What is a good readability score?
For general readers, a Flesch Reading Ease score of 60 to 70 is the usual target: it is plain English that most adults follow easily. Scores above 70 read as easy, and scores under 50 read as hard. Academic, legal and technical writing often scores low, and that is acceptable if your readers are specialists. "Good" depends on who will read the text.
How the Flesch score works
Flesch Reading Ease uses two measurements: the average number of words per sentence and the average number of syllables per word. Shorter sentences and shorter words raise the score. The formula is 206.835 minus 1.015 times words per sentence, minus 84.6 times syllables per word.
| Flesch score | Level |
|---|---|
| 90 to 100 | Very easy |
| 80 to 90 | Easy |
| 70 to 80 | Fairly easy |
| 60 to 70 | Standard |
| 50 to 60 | Fairly hard |
| 30 to 50 | Hard |
| 0 to 30 | Very hard |
Flesch-Kincaid grade level
The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level uses the same two measurements with different weights and expresses the result as a US school grade. A grade of 8 means the text is about as demanding as an eighth-grade reading book. For public information, aiming for a lower grade usually helps more people.
What the score cannot tell you
A formula counts sentence length and syllables. It does not understand your argument, your structure, your vocabulary choices or what your readers already know. A short sentence can still be confusing, and a long one can be clear. The syllable count is also an estimate made by rule, so a few words will be miscounted. Use the score as a prompt to reread, not as a verdict.
How to improve readability
- Split sentences longer than about 25 words.
- Prefer the short word when it means the same thing ("use" for "utilise").
- Use active voice and concrete subjects.
- Add headings, lists and short paragraphs so the page is easy to scan.
- Read it aloud. If you run out of breath, the sentence is too long.
Pair this check with the Grammar Checker for errors and the Sentence Rewriter for stiff sentences. If you are writing for a general audience, the Tone Changer can help soften a formal draft.