Plain English Course - Martin Cutts
Plain English Course - Martin Cutts
Plain English
Be clear,
be brief,
be human
:-)
WRITING PLAIN ENGLISH: BE CLEAR, BE BRIEF, BE HUMAN
;-)
WRITING PLAIN ENGLISH: BE CLEAR, BE BRIEF, BE HUMAN
Contents
Clicking on any
heading opposite will
1 Starting points
take you to the start of 2 Some easy examples
that chapter.
3 Using everyday words
On all text pages
there’s a red button 4 Getting the grammar right
top right. Click on it to
return to this page. 5 Being brief
6 Breaking up long sentences
7 Punctuating well
8 Using active-voice verbs
9 Making your writing more verby
10 Using personal words
11 Writing better instructions
12 Using a simple way to plan
13 Avoiding common pitfalls in word choice
14 Avoiding clichés
15 Ignoring myths about writing
16 Checking for errors and absurdities
Page 4 17 Further reading
WRITING PLAIN ENGLISH: BE CLEAR, BE BRIEF, BE HUMAN
1 Starting points
One of your most important work skills is to write well. To do
this, you need to say what you want to say to colleagues and
customers in a clear style, using good grammar and sound
punctuation.
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This course gives you a quick guide to some of the main points
about writing well in plain English. It’s mainly about writing for
business, not for journalistic or artistic purposes.
To help you take your study further, I've listed some books at
the end. I recommend my Oxford Guide to Plain English (edition
5) because it expands on all the points in this course; covers
different topics such as report-writing and summary-writing; is
available to borrow from public libraries; and is on sale as a
low-cost paperback.
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In fact, he wrote this (and it was signed off under the name of
the hospital’s chief executive, which makes it even worse):
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In fact, he wrote this (and it was signed off under the name of
the hospital’s chief executive, which makes it even worse):
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In fact, he wrote this (and it was signed off under the name of
the hospital’s chief executive, which makes it even worse):
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You can see the same problem in this sentence, where the
author is trying to be sarcastic (rarely a good idea in writing):
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You can see the same problem in this sentence, where the
author is trying to be sarcastic (rarely a good idea in writing):
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You can see the same problem in this sentence, where the
author is trying to be sarcastic (rarely a good idea in writing):
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The author may be a wizard with legal concepts but this is hard
work for typical policyholders, and even for lawyers and judges.
Nowadays, Jo Public expects to be able to have a good chance of
understanding legal documents that set out the consumer’s
rights and benefits.
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Here are a few high-level words and phrases that can easily be
replaced:
ascertain
commence
consequently
despite the fact that
erroneous
expenditure
expiration
indebtedness
monies
notwithstanding
particulars
prior to
representations
utilize
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Example 1
:-( From the plethora of letters that have been received from you, it
is impossible to determine the gravamen of your complaint.
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Example 1
:-( From the plethora of letters that have been received from you, it
is impossible to determine the gravamen of your complaint.
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Example 1
:-( From the plethora of letters that have been received from you, it
is impossible to determine the gravamen of your complaint.
Example 2
:-( The physical condition of a property is a fundamental
determinant of its quality.
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Example 1
:-( From the plethora of letters that have been received from you, it
is impossible to determine the gravamen of your complaint.
Example 2
:-( The physical condition of a property is a fundamental
determinant of its quality.
Example 3
:-( Following a service outage at one of our data centres earlier
today some customers may experience difficulties in receiving
email. Our engineers are working around the clock to alleviate
the issue and emergency maintenance to our service has been
scheduled for 00:00 to 02:00 on the morning of Thursday
10/04/XX.
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Example 3
:-( Following a service outage at one of our data centres earlier
today some customers may experience difficulties in receiving
email. Our engineers are working around the clock to alleviate
the issue and emergency maintenance to our service has been
scheduled for 00:00 to 02:00 on the morning of Thursday
10/04/XX.
:-o There was a fault at one of our data centres today, so you may
be having difficulty getting email. We’re sorry about this and
our engineers are working on the problem now. There will also
be special maintenance to our service from midnight till 2am on
10 April 20XX.
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Example 4
:-( At retirement age, your choices will include the open market
option.
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Example 4
:-( At retirement age, your choices will include the open market
option.
At retirement age, you can decide to buy your pension from any
:-o company you choose. This is called the open-market option.
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Example 4
:-( At retirement age, your choices will include the open market
option.
At retirement age, you can decide to buy your pension from any
:-o company you choose. This is called the open-market option.
