Readability Study on Pakistani English Press

The present study was designed to (a) test the ease level of the text of news reports carried by Pakistani English press and (b) to investigate the degree to which the English language skill contribute to better readability scores by second language learners and (c) to investigate the comparative readability level of foreign and local news reports based on same issue. Twelve news reports from the front page of six daily English newspapers of Pakistan were selected. Cloze procedure was applied to every news report and was distributed among the 360 students of the two teaching Departments of the University of Peshawar namely, English Department and the Department of Journalism & Mass Communication. Cloze scores were interpreted through a readability scale which showed that the readability of the text used by Pakistani English press is below the ease level of reading. The test scores also showed that the language background has a bit contribution on better readability scores. The test scores also provided that the foreign press uses a very difficult language in its text while local (Pakistani) press is comparatively using easy text but is still beyond the ease level of reading