EFLAW (English as a Foreign Language) score. Designed by Rachel McAlpine to evaluate text for ESL readers and global audiences. Lower is easier.
Use McAlpine EFLAW when writing for non-native English readers — product copy for global audiences, ESL teaching material, simplified news, plain-language guidelines. It rewards short common words, which is exactly what ESL readers need.
EFLAW is unique in rewarding short common words ("the", "and", "of"). Flesch-Kincaid ignores word familiarity entirely. For ESL audiences, EFLAW is the more honest metric.
McAlpine's EFLAW (English as a Foreign Language) score uses one simple formula: (words + mini-words) / sentences, where mini-words have 3 or fewer letters.
It rewards short common words (the, of, an, to, it) — exactly the words ESL readers find easiest.
Bands: ≤20 very easy, 20-24 easy, 25-28 moderate, 29+ difficult. Aim for ≤25 for global business audiences.
Writers targeting non-native English readers — global product copy, ESL teaching material, simplified news, plain-language guidelines.
Under 25 for global business audiences. Under 20 is very easy and suitable for ESL beginners.
Common short words (the, of, an, to, it) are what ESL readers find easiest. Counting them gives the formula a way to reward genuinely simple writing.
Input
"To get to the shop, walk down the road and turn right at the end."
Output
EFLAW 17.0 — very easy.
Fifteen words plus eight mini-words (≤3 letters) in one sentence: (15 + 8) / 1 = 23. Wait — that's 23 which is "easy" not "very easy". For very easy, aim under 20.
Classic 0–100 readability score.
readabilityU.S. grade level for your text.
readabilityPenalises complex (3+ syllable) words.
readabilityHealth & medical text grade level.