Write in Plain Language

When I was in school, books were often written in the most complicated ways. The authors used long sentences with unfamiliar terms. They wanted to sound smart, probably. Or they actually did not understand what they were writing.

Not only were those books boring, but they also made me sleepy. But this is a different topic.

Use plain language. This means you

• use short sentences when they are at best written shortly;
• avoid jargon whenever possible;
• use familiar terms to make your readers understand your writing;
• use active voice; and
• put the verb next to or close to the subject.

Another one is that you should avoid nominalization when you can. This means the following:

• You do not make a judgment. You judge.
• You do not come to an agreement. You agree.
• You do not have a suspicion on someone. You suspect someone.

plainlanguage.gov and Plain English Campaign help you to understand and know how to write plain language in English. You can also take the same principles and apply them to your language choice.