Reading Level Converter & Book Level Estimator
Convert between Lexile®, Fountas & Pinnell guided reading levels, DRA, ATOS®, PM Benchmarks and grade level — estimate any text's level with six readability formulas plus the Fry graph, or level a whole book the classic Fry way with three 100-word samples. Built for teachers leveling classroom libraries.
Analyze text readability
Paste any text (a book excerpt, an article, student writing). The analyzer computes six published readability formulas plus the Fry graph and averages them into a consensus grade level. 100% private — text never leaves your browser
Level a book — the Fry method
The classic Edward Fry procedure: pick three different pages of the book, type or paste about 100 words from each (starting at the beginning of a sentence). The tool counts sentences and syllables per sample, averages them, plots your point on the Fry graph, and converts the grade to every leveling system.
Reading level conversion chart
The full correlation table behind the converter: every Fountas & Pinnell guided reading level with its approximate DRA, Lexile®, ATOS®, PM Benchmarks and grade-level equivalents — compiled from widely published correlation charts (GST BOCES, Kaplan, Reading A-Z, OSLIS). Approximate by design.
| F&P guided reading | Grade | DRA | Lexile® | ATOS® | PM Benchmarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | K | 1 | 25L | 0.2 | 1–2 |
| B | K | 2 | 50L | 0.5 | 2–3 |
| C | K | 3–4 | 75L | 0.65 | 4–5 |
| D | 1 | 6 | 100L | 0.85 | 6–7 |
| E | 1 | 8 | 125–150L | 1–1.1 | 8–9 |
| F | 1 | 10 | 175L | 1.3 | 10–11 |
| G | 1 | 12 | 200L | 1.5 | 12–13 |
| H | 1–2 | 14 | 225–250L | 1.7–1.8 | 14–15 |
| I | 2 | 16 | 275L | 2 | 15–16 |
| J | 2 | 18 | 300–325L | 2.2–2.4 | 16–18 |
| K | 2 | 20 | 350–375L | 2.5–2.7 | 18–19 |
| L | 2–3 | 24 | 400–425L | 2.8–3.1 | 19–20 |
| M | 3 | 28 | 450–475L | 3.2–3.5 | 20–22 |
| N | 3 | 30 | 500–550L | 3.6–3.7 | 22–23 |
| O | 3–4 | 34 | 575–625L | 3.8–3.9 | 23–24 |
| P | 4 | 38 | 650–675L | 4.1–4.2 | 24 |
| Q | 4 | 40 | 700–725L | 4.3–4.4 | 24–26 |
| R | 5 | 44 | 750L | 4.6 | 26 |
| S | 5–6 | 44 | 775–825L | 4.8–4.9 | 26–27 |
| T | 5–6 | 50 | 850L | 5.05 | 27 |
| U | 6 | 60 | 875L | 5.3 | 27–28 |
| V | 6 | 60 | 900–925L | 5.45–5.55 | 28 |
| W | 6–7 | 60 | 950–975L | 5.6–5.7 | 28–29 |
| X | 7 | 60 | 1000L | 5.9 | 29 |
| Y | 7–8 | 60 | 1025L | 6.2 | 29–30 |
| Z | 8+ | 60 | 1050–1175L | 6.4–7 | 30 |
| Z+ | 9+ | 70+ | 1200L+ | 7+ | 30 |
Early emergent levels (A–C) are frequently reported as BR (Beginning Reader) in Lexile-linked systems rather than a numeric measure.
Common reading level conversions
Quick answers to the conversions teachers search for most. Every value below is an approximate equivalent from published correlation charts — type any of them into the converter above for the full row:
- Lexile to Fountas & Pinnell: 450L → F&P M · 650L → F&P P · 900L → F&P V.
- Fountas and Pinnell to Lexile: F&P J → 300–325L · F&P N → 500–550L · F&P T → 850L.
- DRA to Lexile conversion: DRA 16 → 275L · DRA 28 → 450–475L · DRA 38 → 650–675L · DRA 50 → 850L.
- ATOS to Lexile: ATOS 2.5 → 350–375L · ATOS 4.2 → 650–675L · ATOS 6.0 → about 1000L.
- Reading level calculator by grade: grade 1 → F&P D–I, DRA 6–16 · grade 2 → F&P J–M, DRA 18–28 · grade 3 → F&P N–P, DRA 30–38, Lexile 520–820L.
