Readability Calculator

Check how easy your writing is to read with the Flesch Reading Ease score plus Flesch–Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG, Coleman–Liau and ARI grade levels. Calculated in your browser.

Flesch Reading Ease

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The readability scores

Flesch Reading Ease runs 0–100: higher is easier, with 60–70 counted as plain English. The grade-level scores (Flesch–Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG, Coleman–Liau and the Automated Readability Index) estimate the US school grade needed to read the text comfortably.

Reading Ease = 206.835 − 1.015 × (words/sentence) − 84.6 × (syllables/word)

Scores rely on sentence and syllable counts, so a few sentences or more give the steadiest reading. Syllables are estimated with a standard heuristic. All of it is computed in your browser.

What this does

A readability calculator checks how easy your writing is to read with the Flesch Reading Ease score plus Flesch–Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG, Coleman–Liau, and ARI grade levels.

How to use it

  1. Paste a paragraph or more.
  2. Read the Flesch Reading Ease score.
  3. Compare the grade-level scores.
  4. Edit and re-check.

How it works

The scores combine sentence length, word length, and syllable counts. On Flesch Reading Ease (0–100, higher is easier), 60–70 is plain English. A paragraph or more gives the most reliable result.

Understanding your result

On Flesch Reading Ease a higher score is easier, with 60 to 70 counting as plain English suitable for a general audience; the grade-level scores estimate the school year a reader needs. Aim for the level your audience expects rather than the lowest possible, and improve the score by shortening sentences and swapping long words rather than gaming the numbers.

Example

Shorter sentences and simpler words raise the reading-ease score.

Sources & methodology

Last updated .

Frequently asked questions

What is a good readability score?

On the Flesch Reading Ease scale (0–100, higher is easier), 60–70 is plain English suitable for most readers. The grade-level scores estimate the US school grade needed to read the text comfortably.

How are the scores worked out?

They combine sentence length, word length and syllable counts. Syllables are estimated with a standard heuristic, so a paragraph or more gives the most reliable result.

Is anything stored?

No. Your text is analysed entirely in your browser.