Plain-language and readability checker
Paste a letter, notice, form or web page. See its reading ease and grade level, then fix what makes it hard: long sentences, passive voice and wordy phrases, each highlighted in your text.
Reading ease
35.9
Flesch Reading Ease: higher is easier
Grade level
14
Flesch-Kincaid: about 14 years of US schooling
Words
93
4 sentences, 1 paragraph
Sentence length
23.3
words on average; longest 39
Long words
22
with three or more syllables
Your text, marked up
long sentence passive voice wordy phrase
In order to facilitate the commencement of the refurbishment works, it is recommended that residents remove all personal belongings from the communal storage area prior to 14 March. Any items that are not removed will be disposed of by the contractor in accordance with the building management policy, and no liability will be accepted for items that have been left in the storage area after this date. Should you require additional assistance with the removal of items, please do not hesitate to contact the office at your earliest convenience.
Things to try
- 2 sentences are longer than 25 words (longest: 39). Split each into shorter sentences with one idea in each.
- 4 possible passive phrases: “is recommended”, “be disposed”, “be accepted”, “been left”. Say who does what: “we will send”, not “it will be sent”.
- 11 wordy phrases with plainer choices:
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| In order to | to |
| facilitate | help, make easier |
| commencement | start |
| it is recommended that | we recommend, please |
| prior to | before |
| in accordance with | under, following |
| require | need |
| additional | more, extra |
| assistance | help |
| please do not hesitate to | please |
| at your earliest convenience | soon, by (a date) |
What the scores mean
Flesch Reading Ease is 206.835 − 1.015 × (words per sentence) − 84.6 × (syllables per word). Higher scores mean easier reading; most everyday text falls between 0 and 100. Flesch-Kincaid Grade is 0.39 × (words per sentence) + 11.8 × (syllables per word) − 15.59, which gives roughly the years of US schooling a reader needs. WCAG 2.2's success criterion 3.1.5 (level AAA) asks for a simpler version when text needs more than nine years of school.
Both formulas only count. They cannot tell whether your words are familiar, your order is logical or your reader will understand. Use them to compare drafts, not as a pass mark.
How the highlights work
Syllables are estimated from vowel groups, so counts can be off by one on unusual words. Passive voice is found by a pattern: a form of be followed by a past participle, such as was sent; some adjectives slip through, and some passives are missed. The US federal plain language guidelines recommend the active voice, one idea per sentence, and paragraphs of no more than 150 words. The wordy-phrase list is ours, with plainer choices beside each.
Sources
- Flesch R. A new readability yardstick. Journal of Applied Psychology 1948;32(3):221–233. doi:10.1037/h0057532
- Kincaid JP, Fishburne RP, Rogers RL, Chissom BS. Derivation of new readability formulas for Navy enlisted personnel. Research Branch Report 8-75, 1975. stars.library.ucf.edu/istlibrary/56
- W3C. Understanding Success Criterion 3.1.5: Reading Level.
- Digital.gov. Federal plain language guidelines: clear and short and writing.
Questions
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. The checks run in your browser and nothing you paste is uploaded or saved.
What should I aim for?
Write for your actual readers and test with them if you can. For the public, shorter sentences, common words and the active voice almost always help; the scores just show whether a draft moved in the right direction.
Does it work for other languages?
No. The formulas and syllable counting are for English.