First-pass word count: test the destination's boundaries

Before counting a long submission, try a harmless short sample with a contraction, hyphenated phrase, number, and non-English word. Compare the counter's result with the destination if it provides one. Determine whether title, headings, and captions are included in the limit. Then count the actual final draft and leave a margin for ambiguous tokenization. A small test reveals the rule before you cut important content unnecessarily.