Example 5
:-( We believe investment flexibility is a vital element to retirement
provision.
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Example 4
:-( At retirement age, your choices will include the open market
option.
At retirement age, you can decide to buy your pension from any
:-o company you choose. This is called the open-market option.
Example 5
:-( We believe investment flexibility is a vital element to retirement
provision.
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Example 4
:-( At retirement age, your choices will include the open market
option.
At retirement age, you can decide to buy your pension from any
:-o company you choose. This is called the open-market option.
Example 5
:-( We believe investment flexibility is a vital element to retirement
provision.
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Example 1
:-( Motorways is the safest type of road in the country.
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Example 1
:-( Motorways is the safest type of road in the country.
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Example 1
:-( Motorways is the safest type of road in the country.
Example 2
:-( This is to inform you that the venue for the conference will take
place at Hotel Londonium, Tower Bridge in the Ferret Suite.
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Example 1
:-( Motorways is the safest type of road in the country.
Example 2
:-( This is to inform you that the venue for the conference will take
place at Hotel Londonium, Tower Bridge in the Ferret Suite.
Answer: The author means to say that the conference will take
:-o place at Hotel Londinium, but actually says, ‘the venue...will
take place’. Better to write ‘that the venue for the conference
will be...’ or ‘that the conference will take place...’.
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Example 3
:-( We are aiming to relaunch our Easy Reading guidance to raise
awareness among staff who regularly write reports and
documents. How much would Mrs Hobbs charge at speaking at
such an event and what the content might be?
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Example 3
:-( We are aiming to relaunch our Easy Reading guidance to raise
awareness among staff who regularly write reports and
documents. How much would Mrs Hobbs charge at speaking at
such an event and what the content might be?
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Example 3
:-( We are aiming to relaunch our Easy Reading guidance to raise
awareness among staff who regularly write reports and
documents. How much would Mrs Hobbs charge at speaking at
such an event and what the content might be?
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Example 3
:-( We are aiming to relaunch our Easy Reading guidance to raise
awareness among staff who regularly write reports and
documents. How much would Mrs Hobbs charge at speaking at
such an event and what the content might be?
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Example 4
:-( One of my staff has serious problems with basic letter writing
skills. He has a poor understanding of the correct use of written
English and unable to construct proper sentences.
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Example 4
:-( One of my staff has serious problems with basic letter writing
skills. He has a poor understanding of the correct use of written
English and unable to construct proper sentences.
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Example 4
:-( One of my staff has serious problems with basic letter writing
skills. He has a poor understanding of the correct use of written
English and unable to construct proper sentences.
Example 5
:-( From a beer-bottle label
Voopers Ales and Stout are brewed using the top fermentation
method and natural bottle conditioning, resulting in a
characteristic fine sediment forming in the bottle. This
sediment is completely natural and can be gently mixed before
drinking or poured carefully, leaving the sediment in the bottle.
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Example 4
:-( One of my staff has serious problems with basic letter writing
skills. He has a poor understanding of the correct use of written
English and unable to construct proper sentences.
Example 5
:-( From a beer-bottle label
Voopers Ales and Stout are brewed using the top fermentation
method and natural bottle conditioning, resulting in a
characteristic fine sediment forming in the bottle. This
sediment is completely natural and can be gently mixed before
drinking or poured carefully, leaving the sediment in the bottle.
What’s the problem?
:-o Answer: In the second sentence, it’s nonsense to say that the
sediment can be poured carefully, leaving the sediment behind.
Page 23 What’s poured is the drink.
WRITING PLAIN ENGLISH: BE CLEAR, BE BRIEF, BE HUMAN
Example 6
:-( From a mailshot
As a previous delegate to a past event Introline are pleased to
announce the following conference.
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Example 6
:-( From a mailshot
As a previous delegate to a past event Introline are pleased to
announce the following conference.
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Example 6
:-( From a mailshot
As a previous delegate to a past event Introline are pleased to
announce the following conference.
Example 7
:-( The reason the dahlias didn’t grow is because the tubers were
too dry.
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Example 6
:-( From a mailshot
As a previous delegate to a past event Introline are pleased to
announce the following conference.
Example 7
:-( The reason the dahlias didn’t grow is because the tubers were
too dry.
Answer: The words ‘reason’ and ‘because’ are doing the same
:-o job, so one of them should be deleted as pointless repetition
(which is bad style), for example: ‘The dahlias didn’t grow
because...’ or ‘The reason the dahlias didn’t grow is that...’
