Tools for writing: Microsoft Word readability statistics
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.
Owen Lystrup wrote:
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.
Posted on 28-May-06 at 8:39 am | Permalink
Steve Armstrong wrote:
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?
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 2:49 am | Permalink
Natalia Nigro wrote:
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!!
Posted on 14-Apr-07 at 2:13 am | Permalink
Natalie Guerreiro wrote:
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!!
Posted on 08-May-07 at 9:58 am | Permalink
Toni Thompson wrote:
DOes anyone have info on readability scales for Spanish text? Please help!
Posted on 03-Dec-07 at 2:48 pm | Permalink