PLAIN ENGLISH

Principles of clear writing

National Archives and Records Administration
Office of the Federal Register
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/write/legal-docs/

1. Write in the active voice, which eliminates confusion by forcing you to name
the actor in a sentence.

2. Avoid ambiguity with modifiers:

Dont say: John saw Jane driving down the street.

Say: John, while driving down the street, saw Jane.

3. Avoid indefinite pronouns used as references if there is ambiguity. If a

pronoun could refer to more than one person or object in a sentence, repeat
the name of the individual or object:

Dont say: After the Administrator appoints an Assistant, he or she

shall supervise the ...
Say: After the Administrator appoints an Assistant, the Assistant shall
supervise the ...

4. Avoid grouping together two or more prepositional phrases, which make the
sentence ambiguous:

Dont say: Each subscriber to a newspaper in New York.

Say: Each newspaper subscriber who lives in New York.

5. Use must instead of shall:

imposes an obligation to act, but may be confused with prediction of

shall
future action

will predicts future action

must imposes obligation, indicates a necessity to act

should infers obligation, but not absolute necessity

may indicates discretion to act

may not indicates a prohibition

To impose a legal obligation, use must; to predict future action, use will.

6. Be direct by using the imperative mood, thus avoiding the passive

Dont say: All copies must be signed.

Say: Sign all copies.

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7. Use the present tense to refer to regulations in force:

Dont say: The fine for driving without a license shall be 200 euros.
Say: The fine for driving without a license is 200 euros.

8. Write positively rather than negatively:

Dont say: The Governor may not appoint persons other than those
qualified by the Personnel Management Agency.
Say: The Governor must appoint a person qualified by the Personnel
Management Agency.

Dont say: A demonstration project will not be approved unless all

application requirements are met.
Say: A demonstration project will be approved only if the applcant
meets all requirements.

9. Avoid split infinitives, which offend many readers:

Dont say: Be sure to promptly reply to the invitation.

Say: Be sure to reply promptly to the invitation / Be sure to reply to
the invitation promptly.

10. Use the singular noun rather than the plural noun: you will avoid the
problems of whether the rule applies separately to each member of a class or
jointly to the class as a whole:

Dont say: The guard will issue security badges to the employees who
work in Building D and Building E.
Say: The guard will issue a security badge to each employee who
works in Building D and each employee who works in Building E;
OR The guard will issue a security badge to each employee who
works in both Building D and Building E.

11. Be consistent: dont use different words to denote the same thing. Using a
synonym rather than repeating the precise term just confuses the reader.

Dont say: Each motor vehicle owner must register his or her car with
the Automobile Division of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Say: Each automobile owner must register his or her car with the
Automobile Division of the Metropolitan Police Department.

12. Use parallel structures:

Dont say:
The Duties of the Executive Secretary of the Administrative Committee
are:
- To take minutes of all the meetings;
- The Executive Secretary answers all the correspondence; and
- Writing of monthly reports.

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 Say:
The Duties of the Executive Secretary of the Administrative Committee
are:
- To take minutes of all the meetings;
- To answer all the correspondence; and
- To write the monthly reports.

13. Use simple words. Government writing should be dignified, but not
pompous. Make writing simple and direct so that it can be understood:

DON'T SAY SAY

construct, fabricate make

initiate, commence begin

terminate end

utilize use

substantial portion large part

afforded an opportunity allow

14. Omit needless words. Dont use compound prepositions and other wordy
expressions when the same meaning can be conveyed with one or two words:

DON'T SAY SAY

because of the fact that since (because)

call your attention to the fact

remind you
that

for the period of for

in many cases often

in many instances sometimes

in the nature of like

the fact that he had not

his failure
succeeded

the question as to whether whether

15. Avoid redundancies: dont use couplets (word pairs) where the meaning
of one includes the other. Try to avoid the following:

any and all

authorize and direct

cease and desist

each and every

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 full and complete

order and direct

means and includes

necessary and desirable

16. Avoid noun compounding (noun sandwiches)

Dont say: Underground mine worker safety protection procedures

development.
Say: Development of underground procedures for the protection of the
safety of mine workers.

17. Dont use gender-specific terminology; avoid the gender-specific job title:

DON'T SAY SAY

Crewman Crew member

Draftsman Drafter

Enlisted
Enlisted men
personnel

Fireman Firefighter

Foreman Supervisor

Manhours Hours worked

Personnel,
Manpower
workforce

18. Write short sentences. Readable sentences are simple, active, affirmative
and declarative. The Federal Register of the USA recommends an average of
about 15 words a sentence. Long, run-on sentences are a basic weakness in
legal documents. If several conditions or subordinate provisions must be met
before a rule applies, use a list. Make lists clear and logical in structure; when
listing, use the following rules:

Use parallel structures (see above).

List each item so that it makes a complete thought when read with the
introductory text.
If the introductory language for the list is a complete sentence --
- end the introduction with a colon; and
- make each item in the list a separate sentence.
If the introductory language for the list is an incomplete sentence --
- end the introduction with a dash;
- end each item in the list except the last item with a semicolon;

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 - after the semicolon in the next-to-last item in the list, write
"and" or "or" as appropriate; and
- end the last item in the list with a period.

19. Use short paragraphs. Each paragraph should deal with a single, unified
topic.

EXAMPLES OF LEGALESE VS. PLAIN ENGLISH

DONT SAY SAY

give consideration to consider
is applicable to applies
make payment pay
give recognition to recognize
is concerned with concerns
accorded given
afforded given
attain the age of become years old
at the time when
by means of by
cease stop
commence begin, start
complete finish
conceal hide
contiguous to next to
deem consider
during such time as / during while
the course of
effectuate / endeavour carry out, try
enter into contract with contract with
enumerate count
equitable fair
evince show
expedite hasten, speed up
expend spend
expiration end
feasible possible
for the duration of during
for the reason that because
forthwith immediately

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hereafter after this takes effect
heretofore before this takes effect
implement carry out
possess have
preserve keep
prior earlier
prior to before
proceed go, go ahead
procure obtain, get
purchase buy
pursuant to under
remainder rest
require need
retain keep
specified named
subsequent to after
sufficient number of enough
summon send for, call
until such time as until
utilize, employ use
within or without Spain inside or outside of Spain
indicate show
inform tell
in lieu of instead of, in place of
in order to to
inquire ask
institute begin, start
interrogate question
in the event that if
manner way
modify change
necessitate require
obligate bind, compel
obtain get
on and after July 1 after June 30