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Example 8
:-( We noticed after you had left the hotel that room 10’s key was
missing. We wondered whether you had found it in your luggage
when you arrived home. If so, please contact us on 0000 and the
key put in the post to us.
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Example 8
:-( We noticed after you had left the hotel that room 10’s key was
missing. We wondered whether you had found it in your luggage
when you arrived home. If so, please contact us on 0000 and the
key put in the post to us.
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Example 8
:-( We noticed after you had left the hotel that room 10’s key was
missing. We wondered whether you had found it in your luggage
when you arrived home. If so, please contact us on 0000 and the
key put in the post to us.
Example 9
:-( We believe the ethical and legal obligation of impartiality in
schools are being ignored.
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Example 8
:-( We noticed after you had left the hotel that room 10’s key was
missing. We wondered whether you had found it in your luggage
when you arrived home. If so, please contact us on 0000 and the
key put in the post to us.
Example 9
:-( We believe the ethical and legal obligation of impartiality in
schools are being ignored.
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5 Being brief
Readers are usually busy people. You waste their time if you
make them read more than they have to. The delete button is
your friend, and the reader’s. So, without being blunt or rude,
you need to cut waffle and keep to the point. You can do this by
examining everything you write and ruthlessly culling
unnecessary and long-winded expressions. There are two
questions you need to keep asking yourself as you review your
stuff:
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5 Being brief
Readers are usually busy people. You waste their time if you
make them read more than they have to. The delete button is
your friend, and the reader’s. So, without being blunt or rude,
you need to cut waffle and keep to the point. You can do this by
examining everything you write and ruthlessly culling
unnecessary and long-winded expressions. There are two
questions you need to keep asking yourself as you review your
stuff:
䡵 Why am I saying this?
䡵 Why would anyone want to know this?
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5 Being brief
Readers are usually busy people. You waste their time if you
make them read more than they have to. The delete button is
your friend, and the reader’s. So, without being blunt or rude,
you need to cut waffle and keep to the point. You can do this by
examining everything you write and ruthlessly culling
unnecessary and long-winded expressions. There are two
questions you need to keep asking yourself as you review your
stuff:
䡵 Why am I saying this?
䡵 Why would anyone want to know this?
Even those two questions are too long. They really amount to
the single question, SO WHAT?
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:-o Perhaps:
In Archway, demand for social housing exceeds supply.
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:-o Perhaps:
In Archway, demand for social housing exceeds supply.
Example 2
:-( We are writing to bring a matter of the utmost importance to
your attention regarding a current scam that has been brought
to our attention.
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:-o Perhaps:
In Archway, demand for social housing exceeds supply.
Example 2
:-( We are writing to bring a matter of the utmost importance to
your attention regarding a current scam that has been brought
to our attention.
:-o Perhaps:
We’re writing to warn you about a clever new scam.
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Example 3
:-( I have been given your name and contact details with respect to
your editorial services. Currently I am in the middle of the
preparation of a Communications Strategy for the borough
council and would like to be able to incorporate methods and
elements of “plain speaking” into it so that is likely to be as
comprehensible as possible to the members of the public who
are our target audience. Would you be good enough to explain
to me how your service could go about helping me undertake
this task?
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Example 3
:-( I have been given your name and contact details with respect to
your editorial services. Currently I am in the middle of the
preparation of a Communications Strategy for the borough
council and would like to be able to incorporate methods and
elements of “plain speaking” into it so that is likely to be as
comprehensible as possible to the members of the public who
are our target audience. Would you be good enough to explain
to me how your service could go about helping me undertake
this task?
:-o Perhaps:
I am preparing the council’s Communications Strategy. Please
let me know how your editorial service could help me write it
more clearly for the public.
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Example 4
:-( We specialize in the provision of Self-Invested Pension Plans
and are the market leader in the provision of this type of plan.
How could you say it more briefly?
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Example 4
:-( We specialize in the provision of Self-Invested Pension Plans
and are the market leader in the provision of this type of plan.
How could you say it more briefly?
Perhaps:
:-o We specialize in providing Self-Invested Pension Plans. In fact,
we are the market leader in them.
However, you’d want to avoid the ambiguous term ‘market
leader’. If you mean ‘we sell more of them than any other firm’,
it’s best to say that.
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Example 4
:-( We specialize in the provision of Self-Invested Pension Plans
and are the market leader in the provision of this type of plan.
How could you say it more briefly?
