def count_occurances(comment, word):
    """
    A helper function to get the number of words in a comment.
    """
    comment = comment.replace('?', ' ')
    comment = comment.replace('.', ' ')
    comment = comment.replace('-', ' ')
    comment = comment.replace('/', ' ')
    a = comment.split(" ")
    count = 0
    for i in range(len(a)):
        if (word == a[i]):
            count = count + 1
    return count