Analyze text readability with Flesch-Kincaid and Gunning Fog scores and grade levels.
Reading level is a measure of the education grade needed to understand a piece of text, calculated using formulas that analyze sentence length, word complexity, and syllable counts.
| Score | Level | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| 90 to 100 | 5th Grade | Very Easy |
| 80 to 89 | 6th Grade | Easy |
| 70 to 79 | 7th Grade | Fairly Easy |
| 60 to 69 | 8th to 9th Grade | Standard |
| 50 to 59 | 10th to 12th Grade | Fairly Difficult |
| 30 to 49 | College | Difficult |
| 0 to 29 | Graduate | Very Difficult |
Formula
Flesch-Kincaid Grade = 0.39 × (words/sentences) + 11.8 × (syllables/words) − 15.59words/sentences = Average number of words per sentence
syllables/words = Average number of syllables per word
Worked Example
100 words, 5 sentences, 140 syllables
Did you know? The U.S. Department of Defense uses the Flesch-Kincaid formula to assess the readability of all technical manuals and documents. Federal plain language guidelines recommend writing at a 6th-8th grade level for public communications.
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