Using plain language
Always keep your language direct and straightforward. Our video on plain English explains this in more detail.
Writing for the web
You should write web content the way you talk, and avoid jargon, acronyms and waffle.
Use an active voice
Adopt an active voice instead of a passive voice to make your content more readable.
Examples
- 'We decided to go ahead' not 'A decision was made to go ahead'.
- 'I conducted a study of primary school teachers' not 'A study of primary teachers was conducted'.
- 'I will present my findings' not 'Findings will be presented'.
Our Plain English video from the Effective Digital Content training explains this in more detail.
Watch the video
- Video: Plain English- Effective Digital Content
- This four-minute video explains the importance of writing in plain English.
Transcript
This four-minute video explains the importance of writing in plain English and gives some examples of how to do it.
