Use the checker on a real draft
- Paste a paragraph or several pages, or load the sample to see the checks on a complete draft.
- Start with the sentence that carries the main point. Open a finding to see its wording in context, then choose Select in draft to edit it.
- Compare the first check with the edited draft. Copy the text when it reads the way you want, or save a plain-text file.
Try reviewing one section at a time. If a report has a long background section and a short set of instructions, checking them separately can show where readers will have the most work to do.
What your readability grade measures
Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level estimates the US school grade associated with the length of the words and sentences in an English passage. Grade 8 is an estimate based on those counts. Readers can still struggle with an unfamiliar idea even when every word is short.
Flesch Reading Ease is a separate measure. Higher scores usually correspond to shorter words and sentences. Open the calculation under your result, or use the Flesch–Kincaid calculator to see both equations with your counts substituted. Concise waits for at least 100 body words and three sentences before showing a document grade, because one unusual sentence can dominate a short sample.
Make the sentence easier to follow
First draft
The return window was extended by the shop because several customers had been unable to collect their orders before the original deadline.
One revision
The shop extended the return window. Several customers could not collect their orders before the original deadline.
The revision makes the actor visible and gives the reason its own sentence. A different reader might prefer “The return window was extended” at the top of a notice because the new deadline is the information they need. Use the passive voice checker when it helps to focus on the actor in each sentence.
Word choices matter too. “We utilized the meeting room” might read more directly as “We used the meeting room.” “We will probably finish Tuesday” may need the hedge if Tuesday depends on a delivery. A finding gives you a place to look. You decide what the reader needs.
Why a score can differ from Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word offers Flesch readability statistics. Check Microsoft's instructions for your version of Word to find them. A grade can differ between tools when they divide sentences or estimate syllables differently. A line break, an abbreviation such as “Dr.”, or a heading can change the counts used by the formula.
If you want to compare revisions, use the same tool and a similar amount of text each time. Read the draft against the reader's task as well. See Concise's counting rules and limitations.