diff --git a/src/components/Exercises/WriteBlanks.tsx b/src/components/Exercises/WriteBlanks.tsx
index 66624bb6..e89d57a4 100644
--- a/src/components/Exercises/WriteBlanks.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Exercises/WriteBlanks.tsx
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ function Blank({
 	const [userInput, setUserInput] = useState(userSolution || "");
 
 	useEffect(() => {
-		const words = userInput.split(" ").filter((x) => x !== "");
-		if (words.length >= maxWords) {
+		const words = userInput.split(" ");
+		if (words.length > maxWords) {
 			toast.warning(`You have reached your word limit of ${maxWords} words!`, {toastId: "word-limit"});
 			setUserInput(words.join(" ").trim());
 		}