Count your EE the way the examiner does.
Microsoft Word doesn't know the IB EE rules. This counter does — it automatically subtracts footnotes, bibliography, appendices, tables and equations so you know your true word count against the 4,000-word limit.
Paste your essay
Headings the tool recognises: Bibliography, References, Works Cited, Appendix, Acknowledgements, Abstract, Contents, Footnotes.
Block quotes use >. Equations can use $…$, $$…$$, or \[…\].
Upload a .docx
Your file is parsed locally with JSZip — no network request is made. Word footnotes, tables, equations, and paragraphs styled as Bibliography are detected from the document's XML.
What to exclude
Defaults follow the IB Extended Essay guide — footnotes, bibliography, appendices and equations are excluded; tables and block quotes count toward your total.
RPPF reflection (500-word limit)
Separate counter for your Reflections on Planning & Progress form — a common point of confusion with the main EE limit.
Draft your RPPF reflection to see your count.
What counts, what doesn't
A quick reference pulled from the IB Extended Essay guide so you can defend every toggle.
Counted toward the 4,000 words
- The main body of your essay
- Introduction, argument, analysis, conclusion
- Section and sub-section headings
- Tables used as evidence or illustration
- Quoted passages within the body
- Captions (brief descriptive text under figures)
Excluded from the 4,000 words
- Title page, contents page, references
- Bibliography, works cited, reference list
- Footnotes and endnotes (unless substantive)
- Appendices
- Acknowledgements
- Equations, formulae and calculations
- Charts, diagrams, images (the visuals themselves)
- Maps, labels, data tables (numerical only)
Source: IB Diploma Extended Essay guide. Examiners are instructed not to read beyond 4,000 words — a fact discussed frequently on r/IBO. This tool mirrors the guide; it does not speak for the IB.
Fast answers
Does the IB really stop marking at 4,000 words?
Yes. The EE guide instructs examiners to read up to the 4,000-word limit and assess nothing beyond it. Your conclusion, final analysis, or final paragraph will not be marked if it falls after word 4,000. Use the Examiner view button above to see exactly where the cutoff lands in your draft.
Do I need an abstract? My school template still has one.
No. The abstract was removed from the Extended Essay requirements in 2018. If a template still includes one, either delete it or paste it under an Abstract heading — this tool will automatically exclude it from your count.
Can I put argument in my footnotes to avoid the word count?
Technically footnotes are excluded — but examiners are trained to check whether a footnote contains substantive argument. The EE guide states that if a footnote carries argument, it is counted, and it may be treated as an attempt to circumvent the word limit. A quick heuristic: footnotes over roughly 25% of your body text is a yellow flag. The tool shows a warning when your draft crosses that ratio.
What exactly is counted in a STEM essay with lots of equations?
Equations and formulae themselves are not counted — numerical and symbolic content
doesn't add to your word total. Words inside an equation (e.g.,
Force = mass × acceleration written out in prose) do count. The
counter excludes standard LaTeX-style equations automatically and treats plain-prose
equivalents as body text.
Is my essay sent anywhere?
No. The counter runs entirely in this browser tab using standard client-side JavaScript. The .docx parser uses JSZip to read your file in-memory; no network request is made. You can verify this by opening your browser's developer tools and watching the Network tab while you upload. Close the tab and your essay is gone from memory.
What if my word count is 4,010 — is that really over?
Yes. The IB enforces 4,000 as an absolute cap. Even one word over means an examiner is instructed to stop. The safe target is 3,950 or below, which gives you a buffer for any counting edge cases (differences between Word, Google Docs, and the IB's own internal tools).
What tool does the IB actually use to count?
The IB has not publicly disclosed its exact counting implementation. Word processors vary slightly in how they handle hyphenated words, contractions and numbers. This tool counts tokens the way mainstream word processors do — letters/numbers separated by whitespace — which aligns closely with both Word and the guidelines examiners are given. Bottom line: aim for a comfortable cushion below 4,000.