Flesch Reading Ease: What Your Score Means and How to Improve It
The Flesch Reading Ease score is the most widely used readability measure, built into Microsoft Word, SEO plugins and writing apps. Here's what the number means, what to aim for, and how to raise it without dumbing down your writing.
Quick answer
The Flesch Reading Ease score rates text from 0 to 100: higher means easier. 60–70 is plain English that most adults read easily, and it's a good target for blogs, websites and marketing. To raise your score, use shorter sentences and shorter, more common words.
How the Flesch Reading Ease score is calculated
Rudolf Flesch published the formula in 1948. It uses just two measurements: average sentence length and average word length in syllables.
206.835 − 1.015 × (words ÷ sentences) − 84.6 × (syllables ÷ words)Long sentences and long words both lower the score. Syllables have a much bigger weight, which is why replacing a few long words often makes a big difference.
What does your score mean?
| Score | Difficulty | Roughly suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Very easy | Ages 11 and up |
| 80–89 | Easy | Conversational English |
| 70–79 | Fairly easy | Ages 12–13 |
| 60–69 | Plain English | Ages 13–15, most adults |
| 50–59 | Fairly difficult | High school seniors |
| 30–49 | Difficult | College level |
| 0–29 | Very difficult | University graduates, specialists |
Extremely dense text can even score below zero, as you'll see in the example further down.
Flesch Reading Ease vs Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level uses the same ingredients but outputs a US school grade instead:
0.39 × (words ÷ sentences) + 11.8 × (syllables ÷ words) − 15.59A grade of 8 means a typical 13- to 14-year-old should understand the text. The two scores move in opposite directions: a higher Reading Ease means a lower grade level.
What score should you aim for?
- Blogs, websites, marketing: 60–70, or grade 7–9.
- Emails and business writing: 50–60.
- Public information and health content: 70+, or about grade 6–8. Many government plain-language guides recommend writing for a broad audience.
- Technical and academic writing: lower scores are normal. Specialist terms are long, and your readers know them.
Even expert readers prefer clear writing. Easy-to-read text is faster for everyone, not just for beginners.
How to check your readability for free
- Open the free Readability Checker.
- Paste your text. Scores update instantly as you type.
- See the Flesch Reading Ease, the grade level and four more formulas: Gunning Fog, SMOG, Coleman-Liau and the Automated Readability Index.
- Switch to Highlights to find long sentences, passive voice and adverbs.
Try it free: Readability Checker
Get Flesch-Kincaid and other readability scores with tips. Runs in your browser, no sign-up.
8 ways to improve your score
- Shorten long sentences. Aim for an average of 15–20 words. Split any sentence over 25 words.
- Choose short, common words. "Use", not "utilize". "Help", not "facilitate". "Start", not "commence".
- Prefer the active voice. "The team fixed the bug" is shorter and clearer than "The bug was fixed by the team".
- Cut filler. "In order to" becomes "to". "Due to the fact that" becomes "because".
- Cut unnecessary adverbs. "Very important" can be "essential". "Really fast" can be "fast".
- One idea per sentence. If a sentence has three commas and an "and", it's probably two sentences.
- Turn noun phrases into verbs. "Make a decision" becomes "decide". "Conduct an analysis" becomes "analyze".
- Use lists for steps and options. Lists don't change your score much, but readers find them much easier.
Before and after
Before (score below 0): "In order to facilitate the optimization of organizational productivity, it is recommended that employees utilize the newly implemented scheduling functionality."
After (score ≈ 75): "To help everyone get more done, please use the new scheduling feature."
Same message, half the words, and much easier to read.
Limitations of readability formulas
- They measure length, not meaning. A short, confusing sentence can still score well.
- They ignore layout: headings, lists and white space matter a lot to real readers.
- Technical terms lower the score, even when your audience knows them.
- They're designed for English. Scores for other languages aren't comparable.
Use the score as a guide, then read your text aloud. If you stumble, your readers will too.
Frequently asked questions
Is a higher Flesch score always better?
Not always. A very high score can sound choppy or childish. For most adult audiences, 60–70 balances clarity and natural style.
Does readability affect SEO?
Readability isn't a direct ranking factor, but clear writing keeps visitors reading and helps them find answers, which is what search engines aim to reward.
Where else can I see my Flesch score?
Microsoft Word shows readability statistics after a spelling and grammar check, if the option is enabled. Many SEO plugins show it too.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. All scores are calculated in your browser.
The bottom line
Aim for a Flesch Reading Ease of 60–70 for most writing. Shorter sentences, plainer words and the active voice will get you there, and your readers will thank you.
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