- 3rd grade reading level: typically F&P N–P, DRA 30–38, Lexile 520–820L, ATOS 3.0–3.9.
- PM reading level: PM 10 → F&P F · PM 20 → F&P L–M · PM 30 → F&P Y–Z.
- Book reading level: use the Book Leveling tab — three 100-word samples give you a Fry grade plus every system equivalent for the book.
- What is my reading level test: paste any writing sample into the Text Analyzer for an instant consensus grade level across six formulas.
How the scores are calculated
Every formula below is implemented exactly as published — no simplified knock-offs. W = words, S = sentences.
- Flesch Reading Ease:
206.835 − 1.015 × (W/S) − 84.6 × (syllables/W)— 0–100 scale, higher is easier. - Flesch-Kincaid Grade:
0.39 × (W/S) + 11.8 × (syllables/W) − 15.59— US grade level. - Gunning Fog:
0.4 × ((W/S) + 100 × (complex/W))— complex = 3+ syllable words, excluding proper nouns. - SMOG:
1.043 × √(polysyllables × 30/S) + 3.1291— validated for 30+ sentences; shorter texts are flagged. - Coleman-Liau:
0.0588 × L − 0.296 × S − 15.8— L = letters per 100 words, S = sentences per 100 words. - New Dale-Chall:
0.1579 × (difficult-word %) + 0.0496 × (W/S), plus 3.6365 when more than 5% of words are unfamiliar — checked against the full 2,941-word familiar-word list. - Fry graph: average sentences and syllables per 100 words plotted on Fry's 1977 extended graph; the zone gives the approximate grade.
- Consensus: the mean of all valid grade-level scores above (Flesch Ease excluded — different scale).
For teachers: leveling your classroom library
Leveled classroom libraries work best when every book carries the same leveling language your school uses. If your district assesses with Fountas & Pinnell but the books you buy list Lexile measures, convert the Lexile to guided reading level here and label the spine. If you inherit a box of unmarked books, run three 100-word samples through the Book Leveling tab — that is the same Fry procedure reading specialists use, automated.
Practical tips: level several passages per book when the difficulty looks uneven; treat borderline results (e.g. between F&P M and N) as the higher level for independent reading; and remember these are estimates — a teacher's judgment of content, theme maturity, and student interest always outranks a number. Whether you need a Lexile reading level, an ATOS reading level, or a Fry reading level for a stack of children's books, the workflow is the same: convert what the publisher gives you, or sample the book yourself.
Teachers vs writers: which tool do you need?
This tool is built for teachers: converting book levels between school systems and estimating what grade a text suits. If you are a writer polishing prose — checking Flesch reading ease while you draft, aiming for a target score — our readability checker is the writer-focused companion (Flesch Reading Ease, ARI and grade metrics for your own writing).
Frequently asked questions
What is a reading level?
A reading level is an estimate of how difficult a text is, matched to a reader's ability. Schools use several different leveling systems — Lexile, Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading, DRA, ATOS, and PM Benchmarks are the most common — and this tool converts between them and estimates the level of any text you paste in.
How do I convert a Lexile measure to Fountas & Pinnell?
Enter the Lexile measure (for example 450L) in the converter above. The tool finds the matching band on published correlation charts — 450L falls in the 450–475L band, which corresponds to Fountas & Pinnell level M, DRA 28, ATOS 3.2–3.5, and about grade 3. All cross-system conversions are approximations; the charts themselves are published as guides, not exact equivalences.
How do I convert Fountas & Pinnell to Lexile?
Select “Guided Reading (F&P)” and enter a letter A–Z (for example N). The converter shows the full equivalent row: level N maps to roughly 500–550L, DRA 30, ATOS 3.6–3.7, PM 22–23, and grade 3. Use the conversion chart tab to browse every level at once.
What is the DRA to Lexile conversion?
DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) levels map to Lexile bands approximately: DRA 16 ≈ 275L (F&P I), DRA 28 ≈ 450–475L (F&P M), DRA 38 ≈ 650–675L (F&P P), DRA 44 ≈ 750–825L (F&P R–S). Enter any DRA level in the converter for the full row, or check the chart tab.
How does ATOS compare to Lexile?
