📖 Readability Checker

Is your writing easy to read? Check 5 readability scores instantly.

FLESCH READING EASE

The Readability Checker analyses your text and scores it using the Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formulas. Find out if your writing is easy enough for your target audience.

How to check readability

Paste your text into the input box. Stats update live: average sentence length, average syllables per word, total word count, and the two main readability scores. The reading-ease panel translates the raw score into a band (very easy through to college graduate). Suggestions appear underneath — common issues like overly long sentences, passive voice, and complex vocabulary are flagged. Aim for the band that fits your audience: blogs and journalism for a general public, technical docs for an industry audience, plain-language summaries for accessible content.

The math: Flesch and Flesch-Kincaid

Flesch Reading Ease is calculated as 206.835 − 1.015 × (words/sentences) − 84.6 × (syllables/words). Long sentences and multi-syllable words drag the score down. Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level uses a related formula: 0.39 × (words/sentences) + 11.8 × (syllables/words) − 15.59, mapping to a US school grade. Both depend on counting syllables, which is approximated with a vowel-cluster heuristic — accurate enough for prose but not perfect for technical jargon. The original formulas date from US Navy training-manual studies in the 1970s and remain the journalism standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Flesch Reading Ease score?
A score from 0–100. 60–70 is standard (readable by most adults). 70–80 is easy. Below 30 is very complex (academic/legal). Higher = easier to read.
What grade level should I write at?
For general online content: Grade 7–8. News articles: Grade 8. Academic writing: Grade 12+. Most web content performs best at Grade 6–8.
How can I improve my readability score?
Use shorter sentences, simpler words, and active voice. Break up long paragraphs. Avoid jargon unless writing for specialists.
What is the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level?
It estimates the US school grade level needed to understand your text. A score of 8 means an 8th-grader can read it comfortably.
Does the score work for non-English text?
No — the formulas are calibrated for English syllable patterns and won't be accurate for other languages. They also struggle with very technical vocabulary or text containing lots of numbers and abbreviations.
Should I always aim for grade 6?
No. Match the level to your reader. A medical journal at grade 6 would feel patronising; a children's site at grade 12 would alienate parents and children alike. Use the score as a guide, not a target.

Quick wins for clearer writing

Cut every sentence over 25 words in half. Replace "utilise" with "use", "facilitate" with "help", "in order to" with "to". Read the text aloud — anywhere you stumble is a candidate for rewriting. Use bullet lists for sequences. Rewrite passive voice ("the report was written by the team") into active ("the team wrote the report").

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