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Readability Score Checker

Find the reading level of your text and see exactly which sentences and words to simplify.

Runs in your browserNo sign-up required
Reading levelGrade 10age 15–16 · Plain English (Flesch 61)

A bit hard for general public: grade 9.8 vs a target of 8 or lower. Shorten the highlighted sentences and swap long words for simpler ones.

Words
70
Sentences
5
Words / sentence
14
Reading time
18 sec
1 very hard sentence1 hard sentence2 words with simpler options3 passive phrases1 adverb
Reading levels aren't just for teachers. If you write emails, articles or product pages, text that is too complex can lose readers before the end of the first paragraph. The utilization→ use of long sentences that are packed with numerous→ many multi-syllable words is subsequently perceived by many readers as being extremely difficult to follow, and it was found that they often give up. Short sentences help. Plain words help too.

2 of 5 sentences are hard to read. Edit your text above; the highlights update as you type.

All readability scores
FormulaScoreWhat it means
Flesch Reading Ease61Plain English — higher is easier (0–100). 60–70 is plain English.
Flesch–Kincaid Grade8.2US school grade based on sentence length and syllables.
Gunning Fog Index9.6Years of education needed; counts words of 3+ syllables.
SMOG Index11.2Grade level — designed for 30+ sentences, so treat as rough here.
Automated Readability Index8.7Grade level from characters per word and words per sentence.
Coleman–Liau Index11Grade level from letters and sentences per 100 words.

The reading level above is the average of the five grade-level formulas. These formulas are designed for English.

Beyond a Bare Number

A readability score only becomes useful once you know what to do with it. This tool gives one clear reading level, calculates six standard formulas — Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG, Automated Readability Index and Coleman-Liau — and highlights the sentences, passive phrases, adverbs and wordy words dragging your score down, with simpler alternatives where it can suggest one.

How to Use This Tool

  1. 1Paste your textAn article, email, essay or product page — headings and bullet points are handled correctly.
  2. 2Read your reading levelOne clear grade and age range, the average of five grade-level formulas, plus the Flesch Reading Ease score.
  3. 3Fix what's highlightedVery hard and hard sentences, passive voice, adverbs, and wordy words with simpler alternatives are marked in your text.
  4. 4Check against your audienceChoose who you're writing for — general public, web copy, children, students or professionals — to see if the level fits.

Good to Know

  • Every score is standard, published math on sentence length, word length and syllables — no AI involved, so results are instant and your text never leaves your browser.
  • Headings and bullet points count as separate lines, and abbreviations like "Dr." or "e.g." don't end a sentence, so pasted articles are measured correctly.
  • For most websites, aim for grade 8 or lower — that's plain English that almost everyone can read quickly, including busy experts.
  • SMOG is designed for texts of 30 sentences or more, so on short pieces lean on the overall reading level instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the reading level worked out?

It's the average of five grade-level formulas — Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG, Automated Readability Index and Coleman-Liau — shown as a US school grade with a typical reader age. Grade 8 means a typical 13–14 year old can read it comfortably.

Why do the scores sometimes disagree?

Each formula weighs sentence length and word complexity slightly differently, and some (like ARI) use character count instead of syllables. Minor disagreement is normal — look at the overall pattern rather than any single number.

What's a good Flesch Reading Ease score?

For general-audience writing, aim for 60-70 (roughly 8th-9th grade level). Technical or academic writing naturally scores lower, and that's expected.

Does this work well on very short text?

Yes for the overall picture — but every formula is more stable with at least 100 words, and SMOG in particular is designed for 30+ sentences. For a single sentence, look at the highlights rather than the numbers.

Is my text sent anywhere to calculate these scores?

No — every formula runs directly in your browser using plain JavaScript. Nothing is uploaded or stored.