What grade level is my writing?

The grade level of a piece of writing is an estimate, not a mark from a teacher. The usual formula on the web is Flesch–Kincaid. It looks at how long the sentences are and how many syllables the words have. A result of 6 means the sentences look like sixth-grade reading. A result of 12 looks like the last year of high school.

How to check a draft

Copy a paragraph you wrote — a caption, an email, a product note — and paste it into the readability checker. You get a grade level and a reading-ease score from 0 to 100. Higher ease is easier. The text stays in your browser.

What moves the number

• Long sentences raise the grade level. Two shorter sentences usually lower it.
• Long words raise it, even when the idea is simple. “Use” scores easier than “utilize.”
• A list of familiar words can still score high if every sentence runs on.

What the number does not mean

A low grade is not automatically better writing. Instructions, emails, and most web pages are easier to finish around grades 6 to 8. A lab note or a contract can sit higher because the reader expects the precise word. The score never checks whether the facts are right or the tone is kind.

If you are rewriting your own draft, the paraphrase note sits next to this one. Do not paste someone else’s essay into the checker and hand the result in as yours.