Writing for your business

in plain English

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Business English
—best practice

Active voice
Short sentences
Bullets and numbers
Simple words
Verbs not nouns
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What is the problem?

It takes time to read. Time is money.

If your message doesn’t arrive, you lose.
Everybody wants quick access to
information

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What is the solution?

 Know your audience.

 Use plain English.
 Structure your
information for easy
reading.
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Knowing your audience (overview)

Understand their: Use tools:

Context Personas
Viewpoints Scenarios
Skills

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Plain English (overview)

Everyday words
Short sentences
Active voice and writing personally
Same words each time
No synonyms
Same word pattern
Clear meaning
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Structure (overview)

Chunking—the 7±2 rule

People only cope with about 7 things at a time.
People learn by grouping things into chunks.
Tables
Headings
Bullets and numbers

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Knowing your audience

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Knowing your audience—context

In what context will they read the

information?
Motivation?
Pressure or distractions?
Other information available?
Access to experts for help?

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Knowing your audience—viewpoints

What is the viewpoint of your audience?

Confident?
Caring about detail
Willing to use initiative?
Potentially hostile?

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Knowing your audience—skills

What do they know already?

What detail do you need?
Is it OK to use jargon?

What is their reading age?

Do you have to use REALLY simple
language?

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Knowing your audience—tools

Personas
Create imaginary people who are your
typical audience members.
Make them ‘real’ —create a past, present
and future for them.
Scenarios
Create imaginary situations for your
personas and make them ‘real’.

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Knowing the audience—examples

Directions around your suburb

With residents you can say
“Go to the hospital”.
Industry jargon—use it when needed.
neoplasm (to doctors)
tumour (to other people)

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Knowing the audience—examples

Absolute location
‘Melways’ Map 30, A7
Third shop along Mitchell St from the High
St corner (partly relative)
Relative location
Take the third turn left and then the
second turn right.

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Plain English language

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Same words each time

Always use the same word for

something—Don’t change names for
variety.
Use the same word pattern—Don’t
change for the sake of it.
Don’t worry about being boring.
Transfer information, don’t entertain.
Use pictures and colour to reduce boredom.
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Everyday words
Traditional Plain English alternative
despite the fact that though, although
determine decide, work out, set, end
detrimental harmful, damaging
difficulties problems
diminish lessen, reduce
disburse pay, pay out
discharge carry out
disclose tell, show
disconnect cut off, unplug
discontinue stop, end
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More verbs, fewer nouns

Avoid making verbs into nouns.

Don’t say “Make application”.
Say “Apply”.
Watch out for noun strings.
“tank restraint safety lock emergency
release lever”
Being brief is good, but you can go too far!

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Foreign words

Quiz Point —What do these mean?

i.e., e.g., etc., vs, et al, viz, via

ergo, ad hoc, per annum, carte blanche,
panache, raison d’etre, zeitgeist, chutzpeh
Some people don’t know foreign words.
Use English!
Do keep enjoying them outside your business writing!

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Old fashioned words

These (and many others) have no place

in business English!
hereto
hereinafter
hereby
aforesaid
bequeath
asunder

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 Short sentences

Break sentences up.

Aim for 1–2 clauses per sentence.

This uses simple language, but it is too long!

An orange is a round reddish-yellow fruit, which comes
from a medium-sized tree harvested in the winter, and
contains Vitamin C, essential for the vitality of human
blood.

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 Short sentences

Break sentences up.

Aim for 1–2 clauses per sentence.

This is better!
An orange is a round reddish-yellow fruit. It comes from
a medium-sized tree harvested in the winter. Oranges
contain Vitamin C, essential for the vitality of human
blood.

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Short paragraphs

Have one idea per paragraph.

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Write personally—’we’ and ‘you’

Address the reader directly.

Use we and you.
This helps you to be clear about who does
what.

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Write personally—’we’ and ‘you’

Impersonal:
‘Refunds may be given to customers who consider
that they have not received satisfactory service.’

Personal:
‘If you are not satisfied with our service,
we may refund your money.’

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 Write personally—use commands

When writing instructions, use commands

(imperative).
Statement (not imperative):
‘Passengers are not permitted to open the doors.
Doors may only be opened by crew members.’
Command:
‘Do not open the doors.
Ask a crew member to open them for you.’
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Use active voice

Quiz Point
Translate into active voice:
The engine is started by the
driver.

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Use active voice

Quiz Point Answer

This is in active voice:
The driver starts the engine.

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Use active voice

Who is the agent?

