What is plain English?
Clear. Readable. Accessible. No jargon.
No gobbledygook. No waffle. Professional.
Writing in plain English helps your intended audience to understand the first time they read. It isn’t ‘dumbed down’ though. You can write in plain English and still appear polished and professional.
What is plain English?
Clear. Readable. Accessible. No jargon. No gobbledygook. No waffle. Professional.
Writing in plain English helps your intended audience to understand the first time they read. It isn’t ‘dumbed down’ though. You can write in plain English and still appear polished and professional.
Did you know?
Many consumers find jargon, terms and conditions, and financial information challenging. Many of us also hate wordy writing full of business-speak, legal-ese, waffle and jargon.
45%
of us find official documents difficult to understand
95%
of people are in favour of plain English
25%
of people in Ireland have literacy issues
35%
of people in Ireland are multilingual (not speaking English or Irish at home)
Plain English is easy to read – so it benefits everyone!
What is plain English?
We use an internationally recognised definition:
A communication is in plain English if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that the intended readers can easily find what they need, understand it and use it.
The key words are ‘intended readers’. We understand that plain English isn’t ‘one size fits all’. What’s important is that your writing is suitable for your target audiences.
For example:
if you’re writing a pensions brochure, you’ll need to use short sentences and everyday language and avoid jargon. But if you’re writing a report on pensions for financial advisors, you can use some longer sentences and jargon because they will expect it – and, more importantly, they’ll understand it easily.
Why use plain English?
People can understand plain English the first time they read it, so it saves them time – and avoids irritation. It also helps them to make better informed decisions, which means they will make fewer mistakes when dealing with the information.
Plain English saves organisations time and money because staff will receive fewer calls to the help desk, have to deal with fewer incorrect forms, and get a better response to emails. It can also help to avoid any escalation of problematic issues.
Plain language helps everyone who has literacy issues and people whose first language isn’t English.
Research shows that highly educated people also prefer plain English – probably because it’s quicker to scan and read.
For examples of how using plain English reduces operational costs and improves trust, see ‘Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please: The Case for Plain Language in Business, Government, and Law’ by Joseph Kimble.
Examples of how plain English can improve communications
Original: Email to customers
As always we welcome your feedback and should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service at the number below.
Plain English – with a helpful tone of voice
We are always happy to hear from our customers. If you have any queries, please feel free to ring Customer Service on 01 123 4567.
Original: Public sector example
The State is obliged to ensure the implementation of accessible and inclusive voting, as well as inclusive practices in electing representatives to ensure that disabled people have the opportunity run for and hold public office.
Plain English rewrite that is clear and concise
The State must ensure that voting is accessible to everyone. It must also ensure that disabled people have the opportunity to run for, and hold, public office.
Want to make your communications clearer?
We can help with plain English training, editing and practical advice tailored to your organisation.