What you can do with a frequency list
- Spot overused words. If “really” or “important” is near the top of a short piece, it is time to vary your wording.
- Check keyword focus in an article without the density math (use the Keyword Density Checker for that).
- Build vocabulary lists for language learning or for indexing a book.
- Analyse transcripts, survey answers or reviews to see which themes come up most.
Options
Ignore common words removes about 180 English function words (“the”, “and”, “of”, “is”…) so content words rise to the top. Turn it off to see everything.
Two- and three-word phrases reveal recurring expressions (“customer service”, “at the end”). Phrases never cross sentence boundaries, and with common words ignored, phrases that start or end with one are skipped, so you get “customer service” rather than “of the”.
Minimum letters filters out short tokens, useful for ignoring numbers and initials. Case-sensitive keeps “Apple” and “apple” apart.
Download gives you a CSV with every entry, ready for a spreadsheet.
Worked example
Here is what the Word Frequency Counter returns for its built-in example. Settings used: Count: Single words; Ignore common words: on; Case-sensitive: off. Click Try an example in the tool above to load it, then change it as you like.
Good writing is rewriting. The first draft gets the ideas onto the page; the second makes them clear; the third makes them sing.
Most readers skim before they commit. Short paragraphs, specific verbs and a clear opening sentence give them a reason to stay. Long, winding sentences that bury the point in the middle make them leave.
So count your words, but count what they do, too.| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Total words | 67 |
| Distinct entries | 35 |
| Most frequent | clear (2) |
Questions
How do I find the most common words in a text?
Paste the text; the table lists every word by frequency. Keep “Ignore common words” on to hide words like “the” and “and”.
Can I export the list?
Yes. Download saves a CSV file with every word or phrase and its count.
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