The person doing the action.
We usually want to know who the agent is.

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Use active voice

Passive voice:
Object goes first.
Subject (agent) last or missing.
Reader has to mentally turn it around.
Sometimes not clear who does what.

‘The form must be signed.’

‘The notice was posted by the manager’

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Use active voice

Active voice:
Subject (agent) first—never missing
Object last
Quicker to read
Clear who does what

‘Applicants must sign the form.’

‘The manager posted the notice.’

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Reifying—when you reify, you:

Say that something inanimate is an agent.

“The report forces us to consider three options”
”Checking helps you avoid mistakes”
”The picture shows how to wrap the parcel”

Do not correctly identify the agent.

(Agent is not real!)
Do not communicate the sequence
<Agent> <Action> <Object>.

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Reifying—possible cures

Refer to the author of the document.

“The authors of the report force us to consider
three options.”

Describe action and consequence.

”If you check, you may make fewer mistakes.”

Describe action to get information.

“See the picture to find out how to wrap the parcel.”

Use an appropriate verb for the agent,

such as ‘is’ or ‘contains’.
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Reifying is an advanced topic

Do not worry too much about reification.

Even this presentation has it.
If you worry too much you may:
Waste time and effort
End up with more verbose results
Just watch out for missing agents.
People need to know who is responsible.

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 Is your meaning clear?

Simple language can be ambiguous—

Check your work.
Get someone else to read it.

Hotel Signs
Norway
Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.
Budapest
Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable
food, give it to the guard on duty.

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When to use plain English:

When you want to give:

Information
Instructions
Warnings
Business communication

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When to use creative English:

Creative writing
Poetry
Fiction
Personal letters
Essays
Journalism

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Structure for easy reading

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Chunking and 7±2

Only have 7 items at a time.

If you have more than 7, create groups.
Give groups names (subheadings).
If you have more than 7 groups, group
the groups and give them names.
This is the natural way that everyone
learns.
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Chunking and 7±2 —example

Party pies Balloons

Pizza Streamers
Potato chips Game prizes
Cup cakes Tablecloths
Lamingtons ‘Twister’ game
Birthday cake Donkey poster
Sauce ‘Blu-tack’
Ice Donkey tails
Cordial Treasure hunt prizes
Drink jugs Send invitations
Cups Warm pies
Serviettes Mix cordial
Plates Set out food
Candles Set up donkey game
Sparklers Set up treasure hunt
Matches

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Chunking and 7±2 —example
Food Equipment (other)
Party pies Balloons
Pizza Streamers
Potato chips Game prizes
Cup cakes Tablecloths
Lamingtons Games
Birthday cake ‘Twister’ game
Sauce Donkey poster
Ice ‘Blu-tack’
Cordial Donkey tails
Equipment (food) Treasure hunt prizes
Drink jugs Tasks
Cups Send invitations
Serviettes Warm pies
Plates Mix cordial
Candles Set out food
Sparklers Set up donkey game
Matches Set up treasure hunt

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Chunking and 7±2

In what way is information the

opposite of food?

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Chunking and 7±2

In what way is information the

opposite of food?
To digest food, we break it down
into components.
To digest information, we build it
up into chunks.
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Tables

If you have more than two pairs of

items, use a table.

The Blue team has 5 members, the Red team has 7

members and the Green team has 4 members.

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Tables

If you have more than two pairs of

items, use a table.

The Blue team has 5 members, the Red team has 7

members and the Green team has 4 members.

Team Members
Blue 5
Red 7
Green 4
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Headings

Put headings and subheadings in your

text:
Readers can quickly see what it is about.
Readers may only need to read some parts.
The headings ‘chunk’ the information for
easy digestion.

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Headings

Make a hierarchy:
Normally uses level 1, 2 and 3.
Shows the structure of your document.
Makes it easy to generate a table of
contents.

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Lists

If you list 3 or more items, show them

on separate lines.
If there are 9 or more items, split the
list into two levels (‘chunking’).
Know when to use bullets and numbers.

