These tests are used to signify the difficulty level of a reading passage in English. There are two tests.
- Flesch Reading Ease
- Flesch-Kincaid Level
These tests have different weighting factors despite having the same core values, which focus on word length and sentence structure.
Flesch Reading Ease.
High scores indicate that the material is easy to read, whilst low scores indicate a higher level of difficulty. The formula is as follows,
| Score | Notes |
|---|---|
| 90.0–100.0 | easily understood by an average 11-year-old student |
| 60.0–70.0 | easily understood by 13- to 15-year-old students |
| 0.0–30.0 | best understood by university graduates |
The use of this readability test is so universal that it is often featured on popular programs and services.
Flesch-Kincaid Level
This readability test is widely used in education fields and presents scores as a US grade level. It is commonly used by teachers, parents and librarians to evaluate the readability of books and texts. The formula is as follows,
