Which statement best describes readability of fonts on screens?

• A. Serif fonts are always easier to read on screens.
• B. Sans-serif fonts require decorative embellishments for readability.
• C. Sans-serif fonts are generally easier to read on screens.
• D. All font types read equally well on screens.

Answer: (C)

On-screen readability depends on how font shapes render with pixels. Sans-serif fonts have clean, simple letterforms without the small decorative tails at the ends of strokes, so their characters stay clearer at typical screen sizes and resolutions. This makes words faster to recognize and easier to read, especially for body text and for screens with varying pixel densities and anti-aliasing. Serif fonts, with those added details, can appear fuzzier on many displays when scaled down, which is why they’re often harder to read on screens. So, sans-serif fonts are generally easier to read on screens. The idea that serif is always easier, or that sans-serif needs embellishments, or that all fonts read the same, isn’t true because rendering quality and size affect legibility.