I know this is normally an obvious question with a lot of answers (like [here][1]), but I'd like to show only the beginning of the posts with a "read more" button. I don't use excerpts, so I'd like Wordpress to automaticly grab the first 55 words or the first phrase to display it.

I use the theme Toivo Lite. The index.php is:

    <?php
    get_header(); ?>

	<?php if ( have_posts() ) : ?>
		
		<?php do_action( 'toivo_before_loop' ); // Action hook before loop. ?>

		<?php /* Start the Loop */ ?>
		<?php while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>

			<?php
				/* Include the Post-Format-specific template for the content.
				 * If you want to override this in a child theme, then include a file
				 * called content-___.php (where ___ is the Post Format name) and that will be used instead.
				 */
				get_template_part( 'content', ( post_type_supports( get_post_type(), 'post-formats' ) ? get_post_format() : get_post_type() ) );
			?>

		<?php endwhile; ?>
			
		<?php
			the_posts_pagination( array(
				'prev_text'          => __( 'Previous page', 'toivo-lite' ),
				'next_text'          => __( 'Next page', 'toivo-lite' ),
				'before_page_number' => '<span class="meta-nav screen-reader-text">' . __( 'Page', 'toivo-lite' ) . ' </span>',
			) );
		?>

	<?php else : ?>

		<?php get_template_part( 'content', 'none' ); ?>

	<?php endif; ?>
		
	<?php do_action( 'toivo_after_loop' ); // Action hook after loop. ?>

    <?php get_footer(); ?>


I've tried to replace the two `content` by `excerpt`, but then the page is empty (only header and foot).

  [1]: https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/120759/show-post-titles-only-on-the-homepage