Loona Reading Level Calculator - Flesch Scores for Your Writing
Governments, insurers and good editors all check reading level, because text that is too hard quietly loses its audience. Paste your writing below and get both standard scores instantly, with the counts behind them and a plain-English verdict.
How to use the Reading Level Calculator
- Paste at least a sentence or two of your writing - a longer sample gives a steadier score.
- Read the two scores: Flesch Reading Ease (higher is easier) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade (the US school grade that can read it).
- If the score is too hard for your audience, shorten sentences and swap long words for short ones, then check again.
How it works
Both scores come from the same three counts: words, sentences and syllables. Flesch Reading Ease = 206.835 − 1.015 × (words ÷ sentences) − 84.6 × (syllables ÷ words), giving roughly 0-100, where 60-70 is plain English readable by 13-15 year olds. Flesch-Kincaid Grade = 0.39 × (words ÷ sentences) + 11.8 × (syllables ÷ words) − 15.59, giving a US grade level. Syllables are counted with the standard vowel-group rules, so very short samples can wobble - a paragraph or more is best.
Worked example
The sentence "The cat sat on the mat." has 6 words, 1 sentence and 6 syllables. Reading Ease = 206.835 − 6.09 − 84.6 = about 116 (capped at 100 in most reports - extremely easy), and Grade = 2.34 + 11.8 − 15.59 = about −1.4, i.e. readable by the youngest readers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this reading level calculator free?
Yes - completely free, with no sign-up and no limit.
What Flesch Reading Ease score should I aim for?
For the general public, 60-70 is the usual target (plain English). Public documents often aim for 60 or above; text below 30 is best left to university graduates.
What does the grade level mean?
The US school grade whose students should understand the text. Grade 8 means roughly 13-14 year olds. Negative results simply mean "easier than grade 1".
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. The scores are calculated 100% in your browser - your text never leaves your device.
Why did my score change when I fixed one sentence?
Short samples react strongly to small edits because there are so few sentences to average. Judge a full paragraph, not a single line.
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