with the writer. Using descriptions like this will evoke so much emotion and leave your reader wanting more.

Get Matched to Thousands of Scholarships

Create your Bold.org profile to access thousands of exclusive scholarships, available only on Bold.org.

Something one of my teachers told me in high school was any good essay will have personal elements in it, no matter the topic. That always stuck with me and became the way I approached my college essays. Showing vulnerability in your writing will always guarantee interest. It also evokes emotion.

You can show vulnerability by:

• Being honest
• Explaining what's going on inside underneath the exterior
• Describe what's going on around you at the moment
• Letting go of the fear of being seen
• Connecting with the topic
• Being transparent about mistakes/flaws

Examples of showing vulnerability:

• Example 1 : My mother telling me she had cancer over breakfast was not on my bingo card this year.
• Example 2 : I never thought losing someone I love would change me.
• Example 3: I had to lose everything in order to gain everything.

I know being vulnerable can be tough for some , but showing this side of you to college admissions officers and/or professors will not only make you stand out, but it can also help free you of things that might be weighing on your mind. Not to sound corny, but it can be therapeutic and make you a better writer . Just make sure you are staying on track with the essay prompt, and you're set!

Whether it's believed or not, an admissions officer wants to see pieces of you in your personal statement, so starting your essay by showing authenticity is a major major key. Along with being vulnerable, there are a few ways you can achieve this.

• Reflect : Take the time to reflect on your experiences, values, and beliefs that have shaped who you are today. Let your values, passions, and interests shine through in your writing.
• Mind Your Voice : Write in your own voice and avoid trying to sound like someone you're not. Authenticity comes from being genuine and true to yourself.
• Tell Your Story : Share personal anecdotes and insights that show your unique perspective.
• Be True to You : Focus on what matters to YOU (as long as you're on topic!). Write about what is meaningful and important to you rather than what you think admissions officers want to hear.

Above all, be open . Showing introspection and self-awareness in your essay will show any admissions committee who you are beneath the surface, as well as your personal growth.

You can also begin your essay being as random and silly as you'd like . It goes hand-in-hand with other important factors like vulnerability and authenticity. But don't get too crazy . Beginning your essay with something strange will definitely draw readers in. Let me show you what I mean.

• Example 1 : I start my mornings off in silence and solitude to keep people away from me.
• Example 2 : Sometimes, I like to circle big words in complex articles to learn new words. Yeah, but to also keep one in my back pocket for later use.
• Example 3 : Being the youngest child means getting away with everything you want, and that's exactly how I like it.

Do you see how each sentence draws you in? Not only are they light-hearted, but they also make you want to know why you want to keep people away in the morning and what kind of weapon you're forming against others with new words. And every youngest sibling will attest to feeling that exact same way. All of these examples are sure to make your essay fun, show who you are, and leave readers wanting more.

Years of writing college essays have taken me through every high and low of the process possible. And when they're good, they're great! But for some reason, my mistakes stick out more than anything. So, I've compiled a list of common mistakes to avoid when writing your college essay .

• Avoid Being Cliche - While you want to be captivating, you want to avoid overly used syntax and phrases that could potentially lose your reader's curiosity. For example, "in today's day and age," "follow my heart," "don't judge a book by its cover," etc. are all cliches that can be avoided by thinking outside of the box.
• Using Vocabulary to be Impressive - I know you want to impress the admissions committees, but it's important to stick to what you know and not what you can allude to. That is, use verbiage that resonates with your personality. Using extravagant words can work against you, and they can also sound forced. College admissions officers want to see the real you, so show it to them.
• Steer Clear of Controversy - Though it's not said enough, your college essay should tell your personal story and not touch on things that can stir the pot. For instance, talking about politics and religious beliefs may not be the route you want to take UNLESS it's called for in the college essay topic. And if so, stay on track with the essay prompts.
• Procrastinating : Waiting until the last minute to start writing your essay will bite you in the butt. You will feel rushed and end up writing a poorly crafted piece. Give yourself enough time to complete an essay draft, edit the draft, and repeat this two-step cycle until your essay is complete.
• Lack of originality : This goes hand-in-hand with avoiding cliches. Your college essay should exude a lot of your personality, so show admissions officers and teachers who you are! Include your cultural background, test scores that you're proud of, any future aspirations, etc. This all depends on the essay prompts, of course, but in my experience, every essay topic has room to show who you are.
• Ignoring the prompt : This is a major key. STAY ON TRACK. Make sure to carefully read and understand the essay prompt, and write your essay accordingly. The last thing you want to do is write a college essay that has nothing to do with the prompt. Reading is essential here.
• Lack of focus : If you want to know how to start a college essay, that means knowing how to stay focused. Find a quiet space, turn off electronics, hide your phone, and really nestle into how you want to capture your reader's attention. This will help you use your five senses clearly, keep your writing strong and not write an overly wordy essay. Focus is the tool here.
• Poor organization : Make sure your essay has a strong structure with clear transitions between paragraphs. An outline will work best to accomplish this. If you go into starting your college essay without a plan, be prepared to hit all roadblocks.
• Neglecting to Revise and Edit : Like procrastinating, don't fail to revise and edit your work. Always, always, always proofread your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors , as well as clarity and coherence.
• Not Seeking Feedback : Listen, I know that completing an essay is an accomplishment in itself, and you immediately want to submit it, but it's so beneficial to have others read your essay for feedback. You can only spot so many holes in your work when your eyes are constantly reviewing it, so a second, third, or even fourth set of eyes can help point out areas for improvement.

Above all, trust the writing process. Though I do want you to be aware of your jargon, don't get too wrapped up in thinking you're making a mistake. That's what editing is for! Once you complete your college essay, you should always revise and edit accordingly . What you thought sounded good might make you edit it to sound great. Just keep in mind that many colleges are looking for honesty and authenticity vs how well you can sound on paper . So, if you're aware of these factors, you'll be good to go.

Ways to Overcome Writer's Block

Take it from someone who has suffered from chronic writer's block, it's a pain to get through . Imagine being on a writing streak so good that when you stop, the entire essay writing process stops as a whole. It's definitely a challenge, but after 10 years of writing essays and really honing my craft, I learned a few things that have helped me get through even the thickest of writer's blocks, and I want to share them with you. Check them out:

• Take a break : This works every single time. Take a short break and step away from your computer to clear your mind and come back with a fresh perspective. For me, 15 minutes is all I ever need. If you need more time, that's okay. Just try not to make your break a rest.
• Freewriting : Sometimes, I'd start writing without worrying about my structure or grammar to get the ideas flowing, and surprisingly enough, I found my essay taking a pleasant turn.
• Change your environment : Move around. Don't underestimate the effects of a different location or workspace to stimulate creativity. Try coffee shops, bookstores, a park, or a new room in your house. New environment, new energy.
• Set small goals : This one is actually the most important. Some people get overwhelmed with the word "essay" for things like lack of proper writing skills, pressure to write a great essay, etc. But if you try breaking down your writing task into smaller, manageable chunks to make it less overwhelming, it can help. For example, set a goal of three paragraphs one day, take a day to edit those paragraphs, two more the next day, and so forth. Find a formula that works for you.
• Brainstorming : Write down all your ideas--everything. No matter how small you think the idea is, write it down. Even if these ideas seem unrelated, they will help you generate new thoughts and connections.
• Read or listen to music : It took me a while to realize this helps, but engaging in other forms of art can inspire new ideas and break through mental blocks. And new creativity can lead you to impress admissions officers.
• Talk it out : As a writer, it's hard to let people in on the creative process, but discussing my ideas with a friend, family member, or colleague helped me gain new perspectives and insights.
• Relax and Meditate : Hear me out: it works! Practice deep breathing and/or meditation to reduce stress and anxiety that may be contributing to writer's block.

