Readability Checker
Paste your text for an instant readability test — Flesch Reading Ease score, reading level (Flesch-Kincaid grade), and sentence-length stats, computed live in your browser. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Hard-sentence queue
Current:
Click any sentence in the map to jump there directly.
Each sentence, marked by how hard it reads — long sentences and long words push a sentence toward hard. Click one to select it in the editor.
easy getting long hard to follow
Long sentences drag the score down and tire readers. Click one to find it in the editor — splitting it in two is usually the fastest fix.
Each block is one sentence, sized by length. Good writing mixes short and long — long runs of same-length sentences read as monotone. Click a block to select that sentence.
short (≤8) medium (9–20) long (21+)
Several similar-length sentences in a row — try varying them.
Same idea, two ways — scored live
What the formulas assume
The score is Flesch Reading Ease and the grade is Flesch–Kincaid — both are built from just two measurements: words per sentence and syllables per word. They assume English-like syllable patterns and sentence punctuation; they don't read meaning, so jargon made of short words scores «easy» and a long-but-clear sentence scores «hard». Treat the number as a rhythm gauge, not a verdict on your writing. Swedish, Danish and Norwegian pages also show LIX, the index those school systems actually use.
Languages — what's supported and what's suppressed
Syllables are modeled for Latin, Cyrillic, Greek and Devanagari scripts. For scripts the model can't count honestly (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Arabic and others), the score is suppressed rather than shown wrong — a dash means «this formula doesn't apply», not «your text failed». English-calibrated bands are shown for other supported languages with that caveat in mind.
How to work with a target
Pick an audience preset above (web copy, school, academic) and write toward it: the verdict line tells you if you're above or below the band. Then use the sentence marks — hard sentences are highlighted and «Fix next» jumps to the worst one; shortening it or splitting it moves the score more than any word swap. The [sentence counter](/sentence-counter) shows the same length problem numerically, and the [sentence rewriter](/sentence-rewriter) can propose a split.
What is a good Flesch Reading Ease score?
For general audiences, aim for 60–70 (plain English, roughly 8th–9th-grade level). Popular fiction often scores 80+; academic and legal writing frequently falls below 30. "Good" depends on your readers — match the score to the audience rather than chasing a number.
How is the Flesch-Kincaid grade level calculated?
Grade = 0.39 × (words per sentence) + 11.8 × (syllables per word) − 15.59. It estimates the US school grade needed to understand the text on first reading. Shorter sentences and shorter words lower the grade.
How do I make my writing more readable?
The two levers in the formula are sentence length and word length: split long sentences, prefer common short words, and cut filler. Beyond the formula, front-load the point of each paragraph and use concrete examples — the score won't see those, but readers will.
Does this work for languages other than English?
Partially. The syllable counting and score weighting are English-calibrated, so treat non-English scores as rough indicators. Words-per-sentence remains a useful signal in any language.
Is my text stored anywhere?
No. The analysis runs entirely in your browser with JavaScript — your text is never uploaded, logged, or stored.
What's the difference between a readability score and a reading level?
The Reading Ease score (0–100, higher = easier) rates how easy the text feels; the grade level converts the same sentence-length and syllable inputs into a US school grade. They move together but answer different questions: «how easy?» vs «what reading level does this assume?». This checker shows both, plus the words-per-sentence and syllables-per-word that drive them.
Is this readability test the same as Hemingway or Word's checker?
All mainstream readability tests use the same public formulas, so scores are close but not identical — sentence and syllable counting differ slightly between tools (this page documents its counting rules below). The formulas are calibrated for English prose; use the score as an audience-fit gauge, not a quality grade.