Plain language: writing clear, simple sentences

Active voice | Short sentences | Pronouns | Punctuation

The simple, declarative sentence is the easiest to understand: Someone (or something) does (or is) something. Sentences that differ from that simple structure may cause readability problems.

Use active voice verbs--unless there's a strong reason to use passive

Putting the "doer"--the person or thing doing the action in a sentence--in front of its verb will usually ensure the verb is in the active voice. The "doer" in active sentences is usually named or described at the start of the sentence. The active is more direct; it helps drive home the message. The passive can obscure the message.

Sentences that are passive instead of active usually contain forms of the verb to be: am, are, is, was, were, be, been, being. And those verbs usually come before verbs than end in -ed or -en: carried, taken.

• Instead of:
  The service improvements were approved by the King County Council.
• Use:
  The King County Council approved the service improvements.
• Instead of:
  Complaints are taken seriously by the Wastewater Treatment Division.
• Use:
  The Wastewater Treatment Division takes complaints seriously.

Passive voice may be appropriate for one of these reasons: when you don't know the doer or actor, when the doer or actor is unimportant to the point you're making, or when the emphasis is clearly not on the actor but the acted upon.

Also see active vs. passive verbs in the King County Editorial Style Manual.

Keep them short

Readers can only take in so much new information at once. Make the average sentence length in your document 20 words. Readers can understand some longer sentences (up to 30 words) if they are well written and use familiar terms. Try to limit most sentences to one idea. Break long sentences with more than one idea into two or more sentences.

• Instead of:
  The parameters of your responsibility are included in the job description you received on your initial day of work at the association.
• Use:
  Your job description lists your responsibilities. You got your job description the first day you worked here.

Also, link your ideas by correctly using words such as that, which, who and whom. See the that, which, who, whom entry in the King County Editorial Style Manual.

Avoid pronoun ambiguity

When you use a pronoun, there should be no doubt about which noun it stands for.

• Instead of:
  Michelle researched and wrote the speech herself, which everyone thought was impressive.
• Use:
  Everyone was impressed with the speech that Michelle researched and wrote herself.

Also, avoid using ambiguous double negatives. See negative in the King County Editorial Style Manual.

Use correct punctuation

Punctuation shows how words and strings of words are related, separated and emphasized. Its main purpose is to help the reader understand the structure of the sentences you write. Punctuation also replaces the voice inflection, pauses and hand gestures we use when we talk.

The period is the most effective punctuation mark in clear, concise writing. It should be the most common mark on the page. But consistent, correct use of other marks also is important. Excessive use of commas, parentheses, semicolons and dashes may signal long or complicated sentences.

For guidelines for using punctuation, see punctuation in the King County Editorial Style Manual.

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