confusing words - part one: illegible vs unreadable.

ILLEGIBLE vs UNREADABLE

ILLEGIBLE - difficult or impossible to read.

[ɪ`ledʒɪbl]

Your son's handwriting is illegible.

The notice on the wall was so stained and dirty that it was illegible.

UNREADABLE - an unreadable book or piece of writing is difficult to read because it is boring or complicated

[ʌn`ri:dəbl]

I started her latest novel but gave up after twenty pages. It was simply unreadable. (boring)

His report is totally unreadable. Could it be reworded so that non-professionals might understand it as well? (complicated)

source: google images.