A readability analysis of presidential candidate speeches by researchers in Carnegie Mellon University’s Language Technologies Institute (LTI) finds most candidates using words and grammar typical of students in grades 6-8, though Donald Trump tends to lag behind the others.
A historical review of their word and grammar use suggests all five candidates in the analysis — Republicans Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio (who has since suspended his campaign), and Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders — have been using simpler language as the campaigns have progressed.
A comparison of the candidates with previous presidents shows President Lincoln outpacing them all, boasting grammar at the 11th-grade level, while President George W. Bush’s 5th-grade grammar was below even that of Trump.