Essay Structure Planner
Turn a word limit into a paragraph-by-paragraph plan, an outline and a schedule.
How the planner divides your word count
- Introduction and conclusion get 10% each by default — a common recommendation in university study-skills guides. Change them for short essays (a 300-word answer needs a sentence or two, not 30 words of throat-clearing) or for long ones where 8% is plenty.
- Body paragraphs share what is left. Unless you choose a number, the planner aims for about 150 words per paragraph in essays up to 1,000 words, 175 up to 3,000 and 200 above that, between 2 and 25 paragraphs.
- Sentences are estimated at about 20 words each, a typical average for academic prose. Our readability checker shows your real average.
These are planning targets, not rules. Your brief, mark scheme and argument come first: a paragraph should be as long as the point it makes.
Common plans at a glance
| Word limit | Introduction | Body | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 words | 50 | 3 × ~133 | 50 |
| 1,000 words | 100 | 5 × 160 | 100 |
| 1,500 words | 150 | 7 × ~171 | 150 |
| 2,000 words | 200 | 9 × ~178 | 200 |
| 3,000 words | 300 | 14 × ~171 | 300 |
| 5,000 words | 500 | 20 × 200 | 500 |
What goes in each part
Introduction
Context the reader needs, your thesis — the answer to the question in a sentence or two — and, in longer essays, a brief map of the argument.
Body paragraphs
One point per paragraph: a topic sentence that states it, evidence, your analysis of the evidence, and a final sentence linking back to the thesis. In an argumentative essay, deal with the strongest counter-argument before you conclude.
Conclusion
Answer the question directly, show how the points add up, and say why it matters. No new evidence.
The schedule
Add a due date and the planner splits the time left into five stages: research and reading (30%), outlining (10%), drafting (35%), revising (17%) and editing, referencing and proofreading (8%). It also gives the drafting pace you need in words per day. Start your reference list as you read, not the night before.