Plain English
Plain English is a communication style where the writer (or editor) of a functional document (for example, a report, tender or submission) takes account of the audience’s needs when developing that document.
Plain English is not about dumbing down writing, but about communicating a message precisely and in the style and tone that are most appropriate for the readers of that message. Plain English is also about good design and layout.
When editing documents written for a general audience, WordsWorth Writing’s editors apply the principles of Plain English by avoiding unnecessary words, jargon, technical terms, and long and ambiguous sentences. When editing documents for a specialist audience, they apply the principles of Plain English, while retaining concepts, words, and shortened forms that that audience will be familiar with. They also look at the document’s heading structure, logical flow, illustrations and typography and have regard to whether the document will be printed or published electronically.
Unless otherwise specified by our client, WordsWorth Writing will follow the advice set out in the Style manual for editors and printers (sixth edition). Page 53 of the Style manual lists the following Plain English guidelines for language choice:
- Use familiar, everyday words that readers will understand.
- Vary sentence length.
- Be precise, using enough words to achieve clarity but avoiding unnecessary words that can distract from the main points.
- Prefer the active voice rather than the passive wherever relevant.
- Engage with the audience by using personal pronouns such as ‘we’ and ‘you’, except in formal contexts.
- Use verbs rather than constructions of nouns derived from verbs (‘explain’ rather than ‘provide an explanation’; ‘apply’ rather than ‘make an application’).
- Break up dense strings of nouns or nouns and modifiers (such as ‘the outline development plan land package release conditions’).
- Avoid euphemisms, clichés and overused or ‘trendy’ words or phrases.
- Prefer simple sentence frameworks, avoiding convoluted constructions such as double negatives (‘not unlikely’ for example).
We will aim to make all documents as clear as possible. What is clear to the author may not always be clear to the reader. If the meaning of something is unclear, or if any words are capable of being misunderstood or understood in more than one sense, we will query the intended meaning with the author or suggest possible alternative wording.