Plain English Campaign (2024)

FAQs

What are plain English examples? ›

Beyond avoiding jargon, plain language also avoids longer and more obscure words. For example, plain language would use hungry instead of famished and quickly instead of expeditiously.

Crafting Your Message with Plain Language

proofread another student's work, or your own, with a focus on the five principles of plain language: active voice, common words, positive tone, reader focus, and short (concise) words and sentences.

Chrissie Maher OBE (Founder-director) launched Plain English Campaign in 1979. You can find out more information about Chrissie, her life and her work in the 'About us - history' section.

So what is plain English? It is a message, written with the reader in mind and with the right tone of voice, that is clear and concise. Most experts would agree that clear writing should have an average sentence length of 15 to 20 words.

Plain language is clear, uses simple words and short sentences. It is easy to understand, has a natural flow and sticks to the facts. The goal of plain language is that the reader can understand the text the first time they read it.

The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to use plain language when communicating with the public. Plain language is clear communication that the public can easily understand and use. The Department is committed to communicating with the public in plain language.

Plain language is simpler to understand

Simple language is particularly important when you're writing an instruction manual or guide, as it makes the content easier to follow and understand.

What is the difference between plain language and plain English? ›

Plain English is language that is easy to understand, emphasizes clarity and brevity, and avoids overly complex vocabulary. Plain language is writing designed to ensure the reader understands as quickly, easily, and completely as possible.

Plain English training investigates what readers look for in a document, and teaches simple processes to ensure these needs are met. You learn how to: Write clearly, effectively and quickly. Use Plain English to develop a concise, readable and pleasing writing style.

The Plain English Campaign (PEC) is a commercial editing and training firm based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1979 by Chrissie Maher, the company is concerned with plain-language advocacy, working to persuade organisations in the UK and abroad to communicate with the public in plain language.

The Crystal Mark is our seal of approval for the clarity of a document. It now appears on over 24,000 different documents in the UK and in other countries including the USA, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand and South Africa. It is the only internationally-recognised mark of its kind.

The Foot in Mouth Award is presented each year by the Plain English Campaign for "a baffling comment by a public figure". The award was first made in 1993, when it was given to Ted Dexter, the chairman of selectors for the England cricket team.

Adjective It was a plain room with no curtains. She was wearing plain black shoes. He printed the picture on plain paper.

Plain language (also known as plain English) is a way of writing or presenting information so that readers can understand it quickly and easily. Plain language should be easy to read, understand and use. Plain language avoids verbose or convoluted language, jargon, euphemism, and ambiguous language.

In clear, straightforward language, as in The doctor's diagnosis was too technical; please tell us what he meant in plain English .

The plain style in literature, otherwise referred to as the 'low style', is the most common form of communication in the English language. It is a form of rhetoric which expresses a message very clearly to convey a direct meaning. The core values of the plain style in literature are "clarity, brevity and sincerity...".