Perhaps:
:-o We specialize in providing Self-Invested Pension Plans. In fact,
we are the market leader in them.
However, you’d want to avoid the ambiguous term ‘market
leader’. If you mean ‘we sell more of them than any other firm’,
it’s best to say that.
Example 5
:-( The purpose of this article is to advise all customers of the
completion of the Customer Satisfaction Survey and associated
results.
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Example 4
:-( We specialize in the provision of Self-Invested Pension Plans
and are the market leader in the provision of this type of plan.
How could you say it more briefly?
Perhaps:
:-o We specialize in providing Self-Invested Pension Plans. In fact,
we are the market leader in them.
However, you’d want to avoid the ambiguous term ‘market
leader’. If you mean ‘we sell more of them than any other firm’,
it’s best to say that.
Example 5
:-( The purpose of this article is to advise all customers of the
completion of the Customer Satisfaction Survey and associated
results.
:-o Perhaps:
This article gives the results of the Customer Satisfaction Survey.
(It’s obvious that the survey has been completed, otherwise
Page 30 there’d be no results.)
WRITING PLAIN ENGLISH: BE CLEAR, BE BRIEF, BE HUMAN
Example 6
:-( Plain English should always be used on forms and notices in
order that they are capable of being understood by the people
using them.
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Example 6
:-( Plain English should always be used on forms and notices in
order that they are capable of being understood by the people
using them.
:-o Perhaps:
Always use plain English in your forms and notices, then people
will understand them.
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Example 6
:-( Plain English should always be used on forms and notices in
order that they are capable of being understood by the people
using them.
:-o Perhaps:
Always use plain English in your forms and notices, then people
will understand them.
Example 7
:-( Please note: this pot is fabricated by hand rather than machine
made, so please allow for a small tolerance of 5mm or so in the
outer dimensions.
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Example 6
:-( Plain English should always be used on forms and notices in
order that they are capable of being understood by the people
using them.
:-o Perhaps:
Always use plain English in your forms and notices, then people
will understand them.
Example 7
:-( Please note: this pot is fabricated by hand rather than machine
made, so please allow for a small tolerance of 5mm or so in the
outer dimensions.
:-o Perhaps:
! This pot is made by hand not machine, so the dimensions may
differ by 5mm or so.
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Make sure every word is worth its place on the page. If you find
yourself writing ‘At this particular moment of time’, use ‘At
present’, ‘Today’ or ‘Now’ instead. If you write ‘During the
course of the day’ (which many weather forecasters put in their
scripts), just put ‘During the day’.
Keep an eye out for those old favourites ‘consult with’ and
‘meet with’, as in: ‘I'll consult with colleagues before meeting
with Ms Pelling.’ Omit ‘with’ – twice! It’s redundant, even in US
English, where it’s common.
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4 Building went ahead and the new units were open for
Christmas trading.
Then we can put the points in the best order, which in this case
is probably chronological (time sequence): 1-2-3-4. We can put
each in a short sentence, perhaps like this:
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One of the things you’ll notice is that I’ve put ‘we’ and ‘our’ into
the writing, which helps readers to see who is doing what. See
chapter 10, ‘Using personal words’.
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Example 1
:-( Please note that it is very important that you inform the
authority if you are moved to a different prison and that, if you
are liberated from prison, you give the authority details of your
new address and any address to which you move so it always
has your current address for correspondence about the case.
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Example 1
:-( Please note that it is very important that you inform the
authority if you are moved to a different prison and that, if you
are liberated from prison, you give the authority details of your
new address and any address to which you move so it always
has your current address for correspondence about the case.
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Example 2
:-( The referral of customer complaints to head office carries
resource implications, and it is therefore highly desirable that
the business conducts itself in such a way that fewer complaints
arise, and when they are made, as many as possible are resolved
as quickly and as closely as possible to the source, either within
the teams responsible or otherwise at a local level, with only the
most difficult complaints being referred to head office.
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Example 2
:-( The referral of customer complaints to head office carries
resource implications, and it is therefore highly desirable that
the business conducts itself in such a way that fewer complaints
arise, and when they are made, as many as possible are resolved
as quickly and as closely as possible to the source, either within
the teams responsible or otherwise at a local level, with only the
most difficult complaints being referred to head office.
:-o Perhaps:
It’s costly for head office to deal with customers’ complaints. So
the business should:
• conduct itself in a way that leads to fewer complaints, and
• resolve complaints within the relevant team or otherwise at a
local level.
