Plain language is writing an intended audience can understand and use; it does not mean removing every technical term or making every sentence short. The US federal plain-language guidance describes writing for a specific audience and emphasizes designing and testing content for understanding. [1] The practical test is whether readers can find the point, understand it, and act on it. Compare “Payment remittance is required prior to occupancy” with “Pay before you move in.” The second version puts the action and deadline in familiar words. It works if those words preserve the actual rule.
Replace vague wording with a named action
Original: “Please ensure the completion of the form.” Revision: “Complete the form.” The first sentence turns an action into an abstract noun and hides who should act. The revision names the reader’s task directly. Purdue’s clarity guidance recommends using verbs where possible instead of noun forms of verbs. [2]
The revision must still fit the situation. If a staff member, not the reader, completes the form, say so: “A staff member will complete the form with you.” Plain language does not mean guessing at the actor; it means making the actor and action easy to identify.
Make the next step explicit
Original: “Your request cannot be processed due to missing information.” Revision: “We need your mailing address to process the request. Add it to the form and submit it again.” The first version reports a problem but gives no path forward. The second identifies what is missing and what the reader can do.
A useful message often pairs a problem with a next step. The step should be specific enough to follow. If the form accepts only a particular format, state that requirement. W3C guidance recommends clear instructions and explicit input requirements, such as date formats. [3]
Untangle noun-heavy phrases
Original: “The team will conduct an assessment of the route.” Revision: “The team will assess the route.” The revision turns “assessment” into a verb, reducing the distance between the actor and the action. Purdue’s sentence-clarity guidance also advises avoiding strings of nouns that can make relationships hard to understand. [2]
For an invented notice about a community poetry night, compare “Event access information is available upon request” with “Need step-free access information? Email the event team.” The second version tells a reader what information is available and how to ask for it. It should be used only if email is actually an available contact route; plain wording cannot repair an inaccurate promise.
Move the familiar point before the new detail
Readers often understand a sentence more easily when it begins with something already established and then adds new information. Purdue’s guidance describes moving from old information to new information as one way to improve clarity. [2] Original: “The revised schedule, which the committee circulated yesterday, changes the reading order.” If readers already know the schedule, this is clear; if they do not, the key news may arrive late.
A more direct version for a reader who has not seen it could be: “The committee changed the reading order in yesterday’s revised schedule.” The subject and action appear sooner. This is a choice, not a universal rule: begin where your reader can get oriented, then deliver the point that matters.
Preserve conditions and test the revision
Plain language should retain important limits. Original: “Applications received after June 1 will not be considered unless the applicant has an approved extension.” A careless shortening—“Apply by June 1”—drops the extension condition. A clear revision might be: “Submit your application by June 1. If you have an approved extension, follow the later deadline you received.” The reader can see both the general rule and exception.
Try this exercise with a paragraph you use: underline the action, circle the deadline or condition, and box any term readers may not know. Rewrite so those elements are easy to find, then ask a reader from the intended audience what they would do next. If their answer differs from your intended meaning, revise again. The federal guidance explicitly includes testing content for understanding. [1]
