Readability & Grade Level Scorer
Calculate Flesch Reading Ease and US school grade levels (Flesch-Kincaid) to ensure your articles, copy, and documentation remain clear, conversational.
1. Text Sample & Presets
2. Grade Level & Readability Scores
Easily understood by 13- to 15-year-old students. Meets government & plain-writing standards.
Formula Index Comparison
| Readability Formula | Score | Reading Level |
|---|---|---|
| Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level | 7.8 | 8th Grade (Age 13–14) |
| Gunning Fog Index | 9.5 | High School Sophomore |
| Coleman-Liau Index | 9.8 | High School Freshmen |
| SMOG Index | 8.9 | 8th–9th Grade |
| Automated Readability (ARI) | 7.1 | 7th–8th Grade |
Audience Recommendation
General Public & Web Readers: This passage is pitched at an optimal reading pace for web copy, consumer blogs, and public guidelines. Readers will absorb the core concepts with minimal friction.
About this tool
How to use it
- Paste your article, essay, press release, or document draft into the editor.
- Inspect the primary Flesch Reading Ease score (0 to 100) and equivalent US school grade level.
- Review the multi-formula comparison matrix, including Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, Coleman-Liau, and SMOG indices.
- Check text diagnostics: word count, sentence length, and percentage of complex words (3+ syllables).
- Read the targeted audience recommendation to evaluate whether your draft meets Plain English guidelines or requires simplification.
- Click 'Copy Readability Audit' to export a formatted diagnostic summary to your clipboard.
Why it matters
Unintentionally complex writing leads to misinterpretation, high website bounce rates, and lost engagement. Government agencies, healthcare institutions, and top publications mandate specific readability thresholds (typically 8th-grade level or Flesch score 60-70) to ensure clear, equitable public communication.
When to use it
Use when drafting consumer blog posts, technical documentation, academic papers, marketing copy, legal terms, or educational curricula.
Good to know
Flesch Reading Ease scores between 60 and 70 represent 'Plain English'—easily understood by 13- to 15-year-olds. Government writing guidelines worldwide (such as the US Plain Writing Act) generally target an 8th-grade reading level.
Common questions
What is a good Flesch Reading Ease score?
A score between 60 and 70 is considered standard and optimal for public web content, marketing copy, and news journalism. Scores above 80 indicate very easy reading suitable for children, while scores below 50 reflect difficult academic or legal prose.
What is the difference between Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level?
Flesch Reading Ease produces a 0-100 score where higher numbers mean easier reading. Flesch-Kincaid converts that measurement directly into a US school grade level (e.g. 8.0 equals 8th grade).
What is the Gunning Fog Index?
The Gunning Fog Index estimates the years of formal education needed to understand text on a first reading. It places special mathematical weight on 'complex words' containing three or more syllables.
How can I improve my readability score quickly?
Shorten your sentences, break long compound clauses with full stops, replace multi-syllable jargon with simpler synonyms, and write in the active voice.
Is my text manuscript or confidential document uploaded anywhere?
No. All text parsing, syllable calculation, and readability formula evaluations execute 100% locally in your web browser memory. No sensitive text or draft writing is ever sent to any remote server.