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The Plain English Approach to Business Writing In offices across America, the Masters of Gobbledygook are hard at work. They're bombarding in-boxes with those long, confusing memos that colleagues don't have the patience to read -- and bosses don't have the time to rewrite. They use words like "commence" or "prior to" instead of "begin" or "before." They bury their main point somewhere in the last paragraph -- and take two pages to get there. Everybody knows one of them; in fact, you may even be one of them. But now there's help for ... [Find out more ...]

Good writers write in plain English to bring their writing to life. Plain English writing speaks directly to the audience and helps them to better grasp the meaning of the written text. Active voice, everyday words and short sentences are the distinguishing features of plain English.

One characteristic of plain English writing is the use of active voice. Sentences using an active voice are built on strong verbs. This tightens sentences and gives it a natural flow. Using an active voice helps readers to understand sentences quicker because this is how a person thinks and breaks down information. Sentences written in a passive voice require more mental steps to understand. Passive voice is not bad in all instances, but it should be used sparingly.

Personal pronouns are another feature that strengthens writing and clarifies the meaning of sentences. These words are an essential part of plain English writing because they speak directly to the audience and grab their attention. Using personal pronouns keeps sentences shorter and helps avoid using confusing or obscure language.

Writing in plain English involves elimination of excess words. Words are excessive when they can be replaced by fewer words and the sentence still maintains the same meaning. Wordiness is a distraction. Clear and concise sentences make it easier to grasp the concepts or the message.

Plain English sentences should provide only enough information to inform the audience. If certain details do not add to the context, leave them out. There is no need to clutter your writing with unnecessary information – it only distracts.

Technical terms and jargons should be avoided as much as possible. Plain English is designed to engage readers at a basic level of understanding. When common everyday words are used, it helps to get the message across. Making the language too complicated can limit the intended audience and cause confusion.

In plain English writing, use of short sentences is the rule and not the exception. A long sentence can lead to reliance on unnecessary words, passive voice and many other issues. The longer the snetences, the more likely you are going to make mistakes. Shorter sentences make stronger impacts and the readers will retain the information long after they are finished reading.

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What You Need to Know About Bladder Cancer - It's Your ...

As an Oncology Nurse. I had only one protocol in mind while writing this book. That was to show you the most successful cancer treatments available today for Bladder Cancer.To that end, ... [Find out more ...]

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