I won't sugarcoat it: the college application process can be intimidating , but it doesn't have to throw you off your game. When it comes to college essays, I see them as opportunities to be fun and expressive. Trust me when I say if you have fun with it, you'll attract the reader's attention , paint vivid details, and write an essay that will leave the admissions officer wanting you at their school. So, take it one step at a time and watch your personal statement come to life.

How can I make my college essay stand out to admissions officers?

Simply put, be yourself. As long as you stay on track with the essay's topic, showing pieces of yourself will allow admissions officers to know more about who you are. Essays are meant to show readers who you are, how you feel, and what you think naturally, not robotically, so be authentic in your writing, and you'll be sure to stand out amongst the rest.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a college essay?

Some common mistakes to avoid in your essay are using cliches and boring wording. You also want to avoid procrastinating, wasting time, not focusing, not editing, etc. When writing your essay, you want to make sure you give your writing the time and attention it deserves, so make sure you're aware of what is pulling you away from your writing. This will help you stay focused. If you have any other doubts, refer to the section about mistakes in this article and let it guide you to success.

How important is the college essay in the admissions process?

Your college essay is key in the admissions process . It's an admissions committee's first impression of you as a writer and potential student, so it should be taken very seriously. Trying to cut corners or rush through the writing process will be obvious, and it will stand out more than things like test scores, academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and any other positive influence you've had in your life. So, don't take the easy way out and really work on your essay.

Feeling confident in your college essay skills and want to explore some other essay content? Explore our blog on the comma splice to enhance your technical writing skills!

Related Posts

The rise of public scholarship, best interior design schools, best colleges in california.

• Help Us Out

Login with your site account:

Create a site account:

Welcome to Words per Page

Enter total number of words, type in your words.

There are times when it helps to know how many words per page you're writing. While a general guideline is one page is 500 words (single spaced) or 250 words (double spaced), this is a ballpark figure. The truth is the number of words per page depends on a variety of factors such as the type of font, the font size, spacing elements, margin spacing, and paragraph length to name a few. While it's not possible to take into all these factors when estimating how many words per page there will be for your writing, this calculator can give a more accurate words per page conversion estimate than the typical 250/500 ballpark figure .

The calculator is able to provide a more accurate conversion by taking into account more specific information. For example, you can choose from a different variety of common fonts to generate an estimate:

• Comic Sans MS
• Times New Roman

You can then choose your preferred spacing from the following options:

• Single spaced
• Double spaced

Finally, you can choose your preferred font size: 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14.

By using these three options to more accurately define your writing, the words per page calculator should provide a better estimate on how many words you need to write to fill a page. In the opposite direction, it can give a more accurate estimate of how many pages you have created if you only know the word count .

While we make every attempt to make our calculators as accurate as possible, the results won't be perfect. This converter addresses some issues to provide a more accurate estimate, but in the end, it's still an estimate. Other issues such as margin space and paragraph length will likely result in some variation from the calculations given. That being said, it should provide a more accurate indication of the number of pages a specific word count will be and the number of words per page you type when compared to the general rule of thumb.

For general information, the following are calculations using 12-point Arial font, double spaced:

How many pages is 500 words? 500 words is approximately 1.8 pages. How many pages is 750 words? 750 words is approximately 2.7 pages. How many pages is 1,000 words? 1,000 words is approximately 3.7 pages. How many pages is 1,250 words? 1,250 words is approximately 4.6 pages. How many pages is 1,500 words? 1,500 words is approximately 5.5 pages. How many pages is 2,000 words? 2,000 words is approximately 7.3 pages. How many pages is 2,500 words? 2,500 words is approximately 9.1 pages. How many pages is 3,000 words? 3,000 words is approximately 11 pages. How many pages is 4,000 words? 4,000 words is approximately 14.6 pages. How many pages is 5,000 words? 5,000 words is approximately 18.3 pages. How many pages is 7,500 words? 7,500 words is approximately 27.4 pages. How many pages is 10,000 words? 10,000 words is approximately 36.5 pages.

How many words are in one page? There are approximately 450 words in one page. How many words are in two pages? There are approximately 900 words in two pages. How many words are in three pages? There are approximately 1350 words in three pages. How many words are in four pages? There are approximately 1800 words in four pages. How many words are in five pages? There are approximately 2250 words in five pages. How many words are in ten pages? There are approximately 4500 words in ten pages. How many words are in 15 pages? There are approximately 6750 words in 15 pages. How many words are in 25 pages? There are approximately 11250 words in 25 pages. How many words are in 50 pages? There are approximately 22500 words in 50 pages. How many words are in 100 pages? There are approximately 45000 words in 100 pages.

• Help WordCounter
• Embed WordCounter
• Report a Bug
• Privacy Policy

Found a Bug

Advertisement

How Many Sentences Are in a Paragraph, Really?

• Share Content on Facebook
• Share Content on LinkedIn
• Share Content on Flipboard
• Share Content on Reddit
• Share Content via Email

Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank page, wondering if your paragraph is too short, too long, or just right? Well, you're not alone in asking how many sentences are in a paragraph . It can be hard to tell whether you've provided enough information and if, most importantly, it is easy to read and effectively communicates your main point.

There’s no magic number, but there are certain rules that writers can follow to create solid compositions.

Paragraph Structure 101

How many sentences are in a paragraph, can a paragraph be one sentence long, when to write shorter paragraphs, when to write longer paragraphs, nailing the final sentence, when is the right time to start a new paragraph, 5 tips for writing the perfect paragraph.

A paragraph is like a well-balanced meal, complete with a main idea, details to savor and a satisfying conclusion. This distinct section of writing deals with a particular idea or theme and typically consists of several sentences that are related and organized around a central point.

Here are the core components of a paragraph.

• Topic sentence : This is usually the first sentence of the paragraph, boldly introducing the main idea or point. It’s like the person at a party who starts the conversation with an exciting story, grabbing everyone’s attention.
• Supporting sentences : These sentences are the loyal friends who chime in with more details, explanations or examples to back up the main idea. Think of them as the friends who add, "So true, I saw that too!"
• Concluding sentence : This sentence wraps up the idea of the paragraph and may provide a transition to the next paragraph. It’s like the smooth talker at the end who sums up the moral of the story, leaving everyone satisfied and ready for the next tale.

There is no hard-and-fast rule regarding paragraph length. There is a time and a place for short paragraphs and their longer counterparts (we'll get to this later).

