Plain English

How to say it simply, and effectively!

What is Plain English?
Writing essential information in a way that provides a good chance
of understanding the document at first reading, and in the same
sense that the writer meant it to be understood.
Level of sophistication must suit the readers
It does not mean always using simple words at the expense of the
most accurate words or writing whole documents in kindergarten
language
REMEMBER
Plain = easy to understand, not over-simplified
Keep sentences short
Average sentence length
15 to 20 words
Shorter sentences are effective
Use lists and headings
Use familiar words
Seek out unusual words or phrases and replace them with plainer
alternatives
Use only as many words as you really need
Wordiness often comes from trying to make a simple procedure
sound impressive
Rewrite completely if necessary
E.g.
Overestimating on one type of material could have a
detrimental cost effect for the clients, depending on the prices
in the Bill of Quantities.
Overestimating on one type of material could cost the clients
more, depending on the prices in the Bill of Quantities.
Prefer the active voice
Active voice improves readability and comprehension
E.g
PASSIVE: It was designed by the CEO
ACTIVE: The CEO designed it
Accurate punctuation
Full stops/ periods
The main use of a full stop/ period is to show where a sentence
ends
Commas
Single commas act as separators between parts of a sentence
Example:
Although suitable protective equipment was available, most of
the employees were not wearing it
A pair of commas separates information that acts an aside,
explanation, or addition
Example:
The speaker, in a bid to escape the crowds questions, left by
the back door
Accurate punctuation
Colons
Colons have three main purposes
To introduce a vertical list or a running-text list
Example
She has several positive characteristics: charm, dignity, and
courage.
To act as a why-because marker which leads the reader from
one idea to its consequence
Example
Theres one big problem with tennis on radio: you cant see it.
To separate two sharply contrasting and parallel statements
Example
During Wimbledon, television is like someone with a reserved
ticket: radio is for the enthusiast who has queued all night to
get in
Accurate punctuation
Semicolons
To use semicolons safely you need to satisfy two criteria:
The statements separated by the semicolons could stand alone
as separate sentences
The topics mentioned in the two statements are closely related
Example
The large oak frame of the clock houses the gears; these parts
have been painted black.
Two tips to make plain writing effective
Plan before you write
who is going to read the document
what they will be expecting to get from it
in what circumstances they will be reading
what youre trying to achieve
Put yourself in the readers place
Organize your material in a way that helps readers to grasp the
important information quickly and to navigate through the document
easily
So what?
How does this affect me?