Free Readability Score Checker
Check your writing's readability index scores like Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, and Coleman-Liau instantly. Highlight complex sentences for free.
From the Conch team
Your Flesch-Kincaid grade level is telling professors something you might not intend
A Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 16 does not mean your essay is brilliant — it usually means your sentences are too long and your words have too many syllables. Academic writing has a persistent myth: complexity signals intelligence. In reality, the clearest academic writers — the ones whose papers get cited and whose arguments land — write at an 11th to 12th grade level, not a college graduate level. They use precise vocabulary, not jargon for its own sake. The Hemingway Editor proved this point for a generation of bloggers. This tool applies the same principle to academic and professional writing, flagging run-on sentences and complex passages so you can decide whether the complexity is intentional or accidental. Intentional: keep it. Accidental: fix it.
Conch Tip: Target a Flesch Reading Ease score between 50–65 for college-level academic papers. Below 50 is genuinely difficult to read. Above 65 risks sounding oversimplified for a university audience.
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How to use this readability score checker
- 1
Paste your text
Copy your essay, article, or writing sample and paste it into the input box.
- 2
Review grade score
Look at the Flesch-Kincaid grade level and Flesch Reading Ease scores on the right sidebar.
- 3
Find hard sentences
Scan the preview box to locate sentences highlighted in yellow (hard) or red (very hard/run-on).
- 4
Tweak and simplify
Shorten highlighted sentences and simplify vocabulary to improve readability scores in real-time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a readability score?
A readability score is a computer-calculated grade showing how easy it is to read a block of text. It is based on statistics like sentence length, word count, and the number of syllables per word.
What is a good Flesch Reading Ease score?
Flesch Reading Ease scores range from 0 to 100. Higher scores mean the text is easier to read. A score of 60 to 70 is considered standard (plain English, suitable for 8th-9th graders). Scores below 50 are considered difficult or academic.
How does the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level work?
It translates the readability index into a US school grade level. For example, a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 8.2 means an average eighth-grade student (approx. 13-14 years old) can easily comprehend the text.
What are Gunning Fog and Coleman-Liau indexes?
Gunning Fog measures readability based on sentence length and the percentage of complex words (words with 3 or more syllables). Coleman-Liau calculates readability using character counts per 100 words and sentence counts, which is more reliable for machine-readable text.
Does the checker highlight long sentences?
Yes. Sentences over 20 words are highlighted in light amber ('hard to read'), and sentences over 28 words are highlighted in light red ('very hard to read'). This helps you quickly find run-on sentences.
How do I improve my readability score?
To improve your score: 1) shorten long, complex sentences, 2) replace multi-syllable jargon with simpler alternatives, and 3) use active voice instead of passive voice.
Is this readability calculator free to use?
Yes, it is 100% free with no registration required. All calculations run client-side, making it highly secure and fast.
Does the tool save my writing?
No. All text is analyzed locally in your browser. None of your writing is ever stored on our servers or transmitted to any third-party APIs, protecting your privacy.
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