From the course: Writing in Plain English
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Use positive language when writing in plain English
From the course: Writing in Plain English
Use positive language when writing in plain English
- [Instructor] Using positive language can help you meet your plain language goals. First, when you help your readers imagine success instead of failure, your text is more approachable and friendly, which makes your readers feel more motivated. But second, positive language isn't just about optimism and engagement. It's also about clear and effective communication. For example, negative statements like, "Don't forget to submit your order by Friday," or "Try to submit your order by Friday" suggest your reader might have problems or fail. But they also leave open the possibility that Friday isn't a hard deadline. "Submit your order by Friday" is more positive and it's more clear. Notice also how much shorter the clear sentence is, five words versus seven and nine for the others. Positive writing is often shorter, but not always. Here's another example. Instead of telling customers, "Don't use extra virgin olive oil for deep-frying," tell them, "Extra virgin olive oil is best for cooking…
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Use short, simple sentences when writing in plain English3m 44s
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Avoid there are sentences when writing in plain English1m 44s
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Use the present tense when writing in plain English1m 20s
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Avoid noun clusters when writing in plain English1m 59s
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Use positive language when writing in plain English1m 36s
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