Writing Hack

​Here is a simple writing hack you can use in Microsoft Word. Follow these steps to enable readability statistics for your document.

1. Click File
2. Click Options
3. Click Proofing
4. Check the box “Readability Statistics”

Now go back into your finished Microsoft Word document. Click Review, then click Editor. A dialogue box will open with options to correct spelling and grammar. There may also be refinement suggestions such as clarity, conciseness, punctuation conventions, etc. Once you have resolved corrections and refinements another window will open giving you Readability Statistics. It looks like this.

To improve your writing, pay attention to the Readability section.

The Flesch Reading Ease is a score between 0-100. The higher the score the easier the document is to read. Scores below 40 become difficult to read and below 30 is very difficult.

The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level is the average reading level for a specific grade. Ideally, a grade level between 8.0-11.0 is best. Grade levels of 12 or higher are difficult to read and higher than 15.0 is very difficult.

Finally, passive sentences are expressed as a percentage of your total sentences. In the sample, 7.2% of the sentences were written in passive voice. Passive voice writing means the subject of the sentence is the patient of the main verb rather than the subject being the active agent of the main verb. Good writing is predominately active voice.

“The tree was pulled down.” (Passive voice)
“Someone pulled down the tree.” (Active voice)

​Use this simple writing hack to improve your writing.