Typical print formatting provides no information regarding the linguistic features of a text, although texts vary considerably with respect to grammatical complexity and readability. Complex texts may be particularly challenging for individuals with weak language knowledge, such as English language learners. This paper investigates the usefulness…

The present study investigated the effect of classroom-based syntactic training on children's abilities to produce passive sentences. Thirty-three monolingual English children (mean age 5;2), were involved in passive-voice training based on storytelling sessions within a priming design. The training was delivered in a classroom setting, with two…

The present paper introduces and evaluates a readability measurement method designed for learners of EFL (English as a foreign language). The proposed readability measurement method (a regression model) estimates the text readability based on linguistic features, such as lexical, syntactic and discourse features. Text readability refers to the…

READABILITY RESEARCHERS HAVE MADE ADVANCES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, INCREASING THE ACCURACY OF READABILITY FORMULAS BY AS MUCH AS 75 PERCENT. THIS PROGRESS WAS POSSIBLE LARGELY BECAUSE RESEARCHERS IN SEVERAL DISCIPLINES DEVELOPED RESEARCH TOOLS WHICH AIDED IN THE STUDY OF READABILITY. PSYCHOLOGISTS DEVELOPED THE CLOZE PROCEDURE INTO AN ACCURATE AND…

Discusses the underlying theory and pedagogical rationale of sentence combining and of accessibility, the relative ease with which a text can be read. (HTH)

Translating legal and bureaucratic language into plain, comprehensible English is not amenable to simple rules and procedures. Rewriting comprehensibly requires specialized knowledge about language and an awareness of a number of misconceptions and pitfalls. This paper discusses what not to do in rewriting, based upon rewritten documents presently…