Determining the perfect number of sentences in a paragraph is more of an art than a science, but some helpful guidelines exist. Generally, a paragraph contains three to five sentences. This range ensures you have enough space to introduce your main idea, support it with details and wrap it up neatly — all without overwhelming your reader.

Breaking Down an Example

If you're writing about the benefits of exercise, your paragraph might start with a topic sentence like, "Exercise is crucial for maintaining good health."

Follow with a few supporting sentences like, "It improves cardiovascular health and strengthens muscles. In addition to the physical benefits, exercise also boosts mental well-being."

Then, finish with a strong closing sentence, "Incorporating regular exercise into your routine can lead to a happier, healthier life."

So, how many words are in an average paragraph? The typical range is 100 to 200 words. Think of this as a comfortable size for your reader to absorb. In academic writing, a paragraph might be on the longer side to thoroughly explore a concept, while in casual writing, shorter paragraphs keep things snappy and engaging.

Remember, these are guidelines, not rigid rules. The key is to balance clarity, completeness and reader engagement, making your paragraphs just the right length to keep readers or target audience hooked and informed.

It's common to assume that a good paragraph should be at least three or four sentences long, but that is not always the case. A paragraph can be one sentence, especially in certain contexts — like creative writing or journalism — or when emphasizing a particular point.

For example, "And then, silence," is a short, one-sentence paragraph often used for dramatic effect or to highlight a moment in the narrative. A short paragraph like this can be particularly effective when the previous paragraph is on the lengthy side.

In more formal or academic writing, paragraphs typically contain multiple sentences to develop an idea fully, but there are still some rare instances of single-sentence paragraphs. For example, "The experiment failed," is a one-sentence paragraph that can be used to highlight a significant result or conclusion.

Shorter paragraphs can be very effective in various contexts. For instance, they are useful for emphasizing a point, as a short paragraph can draw attention to a key idea or conclusion, making it stand out from the surrounding text. Think of it as the literary equivalent of a mic drop.

A brief paragraph in creative writing or storytelling can heighten suspense or emphasize a sudden change or revelation, such as "And then, the lights went out." It’s like the plot twist nobody saw coming.

Improving readability is another important reason to use shorter paragraphs. In web writing or other forms of media, shorter paragraphs can help keep the reader engaged and make the text easier to digest. Imagine serving your readers bite-sized snacks instead of a five-course meal.

Shorter paragraphs are also helpful for introducing a new idea. Starting a new section or shifting to a new idea with a short paragraph can provide a clear break and signal a transition to the reader. It's like saying, "Hold on, new topic ahead!"

Lastly, shorter paragraphs in blogs or informal writing can create a more conversational and approachable tone, making the content more engaging for the reader. Think of it as chatting with a friend rather than lecturing a class.

Sometimes, it's good to give your readers a break, so don't be afraid to keep it short and sweet!

Longer paragraphs are like a hearty stew: Sometimes, you need that extra depth and richness. They’re great for diving into complex topics where you must provide detailed explanations, multiple examples and robust support for your points. This is especially useful in academic writing, research papers and detailed reports where a brief overview just won't cut it.

In narrative writing, longer paragraphs allow you to set the scene, develop characters and advance the plot without stopping every few sentences.

When presenting a nuanced argument, longer paragraphs help articulate intricacies and counterpoints effectively, keeping the text from becoming a patchwork quilt of ideas. Just make sure they stay focused and clear so your readers don’t get lost in the wordy wilderness.

The secret to a solid final sentence lies in its ability to encapsulate the main idea of the paragraph and leave a lasting impression. It should provide a sense of closure, tying together the key points discussed. Using impactful language or a thought-provoking statement can make the final sentence memorable.

For example, a strong final sentence in a paragraph about climate change could be, "Our actions today will determine the planet's future — so maybe skip that extra-long shower."

In a discussion about healthy eating, you might conclude with, "Remember, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but only if you actually eat it."

Knowing when to break into a new paragraph is key for clarity. Start a new paragraph when introducing a new idea or topic, when you need to break up a long block of text to improve readability or when you want to emphasize a point.

Transitioning between different speakers in dialogue also requires a new paragraph. Whenever your writing takes a new direction, think of it as a cue for a fresh paragraph.

These tips will help you craft clear, cohesive and compelling paragraphs.

• Stick to one core idea. Each paragraph should focus on a single core idea, in the same way that a good joke has one punchline. For example, if you're discussing the benefits of exercise, don't suddenly veer off into your favorite cookie recipes.
• Create connections between sentences. Make sure your sentences flow logically from one to the next. Think of it like a conga line: Each sentence should seamlessly follow the previous one, keeping the party going smoothly.
• Use transition words. Transition words and phrases — such as "however," "therefore" and "for example" — guide your reader through your argument and signaling shifts between ideas.
• Include supporting details. Bolster your main idea with supporting details, examples and evidence. Imagine you're trying to convince someone that pizza is the best food; you'll need to include tasty details like, "With its ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese, herbaceous marinara sauce and crisp pepperoni slices, piping-hot pizza is the perfect meal."
• Conclude with a strong closing sentence. Wrap up your paragraph with a concluding sentence that reinforces the main idea and provides a sense of closure. It's like the final chord in a song, leaving your reader with a satisfying sense of completeness.

Happy writing!

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made3 sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.

Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article:

Free All-in-One Office Suite with PDF Editor

Edit Word, Excel, and PPT for FREE.

Read, edit, and convert PDFs with the powerful PDF toolkit.

Microsoft-like interface, easy to use.

Windows • MacOS • Linux • iOS • Android

Select areas that need to improve

• Didn't match my interface
• Too technical or incomprehensible
• Incorrect operation instructions
• Incomplete instructions on this function

Fields marked * are required please

Please leave your suggestions below

• Quick Tutorials
• Practical Skills

How to Remove Page Breaks in Word for Your Essay? [For Students]

I once had a really frustrating moment as a student when I stumbled upon a section break while writing an essay. The break appeared because I was using a template provided by my teachers, and figuring out how to remove page breaks in Word for students turned into an hour-long hunt. It was a waste of precious time that I could have used to focus on my essay. If you're experiencing something similar, I’ve got you covered. Here's a simple guide to help you remove a section break from your page without losing your sanity.

What Is the Difference Between Page Break and Section Break?

Page breaks and section breaks are both useful tools in Microsoft Word for controlling the layout of your document, but they serve distinct purposes:

Page Break:

A page break in Microsoft Word serves to insert a new page at the insertion point, ensuring that the content following it begins on a fresh page. This is particularly useful when you want to start a new section, chapter, or topic on a new page, or when you need to ensure that certain content, such as a table or image, is displayed entirely on one page without being split across multiple pages.

However, there are situations where it becomes necessary to remove page breaks. For example, unintentional page breaks can disrupt the flow of content, causing formatting issues. Therefore, learning how to delete or remove a page break can be really handy for students, considering the amount of projects, theses, and assignments they have to work on.

Starting a new chapter or section on a new page.

Ensuring that a figure or table appears at the bottom of a page without being split across pages.

Managing the flow of text and visuals to enhance readability.

Impact on Formatting:

Affects only the placement of text and does not alter formatting settings such as margins, headers, or footers.

