How to Improve Your Readability Score (Flesch Explained)

To improve your readability score, use shorter sentences (aim for an average under 20 words), choose short everyday words over long ones, write in the active voice, and break long paragraphs into lists and subheadings. A Flesch Reading Ease of 60 or more is plain English that most adults read easily. Check your text with the free Readability Checker and watch the score change as you edit.

What do readability scores measure?

Readability formulas count two things: how long your sentences are and how long your words are (in syllables). Long sentences and long words make text harder to read.

Flesch Reading Ease = 206.835 − 1.015 × (words ÷ sentences) − 84.6 × (syllables ÷ words)

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level = 0.39 × (words ÷ sentences) + 11.8 × (syllables ÷ words) − 15.59

Higher Reading Ease means easier; higher grade level means harder.

What score should you aim for?

Flesch Reading Ease	Difficulty	Typical use
90–100	Very easy	Children's books
70–90	Easy	Conversational writing
60–70	Plain English	Websites, emails, guides
50–60	Fairly difficult	Quality newspapers
30–50	Difficult	Academic writing
0–30	Very difficult	Legal and scientific texts

For most web pages, emails and instructions, aim for 60+ and a grade level of about 7–9. Accessibility guidance (WCAG) also suggests offering simpler versions when text needs more than lower-secondary reading ability.

How do you use the Readability Checker?

1. Open the Readability Checker.
2. Paste or type your text.
3. Read the Readability score and label, the Grade level, the Writing score, Words, Sentences, Avg. sentence length, Long sentences, Passive / adverbs counts and Reading time.
4. Work through the highlighted issues: long sentences, wordy phrases, passive voice and weak words come with suggestions.
5. Edit and watch the score update, then Copy text.

The same checker also catches spelling and grammar mistakes; see common grammar mistakes. Everything runs in your browser.

8 ways to make writing easier to read

1. Shorten long sentences

Split any sentence over about 25–30 words. One idea per sentence.

• Before: "Our team, which has been working on this project since January, has now completed the first phase, and we expect the second phase to begin next month once the budget is approved."
• After: "Our team started this project in January. We've finished the first phase. The second phase starts next month, once the budget is approved."

2. Use short, familiar words

utilize → use, commence → start, approximately → about, purchase → buy, assist → help.

3. Prefer the active voice

• Passive: "The report was written by the team."
• Active: "The team wrote the report."

Active sentences are shorter and say who does what.

4. Cut filler

"In order to" → "to". "Due to the fact that" → "because". "It is important to note that" → delete it and say the point.

5. Drop weak words

"Very", "really", "just" and "actually" rarely add meaning. "Very big" → "huge". "Really important" → "important" or "essential".

6. Use lists and subheadings

Readers scan. Turn a paragraph of steps into a numbered list, and put a clear heading above each section.

7. Put the answer first

Start with the main point, then explain. That helps readers, and it's what answer boxes and AI assistants quote.

8. Keep paragraphs short

Two to four sentences per paragraph on screens. A wall of text drives readers away, especially on phones.

Don't chase the number blindly

Formulas can't tell whether your writing makes sense. A list of very short sentences can score 90 and still be confusing. Technical terms your readers need will lower the score, and that's fine for an expert audience. Use the score as a guide, then read your text aloud: if you run out of breath, the sentence is too long.

Check your readability now

Paste your text into the free Readability Checker. Then count it with the Word Counter and fix any spelling with the Grammar & Writing Checker.