Check Presentation Readability — Slides, Scripts, and Speaker Notes

Presentation slides and scripts have different readability requirements than any other type of writing. Slide text must be absorbed in 2-3 seconds while the audience simultaneously listens to you speak. Speaker notes and scripts must sound natural when read aloud — which means shorter sentences and conversational vocabulary. PowerPoint does not have a built-in readability checker, but pasting your text into a free scorer takes 10 seconds and can transform a confusing deck into a clear one.

Target Readability: Slides vs Speaker Notes vs Scripts

Content Type	Flesch Reading Ease	Grade Level	Max Words Per Line
Slide headlines	80-95	3-5	8 words
Slide bullet points	70-85	5-7	12 words
Speaker notes	60-75	6-9	20 words per sentence
Presentation scripts	65-80	5-8	15 words per sentence
Webinar scripts	60-70	7-9	18 words per sentence

Slide text should be the most readable content you write. Period. If your audience is reading a slide while you are talking, they are dividing attention between two information streams. The slide text needs to be absorbed almost instantly so they can return attention to what you are saying.

How to Check Your Presentation Readability

For slide text:

1. Open your PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides deck.
2. Copy all text from the slides you want to check. In PowerPoint: View > Outline View, then Ctrl+A to select all text, Ctrl+C to copy.
3. Paste into the Readability Scorer.
4. If your Flesch score is below 70, you have slide text that is too dense for an audience to absorb at a glance.

For speaker notes and scripts:

1. Copy your speaker notes or script text.
2. Paste into the readability scorer.
3. Check the "Speaking Time" estimate — this tells you how long your script takes to deliver at average speaking pace (150 words per minute).
4. If the Flesch score is below 60, your spoken delivery will sound stilted. Simplify sentences and vocabulary.

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Why Presentations Need Higher Readability Than Documents

Documents give the reader control: they can re-read a sentence, pause to think, or look up a word. Presentations do not. The audience gets one pass at understanding each slide and each spoken sentence. If they miss something, they cannot rewind.

This means:

• Sentences must be shorter — a 30-word spoken sentence loses the listener by word 15. Cap at 15 words for scripts, 12 words for slide text.
• Vocabulary must be simpler — the audience cannot look up a word mid-presentation. If a term requires explanation, explain it before using it.
• One idea per slide — if a slide needs a readability check, it probably has too many ideas on it. Split into two slides.
• Active voice is mandatory — passive voice in spoken delivery sounds bureaucratic and adds confusion. "We built this" is better than "This was built by our team."

Use Speaking Time to Plan Your Presentation

The readability scorer shows both reading time and speaking time. For presentations, speaking time is the metric that matters:

• 5-minute presentation: ~750 words of script
• 10-minute presentation: ~1,500 words
• 20-minute presentation: ~3,000 words
• 1-hour webinar: ~9,000 words (including Q&A buffer)

If your speaking time estimate is 18 minutes but your slot is 15 minutes, you need to cut 450 words — roughly 3 minutes of content. Do this by cutting the least essential sections, not by speeding up your delivery. Fast talking kills comprehension.

Pro tip: paste your script section by section and check readability per section. A technical deep-dive section might score lower than your opening — that is fine as long as the opening hooks the audience with clear, readable language.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does PowerPoint have a readability checker?

No. PowerPoint does not have built-in readability scoring. Copy your slide text or speaker notes and paste them into a browser-based readability tool to check Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, and grade level.

What readability score should slide text have?

Slide text should score 70-85 on the Flesch Reading Ease scale. Headlines should be even simpler (80-95). Audience members absorb slide text in 2-3 seconds — it needs to be instantly understandable.

How many words should be on a presentation slide?

The 6x6 rule is a common guideline: no more than 6 bullet points per slide, no more than 6 words per bullet. In practice, fewer words per slide almost always improves comprehension and engagement.

Can I check speaking time for my presentation script?

Yes. The readability scorer shows speaking time based on an average pace of 150 words per minute. Paste your script to see how long delivery will take, plus readability scores for the spoken content.