Consider your target audience when evaluating readability. The level of complexity should align with their reading abilities. For example, reports for CEOs may require a higher level of technical detail than instruction manuals for customer service representatives.

As Robert Gunning noted, the Gunning Fog Index is a helpful tool for assessing readability, but it’s not a definitive formula for writing.

While readability scores provide valuable insights, they don’t account for grammar, spelling, or overall voice. A text with grammatical errors can still achieve a high readability score.

While checking readability is beneficial, don’t rely solely on scores to assess usefulness and comprehension. Readability formulas have limitations, such as not measuring understanding or considering industry-specific terminology.

Calculating readability can help identify instances of overly long sentences or complex vocabulary, guiding you toward improvements.

In general, aim for shorter sentences and simpler, more common words. This aligns with the principles underlying most readability formulas, which favour shorter and more familiar language.