Writing, marketing and technology
There is a little-known feature in Word that displays readability statistics as part of the spelling and grammar check. Specifically, it tells you how many passive sentences there are and gives scores for Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level.
I’ve written about readability metrics before. They’re not going to make you a great writer but they can stop you being a dreadful one. Find out how to switch on readability statistics in Microsoft word.
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Matthew Stibbe is CEO of Articulate Marketing and Turbine, the easy, online way to deal with office paperwork. He edits Golf Hotel Whiskey and writes the Forbes Aviator column.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Though I know quite a bit about grammar and language, and I can spot a passive construction easily, I sometimes get pretty lazy.
So when I’ve written something I don’t much care about, I’ll use this tool to find all my pesky passive sentences.
You can highlight each sentence, spell check it and when it asks “Finished, do you want to continue checking the rest of the document?” Click “no.” It will then show you the readability statistics for that particular sentence. If it’s passive, it will say 100%. If not, 0%.
Pretty useful and quick. Better than reading the entire document over again.
Though I guess not writing in passive voice would be easier the first time around.
I’m planning to start writing a radio show for internet streaming. Also, I have been taking classes in fictional writing (just to get the hang of writing a story) any suggestions on how to research material without losing focus of writing the story?
I have a question, is the readability option available in a Spanish text? I have run this option in a Spanish text and I got the count and averages statistics but not the readability ones?
Could you please help me?
Thanks!!
I’ve just been invited to teach an “Improved Reading” course in Portugal. Though I was given all the information, texts and exercices I need, I’ve been doing a personal research. All the texts selected have specific readability statistics. during my research I found diferente tools/ formulas: Gunning Fog Index; Flesch Fog Index and The Smog Index. Reading this page’s comments I found Miss. Natalia’s Nigro question very interesting and I was woundering if I could also have access to its answer. I’ve latelly found out that for example these kind of tools/formulas are not supposed to be applied to germain texts because of its language structure. I also teach spanish and due to the resembles of these two languages (portugese and spanish) all the info I can get will be very precious to me.
Best regards!!
DOes anyone have info on readability scales for Spanish text? Please help!
I am urgently looking for a software package which will not only check grammar but also provide readability Index and Flesch-Kincaird Grade level.
What is the Flesch-Kincaird Grade level?
Where is the readability index in Word 07?
Readability stats in Word 2007: http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/word/HP051896011033.aspx.
I don’t agree with the witch-hunt on passive sentences. Some ideas should be de-emphasized, and repetitive language patterns should be avoided for maximum effect.
Matthew Stibbe:
In Microsoft Office Word 2007, under the Review tab is an ABC Spelling & Grammar button that helpfully checks spelling and grammar and then provides Readability Statistics. Do you know how can I skip the spelling and grammar checks and get just the readability statistics?
Do you know who might know?
Thank you.
WDF
You can’t get to the readability stats without first completing a spelling and grammar check. Annoying, huh!? The good news is that I have created a free tool that lets you do it online instantly: http://articulatemarketing.com/free-tools/.
Beware, aspiring writers. Word is grossly inaccurate. Not every sentence with “was” or “by” is passive.
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