You should refer only the most difficult cases to head office.
Readers love full stops. Make sure you use plenty of them, and
in the right places.
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7 Punctuating well
Punctuating well is as important as choosing the best words.
Without it, writing soon becomes incoherent and falls apart.
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.
WRITING PLAIN ENGLISH: BE CLEAR, BE BRIEF, BE HUMAN
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The full stop after ‘each per day’ is good, because that marks
the boundary where the author finishes talking about what
people think or guess. But the comma after ‘140 litres per day’
is bad. You can see that there’s a full sentence either side of the
comma (each sentence has its own finite verb (‘uses and ‘be’),
so the comma should be a full stop. A comma is rarely enough
to cope with the boundary between two complete sentences; it
causes the readers to miscue, which reduces their fluency.
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When you use the right punctuation, you help the readers to
predict what’s coming next, and prediction is an important part
of fluent reading.
That said, instead of a full stop after ‘140 litres a day’, you could
use a semicolon. This is because a semicolon (as we’ll see in
the next few pages) is feasible when there are complete
sentences either side of the mark but they make closely
related points.
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When you use the right punctuation, you help the readers to
predict what’s coming next, and prediction is an important part
of fluent reading.
That said, instead of a full stop after ‘140 litres a day’, you could
use a semicolon. This is because a semicolon (as we’ll see in
the next few pages) is feasible when there are complete
sentences either side of the mark but they make closely
related points.
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,
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So:
If I were you, there’d be two of us the same.
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You can see the effective use of commas in the next example:
In 1969, Jimi Hendrix and his Band of Gypsys closed the
Woodstock festival with what many regard as the finest
performance of his life in front of a bedraggled, sleep-starved
throng who had endured rain, mud, performance delays and
dubious toilets. Some critics called his apocalyptic version of
the Star Spangled Banner unpatriotic but, as a former
paratrooper, Hendrix thought he’d earned the right to play the
anthem in his own unique way.
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And don’t forget the rule about its above. So if you write:
䡵 Its head is sky-blue
then there’s no apostrophe in its because its is a word in its own
right. It means ‘belonging to it’. The possession is inbuilt.
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Example 1
:-( Thank you for your prompt reply, yes we would like to proceed
and our order number is 4365737 this is attached.
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Example 1
:-( Thank you for your prompt reply, yes we would like to proceed
and our order number is 4365737 this is attached.
:-o Thank you for your prompt reply. Yes, we would like to proceed
and our order number is 4365737. The order is attached.
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Example 2
:-( I have just taken over from Jane Jackson in this post, I see we
have a course booked for 22 Jan at Dodge House, I have had a
few enquiries regarding this course, I have information from the
last course that you ran in October, the pre-course booklet,
would this be ok for me to give to prospective delegates.
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:-o I have just taken over from Jane Jackson in this post and I see
we have a course booked for 22 Jan at Dodge House. I have had
a few enquiries about it. I have your pre-course booklet from
the last course that you ran in October. Would it be OK for me to
issue it to prospective delegates?
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Example 3
:-( Thanks for sending me through this information however I was
hoping to look at the actual detailed programmes not the
course outlines, is it possible to send me these through today.
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Example 3
:-( Thanks for sending me through this information however I was
hoping to look at the actual detailed programmes not the
course outlines, is it possible to send me these through today.
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Example 3
:-( Thanks for sending me through this information however I was
hoping to look at the actual detailed programmes not the
course outlines, is it possible to send me these through today.
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Example 3
:-( Thanks for sending me through this information however I was
hoping to look at the actual detailed programmes not the
course outlines, is it possible to send me these through today.
Example 4
:-( I feel that my level of writing skills is already high however, I did
learn a lot today.
Example 5
:-( Kimtex keeps the foot dry and comfortable with it’s advanced
moisture-transport capabilities.
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Example 5
:-( Kimtex keeps the foot dry and comfortable with it’s advanced
moisture-transport capabilities.
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Example 5
:-( Kimtex keeps the foot dry and comfortable with it’s advanced
moisture-transport capabilities.
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Example 5
:-( Kimtex keeps the foot dry and comfortable with it’s advanced
moisture-transport capabilities.
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You can see that in each case, a full stop would be OK; but a
semicolon is better because it tells the reader that the
statements make closely related points.
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Of course, you could set out that long sentence in other, clearer
ways, such as a bullet-point list. But the use of three
semicolons as major dividers helps to show readers where the
main breaks occur after the colon signifies a long pause and
that a list is coming.