Section Break:

A section break indeed divides a document into sections, allowing for the application of various formatting settings to each section. These settings can include margins, headers, footers, columns, and more. With section breaks, you can customize the layout and appearance of different parts of your document to suit your specific needs.

Creating a report with varied page layouts for different sections (e.g., a title page with wider margins, followed by body text with standard margins).

Formatting references with different numbering styles compared to the main body of text.

Changing the page orientation (from portrait to landscape) for specific sections.

Allows for independent formatting of each section created with the section break.

Word is a great tool, but to make sure you can follow along on your mobile, Windows, or Mac, I'll use WPS Office for the demo. It's a free office software that's compatible with all Word document versions and can even convert your papers to PDF without losing format.

How to Remove Page Breaks in Word for your Written Essay?

One common habit of mine was to insert page breaks intermittently. This allowed flexibility for later additions, such as tables or extra content. However, it often led to the necessity of removing these breaks just before the final submission. Thus, learning how to remove page breaks in Word proves invaluable, preventing last-minute panic when submitting or printing your work. Let's explore a few methods to easily delete page breaks in Word.

Method 1: Remove Page Breaks With Delete

The first method is by far the easiest. Simply locate the page break and use the "Delete" key on your keyboard to remove it from your document.

Step 1: Open the Word document in WPS Writer containing the unnecessary page breaks.

Step 2: Navigate to the Home tab and click on the "Show/Hide Editing Marks " icon in the home ribbon.

Step 3: Select the "Show/Hide Paragraph Marks" option to reveal paragraph marks in your document.

Step 4: Scroll down and locate the page breaks in your document. With the help of paragraph marks, page breaks are easily distinguishable.

Step 5: Once you locate the page break, double-click to select it, and then press the "Delete" or "Backspace" key on your keyboard to remove the page break.

Method 2: Remove Page Break With Find and Replace

The second method is also very useful for students to remove page breaks in Word. In this method, students don't have to manually search for page breaks; instead, they can use the Replace tool to find and replace page breaks automatically. So, if your document contains numerous page breaks, this method of how to delete page breaks in Word is a must.

Step 1: Let's open the Word document in WPS Writer.

Step 2: Now, navigate to the Home tab and click on the "Find and Replace" button in the home ribbon.

Step 3: Select "Replace" to access the Replace tool in WPS Writer. Alternatively, students can also use the shortcut key "Ctrl + H" to access the Replace tool directly.

Step 4: In the Replace dialog, click on "More" to access additional Replace features in WPS Writer.

Step 5: Next, click on the "Special" button to open a dropdown menu with all the special Replace features.

Step 6: In this Special dropdown, we will select "Manual Page Breaks" since we need to remove page breaks from our document.

Step 7: Notice how the "Find what" field is automatically populated with "^m" .

Step 8: Leave the "Replace with" field empty, then click on the "Replace All" button.

Step 9: WPS Writer will notify the number of replacements made throughout the document.

Use Word, Excel, and PPT for FREE, No Ads.

Edit PDF files with the powerful PDF toolkit.

Microsoft-like interface. Easy to learn. 100% Compatibility.

Boost your productivity with WPS's abundant free Word, Excel, PPT, and CV templates.

How to Remove Section Breaks in Word for your Essay Written?

Section breaks are typically added to customize formatting for each section, such as margins, paragraph spacing, and so on. However, if you wish to remove a section break in Word , follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Word document in WPS Writer from which you want to remove the section break.

Step 2: To easily locate the section break in the document, navigate to the Home tab and click on the "Show/Hide Editing Marks" button.

Step 3: Next, select the "Show/Hide Paragraph Marks" option to activate paragraph marks in your document. Now, simply locate the section breaks in your document.

Step 4: Once the section break is located in your document, double-click to select it, and then press the "Delete" or "Backspace" key to remove the section break from your document.

Bonus Tips: How to Convert Word to PDF without losing Format

WPS Office enables you to convert your documents to PDF without losing formatting. This is crucial for students who need to submit papers in a specific format, as it ensures that all your hard work won't get messed up when shared or printed. With WPS Office , you can seamlessly convert to PDF, knowing that your layout, fonts, and graphics will stay intact.

Here is how students can easily convert their papers to PDF using WPS Writer:

Step 1: Open your paper document in WPS Writer, then click on the Menu button at the top left.

Step 2: Next, click on the "Export to PDF" option in the menu.

Step 3: In the Export to PDF dialog, select "Common PDF" in the "Export Type" field, then click "Export to PDF" to convert your Word document to PDF .

Use AI Tools to Perfect Your Paper

Unfortunately, we weren’t blessed with AI during our time, so everything had to be done manually. This often meant spending hours combing through our essays, only to find that we'd missed some errors. As a result, our grades could suffer because of those overlooked mistakes. But with the advent of AI, students today have it a lot easier. WPS AI in WPS Office offers a range of tools to help you perfect your work. It automatically checks for spelling and grammar errors, ensuring that your essays are polished and error-free. This not only saves you time but also boosts your confidence when submitting assignments.

WPS AI also offers more than just proofreading. It can help you generate outlines, providing a structured way to organize your thoughts. It can even suggest new ideas or topics to include in your papers, making brainstorming sessions less stressful. This kind of AI assistance transforms the essay-writing process into a more enjoyable and efficient task, allowing you to focus on what matters most: creating compelling content. With WPS AI, you can approach your studies with greater ease and efficiency.

To make sure your thesis or assignment doesn't have any mistakes, let's use WPS Writer's AI Spell Check.

Step 1: Open your document and turn on the "AI Spell Check" option at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2: If there's a word or phrase highlighted with a colored line, click on it.

Step 3: The WPS AI Spell check pane will pop up on the right side showing suggestions.

Step 4: Look through the suggestions and choose the one that fits best.

Apart from WPS AI Spell check, WPS Writer's AI feature is a fantastic ally when tackling a project. It can help us craft a comprehensive outline, providing valuable support throughout the process. Let's take a closer look at its capabilities.

Step 1: To access WPS AI Writer, first open WPS Office and click on "New" in the left pane.

Step 2: Next, click on "Docs" to create a new document.

Step 3: Now, click on "WPS AI" at the top right corner of the screen.

Step 4: The WPS AI pane will open on the right.

Step 5: Now that we have WPS AI with us, my practice is to engage with WPS AI to provide project details initially, and then ask WPS AI to create an outline accordingly.

Step 6: Once the outline has been generated, review it and request any desired changes. Finally, click on "Insert" to paste the outline onto the document and format it according to your preferences.

FAQs about Remove Page Breaks in Word

1. why can't i remove a page break in word.

There are two types of page breaks in Word: manual and automatic. You can freely add or remove manually inserted page breaks. However, automatically inserted page breaks by Word help maintain your document's layout integrity. Therefore, you cannot delete automatic page breaks, as they play a crucial role in maintaining the software's formatting.

2. Is there a quick way to delete page breaks in Word?

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to remove a page break:

Step 1: Go to the "Home" tab.

Step 2: Click on "Show/Hide" in the toolbar. This action will reveal non-printing elements such as paragraph markers and page breaks.

Step 3: Locate the page break you want to remove.

Step 4: Double-click on the page break to select it.

