Keep your sentences short Prefer active verbs Use ‘you’ and ‘we’ Choose words appropriate for the reader Don’t be afraid to give instructions Avoid nominalisations Use positive language Use lists where appropriate
How to write in plain English – [Plain English Campaign] But in the last few years, many of these offenders have started to put things right, either rewriting their documents clearly or training their staff in the art of plain English or both. The main advantages of plain English are:
- it is faster to write; * it is faster to read; and * you get your message across more often, more easily and in a friendlier way. If you spend more than an hour a day writing, you are to an extent a professional writer. So it’s vital that you get it right. So what is plain English? It is a message, written with the reader in mind and with the right tone, that is clear and concise…
