How to Reduce Word Count: 10 Ways to Cut to the Limit

To reduce word count without losing meaning, cut in layers: first remove filler words and wordy phrases ("due to the fact that" becomes "because"), then turn passive sentences active, then delete repetition and anything that doesn't support your main point. Most drafts lose 10 to 20% this way and read better for it. Paste your text into the free word counter before and after so you can see each cut add up.

Before you reduce word count, measure the gap

Paste your draft into the free word counter and note the total. If you're 80 words over in a 650-word essay, you need to trim about 12%: roughly one sentence per paragraph. If you're 400 over in a 1,500-word assignment, sentence-level trimming won't be enough, and you'll need to cut a whole point (tip 9).

Keep a copy of the original before you start. You'll want it at the end.

1. Swap wordy phrases for single words

These phrases are everywhere, and each swap saves two to five words:

Wordy	Shorter	Words saved
due to the fact that	because	4
in spite of the fact that	although	5
at this point in time	now	4
in order to	to	2
in the event that	if	3
has the ability to	can	3
a large number of	many	3
make a decision	decide	2
conduct an investigation into	investigate	3

Use Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on a Mac) to search your draft for "in order", "the fact that" and "is able to".

2. Delete filler words

Words like really, very, quite, actually, basically, just, totally, certainly and definitely rarely add meaning. Delete one and re-read: if the sentence still says the same thing, leave it out. Replace "very important" with "crucial" and "very big" with "huge".

3. Drop throat-clearing openers

"It is important to note that", "It should be mentioned that", "In my opinion, I think that", "As stated above". Delete the opener and start with the point. "It is important to note that" alone is six words.

4. Turn passive voice active

Passive sentences hide who did what and use extra words:

• The decision was made by the committee to postpone the meeting. (11 words)
• The committee postponed the meeting. (5 words)

Look for "was ... by", "is being", "has been" and "were" followed by a verb ending in -ed. Not every passive needs changing, especially in scientific writing, but most can.

5. Remove "there are ... who/that" constructions

• There are many students who find that it is really quite difficult to manage their time in an effective way during the exam period. (24 words)
• Many students struggle to manage their time during exams. (9 words)

That one sentence combines tips 1 to 5, and it shrinks by more than half without losing anything.

6. Cut redundant pairs

Each and every, past history, end result, completely finished, free gift, future plans, true facts, final outcome, first began. One word of each pair already says it all.

7. Don't say it twice

Essays often make a point, give an example, then restate the point. Once is enough. Introductions and conclusions are common culprits: if your conclusion repeats your introduction nearly word for word, rewrite it to say what your argument means instead.

8. Trim long quotations

If a quote counts toward your limit, keep only the essential phrase and paraphrase the rest. "Smith argues that cities 'reward density' because..." is shorter than a three-line quote, and shows more understanding.

9. Cut your weakest point

When you're far over, polishing sentences won't close the gap. Rank your points by how well they support your thesis and drop the weakest one entirely. Three well-developed points beat five thin ones. This is the hardest cut and usually the best.

10. Check for words that don't count, or do

Know what's included before you cut. Some limits exclude titles, headings, footnotes, tables or the reference list; others include them. If the limit is in characters rather than words (UCAS personal statements, for example, or social media posts), use the free character counter, because cutting long words matters there as much as cutting short ones. Our college essay word limits post explains the common application rules.

Compare the versions before you submit

Heavy cutting can remove something important without you noticing: a key piece of evidence, the "not" that a sentence depended on, a source citation. Before you submit:

1. Paste your original into Original text in the free text compare tool.
2. Paste the shortened version into Changed text.
3. Choose Words and click Compare.

Everything you removed is in pink. Read through just the pink parts. Most will be filler you're glad to lose; if you spot a fact, a citation or a qualifier that changes the meaning, put it back and cut somewhere else. The summary line also tells you exactly how many words you removed.

For the opposite problem, see how to make an essay longer, and for limits counted in characters, our sibling post on writing within a character limit.

Check your count now

Paste your trimmed draft into the free word counter to confirm you're under the limit. It's free, needs no sign-up, and your text stays on your device.