- What is the Flesch Reading Ease score?
- The Flesch Reading Ease score (0–100) measures how easy text is to read. Higher is easier: 90–100 is very easy (5th grade), 60–70 is standard (8th–9th grade), 30–50 is difficult (college), 0–30 is very confusing (professional/academic). Most web content should target 60–70.
- What is the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level?
- The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level estimates the US school grade level needed to understand the text. A score of 8 means 8th grade reading level. For general audience web content, aim for grade 6–8. Technical documentation can be higher; children's content should be lower.
- What is the Gunning Fog Index?
- The Gunning Fog Index estimates years of formal education needed to understand text on a first read. It counts "complex words" (3+ syllables). A score of 12 means a high school graduate can read it; above 16 is considered graduate-level. Most popular writing targets 8–10.
- What is the SMOG Index?
- SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) estimates years of education needed based on polysyllabic word count. It is considered particularly accurate for health-related text. SMOG is calibrated for texts of 30+ sentences; shorter texts produce less reliable results.
- What readability score should I aim for?
- It depends on your audience. Blog posts and marketing copy: Flesch 60–70, grade 6–8. Email newsletters: Flesch 65–75. Academic papers: Flesch 30–50. Legal documents: Flesch 20–40. Health information for the public: Flesch 60+ (grade 6–8 per US health communication guidelines).
- How can I improve my readability score?
- Use shorter sentences (under 20 words). Replace multi-syllable words with simpler synonyms. Break long paragraphs into shorter ones. Use active voice instead of passive. Avoid jargon unless your audience is specialist. Each of these changes will raise your Flesch score and lower your grade level.
- How much text do I need for an accurate score?
- Most formulas are designed for at least 100 words and 5+ sentences. Shorter texts produce less reliable scores, especially SMOG which is calibrated for 30 sentences. For very short snippets, the scores are rough indicators only.