About the Readability Checker
A readability checker measures how easy a text is to read, using formulas based on sentence length and word length. Paste an article, essay, email or AI-written draft to get the Flesch Reading Ease score, the US school grade level from five formulas, and a list of long sentences to shorten. Your text is analysed in your browser and never uploaded.
How to use the Readability Checker
- Paste or type your text into the box.
- Read the Flesch Reading Ease score and the grade level from each formula.
- Shorten the long sentences listed below the scores, then check again.
Features
- Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
- Gunning Fog, SMOG, Coleman-Liau and Automated Readability Index
- Highlights sentences over 25 words
- Instant results; nothing is uploaded
What is a good readability score?
For most websites, blogs and emails, aim for a Flesch Reading Ease score of 60 or higher, which is plain English that most adults read easily, and a grade level of about 8 or lower. Technical and academic writing often scores 30-50, which is fine for expert readers but hard for everyone else.
How do I make my writing easier to read?
Split long sentences in two, prefer short everyday words to long ones, use active verbs, and break big paragraphs into smaller ones. These changes raise the Flesch score directly, because it is calculated from words per sentence and syllables per word.
| Score | Level | Typical reader |
|---|---|---|
| 90-100 | Very easy | Age 11 |
| 60-70 | Plain English | Age 13-15 |
| 30-50 | Difficult | College |
| 0-30 | Very difficult | University graduate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Flesch Reading Ease score?
It is a 0-100 score based on average sentence length and syllables per word. Higher scores are easier: 60-70 is plain English and 90+ is very easy.
What does the grade level mean?
It is the US school grade a reader needs to understand the text. Grade 8 means a typical 13-14 year old can read it.
Can I check AI-written text?
Yes. AI drafts often use long sentences and long words; the checker shows which sentences to shorten so the text sounds more natural.
Does it work in other languages?
The formulas were designed for English, so scores for other languages are only a rough guide.