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Bullets and numbers

Numbers:
Use when there is order or rank:
Steps
Ranking

Bullets:
Use for other lists.
Neither:
OK for single line lists.
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Bullets and numbers—example

1 Heat the pan.

2 Fry onions.
3 Brown the meat.
4 Add the curry paste.
5 Fry for two minutes.
6 Add stock or water.
7 Simmer for 20 minutes.
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Bullets and numbers—example

1 Heat the pan.

2 Fry onions.
3 Brown the meat.
4 Add the curry paste.
5 Fry for two minutes.
6 Add stock or water.
7 Simmer for 20 minutes.
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Bullets and numbers—example

Favourite pastimes:
Going to the movies, but only to see
shows that cheer people up
Watching football on TV
Walking in the bush
Having coffee with friends

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Bullets and numbers—example

Favourite pastimes:
Going to the movies, but only to see
shows that cheer people up
Watching football on TV
Walking in the bush
Having coffee with friends

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Bullets and numbers—example

Shopping list:
bread
lettuce
pasta
milk
bananas

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Parallel form in lists

Have the same word patterns for all list

items—don’t mix:
Words
Phrases
Questions
Commands

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Parallel form in lists

Favourite pastimes: Don’t do it this way!

Going to the movies, but only shows

that cheer people up
Do you like watching football as much as
I do?
I go walking in the bush every week.
Coffee with friends

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Parallel form in lists

Favourite pastimes:
Going to the movies, but only to see
shows that cheer people up
Watching football on TV
Walking in the bush
Having coffee with friends

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Punctuation and
grammar revision

!;.,:?
Misplaced! Dangling!
Squinting! Agreement!
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Commas 1

Use when the phrase is not essential:

Tim, who smokes, may get cancer.
Not when the phrase is essential for
the sentence:
People who smoke may get cancer.

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Commas

 Separating items in a list, but

 Not separating subject and verb:
The large, grey object fell from the
ceiling.
Here Not here

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‘Which’ and ‘that’

Which clauses add information and have a

comma.
Go to the main menu, which shows all
options.
That clauses help to identify or
distinguish.
List all orders that have status Approved.

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Misuse of modifiers —> ambiguity
Don’t do it this way!

Changes we are considering will affect

all new members. (misplaced)
People who jog often have knee injuries.
(squinting)
Walking around the town, the
prosperity was easy to see. (dangling)

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Subject and verb agreement

One of the boys has arrived.

Several have gone home.

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Subject and verb agreement

Any, none, some, most depend on the

context
Most of the money is in the bank.
Most of the crew are aboard.
Collective nouns depend on the context
The team has arrived. (as one)
The team are getting changed. (as
individuals)

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Pronoun-antecedent agreement

The leader and the sponsor have played

their parts.
My friend and brother, Ian, lent me his
car for the occasion.
Everyone has his own path in life.

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Tense

Present tense
He eats the cake.
Past tense
He ate the cake.
Future tense
He will eat the cake.

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Person
First person (I, we)
I eat the cake.
Second person (you)
You eat the cake.
Eat the cake!
Third person (he, she, they, it)
She eats the cake.

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Verb form

Indicative (narrative)
“The Line Manager authorises the
Application for Leave.”
Imperative (command)
“Authorise the Application for Leave.”
Progressive (in the act of ‘-ing’)
“Authorising the Application for Leave”

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The greengrocer’s apostrophe

Apostrophes have two correct uses:

Possessive—John’s book, the dogs’ collars.
Shortening words—I wasn’t hungry.

Never use apostrophes just for

plurals. These are correct:
Three cappuccinos, please.
The bank has two new ATMs.

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The greengrocer’s apostrophe

Bob the Angry Flower’s

Quick Guide to the Apostrophe

http://angryflower.com/aposter.html

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Writing instructions
—General best practice

Tips for better instructions—

For use anywhere!

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Tense

Present tense
Use most of the time.
Past tense
Only use to show something in the past.
Future tense
Only use to emphasise a time delay.
Otherwise use present tense.

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Shall, Will
Shall
Do not use. It sounds pompous and
legalistic. Just say ‘Do it.’
Will (future tense)
Only use to emphasize a time delay.
Otherwise use present tense.

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Must, Please
Must
Use sparingly for very important things or
people will ignore it.
If you put it in for something that is
optional, you could fail an audit.
Please
It is nice to be nice, but ‘please’ creates
word clutter.

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AND, OR in bulleted lists

Put AND or OR at the end of each item

if it is not clear whether:
All items apply OR
At least one item applies

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Common terms

Use consistent naming for everything.

Build a list of terms:
Let everyone contribute.
Store in common area.
Categorise the terms (7±2!).
Later on, add definitions to make a useful
glossary.

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Slash /, (s)

Do not use slash /

It is ambiguous and confusing.
Does it mean ‘or’ or ‘and’?
--- or --- or both is better than and/or
Do not use (s) or /s to allow for a
possible plural. Just make it plural
anyway.

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Plain English examples

Rescuing the reader

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Plain English example

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Plain English example 2

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