Type a word, a line or a whole stanza and get a syllable count for every word plus a total for every line, straight from a pronunciation dictionary of 125,000+ English words. Switch to haiku mode to check a poem against the classic 5-7-5 pattern.
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere, and nothing is stored.
Every word is looked up in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, the same open dataset ourRhyme Finder runs on. A syllable is a unit of pronunciation built around one vowel sound, so the dictionary counts the vowel sounds in how a word is actually spoken, not how it is spelled. If a word is not in the dictionary (invented words, brand names, very new slang), the tool falls back to counting vowel groups with the standard corrections: a silent final e is dropped ("hope" is one syllable), a consonant plus "le" ending keeps its syllable ("table" is two), and vowel pairs that split in speech, like the ia in "dial", are counted separately. Fallback counts are marked with a tilde, like ~3, so you know to read the word aloud and confirm.
English spelling is a poor guide to English sound. Vowel counting says "fire" has one syllable and "chocolate" has three; say them aloud and you will hear two in each. A pronunciation dictionary sidesteps spelling entirely and counts the sounds. Here is where the naive method goes wrong:
| Word | Vowel-group count | Actual syllables | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| fire | 1 | 2 | Spoken as FI-er. One vowel group, two syllables. |
| poem | 1 | 2 | PO-em. The oe splits into two sounds. |
| chocolate | 3 | 2 | CHOC-late in normal speech. The middle o is swallowed. |
| wednesday | 3 | 2 | WENZ-day. The first d and second e are silent. |
| business | 3 | 2 | BIZ-ness. The i after s disappears. |
| interesting | 4 | 3 | IN-tres-ting for most speakers. |
A traditional English haiku is three lines of five, seven and five syllables. Switch the tool to haiku mode, type one line per row, and each line is checked against its target with exact feedback: how many syllables it has, how many it needs, and whether to cut or add. Purists will note that Japanese haiku count morae rather than syllables, so treat 5-7-5 as a form to practise against, not a law.
One practical writing tip, a new tool, and a fresh contest deadline, every Thursday. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.