Step 5: Press the "Delete" key on your keyboard to remove the page break from your document.

3. How can I ensure that my document maintains a polished appearance when printed or converted to PDF?

To ensure your document prints or converts to PDF smoothly, carefully review it after removing any page breaks for layout issues. Additionally, consider utilizing software such as WPS Office for efficient PDF conversion while preserving formatting integrity.

Ease Your Academic Stress With WPS Office

Page breaks are annoying, especially when they pop up unexpectedly in your essays. Often, teachers use templates with these breaks for organizing content, but there's no reason to have them in your work. If you want to learn how to remove page breaks in Word For students and tidy up your essay, WPS Office offers a more convenient solution. You can easily manage your document's layout and eliminate those unwanted breaks. As a student, using WPS Office can help you keep your assignments clean and well-organized. Download WPS Office now to make your work easier and stress-free.

• 1. How to Double Space in Word for Your Essay: A Guide for Students
• 2. How to Use Track Changes in Word for Your Essay? [For Students]
• 3. How to remove all page breaks from word document
• 4. How to Remove Section Breaks in Word? [For Students]
• 5. How to Remove Page Breaks in Word[2024]
• 6. How to Do Hanging Indent in Word for Your Essay? [For Students]

15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

India election results: Modi claims victory for alliance

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters listen to prime minister Narendra Modi’s victory speech at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

• Copy Link copied

Today’s live coverage has ended, but there’s still plenty to catch up on. Read what you missed below and find more coverage on the AP’s global elections hub.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has claimed victory for his alliance as early results from the staggered, six-week election showed fewer seats for his Bharatiya Janata Party than expected and it appeared unlikely to secure a majority on its own. Final figures are not expected until Wednesday local time, with counting going late into the night.

Here’s what to know:

• Where results stand: After winning a record 303 seats in 2019, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party appeared unlikely to win more than 240, far short of the 272 needed to form a majority government on its own.
• National Democratic Alliance: The political coalition led by Modi’s party appears on track to win a combined 286 seat majority.
• Modi claims early victory: In a speech to supporters , Modi claimed victory for his alliance , calling the election a big win despite the stronger-than-expected challenge from the opposition.

Across India, supporters of various political parties, leaders and candidates celebrated wins as counting nears its end

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is greeted by supporters as he arrives at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A supporter of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) dances as he celebrates with others their party’s lead during the counting of votes in India’s national election in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Samajwadi Party supporters celebrate their party’s lead during the counting of votes in India’s national election in Lucknow, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi, in white shirt, sees his mother and party leader Sonia Gandhi off as she leaves the party headquarters after feeling physical discomfort during a press conference in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Congress Party supporters wait to get a glimpse of the party leader Rahul Gandhi at the party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party supporters celebrate as they follow proceedings of the vote counting at their party headquarters in Chennai, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Trinamool Congress Party leader and Chief Minister of West Bengal state, Mamata Banerjee, and her nephew and party leader Abhishek Banerjee make a victory sign with their hands as they arrive to address a press conference in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters dance inside the party office after hearing of a candidate’s victory during the counting in India’s national election, in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party showed a comfortable lead Tuesday, according to early figures reported by India’s Election Commission, but was facing a stronger challenge from the opposition than had been expected. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Supporters of Congress Party cheer the party leader Rahul Gandhi, center, as he leaves the party headquarters after addressing a press conference in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

A Congress Party supporter carries a flag printed with a portrait of party leader Rahul Gandhi at the party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

A Samajwadi Party supporter carries portraits of party leader Akhilesh Yadav, right, and Congress Party leader, Rahul Gandhi, as he celebrates his party’s lead during the counting of votes in India’s national election in Lucknow, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Workers carry a large cutout portrait of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A man walks past posters with portraits of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state President K. Annamalai on a street in Chennai, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

After winning a record 303 seats in 2019, the BJP appeared unlikely to win more than 240, far short of the 272 needed to form a majority government on its own, with 194 seats won and the lead in 46 constituencies and counting ongoing.

Modi’s NDA coalition, meantime, was on track to win a combined 286 seat majority, with 225 seats won and leads in 61 races.

The opposition INDIA coalition appeared as if it would win 210 seats.

Final figures were not expected until Wednesday, with counting going late into the night.

The White House on Tuesday commended India for demonstrating its “vibrant democratic process” after close to 970 million Indians went to the polls during its six-week long election.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the turnout demonstrated the Indian electorate’s commitment to democracy.

“So we celebrate that with them,” Kirby told reporters. ”And we applaud the government writ large for successfully completing a truly, massively-sized electoral undertaking.”

Kirby declined to comment about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP party’s apparent victory, noting that “not all the votes have been tallied and counted.”

Indian President Droupadi Murmu greets the crowd gathered at her temporary residence in New Delhi in 2022 (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

India’s president is its head of state, but the position is largely ceremonial.

Droupadi Murmu, the current president, was elected in 2022 by lawmakers — an electoral college that consists of lawmakers in both houses of Parliament and elected members of the legislative assemblies of all states. She hails from the same political party as Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The position can be important during times of political uncertainty such as a hung parliament, when the office assumes greater power. The president is bound by the advice of the Cabinet led by the prime minister, who is the chief executive.

Tallies reported by India’s Election Commission showed Modi’s BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, 209 of them going to BJP.

The opposition Congress party is part of the INDIA alliance , which so far had won 177 seats, 81 of them for Congress.

Tallying is ongoing. A total of 272 seats are needed for a majority.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor, a promenade that connects the sacred Ganges River with the centuries-old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Varanasi, India, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021 (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who claimed victory for his alliance in an election seen as a referendum on his decade in power, is a popular but polarizing leader who has presided over a fast-growing economy while advancing Hindu nationalism.

Modi, 73, is only the second Indian prime minister to win a third straight term.

To supporters, Modi is a larger-than-life figure who has improved India’s standing in the world, helped make its economy the world’s fifth-largest , and streamlined the country’s vast welfare program, which serves around 60% of the population. To some, he may even be more than human.

But to critics, he’s a cult leader who has eroded India’s democracy and advanced divisive politics targeting the Muslims who make up 14% of the country’s population. They say he has also increasingly wielded strong-arm tactics to subdue political opponents, squeeze independent media and quash dissent.

▶ Read more in our profile of the prime minister.

As Narendra Modi claimed victory for his alliance, congratulations from neighbors began rolling in on X despite the National Democratic Alliance having several seats to win before securing a majority.

Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal: “Congratulations to PM @narendramodi on the electoral success of BJP and NDA in the Loksabha elections for the third consecutive term. We are happy to note the successful completion of the world’s largest democratic exercise with enthusiastic participation of the people of India.”

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay: “Congratulations to my friend PM @narendramodi ji and NDA for the historic 3rd consecutive win in the world’s biggest elections. As he continues to lead Bharat to great heights, I look forward to working closely with him to further strengthen the relations between our 2 countries.”

Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth: “Congratulations Prime Minister Modi Ji @narendramodi on your laudable victory for a historic third term. Under your helm, the largest democracy will continue to achieve remarkable progress. Long live the Mauritius-India special relationship.”

