Pages offer a quick, real-time/instant view word count which is easy - and fun!
In Document Inspector (first icon on the left) click on third tab Info. Here you can see the word, line, paragraph, character and even graphics count for your document.
But this isn't all. If you click on your text and start dragging cursor to highlight a selection of text the Inspector gives you the count of all the elements - words etc. as you drag.
Being able to check word count (character count) is important in many ways.
In publishing it is one of the main methods of checking how much space needs to be allocated to copy within the pages of a publication. It is a means of coordinating work between editors, writers and production.
For writers, journalists and translators word count is often used as a valuation tool - you get paid by the word.
Please also read this article, published later on I work in Pages:
Word count in Pages: use two Inspectors
Read more in my new book 'iWork for Mac OSX Cookbook' (2012). Follow me on Twitter at iworkinpages, like my page I Work in Pages on Facebook and add me to your circles on Google+.
Thanks! I am writing a paper and was wondering where that darn word count was!
ReplyDeleteGlad it helped
ReplyDeleteAlex
Thanks for this. I was trying to find the word count feature for the longest time. Don't think I would have ever found it on my own.
ReplyDeleteAH, thank you so so much!!
ReplyDeletedoes anyone know how to set pages to subtract footnotes/endnotes from the word count?
ReplyDeleteyes, it's pretty simple:
ReplyDeleteclick on your main text,
Command+A - to select all
Pages will select only the main text, not the footnotes, and you will see the word count for just your main text, without the footnotes.
Best wishes,
Alex
Thanks so much for this help. I'm a Mac convert and still learning. Will put you into my Delicious bookmarks for future reference. Cheers Camilla
ReplyDeleteglad to help, Camilla
ReplyDeleteAlex
where abouts do you see the word count?
ReplyDeleteSorry, is it not clear from the picture above?
ReplyDeleteAlex
I recently noticed that the Pages word count is not calculated correctly. I have reported it to Apple but I thought you guys should be aware of it.
ReplyDeleteWhen the text contains hyphenated words, Pages treads them as individual words for the word count which is incorrect. In education they should be counted as one word and as I am studying at the moment it has become an issue, a small issue, but an issue never the less.
I have this issue too. Tables are way off count and I'm not sure why
DeleteThanks, that's a very interesting observation!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing this article. Such a great Blog!
ReplyDeleteWord Count Software