Readability Analyzer
Score your text on four readability formulas — Flesch, Kincaid Grade, Gunning Fog and SMOG — with plain-English interpretation.
Flesch Reading Ease — Standard
60.5
0 = very hard · 100 = very easy · 60–70 is the target for most general writing
Flesch-Kincaid Grade
Grade 7.9
Gunning Fog
Grade 8.8
SMOG Index
Grade 5.4
Words
62
Sentences
5
Syllables
98
Complex words (3+ syllables)
6
Avg sentence length
12.4 words
Avg word length
5.3 chars
Grade levels indicate the US school grade whose students can comfortably read the text. For general web content, aim for Grade 7–9 (Flesch 60–70). SMOG is most reliable for health and medical writing; Fog for business and journalism.
About this tool
Readability is the difference between writing that readers finish and writing they abandon halfway through. The four formulas this analyzer runs — Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog, and SMOG — all measure the same underlying drivers: sentence length and word complexity (syllable count). Long sentences and multisyllabic words raise the grade level; short sentences and common words lower it.
The formulas agree more than they differ, but each has a home: Flesch Reading Ease (0–100, higher is easier) is the publishing standard, where 60–70 is the target for general audiences; Flesch-Kincaid Grade gives a US school grade level used in education; Gunning Fog is preferred in business and journalism; SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) is validated specifically for health and medical writing, where 8th-grade reading level is the standard aim. Having all four removes the temptation to cherry-pick the most flattering number.
The stat panel — words, sentences, syllables, complex words, average sentence length — tells you what to fix. Long average sentence length is almost always the first problem: a sentence over 25 words can usually be split. Complex word count (3+ syllables) identifies candidates for simpler synonyms. The tool runs live as you paste or type, so you can watch the grade level respond as you edit.
How to use the Readability Analyzer
- 1Paste or type your text — scores update live as you type.
- 2Check the Flesch Reading Ease score: 60–70 is the target for most general writing.
- 3Look at average sentence length — over 20 words is usually the first thing to cut.
- 4Use the grade level as a guide: for web content, aim for Grade 7–9.
Frequently asked questions
What's a good readability score?
For most web content and general writing, a Flesch score of 60–70 (Standard) and a grade level of 7–9 is ideal — readable by a wide audience without feeling dumbed down. Legal and technical writing typically scores harder; children's content softer. The target depends on your audience.
Why do the four formulas give different grade levels?
They weight the same factors differently and were calibrated on different text corpora. Gunning Fog tends to run higher than Kincaid; SMOG specifically weights polysyllabic words. The spread across formulas is itself useful information — when they all agree, you have a confident reading.
How do I improve a low readability score?
Two moves cover most of it: split long sentences (anything over 25 words is a candidate) and replace multisyllabic words with shorter synonyms where meaning isn't lost. 'Utilize' → 'use', 'approximately' → 'about', 'commence' → 'start'. The word count stats in this tool show exactly which knobs to turn.
Does readability score measure writing quality?
It measures one aspect — accessibility — not quality overall. Hemingway scores easy; academic philosophy scores hard; both can be excellent writing for their audiences. The score is a diagnostic for 'can my intended reader follow this?' — not an absolute judgment.
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