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe: I extend my warmest felicitations to the @BJP4India led NDA on its victory, demonstrating the confidence of the Indian people in the progress and prosperity under the leadership of PM @narendramodi. As the closest neighbour Sri Lanka looks forward to further strengthening the partnership with India.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is garlanded by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Rajnath Singh, left, party President JP Nadda, right, and Amit Shah, at the party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Around 33 minutes.

32. The National Democratic Alliance, led by Narendra Modi’s BJP, has claimed 240 seats. It needs 272 to secure a majority and thus a third term for the prime minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says India will will see a “new chapter of big decisions” in his third term in office.

After claiming victory for his coalition alliance despite a lackluster performance from his own party, Modi told a crowd at party headquarters he would not shirk from pushing forward with his agenda.

He said he would advance India’s defense production, jobs for youth, raise exports and help farmers, among other things.

“This country will see a new chapter of big decisions. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said, speaking in the third person.

His speech is still ongoing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets supporters as he arrives at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi promises “new chapter of big decisions” after declaring victory for his coalition.

But if his BJP is indeed forced to form a coalition, the party would likely “be heavily dependent on the goodwill of its allies, which makes them critical players who we can expect will extract their pound of flesh, both in terms of policymaking as well as government formation,” said Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed victory for his alliance, despite a lackluster performance from his own party as it faced a stronger than expected challenge from the opposition, which pushed back against the leader’s mixed economic record and polarizing politics.

Modi said that his National Democratic Alliance will form the government for the third consecutive time.

“Today’s victory is the victory of the world’s largest democracy,” he said, speaking at his party headquarters.

For the first time since Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party swept to power in 2014, it appeared unlikely that it would secure a majority on its own – but the prime minister’s coalition was still expected to be elected to a third five-year term in the world’s largest democratic exercise .

If Modi does have to rely on coalition support to govern, it would be a stunning blow for the 73-year-old, who had hoped for a landslide victory.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims victory for his alliance, 329 of 543 seats have been decided, according to India’s Election Commission. Counting is expected to continue through the night.

Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and its National Democratic Alliance has yet to secure the 272 seats needed for a parliamentary majority, but the prime minister has declared “a very big win.”

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi swept to power a decade ago on promises to transform India’s economy, and as he seeks a third term as prime minister, it would be hard to argue he hasn’t made strides.

▶ Read more about the growth of India’s economy — and why some feel left behind.

Supporters of National Democratic Alliance watch as their candidates arrive to file nomination papers ahead of national elections in Mumbai, India, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

The National Democratic Alliance, an Indian political coalition, is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. It was founded in 1998 and comprises center-right and right-wing political parties.

The coalition’s first chair was former BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The coalition ruled from 1998 to 2004, but then was out of power until 2014, when Modi was first elected as the prime minister.

BJP’s key allies in the NDA include more than a dozen regional parties, including the Telugu Desam Party, Janta Dal (United), Pattali Makkal Katchi, the Republican Parry of India (Athwale Group) and Shiv Sena.

The NDA could be key to Modi retaining his position. In the past two elections, the BJP has secured an outright majority, but early figures indicate it might need the coalition to reach that threshold.

More than 12 hours after vote counting started, India’s Election Commission reports that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has won 140 seats while the Congress party has won 55.

272 seats are needed to secure a majority. Preliminary results indicate Modi’s BJP will need to rely on its coalition partners to achieve that.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in New Delhi, where supporters are spilling out into the road.

Samajwadi Party supporters dance as they celebrate their party’s lead during the counting of votes in India’s national election in Lucknow, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party is facing a major upset in India’s most populous state at the hands of a powerful regional group, Samajwadi Party or Socialist Group.

The Samajwadi Party, founded in 1992 and now led by Akhilesh Yadav, has already won 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh state and was leading in another 28 constituencies. It is part of the Congress-led INDIA alliance, which is facing off against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

Modi’s BJP has won in 12 districts (including Modi’s own Varanasi seat) and is leading in 20 constituencies. Exit polls had predicted a landslide victory for the BJP in the state.

“In this election, it seems Lord Ram has deserted the BJP,” Samajwadi spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhry said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, shows the indelible ink mark on his index finger after casting his vote during the third phase of general elections, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

The 73-year-old is one of India’s most beloved — and polarizing — leaders. He’s already won twice, first in 2014 and then in 2019, and is now seeking a hattrick victory.

His supporters see him as a self-made, strong leader who has improved India’s standing on the global stage, and credit his pro-business policies with making the economy the world’s fifth-largest. At the same time, his rule has seen brazen attacks against minorities, particularly Muslims.

India’s democracy, critics say, is faltering and Modi has increasingly blurred the line between religion and state. But both agree on one thing: Modi has achieved staying power by making Hindu nationalism acceptable — desirable, even — to a nation of 1.4 billion that for decades prided itself on secularism and diversity.

Millions of Indians are voting in a six-week long national election in a referendum on Narendra Modi, the populist prime minister who has championed an assertive brand of Hindu nationalist politics. The voters will cast ballots in the first round of voting across 21 states. Over 970 million voters will elect 543 members for the lower house of Parliament for five years during the staggered elections that will run until June 1. The votes will be counted on June 4. (AP Video by Piyush Nagpal)

Each phase was held on a single day, with voting in several constituencies across multiple states. The staggered polling allowed the government to deploy tens of thousands of troops to prevent violence and transport election officials and voting machines.

People walk past a large poster of the movie “Swatantra Veer Savarkar” displayed outside a cinema hall in Mumbai (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

For more than a century, Bollywood has unified India, a country riven with religious, caste and political divide. It’s been a rare industry where religion has been least influential in deciding the success of filmmakers and actors. Bollywood films have also championed political diversity and religious harmony.

That culture, however, appears to be under threat.

Under Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government, many filmmakers have made movies on bygone Hindu kings extolling their bravery. Boisterous and action-packed movies valorizing the Indian Army have become box office successes. Political dramas and biopics that eulogize Hindu nationalists are the norm.

In most of these films, the stock villains are medieval Muslim rulers, leftist or opposition leaders, free thinkers or rights activists — and neighboring Pakistan.

▶ Read more about how some in the Hindi film industry have embraced Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says his coalition is on the path to a third straight term in government after India’s marathon election.

“People have placed their faith in NDA, for a third consecutive time! This is a historical feat in India’s history,” Modi on Tuesday said in a post on X, referring to the National Democratic Alliance which his party heads. He said he will continue to work and fulfil the aspirations of the people.

As Modi posted his comment, his coalition had won 128 seats and led in 157 races according to the Election Commission. A total of 272 seats were needed to form a majority government.

For Payal, a resident of the northern city of Lucknow who uses only one name, the election was about the economy and India’s vast number of people living in poverty. “People are suffering, there are no jobs, people are in such a state that their kids are compelled to make and sell tea on the roadside,” Payal said. “This is a big deal for us. If we don’t wake up now, when will we?”