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‘’
Quotation marks (‘ ’) indicate the opening and closing of direct
speech:
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‘’
Quotation marks (‘ ’) indicate the opening and closing of direct
speech:
‘There is no alternative,’ said the prime minister.
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Products:
Personal Life Assurance Plan; Home Development Loan.
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[]
Square brackets [ ] (US: ‘brackets’) show that the text within
does not belong to the document or quotation but is being
inserted for clarity.
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[]
Square brackets [ ] (US: ‘brackets’) show that the text within
does not belong to the document or quotation but is being
inserted for clarity.
()
Brackets ( ) are also called round brackets or, in the US,
‘parentheses’. They surround an aside, explanation or addition
that is relatively unimportant to the main text.
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1 If the listed items have a main verb and look like freestanding
sentences, they start with a capital and end with a full stop.
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Can you see what’s wrong with how the following list has been
set up?
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Can you see what’s wrong with how the following list has been
set up?
:-o Before returning this form, please check that you have:
䡵 fully completed it
䡵 signed and dated it
䡵 enclosed the patient’s consent form
䡵 enclosed your proofs of identity.
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The general point is: favour the use of active verbs. Make sure
at least 90% of your verbs are active. Software tools such as
StyleWriter – the Plain English Editor, can help with this and
many other matters. You can get details from
www.editorsoftware.com.
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Example 1
:-( All fire doors and other fire-prevention devices will be checked
and repaired by us where necessary.
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Example 1
:-( All fire doors and other fire-prevention devices will be checked
and repaired by us where necessary.
Active voice:
:-o We will check all fire doors and other fire-prevention devices
and repair them where necessary.
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Example 1
:-( All fire doors and other fire-prevention devices will be checked
and repaired by us where necessary.
Active voice:
:-o We will check all fire doors and other fire-prevention devices
and repair them where necessary.
Example 2 Minor repair work will be carried out by our team after your
:-( tenancy starts.
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Example 1
:-( All fire doors and other fire-prevention devices will be checked
and repaired by us where necessary.
Active voice:
:-o We will check all fire doors and other fire-prevention devices
and repair them where necessary.
Example 2 Minor repair work will be carried out by our team after your
:-( tenancy starts.
Active voice:
:-o Our team will do minor repairs after your tenancy starts.
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Here are some examples. How would you make them more
verby?
Example 1
:-( We will undertake the preparation of the report.
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Here are some examples. How would you make them more
verby?
Example 1
:-( We will undertake the preparation of the report.
More verby:
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Example 2
:-( We can make a recommendation to the board for the
acceptance of the proposal.
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Example 2
:-( We can make a recommendation to the board for the
acceptance of the proposal.
More verby:
:-o We can recommend that the board accepts the proposal. (Or:
We can recommend to the board that it accepts the proposal.)
You can see that the verbs ‘recommend’ and ‘accept’ replace
the nouns ‘recommendation’ and ‘acceptance’. This creates a
sentence that’s simple, short and conversational.
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Example 2
:-( We can make a recommendation to the board for the
acceptance of the proposal.
More verby:
:-o We can recommend that the board accepts the proposal. (Or:
We can recommend to the board that it accepts the proposal.)
You can see that the verbs ‘recommend’ and ‘accept’ replace
the nouns ‘recommendation’ and ‘acceptance’. This creates a
sentence that’s simple, short and conversational.
Example 3
:-( They made a decision to set up a residents association.
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Example 2
:-( We can make a recommendation to the board for the
acceptance of the proposal.
More verby:
:-o We can recommend that the board accepts the proposal. (Or:
We can recommend to the board that it accepts the proposal.)
You can see that the verbs ‘recommend’ and ‘accept’ replace
the nouns ‘recommendation’ and ‘acceptance’. This creates a
sentence that’s simple, short and conversational.
Example 3
:-( They made a decision to set up a residents association.
More verby:
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Example 4
:-( The starting point for consideration by the committee was the
evidence in the Smith case.
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Example 4
:-( The starting point for consideration by the committee was the
evidence in the Smith case.
More verby:
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If you also use plenty of active-voice verbs, you’ll find that your
writing becomes much easier to read.
Example 1
:-( If someone is deemed by us to be ineligible for an assessment
of housing need there is a right to request the council to make a
review of that decision.
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If you also use plenty of active-voice verbs, you’ll find that your
writing becomes much easier to read.
