"Good writing is like a good recipe: the right ingredients and a pinch of technique make all the difference."
The readability of your writing matters for two reasons.
First, it measures how easy your writing is to understand.
Second, it shows how easy your writing is to read.
In other words, a high readability score means that what you write is understandable and effortless to read.
Many factors contribute to a high readability score. Let's explore those factors and how you can use them to improve your writing.
How To Improve Readability of Writing
Many factors contribute to a high readability score. Let's explore those factors and how you can use them to improve your writing.
How to Improve The Readability Score of Your Writing
What Is the Readability Score?
The readability score quantifies how easy your writing is to understand.
Readability formulas like the Flesch Kincaid reading ease test measure how easy it is for someone to read a passage. These tools evaluate text by analyzing syllable count, sentence length and word difficulty.
Then, they assign a score that hints at the level of education someone might need to understand the content well.
The point is to assist writers in creating easily readable writing for their audiences.
How Is It Measured?
The readability score is often measured using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test. This test assigns a numerical and grade level to a piece of writing based on the average number of words per sentence and the average number of syllables per word.
Another example of a readability formula is the Automated Readability Index (ARI), a simple tool that helps predict the grade level required to understand a text.
It's like a math formula where you count the number of characters (not just letters, but any mark-like spaces and punctuation) in the text, then divide that by the number of words to get a figure.
Next, divide the total word count by the number of sentences. These two numbers get multiplied by 4.71 and 0.5, respectively, and then you add them together.
Finally, you subtract 21.43 from that sum. The resulting number roughly matches the grade level of education needed to read the text.
So, if you get a 7, it means the text should be understandable for a seventh grader.
Why Is It Important?
The readability score is a critical metric in writing because it determines how easily people can understand your writing.
If whatever you write is difficult to understand, people will likely stop reading it before they get to the end.
On the other hand, if your writing is easy to understand, people can follow along effortlessly and enjoy reading it.
"Clarity is the way to success. The less fog you have, the further you can go."
What Is a Good Readability Score?
A good readability score depends on your audience and the type of writing.
For example, if you are writing a blog post or social media piece for online consumption, you will want a higher score than if you are writing for an audience of academics.
In general, however, a score of 60 or higher is considered good.
What Are the Critical Elements of a Good Score?
The main elements that make up a good readability score are sentence length, word choice, pronoun use, and paragraph length.
Sentence Length
The first element is sentence length. A good rule of thumb is to keep your sentences under 20 words long. Short sentences help ensure that people can easily understand what you are trying to say without getting lost.
"Keep your sentences concise - it’s like a vacation: the shorter and sweeter, the better!"
Word Choice
The second element is word choice. When choosing words for your sentences, try to use simple and familiar words that people will understand instantly. Avoid jargon, technical terms or slang unless you are sure that your audience will understand them.
"Shorter words are like shortcuts - they get you there faster and with less effort!"
Pronoun Use
The third element is pronoun use. Pronouns can help make your writing more concise and easier to understand. But too many pronouns can make your writing confusing to follow. As a general rule, limit yourself to one pronoun per sentence whenever possible.
"When it comes to pronouns, less is more - don't let your writing become lost in a sea of 'it', 'they', and 'their'!"
Paragraph Length
Longer paragraphs need more effort to read, especially if they contain complex sentences. So texts with long sentences and paragraphs will have lower readability scores.
What To Avoid
There are several things you should avoid if you want a high readability score:
- Too many long sentences
- Unnecessary words
- Long or complicated words when shorter ones will do
- Jargon or slang unless you are sure that your audience will understand it
- Overusing pronouns
- Long paragraphs; 2-3 sentences in each is ideal
How to Score 60+ In Grammarly
Here are some proven strategies for improving readability so that your writing scores 60 or higher in Grammarly's readability score evaluation:
- Keep most sentences under 20 words long
- Organize paragraphs to be concise, 2-3 sentences long
- Use simple words rather then complex words
- Limit how many pronouns you use per sentence
- Use active voice rather than passive voice
Final Thoughts
"Readability isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a need-to-have!"
A good readability score ensures readers will understand your writing easily. easy to read text is critical in online media - because people scan rather than pore over every word.
Your writing will be quicker and easier to read than more complex writing. A good readability score depends on your target market. In general, though, a score of 60 or higher is considered commendable. The main attributes of a good readability score are sentence length, word choice, pronoun usage, and paragraph length. Remember these next time you write something for work or pleasure.
So there you have it! By following these key tips you should see a marked improvement in your readability score in Grammarly's evaluation tool - giving you greater confidence when sharing your work with others, knowing they'll understand your message with less effort!
