What is the Readability Score?
Whenever you write something, you need to make sure that people can read it without difficulty. The phrase commonly used to describe the aspect of a text that can decide about text’s ease or difficulty is ‘readability score’. A text with a high readability score is easier to read, while low readability score goes opposite. Generally, there are multiple factors that determine how readable a text is.
The most commonly used tests to evaluate a text’s ease or readability score are: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, and the FOG Index.
The ‘Flesch Reading Ease’ test is a commonly used parameter to evaluate text. It comprises on:
- Score between 0 to100.
- If a text score is 90-100, (a simple form of text) the average 10-year-old should be able to easily understand it.
- 60-70 (a good score) ought to be pretty easily understandable by younger teenagers.
- Lastly, 0-30 (hard to read) scoring texts are best understood by someone with a college degree.
(1) Write in a conversational manner
Don’t write content as if it’s written for robots. Always include your reader in your conversation. Write in such a way that you are communicating one-to-one. Your readers are humans So, alays address your readers in a conversational tone. Use words that engage readers like “you” and “I” that hooks readers to keep reading your content.
(2) Distribute text into heading and subheading
Distribute your text into heading and subheading. There are six types of heading in content writing: h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 and h6. Texts without subheadings become boring and are difficult to read. Distribute your text into equal heading. Each heading should be on two to three paragraphs. Each heading should be less than 300 words.
(3) Write short paragraphs for good readability score
Short paragraphs are always preferred. Paragraphs should not be more than 4 to 5 sentences or 150 words collectively. Majority of the readers skip the lengthy paragraphs with long sentences. Short paragraphs are easy to read and comprehend. You can even include a single sentence in your paragraph, but too much length is not acceptable. Make sure your paragraphs are not too long to gain good readability score(a paragraph of 7 or 8 sentences is quite long enough to decrease your readability score).
(4) Use Simple wording for good readability score
Do not try to impress your readers by using complex and rear words but you must write as simple possible words for a better understanding of the readers.
Avoid the use of words that are difficult to read. Keep in your mind that reading from a screen is difficult compared to a book or a printed page. Words with three or fewer syllables are considered easy to read, so avoid words with four or more syllables.
(5) Sentence beginning with the same words
Another important point is to avoid starting of your consecutive sentences with the same word. Such practice can make annoyed your reader. If you start a sentence with a word; do not use the same word for the start of the next sentence. Try to use variables and mix sentences if not possible to start ih another word.
(6) Use of active voice| Avoid passive voice
Do not use passive voice in your writing. Using a lot of passive voice in your text can make your message ambiguous. Your sentences become lengthy and difficult because the sentence structure of passive voice is complex and harder to understand. Whenever you use the passive voice, always consider whether a better, active alternative is available. There is a limit if you want to use passive voice. Your passive voice in all of your text should not be more than 10% of the whole text. Use of active voice increases readability score.
(7) Use transition words
Transition words are always encouraged to write for a good readability score. Transition words usually join thoughts or sentences as we make its use in general conversations. ‘most importantly’, ‘because’, ‘therefore’, or ‘besides that’ are commonly used transition words? Using transition words will improve the flow of your text as they provide hints to the reader about what is coming next.
(8) Sentence length : Key factor for Readability Score
Sentence length is one of the most important factor that can decide the readability score o a text. Sentences over 20 words are considered long sentences. Try to use short and simple sentences to gain a good readability score.
When you write a long sentence, readers often have to jump back a few words to find out what you mean in previous wording.
(9) Use Yoast SEO Plugin or Grammarly Software
If you are a blogger or write for a website, you must try Yoast SEO. Yoast SEO Plugin tells about the length of your sentences and paragraphs, and% of transition words you used. What’s more, it assesses your use of passive voice and suggests steps to improve your readability score. It also calculates the Flesch Reading Ease score and tells you to take step I it is low.