Example 1
:-( If someone is deemed by us to be ineligible for an assessment
of housing need there is a right to request the council to make a
review of that decision.
Perhaps:
Example 2
:-( The council has adopted a two-stage assessment process
whereby an initial assessment will be made for every housing
application received. The second stage will verify the
information assessed and if an applicant receives sufficient
priority they will be placed on the Active Housing Register.
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Example 2
:-( The council has adopted a two-stage assessment process
whereby an initial assessment will be made for every housing
application received. The second stage will verify the
information assessed and if an applicant receives sufficient
priority they will be placed on the Active Housing Register.
Perhaps:
:-o 1
When you apply for housing, we use a four-stage process:
We make an initial assessment.
2 We check that the information you have given is correct.
3 We give you a priority rating.
4 If your priority is high enough, we put you on the Active Housing
Register.
As you can see, I’ve also used a list and split up the original two
stages even further so they’ll make more sense to outsiders.
Doing this kind of thing is not easy. As an author, you have to
think hard about how to split the information into manageable
chunks; but the benefits to the reader will often be clear and
tangible.
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The main text will set out detailed actions, probably under
headed subsections. All these headings help users to read the
instructions in small chunks and find what they need when they
need it. A contents list at the start will also help with this.
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The main text will set out detailed actions, probably under
headed subsections. All these headings help users to read the
instructions in small chunks and find what they need when they
need it. A contents list at the start will also help with this.
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The main text will set out detailed actions, probably under
headed subsections. All these headings help users to read the
instructions in small chunks and find what they need when they
need it. A contents list at the start will also help with this.
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Principle 6 Test the draft instructions with typical first-time users who
have little or no knowledge of the task
This will help show you where users are likely to go wrong,
enabling you to redraft accordingly.
See The Oxford Guide to Plain English for examples and more
details.
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Your letter or email will also benefit from a clear and predictive
main heading saying what it’s about and helping the reader
predict what you’re going to cover. This heading need not be
short: a detailed heading may save many words later.
You may want to end with one or more calls to action, where you
say what you’d like readers to do next.
And just to keep people on their toes there are even a few words
like ‘cleave’ that have two opposite meanings (to split apart and
to stay together) – the intended meaning can be deduced only
from the context.
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Which is correct? We accept/except the gift in the spirit in which it was given.
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Which is correct? We accept/except the gift in the spirit in which it was given.
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Which is correct? We accept/except the gift in the spirit in which it was given.
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Which is correct? We accept/except the gift in the spirit in which it was given.
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Which is correct? When unjust laws are imposed on the population, many people
will choose to flout/flaunt them.
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Which is correct? When unjust laws are imposed on the population, many people
will choose to flout/flaunt them.
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Which is correct? When unjust laws are imposed on the population, many people
will choose to flout/flaunt them.
Which is correct? Despite lacking all fashion sense, they flouted/flaunted their
charms in revealing costumes.
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Which is correct? When unjust laws are imposed on the population, many people
will choose to flout/flaunt them.
Which is correct? Despite lacking all fashion sense, they flouted/flaunted their
charms in revealing costumes.
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Beg the question means to assume that the point you’re trying
to prove is actually true. In traditional standard English, it didn’t
use to mean to raise or ask a question, though many people
now use it for this purpose. This is an example of how standard
English may be changing.
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Beg the question means to assume that the point you’re trying
to prove is actually true. In traditional standard English, it didn’t
use to mean to raise or ask a question, though many people
now use it for this purpose. This is an example of how standard
English may be changing.
Did the heckler The preacher argued that since beautiful things could be
get it right in created only by God, then the universe, as a beautiful thing,
this example? must have been divinely created. ‘ That’s begging the question,’
cried a heckler.
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Beg the question means to assume that the point you’re trying
to prove is actually true. In traditional standard English, it didn’t
use to mean to raise or ask a question, though many people
now use it for this purpose. This is an example of how standard
English may be changing.
Did the heckler The preacher argued that since beautiful things could be
get it right in created only by God, then the universe, as a beautiful thing,
this example? must have been divinely created. ‘ That’s begging the question,’
cried a heckler.
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Beg the question means to assume that the point you’re trying
to prove is actually true. In traditional standard English, it didn’t
use to mean to raise or ask a question, though many people
now use it for this purpose. This is an example of how standard
English may be changing.
Did the heckler The preacher argued that since beautiful things could be
get it right in created only by God, then the universe, as a beautiful thing,
this example? must have been divinely created. ‘ That’s begging the question,’
cried a heckler.