ATOS (from Renaissance Learning's Accelerated Reader) and Lexile (from MetaMetrics) both measure text difficulty but on different scales and with proprietary formulas. Roughly, ATOS 2.5 ≈ 350–375L, ATOS 4.0 ≈ 600L+, and ATOS 6.0 ≈ 1000L. The converter translates between them using published correlation data. Remember: only Renaissance can issue an official ATOS level and only MetaMetrics can issue an official Lexile measure — this tool gives estimates.
What is a PM Benchmarks reading level?
PM Benchmarks (levels 1–30, from Rigby) are widely used in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Canada for early reading assessment. PM 1–2 is roughly Fountas & Pinnell A–B (kindergarten), PM 15–16 is about F&P I–J (grade 2), and PM 28–30 reaches F&P W–Z (grades 6+). Select “PM Benchmarks” in the converter to translate any PM level.
What is the Fry readability graph?
The Fry readability graph (Edward Fry, 1968, extended 1977) is a classic teacher method: take three 100-word samples from a book, count the average sentences and the average syllables per 100 words, and plot the point on the graph — the zone where it lands is the approximate grade level. The Book Leveling tab automates exactly this: paste three samples and it plots your point on a digital Fry graph.
What is the Flesch-Kincaid grade level?
The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level estimates the US school grade needed to understand a text: 0.39 × (words per sentence) + 11.8 × (syllables per word) − 15.59. A score of 8.0 means roughly 8th-grade reading difficulty. Its sibling, Flesch Reading Ease (0–100, higher is easier), uses 206.835 − 1.015 × (words/sentences) − 84.6 × (syllables/words).
What is the Dale-Chall readability formula?
The New Dale-Chall formula (1995) scores text by vocabulary familiarity: it checks every word against a list of about 3,000 words familiar to most 4th-graders. Score = 0.1579 × (difficult-word %) + 0.0496 × (words per sentence), plus 3.6365 if more than 5% of words are difficult. Under 5.0 ≈ grade 4 and below; 9.0+ ≈ college. This tool uses the full 2,941-word familiar-word list.
What is the SMOG index?
SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, McLaughlin 1969) estimates grade level from polysyllabic words: 1.043 × √(polysyllables × 30 / sentences) + 3.1291. It was validated on passages of 30+ sentences, so the tool flags the score as unreliable for shorter texts — a honesty detail many online calculators skip.
What is the Gunning Fog index?
The Gunning Fog index estimates years of schooling needed to understand a text on first reading: 0.4 × ((words per sentence) + 100 × (complex words / words)), where “complex” means words of 3+ syllables, excluding proper nouns. A Fog index of 12 is about high-school senior level; most popular writing aims for 8–10.
What is the Coleman-Liau index?
The Coleman-Liau index predicts grade level from characters instead of syllables: 0.0588 × (letters per 100 words) − 0.296 × (sentences per 100 words) − 15.8. Because it counts letters rather than syllables, it is fully automatic and often used in software — including by this tool's analyzer.
What is a reading level consensus score?
No single formula is perfect, so the analyzer averages the grade-level results of Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG (when the text is long enough), Coleman-Liau, Dale-Chall, and the Fry graph into one consensus score. Averaging smooths out each formula's quirks — the same idea behind the “average reading level” calculators teachers search for.
How do I find the reading level of a children's book?
Use the Book Leveling tab: it follows the standard Fry method. Open the book to three different pages, type or paste about 100 words from each (starting at the beginning of a sentence), and the tool counts sentences and syllables, averages the three samples, plots the result on the Fry graph, and converts the grade to Lexile, F&P, DRA, ATOS, and PM equivalents for your classroom library labels.
What reading level should a 3rd grader read at?
Typical end-of-year expectations for grade 3 are roughly: Fountas & Pinnell N–P, DRA 30–38, Lexile 520–820L, and ATOS 3.0–3.9. Enter “grade 3” in the converter to see the full band. Note these are approximate ranges from published correlation charts, and individual students vary widely.
Are the Lexile and ATOS scores from this tool official?
No — and any tool that claims otherwise is misleading you. Lexile® measures can only be issued by MetaMetrics and ATOS® levels only by Renaissance Learning, using their proprietary formulas and calibrations. This tool gives well-grounded ESTIMATES from public correlation charts and standard readability formulas, which is exactly what teachers need for classroom library leveling, but they are not official measures.