Readability Checker

This free readability checker analyzes your text using five of the most widely recognized readability formulas: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, and SMOG Grade. Each formula uses different factors like sentence length, word complexity, and syllable counts to estimate how easy your text is to read.

Understanding the Scores

• Flesch Reading Ease (0-100): Higher scores mean easier reading. A score of 60-70 is considered ideal for a general audience. Most consumer-facing content should aim for 60+.
• Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: Indicates the U.S. school grade level needed to understand the text. A grade level of 7-8 is ideal for broad audiences.
• Gunning Fog Index: Estimates the years of formal education needed. Newspapers typically score around 11-12, while technical papers may score 15+.
• Coleman-Liau Index: Uses character count rather than syllable count, making it useful for machine analysis. Correlates well with other grade-level formulas.
• SMOG Grade: The Simple Measure of Gobbledygook focuses on polysyllabic words. Often used in healthcare communication to ensure patient materials are accessible.

Tips to Improve Readability

• Keep sentences under 20-25 words on average.
• Use common, everyday words instead of jargon or technical terms.
• Break long paragraphs into shorter ones (3-4 sentences each).
• Use active voice instead of passive voice.
• Replace multi-syllable words with simpler alternatives when possible.
• Use bullet points and numbered lists to organize information.
• Write for your audience, not to impress with vocabulary.

Recommended Reading Levels by Use Case