What Is Fry Readability Graph?
The Fry readability formula, or Fry readability graph, is a metric developed by Edward Fry in 1968 to assess the readability of a text. Like other readability formulas, it determines how easy or difficult a passage is to read and comprehend.
Edward Fry's contributions to reading and readability research have significantly supported literacy development both in the U.S. and abroad.
The Fry readability score is a visual assessment of a text's grade level. For a sample of text, we plot the number of syllables per 100 words on the horizontal axis (x-axis), and the number of sentences per 100 words on the vertical axis (y-axis). The region this intersection point falls is an estimation of grade level. This method helps in determining the approximate reading grade level of the text, which is crucial for effective communication and educational purposes.
The traditional method, developed by Edward Fry, is to take three 100-word samples chosen from near the beginning, middle, and end of the text, and compute the average number of sentences and average number of syllables per 100 words (explained below). Plotting these two points on the Fry graph (seen below) provides us with an estimation of the grade level for readability of a text.
The Fry formula also coordinates well with multiple readability formulas such as Dale-Chall, and Flesch Reading Ease.
How to Use the Fry Readability Formula
To apply the Fry formula, follow these steps:
- Select three 100-word passages from near the beginning, middle, and end of your text.
- Count the number of sentences in each passage (estimating to the nearest tenth for partial sentences).
- Count the total number of syllables in each passage.
- Calculate the average number of sentences and syllables per 100 words across the three samples.
- Plot these averages on the Fry readability graph.
Note: You should make sure your text is spell-checked and properly punctuated beforehand. A clean, properly-formatted and grammatically-correct text will reduce errors and yield the best results.
What Is a Fry Graph Readability Calculator?
A Fry graph readability calculator is a tool that automates the process of calculating and plotting the Fry readability score. It typically provides the grade level of the text based on the average sentence length and syllable count. Then, it creates the graph for you, which you can download.
Note: While you can get a readability score for shorter texts, the results are most reliable when you have at least 300 words.
- If your text is under 100 words, the calculator will use all your words.
- If it is between 100-300 words, the calculator will try to take three samples, dividing into three equal samples.
- If it is over 300 words, it will work as originally intended, taking 100-word samples from the beginning, middle, and end.
What Is a Good Fry Readability Score?
A "good" Fry Readability score depends on your target audience:
- For general public content, you can aim for grades 6-8.
- For academic or professional texts, higher grade levels may be appropriate.
- For children's literature, target a lower reading level suitable for the intended age group.
Why You Should Use the Fry Graph Readability Calculator
Although especially useful for educational purpose, the Fry readability calculator has a wide range of uses. Readability tests, including the Fry Graph, are essential for ensuring that texts are accessible to their intended audiences. The Fry formula can tell you the grade level your audience have to be to understand your text. This can help you to clarify your writing, helping you to be clear, comprehensible, and understandable..
In healthcare, the Fry calculator is used to ensure that patient education materials are written at a readable level, which is critical for patient understanding and adherence to treatment plans. The Fry formula is also important in Law. Claimants often don't understand insurance policies, and my be entitled to more benefits if they understood the wording of an insurance policy. For the same reason, readability has been discussed in cases regarding texts such as government documentation, private contracts and warranties.