Supporters of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) dance as they celebrate their party’s lead during the counting of votes in India’s national election in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Supporters of Congress Party dance as they celebrate their party’s lead during the counting of votes in India’s national election in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Faces of Trinamool Congress Party supporters smeared with green colour display victory sign as they celebrate the election results in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party showed a comfortable lead Tuesday, according to early figures reported by India’s Election Commission, but was facing a stronger challenge from the opposition than had been expected. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party supporters cheer as they follow proceedings of the vote counting at their party headquarters in Chennai, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. India began counting more than 640 million votes Tuesday in the world’s largest democratic exercise, which was widely expected to return Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a third term after a decade in power. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters shout slogans as they celebrate their party’s lead during the counting of votes outside the party office in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Congress party supporters cheer as they follow proceedings of vote counting at their party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. India began counting more than 640 million votes Tuesday in the world’s largest democratic exercise, which was widely expected to return Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a third term after a decade in power. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

A band plays music as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters dance inside the party office after hearing of a candidate’s victory during the counting in India’s national election, in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. xPrime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party showed a comfortable lead Tuesday, according to early figures reported by India’s Election Commission, but was facing a stronger challenge from the opposition than had been expected. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters light firecrackers after hearing of a candidate’s victory during the counting of votes in India’s national election, in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Across India, supporters of various political parties have been celebrating results as they trickle in with colored powder, fireworks, drums and more.

Hindu nationalism, once a fringe ideology in India, is now mainstream. Nobody has done more to advance this cause than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of India’s most beloved and polarizing political leaders.

Hindu nationalism , once a fringe ideology in India , is now mainstream. Nobody has done more to advance this cause than Prime Minister Narendra Modi , one of India’s most beloved and polarizing political leaders.

And no entity has had more influence on his political philosophy and ambitions than a paramilitary, right-wing group founded nearly a century ago and known as the RSS.

▶ Read more about how Hindu nationalism has become mainstream over the past decade.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal greets his supporters from a vehicle during a roadshow in New Delhi, India, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

As votes are being counted, Arvind Kejriwal, 55, is likely keeping track — from jail.

One of India’s most consequential opposition leaders, Kejriwal was arrested in March over alleged corruption charges, and let out on bail in May for a few weeks. He campaigned heavily during this time in his stronghold of New Delhi, India’s capital, as well as a few other cities before heading back to jail.

Kejriwal stormed into Indian politics in 2012 as he launched the anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party, or Common People’s Party.

Since then, he has emerged as a fierce Modi rival, especially in New Delhi and Punjab state, where his party is in power.

His arrest and the ensuing saga dominated headlines, as he and his party accused Modi’s government of engineering his arrest to keep him out of the race. The government has denied this.

Kejriwal’s AAP is part of a broad alliance of opposition parties called INDIA, the main challenger to Modi’s BJP in this election.

Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi holds a copy of the Indian Constitution as he addresses a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Rahul Gandhi, the face of the Congress party’s campaign and would-be prime minister, said the preliminary results showed India does not want Narendra Modi.

“People’s clear message to PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah is that we don’t want you to run the nation,” Gandhi said at a Congress party press conference around 10 hours into the vote count. “The poorest of this country have defended the constitution of India.”

Flanked by Congress leaders, including mother Sonia Gandhi, the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty scion brandished a copy of the constitution.

Despite a stronger-than-expected showing from Congress’ INDIA alliance thus far, Modi is still expected to secure a third term as prime minister.

The counting is ticking along more than 10 hours after it began, and results have now been called for 103 parliamentary seats out of a total of 543.

Modi’s National Democratic Alliance had won 67 seats, with 62 of them going to his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, according to India’s Election Commission. The opposing INDIA coalition had bagged 31 seats, with the main Congress party winning 27 of them. The remaining five seats went to other regional parties.

Congress party leader Shashi Taroor, and contender for the party president position, left, raises hands with newly elected president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

India’s opposition Congress party has called its alliance’s strong showing in the polls a “win for democracy” and a “moral and political loss” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge just addressed a press conference in New Delhi, saying that because no party had a clear majority, the mandate was against Modi.

“Our fight has not ended yet. We will continue to fight for the country’s development, for the constitution, for the benefit of the people,” Kharge said.

Modi’s coalition led in a majority of seats Tuesday in India’s general election , according to early figures, but faced a stronger challenge from the opposition than expected after it pushed back against the leader’s mixed economic record and polarizing politics. Modi was still widely expected to be elected to a third five-year term in the world’s largest democratic exercise .

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters celebrate in Srinagar as vote counting is underway in India’s 2024 Lok Sabha election. AP video: Dar Yasin

Some 10 hours into counting , partial tallies reported by India’s Election Commission showed Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party was ahead in 196 constituencies and had won 45, including one uncontested, of 543 parliamentary seats. The main opposition Congress party led in 83 constituencies and had won 15.

A total of 272 seats are needed for a majority. In 2019, the BJP won 303 seats, while they secured 282 in 2014 when Modi first came to power.

Modi’s party is part of the National Democratic Alliance, whose members led in 236 constituencies and won 50, according to the partial count. The Congress party is part of the INDIA alliance , which led in 211 constituencies and had won 19.

The Election Commission does not release data on the percentage of votes tallied.

India’s general elections are held every five years. There are no specified term limits for lawmakers and thus no limit on how many years a prime minister can serve. Narendra Modi has already been in power for a decade. Should he win a third term and finish it out, he’ll near the record of the longest-serving prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

India employs a first-past-the-post multiparty electoral system. That means for individual contests, whoever receives the most votes wins. To win a parliamentary majority — and thus the premiership — a party or a coalition of parties must secure at least 272 seats (543 seats are up for a vote). India’s electoral system is similar to the U.K.’s.

Congress party supporters celebrate in Mumbai as vote counting is underway in India’s 2024 Lok Sabha election. (AP video: Rafiq Maqbool)

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination on Tuesday to run for a third term in India’s general election. Modi hopes to retain his seat in the holy Hindu city, his constituency, from where he ran and won, first in 2014 and then again in 2019. (AP video shot by Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Although Narendra Modi is the former chief minister of Gujarat, the incumbent prime minister has retained his seat in Varanasi.

It’s the constituency from which he first ran and won in 2014. Located in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, Varanasi is a holy Hindu city. It’s about 1,350 kilometers (840 miles) east of Modi’s hometown of Vadnagar in Gujarat state.

A woman shows her index fingers marked with an indelible ink as she poses for a photograph next to a cutout portrait of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after casting her vote in Varanasi, India (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won his seat from the Hindu holy city of Varanasi, the constituency from where he ran and won, first in 2014 and then again in 2019, India’s election commission reported.

Modi, who won by more than 152,000 votes, secured 54% of total votes. He was pitted against opposition Congress party’s Ajai Rai, who secured 40% of the votes.

The holy city is located on the banks of the revered Ganges River and is part of Uttar Pradesh state, India’s most populous, with around 200 million people.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a white waistcoat, and Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh greet supporters from a vehicle during a roadshow in Varanasi, India, Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar)

In campaign rallies, Narendra Modi has called Muslims “infiltrators” and said they “have too many children,” referring to a Hindu nationalist trope that Muslims produce more children with the aim of outnumbering Hindus in India. He has also accused the rival Indian National Congress party of scheming to “loot” wealth from the country’s Hindus and redistribute it among Muslims, who comprise 14% of India’s more than 1.4 billion people.

