In my last column I discussed the importance of plain English. KISS, an acronym for Keep It Short and Simple, is the guiding principle for effective communication. The ABC (accuracy, brevity and clarity) formula is followed by those who aim at successful communication. A speech or a piece of writing that uses flowery language and is full of pompous words may please some but will definitely not enthuse most people and may not serve its purpose. A reader sent in this query: In your recent column you wrote about plain English. Can business communication such as letters, emails, proposals, and reports be in plain English?
There is a misconception that plain English is about casual and informal communication. Plain English is about clear, concise and unambiguous communication. It is the standard for any type or style of communication – formal, informal, social, business, journalistic, legal or scientific.
It is good to know about the Plain English Campaign (PEC) and the characteristics of plain English. PEC officially began after its founder Chrissie Maher publicly shredded official documents in Parliament Square, London. PEC believes that everyone should have access to clear communication and campaigns for it. PEC professionals help government departments and other organisations with their documents, reports and publications. The Crystal Mark is their seal of approval for the clarity of a document.
What are the characteristics of Plain English? In other words, what are the guidelines for those who want to communicate clearly and effectively?
● Keep your sentences short
● Opt for active verbs
● Use 'you' and 'we'
● Use words that are appropriate for the reader
● Don't be afraid to give instructions
● Avoid nominalisations
● Use lists where appropriate
The Plain English Campaign website (http://www.plainenglish.co.uk) has free guides on grammar. The site also gives plain English alternatives to an A-Z list of words/phrases including business and legal jargon. Here are some samples with plain English alternatives given in brackets:
accede to (allow, agree to), acquaint yourself with (find out about, read), adjacent (next to), acquiesce (agree), afford an opportunity (allow, let), along the lines of (like, as in), anticipate (expect), as a consequence of (because), at an early date (soon, or say when), at the present time (now), by means of (by), comply with (keep to, meet)
Look at this sentence:
Standing Orders further allow the Speaker to accede to a request for a debate on any matter of urgent topical importance and although a debate is rarely allowed, Members are not unskilled in framing such requests in a manner which makes the point. (44 words)
The 44-word sentence above has an uncommon phrase (accede to) and a double negative expression (not unskilled). By replacing the phrase ‘accede to’ with ‘agree to’ we can simplify the text. We can also split the sentence into two shorter sentences and make it simpler. By modifying the second part of the sentence (the double negative) we can improve the readability of the text.