What Is the Readability Checker?
The readability checker is an online readability calculator that tells you how easy or hard your writing/text is to read and understand. It gives you three important pieces of information:
- Reading level: This shows what grade level your writing is best suited for.
- Readability score: This is the number that the selected method used for scoring, computed.
- Note: This gives you a quick summary of what the score or level means.
How to Measure the Readability Scores
- Type or paste your text into the box. If you have a .txt or .docx file (Word document), click the upload icon in the top right corner of the text area to upload it instead.
- Select the method for the readability test. By default, it is set to Flesch-Kincaid, the most commonly used text readability method.
- After inputting the text and selecting the method, the readability score, reading level, and reading note will be displayed instantly. Also, you can see the word count and character count below the text area.
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.
How Do the Readability Formulas Work?
There are different readability tests to measure readability of the text. On this web page, you can check readability scores using the Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog Index, SMOG Index, Automated Readability Index (ARI), and the Dale-Chall Readability Formula.
Each of these readability formulas work best with a particular type of content. Some are tuned toward healthcare and legal documents, while others are geared towards educational content for students.
Flesch-Kincaid
The Flesch-Kincaid formula measures readability by analyzing sentence length and syllable count. Shorter sentences and words with fewer syllables make a text easier to read. In simpler terms, if the average number of syllables per word is low, the text will score a good readability score. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level also shows what U.S. school grade level is required to understand the text.
Gunning Fog Index
The Gunning Fog Index is another readability test that considers sentence length and sentence structure, particularly focusing on the average sentence length. It also accounts for difficult words, defined as words with three or more syllables. Fewer complex words and shorter average sentence lengths result in a lower score, meaning the text is easier to read. This method was originally designed to reduce unnecessary complexity in business writing.
SMOG Index
SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) focuses on polysyllabic words (those with three or more syllables) to determine readability. It is particularly useful for healthcare and legal documents where complex language is often used.
Automated Readability Index
The Automated Readability Index (ARI) differs from other formulas because it uses the number of characters per word rather than syllables. This makes ARI unique and more suitable for technical writing. It was originally developed for military applications but remains popular today.
Dale-Chall
The Dale-Chall formula works by using a list of familiar words that most 4th-grade students understand. If your text uses many words that aren't on this list, it's considered harder to read. This method is particularly good for ensuring that content is accessible to younger readers. The Spache formula is a similar test but uses a smaller word list, making it better for even younger audiences.
Readability Scores and Their Limitations
Every writer should find readability important, especially when communicating to a specific audience. However, most readability formulas and graphs don't consider the audience itself and instead take two basic factors into account for calculations.
The first factor relates to sentence structure, typically measuring the average number of words or characters per sentence. The second factor relates to word structure, which is usually the average number of syllables per word or the proportion of easy words, determined by referencing a word list.
Because of this, these scores may not account for factors such as syntax, tone, style, and lexical diversity. Additionally, different readability formulas may produce varying scores for the same text, highlighting the need for multiple assessments. Therefore, while readability scores are a valuable tool, they should be used in conjunction with other methods to fully evaluate the readability of a text.