Plain Language: Techniques

Plainlanguage.gov Links to an external site. makes several suggestions about how you can accomplish plain language, such as using

Logical organization with the reader in mind
“You” and other pronouns
Active voice
Short sentences
Common, everyday words
Easy-to-read design features.

This course stresses writing that is clear and easy to read. Shorter sentences driven by active verbs and common words result in plain language.

Here is the main thing to remember:

To communicate most effectively in technical writing, use as few words as possible to convey your meaning.

How do you do this? Follow the techniques shown below to make your writing more concise and easy to understand.

Delete Unnecessary Words

Instead of Saying

Say THIS Instead

It is likely that

In the vicinity of

It must first be established that

Due to the fact that

It is apparent that

In the state of North Carolina

Was found to be

In order to

A large majority of

In the event that

Likely

Near

First

Because

Apparently

In North Carolina

Was

Most

Avoid Prepositional Phrases

Prepositions are words that usually precede a noun and indicate a spatial or positional relationship relationship: of, to, in, on, above, around, beneath, etc. They are important words, but too many of them in a single sentence can lengthen the text and muddle the meaning.

Here are some examples of sentences that are overly long because they are overloaded with prepositions (in bold italic):

Wordy (42 words, 10 prepositions): It is a matter of the gravest possible importance to the health of anyone with a history of a problem with disease of the heart that he or she should avoid the sort of foods with a high percentage of saturated fats.
- Improved 1 (11 words, 2 prepositions): Anyone with a history of heart disease should avoid saturated fats.^{1
  Links to an external site.}

Wordy (18 words, 5 prepositions): There is no current estimate of the number of boxes of records in the possession of the school.
- Improved (14 words, 2 prepositions): We have no current estimate of how many boxes of records the school possesses.² Links to an external site.

Wordy (20 words, 5 prepositions): A knowledge of correct trial procedures is the duty of all of the members of the bar of this state.
- Improved (9 words, 0 prepositions): All state bar members must know correct trial procedures.^{3
  Links to an external site.}

Look for prepositions in your writing and see if you can reduce the number by creating more verbs and adjectival phrases.

Use Adjectives and Adverbs Sparingly

Adjectives modify or describe nouns (complex diagrams, sophisticated mechanism), while adverbs modify or describe other adverbs, adjectives, or verbs (absentmindedly destroyed, overly complex diagram). Many adverbs (but not all) are easy to spot because they end in -ly.

Adjectives and adverbs are often ambiguous and should be avoided to make your writing clear and concise.

For example, what constitutes several, few, many, large, or small to one reader might mean something different to another reader.

Very and extremely are rarely ever needed. Deleting them will not change the meaning of a sentence. Likewise, generally and in general add little value.

Choose Simple Words

Never use a complex word when a simple word will do.

Instead of Saying

Say THIS Instead

Utilize

Methodology

Etiology

Elucidate

Plethora

Use

Method

Cause

Show

Abundance

Limit Noun Strings

Unless readers are familiar with your terminology (or jargon), avoid using phrases with many consecutive nouns (noun strings).

Noun strings often make it difficult to decipher what you really mean and make sentences overly long just by their very existence: community information feedback mechanisms, astronaut living-quarters module development project, sensitive protein function monitoring system.

That last noun string is actually found in the article " Links to an external site.How Noun Strings Violate the Number One Principle in Scientific Writing," Links to an external site. so you know it's legit.

Avoid Nominalizations

A nominalization is a noun that is created from a verb (or an adjective). When you use a nominalization, you basically need more words to say what you need to say. Your goal is to turn nominalizations back into verbs whenever possible.

See how making the switch improves these sentences Links to an external site.:

Wordy: We should take into consideration several factors.
- Improved: We should consider several factors.
Wordy: They gave us information about the new research program.
- Improved: They informed us about the new research program.
Wordy: Their interpretation of the implementation of the institute’s program was insightful.
- Improved: They insightfully interpreted how the institute implemented its program.

Look for any word in your writing that ends in -ion and see if you can turn it into a verb.

These techniques result in writing that is more concise and clear.

Use Active Instead of Passive Voice

Weak verbs are those verbs with simple past tenses that end in -d or -t, like warn (warned), love (loved), sleep (slept). "To Be" verbs are those that indicate a state of being: is, are, was, were, been, being.

When you use weak and to be verbs in your writing, you almost invariably increase the number of words you will need.

To clean up your verbs, avoid

Hiding the Actor: Look for who or what is performing the action in the sentence and make sure that actor is the subject of your sentence. Move the actor as close to the beginning of the sentence as you can. Not The decision was made by the students, but The students made the decision.
Weak Beginnings: Don’t begin sentences with It is, There is, or There are.
Is + -ing Constructions: Also called present progress verbs, constructions like is happening, is deciding, is learning weaken writing. Avoid them by selecting the present tense: happens, decides, learns.

Look for these constructions in your writing and try to reduce them.

Avoid Figures of Speech

Remember: In the real world, English might not be the first language of all of your readers. Avoid colloquialisms, cliches, idioms, and metaphors that might be commonplace in English but not in other languages.

For example, check out this sentence, with problematic phrases italicized:

At the end of the day, policy makers and community leaders will have to pony up the cash to implement the environmental changes that are needed to get the health of community members back on track.

Non-native English speakers might not understand what the italicized phrases actually mean. Honestly -- how many of us, as modern English speakers, really even use the phrase pony up the cash?

Keep Subjects Near Verbs

Readers look for two primary pieces of information:

Who is the sentence about?
What are they doing?

In technical writing, sentences with long, complex subjects often confuse readers. For a more efficient sentence that's easier to read and understand, make sure your subject and verb are close together.

Don't do this:

Incidence of asthma and allergies in large cities that have traffic congestion, an abundance of manufacturing plants, and other common gaseous pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxides, and chlorofluorocarbons, is higher among children.

Do this instead:

Incidence of asthma and allergies is higher among children who live in cities . . .

Reduce Nominalizations

See how making the switch improves these sentences Links to an external site.:

Wordy: We should take into consideration several factors.
- Improved: We should consider several factors.
Wordy: They gave us information about the new research program.
- Improved: They informed us about the new research program.
Wordy: Their interpretation of the implementation of the institute’s program was insightful.
- Improved: They insightfully interpreted how the institute implemented its program.

Look for any word in your writing that ends in -ion and see if you can turn it into a verb.

These techniques result in writing that is more concise and clear.