Tips for Writing in Plain English
Plain English is a style of writing that enables the reader to understand the message the first time they read it. It uses short, clear sentences and everyday words without unnecessary jargon.
To use plain English, you may need to edit your writing several times over, or even ask someone else to read it for you. When you first write a document, do not worry too much about using plain English but just get the words down and your message across.
Here are our tips on how to then review your work:
1. First, take a break before rereading what you have written so that you can come to it fresh.
2. Pick out the jargon. Look for the phrases listed in the infographic above, as well as stock ones such as “client services”, “think outside the box” or “hit the ground running”. Ask yourself what you mean by these and rewrite or delete the phrase.
3. Delete unnecessary words. Look for extra words that you don’t really need such as “in order to” instead of just “to”, “together with” or “in conjunction with” instead of “with” on its own.
4. Shorten your sentences. You may find that in some places you made a point but then had to qualify it by explaining background information as an afterthought in lots of sub-clauses. If you have, reorder the information and use more than one sentence to rewrite it.
5. Repeat these stages until you are happy with the text.
Remember that the point of plain English is to communicate clearly and concisely with your intended audience.
Source: Skills You Need
