Preparing materials that are clear and easy to understand

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An introduction to Plain English
Writing tips
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An introduction to Plain English

“Plain English” is a common term most people have heard. We all have our own ideas about what it is, what it looks like, and how good we are at doing it.

A plain English, or plain language, document is easy to read and looks like it’s meant to be read.

A plain English document uses words economically and at a level the audience can understand. Its sentence structure is tight. Its tone is approachable and direct. Its design is visually appealing.

Using plain English is a good practice that can benefit many readers, particularly those with a disability that affects the ability to read or to see.

This is a guide on how to give readers the best possible chance of understanding written documents.

Writing Tips

Write for your reader

Identify your audience and the purpose of your document
Use question and answer format to engage your reader
Choose headings carefully
Use 'you' and other pronouns to speak directly to your readers
Use 'you' to speak to your reader
Use 'I' in headings to pose readers' questions eg. "How do I appeal an assessment decision?"
Use 'we' to refer to your organisation
Use the active voice
Use appropriate tone
Use non-discriminatory language

Write Clearly

Use short sentences
Use the simplest tense that you can
Use 'must' to convey requirements (rather than "should" or "shall")
Avoid ambiguous placement of words eg. "If you are determined to be eligible, you can receive ..."
Avoid words and constructions that can confuse (eg. jargon and acronyms)
Think about how to use contractions eg. "don't" instead of "do not" (Contractions soften the tone, and make documents easier to read, and the two word form is more emphatic and formal)
Change nominalisations to verbs eg. "We made an application" to "We applied"
Bring abstractions down to earth with examples or diagrams
Omit superfluous words eg. change "despite the fact" to "although"

Edit your document

Enlarge the document to make editing notes more easily
A fresh pair of eyes often picks up the "obvious" problems that those who have worked with the document miss.
If possible, put the draft aside for a while, and then come back to it later with a fresh approach

Structure the document clearly

Use a table of contents to help make the structure clear
Use lots of informative headings
Write short sections
Include only one issue in each paragraph
Use vertical lists

Design the document carefully

Use good contrast
Avoid shading and glossy paper
Use light coloured paper
Give adequate margins (at least 25mm)
Use left justification
Leave space between paragraphs
Allow ample space on forms
Set line spacing at 25% greater than the text
Use sans serif fonts like Arial or Verdana
Use a font size at least as big as Arial 12 point
Use bold to emphasise important points, rather than italics, underline or all capitals
Format headings by varying size, font, and allowing space before and after
Avoid breaking words at the end of a line