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Flesch Reading Ease scale
| Score | Difficulty | Approx. CEFR | Typical text |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Very Easy | A1–A2 | Children's books, simple instructions |
| 70–90 | Easy | A2–B1 | Popular fiction, tabloid newspapers |
| 60–70 | Standard | B1–B2 | Quality newspapers, standard articles |
| 50–60 | Fairly Difficult | B2–C1 | Academic writing, formal reports |
| 30–50 | Difficult | C1 | Scientific journals, legal text |
| 0–30 | Very Difficult | C2 | Technical manuals, academic papers |
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How to Use This Tool
- Paste your English text into the text area — at least 3 sentences for accurate results.
- Click "Check Readability" to analyse the text.
- Three score cards appear: Flesch Reading Ease (0–100), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, and approximate CEFR level.
- Review the stats row showing word count, sentence count, syllable count, and average sentence length.
- Read the Suggestions box for specific recommendations to improve readability.
- Edit your text, paste the revised version, and click "Check Readability" again to see the improvement.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Flesch Reading Ease score?
The Flesch Reading Ease score rates text on a scale from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate easier text: 90–100 is very easy (comic books), 60–70 is standard (newspapers), and 0–30 is very difficult (academic journals). The formula was developed by Rudolf Flesch in 1948.
What is the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level?
The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level converts the readability score into a US school grade equivalent. A score of 8 means the text is appropriate for an 8th-grade student (approximately 13–14 years old). Grade 5–6 corresponds roughly to B1–B2 CEFR level for ESL learners.
How do readability scores help ESL teachers?
Teachers can use readability scores to choose texts that are appropriately challenging for their class level. A text with a Flesch score below 50 may be too difficult for intermediate learners (B1–B2), while a score above 70 is likely suitable for elementary levels. This tool removes the guesswork from text selection.
What Flesch score should A2 learners aim for?
A2 learners (elementary level) typically benefit from texts scoring 80–90 on the Flesch Reading Ease scale, which corresponds roughly to a Grade 4–5 Flesch-Kincaid level. These texts use short sentences and common vocabulary without complex clauses.
Is the readability checker free?
Yes, the readability checker is entirely free with no sign-up required. It runs locally in your browser so your text is never sent to any server.
How can I improve the readability of my text?
To improve readability, use shorter sentences (aim for under 20 words on average), choose simpler words with fewer syllables, avoid passive constructions where possible, and break long paragraphs into shorter ones.
What CEFR level corresponds to each Flesch score?
Approximate CEFR equivalents: A1–A2 texts typically score 80–100, B1 texts score 65–80, B2 texts score 50–65, C1 texts score 35–50, and C2 or academic texts score below 35. These are rough guides — actual difficulty depends on vocabulary and topic familiarity as well.
Does the tool work for non-native English writing?
Yes. The Flesch formula only analyses sentence length and syllable count, so it works equally well for any English text regardless of who wrote it. It is often used to assess the readability of ESL student writing and simplified reader texts.
What is a good readability score for a website?
For general web content, a Flesch score of 60–70 (Standard difficulty) is recommended. Educational websites targeting mixed audiences often aim for 65–75. Blog posts and news articles usually score between 60 and 80 to ensure wide accessibility.
Are there other readability formulas?
Yes. Other common formulas include Gunning Fog, SMOG, Coleman-Liau, and the Automated Readability Index. All use combinations of sentence length, word length, and syllable count. Flesch and Flesch-Kincaid are the most widely cited in educational research and are the standard for UK and US school materials.