c# - Count the number of words within an Array or List -

i need count number of words within array or list. reason array or list because not sure best use in situation. data static , in .txt file (it's book). able create array , break down words array life of me can not count! have tried many different ways , i'm thinking since string unable count. have teetered on edge of printing whole book listbox , counting listbox but, that's ridiculous.

public partial class mainform : form {     //------------------------     //global variables:     //------------------------     list<string> countwords;     string[] filewords;     string[] filelines;     char[] delim = new char[] { ' ', ',','.','?','!' };     string path;       public mainform()     {         initializecomponent();     }       private void booktitle() // titleandauthor method pull book title , display it.     {         (int = 0; < 1; i++)         {             booktitlelabel.text = filelines[i];         }     }      private void bookauthor() // titleandauthor method pull book author , display it.     {         (int = 1; < 2; i++)         {             bookauthorlabel.text = filelines[i];         }     }      private void firstlines() // firsttenwords method pulls first ten words of text file , prints listbox     {         (int = 0; <= 499; i++)         {             wordslistbox.items.add(filewords[i]);         }     }      private void wordcount() // count words in file.     {      }           private void openfilebutton_click(object sender, eventargs e)     {         openfiledialog inputfile = new openfiledialog();         if (inputfile.showdialog() == dialogresult.ok)        // check file user selected         {             path = inputfile.filename;                 // save path of file string variable later use             streamreader fileread = new streamreader(path);     // read file @ path outlined in path variable             filewords = fileread.readtoend().split(delim); // breakdown text lines of text call them @ later date             filelines = file.readalllines(path);             countwords = file.readlines(path).tolist();             wordslistbox.items.clear();              booktitle();             bookauthor();             firstlines();             wordcount();          }         else         {             messagebox.show("not valid file, please select text file");         }      } } 

maybe useful:

    static void main(string[] args)     {         string[] lines = file_readalllines();         list<string> words = new list<string>();         foreach(var line in lines)         {             words.addrange(line.split(' '));         }         console.writeline(words.count);     }      private static string[] file_readalllines()     {         return new[] {             "the 1 book",             "written gnarf",             "once upon time ther werent grammer",             "iso 1-12122-445",             "(c) 2012 under hills"         };     }