Readability
What a readability score is and how to use it in your writing
By Ben Long
If you've been looking for ways to improve your writing, there's no doubt you've wondered "what is a readability score?"
What is a readability score?
Readability is a field of study that measures how hard it is understand a piece of text. Writing with a high readability score uses simple vocabulary and short sentences. Readability matters because it makes sure more people can understand your writing.
TL;DR:
- Readability is a measure of how easy a piece of text is to read and understand.
- Readability checkers like Flesch-Kincaid are tools that gauge the average level of education needed to understand a piece of writing.
- Increasing the readability of your text ensures that more people will read and comprehend your message.
Why does readability matter?
To make your writing truly impactful, clarity is key. Did you know that over half of adults in the U.S. read at an 8th-grade level? If you want your ideas to connect with this vast audience, you need to simplify your language.
Just like a roller coaster has a height limit, your writing also has a threshold for understanding. If your words are too complex, people can’t enjoy the ride. Use a readability checker to ensure your work can connect with your target audience. Clear writing opens doors and attracts more readers. As you simplify, you’ll see your audience grow.
How does readability affect SEO and user experience?
Readability is crucial for ranking high on Google. Think of it this way: if your content is clear, it will draw people like bees to honey. Google aims to provide valuable information to the greatest number of people. If your text is hard to read, users will quickly turn away, seeking clearer shores.
When your readability shines, visitors linger longer, boosting your SEO ranking. It’s like casting a bigger net to catch more fish. On the flip side, poor readability turns away many potential readers. As you can imagine, this is terrible for your user experience metrics. Search engines want everyone to have access to information, and if your content is only for a select few, it’ll sink in the rankings.
Consider this: if your message is only understood by a few, why should it rank high? Emphasizing accessibility opens doors to a broader audience, which allows your content to stand out. Use Hemingway Editor's free online readability checker to ensure that confusing text doesn't hold you back. Make your words approachable, and watch your audience—and your rankings—grow.
How is readability scored?
For decades, we've used research to create readability tests and calculators. These include the Flesch-Kincaid scale, Gunning Fog Index, and the Automated Readability Index. Each tool analyzes your writing's complexity—measuring average sentence length, syllables, or characters. The result? A numbered grade that reflects the education level needed to grasp your text.
Consider these scores as the report card for your writing. It's an overall view of your text, but in this case lower scores are better. However, remember that these numbers only provide an average for the entire document. Even with a seemingly low score, tricky sentences can lurk in the shadows, ready to trip up your readers.
Hemingway's free online readability checker solves this issue with new tools. It provides both an overall score and highlights your most complex sentences. Plus, it updates in real time. As you revise, you can instantly see the impact on readability. This dynamic tool empowers you to sharpen your writing, ensuring your message shines bold and clear.
What is the difference between high readability and low readability?
Think of readability as picking between a breezy beach read or a tough grad school textbook. High readability invites readers in with short, catchy sentences and easy-to-understand words. It's like your favorite bowl of soup—comforting and familiar.
In contrast, low readability feels like wading through thick mud. Dense, complex writing is too hard to understand. It frustrates and exhausts readers. Who wants to battle through confusing jargon? They might just throw your text aside and never look back.
Note: Just because the average grade level of a piece of writing is low on a readability checker, don't assume that it's written for kids. In fact, many popular authors like Ernest Hemingway wrote stories for adults at a 5th-grade level. They preferred the short, punchier style of writing that got to the truth of their experiences without extra fluff.
What is a good reading score for my writing?
Ideal readability scores are not a one-size-fits-all solution; they vary greatly. Instead, let your audience shape what reading ease score you should aim for. For instance, most adults read at an 8th-grade level, making it a smart choice for broader communication.
If accessibility is a concern, like writing for ESL students or younger readers, a fourth-grade level is even better. This ensures you use common words and clear, simple sentences that they can understand. As attention spans shorten, lower grade levels are becoming even more common targets. Many marketers have dropped their writing to a fourth-grade level and seen even better success.
Now, let’s talk about specialized writing like legal documents or technical manuals. For those complex topics, simplifying everything isn't always possible. Sometimes, it’s necessary to sacrifice ease of reading for clearer technical explanations. In such cases, a twelfth-grade level works well for detailed documents or industry jargon.
How to improve the readability of your writing
- Run your text through a free online readability checker like the Hemingway Editor app. This allows you to see the current grade level of your writing and sections to improve.
- Drop the jargon. Replace complex terms with simpler synonyms that mean the same thing.
- Break up long, complicated sentences. Instead of writing one long sentence containing several ideas, write a series of shorter sentences that hold one idea each.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is readability?
Readability is a measure of how easy or hard it is to read and understand a piece of text. It is usually determined by the level of education required to comprehend the writing.
What is a readability score?
A readability score is the average level of education required to understand a piece of writing without difficulty. Tools like the Flesch-Kincaid grade level average judge text and provide a readability score.
What is a good readability score?
Using a readability formula like the Flesch-Kincaid tool, Gunning Fog score, or Automated Readability Index, follow these guidelines to find your ideal readability level:
- Accessible writing (i.e., for younger students or ESL readers)—4th grade level
- The average adult reader in the United States—8th grade level or lower
- Technical writing and advanced readers—12th grade level
How can I check the readability score of my writing?
Use Hemingway's free readability checker app. It provides the overall readability score of your text, as well as highlighting complex sentences.
What are the best readability measures?
Readability tools like the Flesch Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, Dale-Chall Readability Grade, and Automated Readability Index are classic readability formulas. These readability tests use similar methods to calculate the approximate reading grade level of your writing. Hemingway Editor Plus has a free online readability checker that builds on and improves these older tools. It finds both the average grade level of your document as a whole and highlights your most complex sentences.