Modi had kicked off his campaign with a focus on economic progress, promising he would make India a developed nation by 2047. But he and the ruling BJP doubled down heavily on their Hindu nationalism platform , with Modi employing some of his most divisive rhetoric in his decade in power.

The Congress party filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India, alleging Modi broke rules that bar candidates from engaging in any activity that aggravates religious tensions.

Analysts say the change in tone came as the BJP targeted a supermajority by consolidating votes among the majority Hindu population — a number that now seems out of reach. They say Modi’s party also ratcheted up polarizing speeches to distract voters from larger issues, like unemployment and economic distress, that the opposition has focused on.

A polling officer applies indelible ink mark on the finger of a voter during the fifth round of multi-phase national elections in Ayodhya, India, Monday, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Narendra Modi’s BJP have lost their seat in Ayodhya, a deeply symbolic loss for the party after the prime minister opened a grand but controversial Hindu temple there in January.

The BJP candidate, Lallu Singh, lost to a candidate put up by the regional Samajwadi Party, Singh’s poll agent Kamlesh Srivastava told The Associated Press. Singh had held the seat since 2014.

Modi and his party have heavily campaigned on this temple dedicated to Lord Ram, built on the historic ruins of a mosque that was destroyed by Hindu mobs in 1992.

In this photograph released by Indian Government Press Information Bureau, Indian Prime Minister, arrives to lead the opening of a temple dedicated to Hinduism’s Lord Ram in Ayodhya, India, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. (Press Information Bureau via AP)

Experts said the January opening, where Modi performed rituals inside the temple, marked the unofficial start of his campaign as they hoped it would resonate with his Hindu majority voters. Modi’s government had turned the event into a national occasion by organizing live screenings across the country and closing offices for half a day.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters celebrate in Delhi as vote counting is underway in India’s 2024 Lok Sabha election. (AP video: Manish Swarup)

Vinod Kumar Vidyarthi waits with sweets outside the BJP party office for the final election results (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Outside the BJP party office in New Delhi, supporter Vinod Kumar Vidyarthi sported a stole emblazoned with Modi’s likeness and toted a Modi-branded water bottle and sweets.

Despite the sweets, he had strong words regarding the election and the Hindu nationalist party he supports: “Our party will form the government. We had traitors within us. After we form the government, it will be a victory for Hindus and we will chase away all those who betrayed us.”

Polling officers Dekule Kapfo, Neke W Konyak, Neichutuonuo Yhome and Nukutholu Nienu prepare election-related paperwork on the eve of polling (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur)

The Northern Angami constituency of Chedema village is Nagaland’s first to be solely managed by women polling officers. It was the idea of Kumar Ramnikant, the administrative head of Kohima district, in hopes of breaking job stereotypes.

“Women are more systematic. They take every sentence seriously, whereas men have an easy attitude,” said Zhoto Khamo, an officer who has supervised many elections.

▶ Read more about these polling officers and see more photos of the station.

The vote counting is still carrying on, but results have been called for 28 parliamentary seats out of 542 so far.

Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party has won 19 seats, according to India’s Election Commission, while its main opposition Congress party bagged 4 seats. The rest went to different regional parties.

Vote tallying is expected to take all day, but the count so far shows Modi’s party leading in 225 constituencies with the Congress ahead in 93.

G20 leaders pay their tributes at the Rajghat, a Mahatma Gandhi memorial, in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Kenny Holston, Pool)

The polls are seen as a test for India’s democratic and secular traditions, which critics say have seen a slow erosion under Narendra Modi’s 10-year rule. It also tests the limits of a populist leader who has risen to power by mixing religion with politics on a Hindu-first platform.

India’s clout on the global stage has risen under Modi. It’s seen by Western nations as a counterweight to Chinese aggression in the region even as New Delhi maintains its historic ties with Russia. And its large economy, one of the fastest growing in the world, has only boosted its rise as an emerging global power.

Earthmovers remove burnt debris the day after a fire broke out in an amusement park in Rajkot, India, Sunday, May 26, 2024 (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Early leads from India’s election commission projected Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was leading in 25 of 26 seats in the prime minister’s home state of Gujarat. But party leaders said they were not celebrating victory because of a recent fire at an amusement park in the state that killed 27 people.

A massive fire broke out last month at an amusement park in the state’s Rajkot city. Those killed included children.

“We had decided that there will be no celebratory victory or beating of drums. So we are not celebrating,” said C. R. Patil, a senior leader from Modi’s party.

India’s top opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, center, arrives at the Parliament in New Delhi, India, Monday, Aug.7, 2023 (AP Photo)

The 53-year-old is the scion of modern India’s most powerful political dynasty. He is the great-grandson of the country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. His grandmother and father also held the top job and were each assassinated.

He is the star face for the opposition Congress party, which governed India for nearly 55 years after the country gained independence from the British in 1947. This time, he and his Congress party are leading the main opposition alliance, called INDIA, against Narendra Modi’s BJP.

While his family connections have helped retain some loyal voters, they have also worked against him — especially in the past two elections, where he suffered huge losses against Modi, who refers to Gandhi as an out-of-touch elite, coasting on his surname.

On the campaign trail, Gandhi has called Modi a dictator ruining India’s democracy. He has attacked Modi and the BJP over recent anti-Muslim rhetoric. And his party is hoping to benefit from economic distress, including high unemployment.

A Bharatiya Janta Party supporter prepares to offer prayers to the cut-out of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside their party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024 (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist party appears to be falling short of a majority in the early vote count. If these trends hold, it would be a stunning setback to the populist who has never relied on coalition partners to govern.

Modi’s party is still expected to form the government and return as the prime minister for a rare third consecutive term as his National Democratic Alliance was leading in about 290 constituencies — ahead of the 272 seats needed for a majority. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party alone was leading in 242 seats.

A coalition would, however, diminish Modi’s power as a strongman leader who won his party landslide victories in 2014 and 2019 elections.

In such a scenario, his BJP would likely “be heavily dependent on the goodwill of its allies, which makes them critical players who we can expect will extract their pound of flesh, both in terms of policymaking as well as government formation,” said Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“This would be truly, you know, uncharted territory, both for Indians as well as for the prime minister,” Vaishnav said.

Since coming to power in 2014, Modi’s BJP has governed in a coalition government but has always held a majority on its own.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters celebrate in Guwahati as party seeks majority for third term in Assam. (AP video: Anupam Nath)

People cross the Brahmaputra river in a boat to reach a polling booth in Morigaon district, Assam, India, on April 26 (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

As hundreds of millions headed to the polls, they did so amid sweltering heat and unpredictable weather extremes worsened by human-caused climate change. That climate change has led to losses of livelihood, forced migration and increasingly difficult living conditions.

India’s top political parties made promises to address climate change and reduce emissions in their election manifestos — but little of that was evident on the campaign trail.

Here’s a look at what climate change has wrought in the country:

• Western and central India: extreme heat and longer droughts
• Coastal regions: stronger and more frequent cyclones
• Northeastern India: unpredictable and increased flooding
• Himalayas: melting glaciers and intense rain

▶ Read more about how climate change has affected the election.