Garbl's Plain Language Writing Guide

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Using suitable words

Familiar words | Useless words | Redundancy | Jargon | Technical words | Noun phrases | Abbreviations | Capitalization | Inclusiveness

Strive to be human in your writing. A formal, bureaucratic tone too often creates distance between you (or your organization) and your readers.

Plain-language writing uses the clearest words possible to describe actions, objects and people. That often means choosing a two-syllable word over a three-syllable one, an old familiar term instead of the latest bureaucratic expression and sometimes, several clearer words instead of one complicated word.

Use words your readers are likely to understand. Base your choice of words on what will be clearer for your reader. To help you draft easy-to-understand documents, below are some guidelines on your choice of words. Also see the Guide to concise writing for concise alternatives to overstated, pompous words; wordy, bureaucratic phrases; and redundant phrases.

• Instead of:
  Subsequent to the passage of the subject ordinance, it is incumbent upon you to advise your department to comply with it.
• Use:
  After the law passes, you must tell your staff to follow it.

Use simple, everyday, familiar words

Choose common English words with clear meanings: explain a problem instead of address a problem; invisible, open or obvious instead of transparent. Especially if your document may have many readers with limited English proficiency or be translated for them, choose words with just one or a few clear meanings. Also avoid puns and words with double meanings: voters instead of grassroots; available instead of free (if that's what you mean).

Here are other examples of simple, precise words and phrases you might substitute:

For more shorter, simpler alternatives to overstated, bureaucratic and pompous words.

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Cut out unnecessary, useless words

Use only as many words as you need. Use fewer structural words with little meaning: because or since instead of due to the fact that; if instead of in the event that. Tighten verbose (or wordy) text by replacing too complex statements with shorter terms or single words: geography, not the field of geography; tends to, not have a tendency to.

Here is a sample list of some alternative words for common, wordy expressions:

For more simpler, concise alternatives to wordy, bureaucratic phrases

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Cut redundant ideas, words and phrases

Avoid using wordy phrases and multiple words with similar meanings or unhelpful redundancies. For example, try protrude, not protrude out; either if or when, not if and when; result, not end result; square, not square in shape; experience, not past experience; demolished, not totally demolished; visible, not visible to the eye; complete or finished, not completely finished; four hours, not four hours of time; 5 feet high, not 5 feet in height.

Later, go through your document and ask yourself if you're repeating information needlessly. If so, combine your thoughts or remove the matching ideas.

Here is a sample list of alternative words for some redundant phrases:

For more concise replacements for redundant phrases.

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Avoid using jargon

Using unfamiliar jargon and bureaucratese can cause problems because your reader may not understand it. Jargon also can distract your reader from your real message. Write boots, not leather personnel carriers; telephone, not telephonic communications instrument; advocate for the homeless, not homeless advocate; next to or near, not adjacent to; make easy or help or lead, not facilitate.

Be wary of trendy, fashionable expressions such as downtime, synergy, downside and touch base. Try inviting people into a planning process, not a visioning process. Trendy terminology could confuse or annoy readers and date it. Similarly, avoid old-fashioned sayings and formal phrases like grist in the mill, pig in a poke, as per your letter (instead, try according to your letter), notwithstanding (instead, try despite or still).

Also, avoid terms that could be misunderstood by readers who use English as a second language or by people translating a document from English into another language. Such terms include military and sports vocabulary-level playing field, end runs, targets, game plans, sticky wickets, tackle; and  regionalisms and slang-that dog don't hunt; jury-rig or jerry-built. They also include literary and cultural allusions-heart on his sleeve, move mountains, an offer he can't refuse; and metaphors-a steep learning curve, a piece of cake, pave the way for.

• Instead of:
  All illumination on these premises must be extinguished upon departure.
• Use:
  Please turn out the lights if you're the last to leave.

Avoid or explain technical words or difficult terms

Whenever possible, avoid words that your readers do not know. Every occupation and interest group has special terms. If you must use a technical term, define it--either by giving a definition, explaining the term or by giving an example. If suitable for your publication, think about including a glossary of technical words and difficult terms.

Also, avoid technical terms used with nontechnical meanings: Use start instead of initialize; work with, meet or call instead of interface with. And avoid rare or fancy words used within your work group or profession, like nexus and infrastructure.

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Don't change verbs into nouns

Use verbs to suggest the most significant actions in your sentences. Nouns created from verbs are harder for the reader to understand. They also give the sentence an impersonal tone: explain, not provide an explanation; decide, not make a decision; decide (or find or work out or discover), not make a determination.

Use verbs to suggest the most significant actions in your sentences. . They also give the sentence an impersonal tone: , not ; , not ; (or or or ), not .

Also, use verbs instead of abstract nouns-consider instead of consideration, adjust instead of adjustment, recommend instead ofrecommendation, improve instead of improvement.

When you write a noun that comes from a verb, see if you can turn it back into a verb by removing endings like -tion, -ence and -ment. Use the clearest, crispest, liveliest verb to express your thoughts.

• Instead of:
  The requirement of the department is that employees work eight hours a day.
• Use:
  The department requires employees to work eight hours a day.

• Instead of:
  The team's role is to perform problem definition and resolution.
• Use:
  The team's role is to define problems and resolve them.
• Or:
  The team's role is to define and resolve problems.

Here are other examples:

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Avoid chains of nouns

Chains of nouns are strings of two or more nouns used to name one thing. They are often difficult for a reader to understand.

Consider defining, explaining or revising noun phrases. Will the meaning of a noun phrase be familiar or clear to your readers or translator? If not, explain it in context, revise it to make its meaning clear, or define it in a glossary.

Noun chains take some effort to untangle. They lack connecting words--such as of, for, about, in and the possessive 's--that would clarify how the nouns relate to one another.

• Instead of:
  World population is increasing faster than world food production
• Use:
  The world's population is increasing faster than its food production.

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Use acronyms and abbreviations carefully

Remember that not everyone may know what the acronyms and abbreviations stand for. Avoid nonessential abbreviations, Latin abbreviations, uncommon contractions and obscure acronyms, especially in documents that may be translated for or used by readers with limited English proficiency. Also, avoid informal nonstandard spellings and shortened words.

Sometimes, putting an acronym or abbreviation in parentheses the first time you use the proper term can be useful. Then you can use the acronym in the rest of your text. But even if you use that technique, avoid filling a document with various obscure acronyms. Also see abbreviations and acronyms in Garbl's Editorial Style and Usage Manual.

When in doubt, spell it out.

Here are other examples:

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Use capital letters sparingly, consistently

Avoid unnecessary capitalization. Capital letters are an important cue to readers and translators that a term is a proper noun, not a common noun. Use capital letters to identify proper nouns -- the formal, official, unique or popular names of a specific person, organization, place or thing. Also use capital letters to begin sentences, headings, the important words in publication titles, and letters in some abbreviations and acronyms.

Random, excessive capitalization for other purposes hinders reading and may confuse readers. Do not capitalize the first letter of a word or words in a phrase simply to highlight them or to express their importance. Translators typically translate common nouns and leave proper nouns in English.

Also see capitalizationand related entries in Garbl's Editorial Style and Usage Manual.

Use inclusive language

Sexist writing builds a barrier between you and half your readers. Use sex-neutral terms by avoiding words that suggest maleness is the norm, superior or positive and that femaleness is nonstandard, subordinate or negative. For guidelines, see sex, sexism in Garbl's Editorial Style and Usage Manual.

Readers with disabilities also face barriers--in communications and facilities. For guidelines in using suitable language, see disabled in Garbl's Editorial Style and Usage Manual.

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