Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level

A readability formula expressed as a US school grade — grade 8 means an eighth-grader could read it.

The Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level rescales the Flesch Reading Ease score into a US school grade. Formula: 0.39 × (words/sentences) + 11.8 × (syllables/words) − 15.59. Most popular books target grade 7–9.

Related terms

  • Flesch Reading Ease — A readability score from 0–100; higher is easier. 60–70 is recommended for most online writing.
  • Readability — How easy a text is to read, typically measured by sentence length and word complexity.