Readability Score Calculator

Written byOleh Soloninupdated 25 September 2026

Text

Result

Flesch score27.7
Reading leveldifficult
Words per sentence13
Syllables per word1.96
Sentences2
Words26

Two measurable habits decide most of the difficulty

Score text on the Flesch reading-ease scale and see the two things that drive it: sentence length and syllables per word.

The Flesch formula rests on two observable facts: long sentences and long words make text harder. It cannot judge the quality of an idea — only how comfortably it is put.

For English text the page uses Flesch Reading Ease: 206.835 − 1.015 × words per sentence − 84.6 × syllables per word. Paste Russian and it switches to I. V. Oborneva's 2006 adaptation, with coefficients 1.3 and 60.1, because English weights rate almost any Russian text as very difficult.

How to use

Paste your text — a few sentences at least.
The calculator detects the language and picks the formula.
Read the score and its label, the average sentence and word length, and the sentence and word counts.

Sample scores

Both levers matter: the contract clause loses points on its 26-word sentence as much as on its long words.

Every row is output from this page's calculator.
Text	Words per sentence	Syllables per word	Score
The cat sat on the mat.	6	1	100 — very easy
Enter the amount and the term. The calculator shows the interest for each month.	7	1.5	72.8 — easy
Short sentences are easier to read. Long constructions, dense with subordinate clauses and specialist terminology, make a text noticeably harder for the reader to take in.	13	1.96	27.7 — difficult
The agreement shall enter into force upon signature by both parties… — one 26-word sentence	26	2	11.2 — very difficult

Reading the score

The scale runs from 0 to 100: higher means easier. Anything outside it is clipped.

The bands are taken from the calculator's code.
Score	Label
80–100	very easy
60–80	easy
40–60	fair
20–40	difficult
0–20	very difficult

What this calculator shows

A reading-ease score from 0 to 100 with a plain-language label
Average words per sentence and syllables per word
Sentence and word counts for the text

What to keep in mind

The language is decided by the letters: if Cyrillic outnumbers Latin, Oborneva's formula is used, otherwise Flesch's.
English syllables are approximated by counting vowel groups; in Russian every vowel letter is a syllable.

FAQs

What counts as a good score?

The calculator labels 60–80 as easy and 40–60 as fair. Instructions and customer emails are worth aiming at easy; contracts and technical documentation sit lower, often for good reason.

Does it work for Russian?

Yes: for Russian text it switches to Oborneva's 2006 coefficients, derived for Russian. Comparing your own drafts with each other works either way.

Should I always aim for a higher score?

No. A contract or a technical specification has to be precise, and precision costs readability. The score catches accidental complexity; it should not flatten necessary complexity.

What is the quickest way to improve readability?

Split long sentences and swap long words for short ones — both raise the score. Cutting a 20-word sentence into two of 10 is worth about 10 points on the Flesch formula.

How are syllables counted?

In English, as groups of consecutive vowels, which is an approximation: 'idea' comes out as two syllables instead of three, 'make' as two instead of one. In Russian, every vowel letter is a syllable.

Why does a very short text score 100?

The formula can go above 100 — 'The cat sat on the mat.' works out at 116 — and the calculator clips the scale at 100. A negative result shows as 0.

Worked example

Two plain sentences

Input: Enter the amount and the term. The calculator shows the interest for each month.

Output: 72.8 — easy

Note: 7 words per sentence and 1.5 syllables per word: 206.835 − 1.015 × 7 − 84.6 × 1.5.

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Result

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