Words matter, as do the way they're presented. Plain language is language that users understand the first time they read it, presented in a logical way. It's about choosing the right words to express your meaning, using vocabulary your audience understands, and using simple sentence structure. Plain language makes information clear without oversimplifying it. It helps people find the right information to continue with their task at hand – whether that's digesting news or a new policy, filling out a form, or selecting the right product that meets their needs.
Effective plain language writing:
- removes unnecessary complexity while keeping the meaning intact
- uses shorter sentences and familiar words, but does not eliminate all technical terms
- ensures that the writing is engaging, structured and easy to follow
- focuses on clarity, readability and accessibility without sacrificing essential details
Using clear, straightforward language can remove unnecessary barriers to understanding, making your content easier to engage with for people from all backgrounds, including those with cognitive disabilities, non-native speakers and individuals unfamiliar with complex terminology. Plain language isn't just about simplifying – it's about making your message more direct and memorable.
Plain communication isn't just about changing a few words here and there – it's about transforming the way we communicate to create a more inclusive and accessible world. By the end, you'll have the tools and understanding needed to make your content more approachable, respectful and effective for a diverse audience.
Relearning how to write more accessibly
It can be surprising to consider communicating in this way. Focusing on plain language can feel like an 'unlearning' of the ways we've been rewarded for writing in the past. In our early years, we're encouraged to extend our vocabulary by using additional adjectives and making sentences more complex to prove we can construct cohesive arguments.
As we progress through the formal education process, we're evaluated on our ability to write a minimum-length essay. Academic writing praises the use and presentation of complex ideas, writing about ideas in a theoretical and passive way, and we're usually encouraged to write things using formal terminology. Our essays tend to be marked by people with more subject-matter expertise than we have, and the purpose of those essays is often to convey an understanding of that new subject in question.
However, when it comes to business communications, research shows that even experts prefer reading information in plain language. While many of our stakeholders are wedded to technical terms they're convinced everyone understands, that's just not the case. No one is reading your content in perfect conditions. Very few people have uninterrupted time to sit back and give 100 per cent of their attention to your information, regardless of how engaged and interested they are.
The majority of our communications are not scientific writing for a scientific audience – and even if they are, there are ways to make them easier to understand. Plain language helps people find the right information to continue with their task at hand – whether that's digesting news or a new policy, filling out a form, or selecting the right product that meets their needs.
Plain language principles
Plain language uses words that your user understands the first time they read it.
Use the language your audience understands and needs to know: As with all effective communication, knowing your audience is key. Taking the time to understand who you're writing for and what their needs are will help make your message more compelling.
Understanding what your users need: You could consider creating a user story for your content to help identify what it is your audience really needs from that information.
The format goes:
- as a (person who is likely to read this content)
- I need to (understand, learn about, find out how to…)
- so that (I can take the appropriate next step)
For example:
- as an employee of this organization
- I need to understand this change in our annual leave process
- so I can make the right request
Now that you're considering what your users need to know, it's important to use the terms they're most familiar with to help with readability. This also helps people find the right information, too – plain language is better for search engine optimization (SEO)!
Selecting the right words for the message
There are lots of ways to learn more about what our audience needs. Using search data, analytics, and tools like Google Trends can help identify the appropriate terminology. However, there's no real substitute for testing your communications with users to see whether they can understand the information presented. This isn't (just) about using A/B testing to determine which headline is most effective to meet your business objective; it's about making sure the information you're presenting is understandable and meets the needs of your users.
- Using the active voice – and when to use passive
- Avoid complex words when there are clearer options
- Spell out or explain technical terms and acronyms
- Avoid clichés and business jargon to achieve clarity
- Well-structured, shorter sentences and paragraphs
To keep your writing clear and succinct:
- Aim to have no more than one idea in every paragraph. If needed, break your paragraphs into smaller chunks of information.
- Use bullet points to break up lists of information. They're often easier to read and follow than a long, complex sentence with commas.
- Provide subheadings to help readers scan information. All users, even domain experts, find it easier to read information that has been clearly broken down.
This extract from Accessible Communications by Lisa Riemers and Matisse Hamel-Nelis, 2025, is reproduced with permission from Kogan Page Ltd.