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Beg the question means to assume that the point you’re trying
to prove is actually true. In traditional standard English, it didn’t
use to mean to raise or ask a question, though many people
now use it for this purpose. This is an example of how standard
English may be changing.
Did the heckler The preacher argued that since beautiful things could be
get it right in created only by God, then the universe, as a beautiful thing,
this example? must have been divinely created. ‘ That’s begging the question,’
cried a heckler.
Yes, the heckler was right – if traditional standard English is the
norm – because the preacher was using in his proof an
assumption he was trying to prove.
Is this correct? I also hope to keep you appraised of key decisions that effect us
as chess players.
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Is this correct? I also hope to keep you appraised of key decisions that effect us
as chess players.
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14 Avoiding clichés
Clichés are expressions that suffer from overuse: fresh as a
daisy, good as gold, cool as a cucumber, cold as ice, home
sweet home, sweet as a nut, in the wrong place at the wrong
time. Sports-speak is full of them: at the end of the day, at this
particular moment in time, game of two halves, to be fair, to be
honest, the first goal will be crucial, she missed when it looked
easier to score, etc.
fundamentally flawed
grinding poverty
the jury’s still out (unless a real jury really is still out)
haven for wildlife
level playing field (unless you’re a surveyor)
leave no stone unturned
in this day and age
hive of activity
shadow of its former self
we take all complaints very seriously
lessons have been learnt
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If you put a word between ‘to’ and the verb word, as in a phrase
like ‘ Is it ever acceptable to physically punish a child?’, this
splits the infinitive. But as it puts the stress exactly where you
want it,it’s good English.
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Myth 3 You must not end sentences with prepositions (words like at,
up, down, of, out, by, in, from)
Myth 4 You must not use ‘I’ and ‘we’ in your reports
Words like ‘I’ are valuable in reports because they show who is
taking responsibility for the actions. Of course, you can always
use the name of a team or department instead, but this may
become monotonous. The main point is that, for clarity, most of
your sentences should have identifiable doers in them. Often
the best doers will be ‘I’ or ‘we’. Other personal pronouns are
also helpful in letters and emails – you should generally
address your reader(s) as ‘you’.
You’ll find more on this in chapter 10, and in The Oxford Guide to
Plain English.
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Example 2
:-( WHEN BREAKING UP A CAST-IRON BATH, YOU SHOULD WEAR
PROPER EAR DEFENDERS AND NOTHING ELSE.
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Example 2
:-( WHEN BREAKING UP A CAST-IRON BATH, YOU SHOULD WEAR
PROPER EAR DEFENDERS AND NOTHING ELSE.
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Example 2
:-( WHEN BREAKING UP A CAST-IRON BATH, YOU SHOULD WEAR
PROPER EAR DEFENDERS AND NOTHING ELSE.
Example 4
:-( The item of mail has been tampard with, the envelope was
opened and then resealed, it was noticed to have been
tampared with by the Postoffice in Slovakia, so the postman was
instructed have the reciperient open the item in his presents
and other witnesses. The money was missing, the box on the
envelope stating that £250.00 was enclosed had been crossed
out. The postage included up to £250 insurance.
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17 Further reading
Burchfield R (ed) The New Fowler’s Modern English Usage OUP, 1996.
Cutts M The Oxford Guide to Plain English OUP, 2020.
Garner B Garner’s Modern English Usage OUP, 2016.
Kimble J Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please Carolina Academic Press, 2023.
Lewis N Word Power Made Easy Bloomsbury, 1990.
Manser MH (ed) Good Word Guide Bloomsbury, 2011.
Seely J Everyday Grammar OUP, 2001.
Thornton R Adult Learners’ Writing Guide Chambers, 2006.
This easy-to-use self-study book informs and educates by using exercises, tests and practical
real-world examples.
:-)
PLAIN
LANGUAGE Plain Language Commission
COMMISSION The Castle, 29 Stoneheads, Whaley Bridge,
High Peak SK23 7BB, United Kingdom
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.clearest.co.uk
Plain Language Commission is independent of the UK Government.
WRITING PLAIN ENGLISH: BE CLEAR, BE BRIEF, BE HUMAN
;-)
PLAIN
LANGUAGE Plain Language Commission
COMMISSION The Castle, 29 Stoneheads, Whaley Bridge,
High Peak SK23 7BB, United Kingdom
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.clearest.co.uk
Plain Language Commission is independent of the UK Government.