Why are the passage versions easier to read? It
seems that when we read, we extract a lot of information from the
context—so understanding several words in a sentence can help us
guess another one. We also scan words and pick out markers that
make them easy to identify, such as certain letter combinations and
sounds. These elements make it easier to infer the word even when
the letters are not in perfect order. You might note that in the
passage above, many of these markers were maintained. For example,
in “according” (aoccdrnig), the double c was maintained. Splitting
them up (aricdocng) makes the word harder to read. In Cambridge
(Cmabrigde) the second half of the word, “bridge,” was very nearly
maintained. Changing the scramble to break up “bridge,” as in
Cgmiadrbe, makes it much harder to read.