Index: wp-includes/formatting.php
===================================================================
--- wp-includes/formatting.php	(revision 37378)
+++ wp-includes/formatting.php	(working copy)
@@ -2906,6 +2906,8 @@
 		 * @param int $number The number of words. Default 55.
 		 */
 		$excerpt_length = apply_filters( 'excerpt_length', 55 );
+
+		$more_string = ' […]';
 		/**
 		 * Filter the string in the "more" link displayed after a trimmed excerpt.
 		 *
@@ -2913,7 +2915,22 @@
 		 *
 		 * @param string $more_string The string shown within the more link.
 		 */
-		$excerpt_more = apply_filters( 'excerpt_more', ' ' . '[…]' );
+		$excerpt_more = apply_filters( 'excerpt_more', $more_string );
+
+		// add a more accessible default including a link if the `excerpt_more` filter is not used.
+		if ( $more_string === $excerpt_more ) {
+			$excerpt_more = sprintf(
+				'<a href="%1$s" class="more-link"><span aria-label="%2$s"> %3$s</span></a>',
+				sprintf(
+					/* translators: %s: Post title */
+					__( 'Continue reading %s' ),
+					get_the_title()
+				)
+				__( '[&hellip;]' ),
+				get_permalink()
+			);
+		}
+
 		$text = wp_trim_words( $text, $excerpt_length, $excerpt_more );
 	}
 	/**
Index: wp-includes/post-template.php
===================================================================
--- wp-includes/post-template.php	(revision 37378)
+++ wp-includes/post-template.php	(working copy)
@@ -262,8 +262,17 @@
 
 	$post = get_post();
 
-	if ( null === $more_link_text )
-		$more_link_text = __( '(more&hellip;)' );
+	if ( null === $more_link_text ) {
+		$more_link_text = sprintf(
+			'<span aria-label="%1$s">%2$s</span>',
+			sprintf(
+				/* translators: %s: Post title */
+				__( 'Continue reading %s' ),
+				get_the_title()
+			),
+			__( '(more&hellip;)' )
+		);
+	}
 
 	$output = '';
 	$has_teaser = false;