1. PLAIN LANGUAGE

2. PLAIN LANGUAGE: DEFINITION
Plain language is writing and design that successfully communicates a message to a specific audience.
It follows a series of writing and design principles that best communicate the intended message.
Source: Adapted from the Plain Language Institute, Editorial and Design Stylebook, 6.

3. Techniques of Plain Language
Organize information in ways that make sense to the reader.
Use straightforward, concrete, familiar words.
Adapt the message to the reading abilities of the people who will read the document.
Use examples that relate to the reader’s experience.
Source: Adapted from Plain Language: Clear and Simple, 3.

4. Sentences and Paragraphs
Be direct.
Organize your ideas.
Use short sentences.
What is short? Aim for about 14 words.
Use short paragraphs.
What is short? Aim for 6 to 8 lines of text.

5. Organize your Ideas
Introduce the main idea of the paragraph in the first sentence.
Write the most important idea first.
Get to the point.

6. Keep Sentences Short
Working memory can only process about 25 words in a chunk.
Use 25 words as your limit.
Aim for 15 to 22 words (or 2 ½ to 3 lines of type in a document).

7. How to Shorten Sentences?
Include only one or two ideas in a sentence.
Explain qualifications or modifications to an idea in separate sentences.
Explain any conditions attached to the main idea in separate sentences.
Explain complex ideas in separate sentences.
Try to avoid using and to connect ideas that could be broken into separate sentences.

8. Clarity is the Goal Don’t sacrifice clarity to keep sentences short.
Link related ideas by using words that refer back to ideas you have already mentioned:
Relative pronouns such as which or who, for example
We currently seek an employee who will assist in the delivery of environmental workshops, which are designed to teach water sampling skills to cottagers.
Other pronouns such as these or this or it or that
Brewing great coffee is a skill worth knowing. It’s also a skill that’s easily mastered. This task requires two main ingredients: good quality, freshly roasted, freshly ground coffee and clean, cold water. These ingredients ...
Transitional words such as however or also or first, second, etc.
Don’t shorten sentences by leaving these words and transitions out.

9. Ten Ways to Make Your Writing Easier to Read
At the word level:
Use words that are accurate, appropriate, and familiar
Use technical jargon sparingly; eliminate business jargon altogether
At the sentence level:
Use active verbs most of the time
Use strong verbs (not nouns) to carry the weight of your sentence
Tighten your writing (eliminate unnecessary words)

10. TEN WAYS TO MAKE YOUR WRITING EASIER TO READ (CONTINUED)
At the sentence level (continued):
Vary sentence length and sentence structure
Use parallel structure
Put your readers in your sentences
At the paragraph level:
Begin most paragraphs with topic sentences
Use transitions to link ideas

11. Too Plain Language? Signs from around the world:
In a Laundromat: Automatic washing machines. Please remove all your clothes when the light goes out.
In a department store: Bargain Basement Upstairs.
Seen during a conference: For anyone who has children and doesn’t know it, there is a day care on the first floor.