This study examined the relationship of linguistic complexity, captured using a set of lexical richness, syntactic complexity, and discoursal complexity indices, to second language (L2) learners' perception of text difficulty, captured using L2 raters' comparative judgment on text comprehensibility and reading speed. Testing materials were 180…

Japanese college students (n=483) learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) read passages in English in one of three forms: (1) native baseline; (2) simplified; or (3) elaborated. The study found that comprehension was highest among learners reading the simplified version but was not significantly different from those reading the elaborated…