One final note
How does the topic of your writing affect readability?
The topic of your writing certainly can affect readability, and you should consider this when creating content for blogs or articles.
For fashion tips, for example, readers tend to look for a more casual writing style. Writing in a conversational tone with shorter sentences and simpler words can make your content easier to digest.
In contrast, if you need to write a highly technical product description or content for an ebook on a complex topic, you might need to use more complex terms and longer sentences to communicate the information.
No matter what type of content you create, the main aim should be to make it as easy to read and understand as possible. Using the right words and sentence structure can go a long way in increasing readability.
Another factor to consider when trying to improve your content's readability is the structure of the text. Breaking up long paragraphs into shorter ones, using headings and subheadings to separate sections, and using bulleted lists are effective ways to make content easier to scan. Good structure helps readers pick out key points more quickly.
Finally, the use of visuals can also help in increasing overall readability. Images, videos, infographics, and charts are great for breaking up text and helping readers understand complex topics. They can also make the content more engaging, encouraging readers to stay on the page longer.
Finished creating your content?
Try running a readability test to give you an objective view of how easy it is for readers to understand your content.
Readability tools like a the Flesch Kincaid reading ease test, the Hemingway App, or Grammarly can help you gauge the readability of your content.
FAQ | How to Improve Readability
Do bullet points affect readability?
Bullet points can make your writing easier to read because they break down complex information into smaller, straightforward bits. They provide a quick way for readers to see key points without grappling with long sentences.
To make your content even more readable, keep your bullet points clear and use them to list similar items like steps in a process or important ideas. Keep your sentences short and sweet, choose simpler words over longer ones, and stick to one main idea for each bullet point.
This helps everyone understand your message, whether they're a seventh grader or a college graduate. Best practices suggest that bullet points are like signposts, guiding your reader through your text more easily, which can improve your SEO rankings too.
What is the ideal average sentence length for optimal readability?
The ideal average sentence length for easy-to-read content is about 15 to 20 words. Keeping sentences short helps the reader understand your ideas without getting lost in complex thoughts.
To make your writing even clearer, use common words and sprinkle in some transition words like "and," "but," or "because" to connect your ideas smoothly. This way, readers can easily follow along, sort of like following a trail of breadcrumbs.
Remember to stick to one idea per sentence and avoid making the reader pause too often to understand big words or complicated sentences. By keeping it simple, your writing will be more enjoyable and easier to read for everyone.
What is the most important thing to improve readability score?
The first thing to improve a readability score is to focus on making your sentences short and simple. Use easy words that most people know instead of long, compound words, and keep sentences focused on the same idea.
Break up long sentences into shorter ones, and try not to use too many fancy words. This practice makes it easier for your target audience to follow what you're saying and stay interested.
Short sentences and common words are vital for creating readable content that readers can easily understand!
How does the focus keyword affect readability?
The focus keyword is like the main character of your story: it's the word or phrase your content is mostly about. Use this keyword correctly and it helps make your writing clearer and easier to follow. If you sprinkle the focus keyword naturally throughout the text, it can make content more relatable and easier to understand, like using signs on a hiking trail to guide hikers.
Get to the point without using too many long or complicated words. It makes it easier for people to read and grasp what you're saying. Also, sticking to one idea in a sentence helps readers follow along without getting lost. And don't forget about transition words, like "and" or "because"; they're like bridges between thoughts that help connect your ideas smoothly.
Doing these things will make sure everyone can enjoy what you write and understand it better.
Does readability affect SEO rankings?
Yes. Readability impacts SEO rankings. Search engines like Google want to provide users with content that's easy to read and understand. If your content is filled with long sentences, complex words, or it's hard to read, it can negatively affect your website's ranking.
What's the best thing to do? Use shorter sentences and easy words so more people can understand your content. If you're using proper nouns or terms that are hard to explain, make sure to define them.
Your editing process should always consider shortening sentences if too long. This way, your writing will be more readable, and search engines will give your content a higher score, making it easier for people to find.
Read more about the Flesch reading ease test and how readability affects SEO.
What is the upper limit readability score?
The upper limit of a readability score depends on the specific formula used, but generally, there isn't a fixed "highest" score. For the Automated Readability Index (ARI), a very high score could mean that the text is very complex, with lots of long words and long sentences, suggesting it's suitable for people who have a college-level education or higher. To make your content easier to read, try to shorten your sentences and use fewer long words.
What is the best tip to improve content readability?
The best tip to improve content readability is to avoid using long sentence structures, and use simple words instead of longer words. This makes your writing easier to understand and helps everyone, not just experts, to get what you're saying.