Writing & Content Utility
Readability Grader & Score Calculator
Free readability grader. Get Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, and other readability scores for your content. See grade level and suggestions to improve clarity.
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
Assessment:
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Reading Ease Score
Higher is easier to read. 60-70 is the sweet spot for web copy.
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What is a Readability Score?
Readability scores indicate how difficult your text is to understand. The most famous and widely-used algorithms are the Flesch Reading Ease and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level tests. These formulas mathematically evaluate the average length of your sentences and the average number of syllables per word to determine complexity.
Understanding the Metrics
- Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: This translates the score into a U.S. school grade level. For example, a score of 8.0 means that an eighth grader can easily understand the document. For general web content, targeting a grade level of 7 to 8 ensures maximum accessibility.
- Flesch Reading Ease: This is a score from 0 to 100. A score of 90-100 is very easy to read (suitable for a 5th grader), while a score of 0-30 is very difficult (academic paper level). A score between 60 and 70 is considered standard "Plain English."
Tips to Improve Your Score
If your score is too high (indicating overly complex text), try breaking long, run-on sentences into two smaller ones. Additionally, look for highly complex vocabulary words (4+ syllables) and replace them with simpler, more common synonyms where appropriate.
- Keep sentences under 20 words on average
- Use shorter paragraphs
- Choose common words over jargon
- Break up dense blocks of text with bullet points and subheadings
Why Readability Matters for SEO
Google increasingly rewards content that is easy for real humans to read. Lower readability scores often correlate with higher bounce rates and lower time-on-page — both negative ranking signals.