plain english guide

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http://staff.devon.gov.uk/plainenglish

Plain EnglishGuideDevon County Council

This guide works with Ourbrand- DevonCounty Councils corporate identity guide

June 2008


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Devon County Council

Plain EnglishGuide

ContentsIntroduction 3

What is Plain English?

Why do we use it?

Why do we need a Plain English guide?

Why do we need a house style?

The quick guide to Plain English 5

Planning

Writing

Checking

Design

Public information 8

Text

Design

AccessibilityStaff information 9

Letters and emails 10

Letters

Emails

Web pages 12

House style 13Consistency

Grammar

Design

Find out more 17

Websites

Books

The golden rules of Plain English 18Alternative words 19

2 Devon County Council Plain English Guide 2008


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This guide to Plain English can help youwrite clearly and effectively. Being ableto write in Plain English isnt a talent youhave to be born with, its a skill anyonecan learn if they just take a bit of time.

We hope you find this guide easy to use. Ifyou have any comments or queries about PlainEnglish, please look at our Plain English pageson The Sourceat


This guide is designed to be a good exampleof how you can follow the brand guidelinesand Plain English guidelines to produce a clear,corporate document.

What is Plain English?

Plain English gets its meaning across clearlyand concisely to its intended audience.

The Plain English Campaign

The goal of Plain English is to produceinformation that the reader can understand thefirst time they read it. All our communicationsshould be clear, concise and as jargon-free aspossible. You may need to adapt your writingstyle to suit your audience particularly if

you are writing for children and youngpeople but by using Plain English you shouldalways be able to communicate effectively.

Plain English is not childish and its notpatronising. It simply means writing in a clearand friendly way and always keeping yourreader in mind.

Why do we use it?

Cloudy, slimy sentences are the first sign ofbad government; plain English is always thedemocrats best defence.

Andrew MarrFormer political editor for the BBC

We often have no way of knowing who willread the information we produce, especiallyif it is on the web. By using Plain English wecan try to make sure that whoever reads ourinformation will understand it.

Using Plain English can make us more effectiveand save us money. By producing clearinformation that reaches as many people aspossible we can reduce the amount of time wespend explaining ourselves, and the amountof alternative formats we need to produce.We would all rather read something clear and

succinct than try to battle through pages ofwaffle.

Why do we need a Plain Englishguide?

There is a lot of Plain English informationavailable locally and nationally and many peoplehave different ideas about English, especially

grammar and punctuation. This guide drawstogether Plain English recommendations from:

l the Plain English Campaignl Stephen Lloyd Trainingl the Royal National Institute of the Blind

(RNIB)l the British Dyslexia Association (BDA)l the Oxford University Press website,

AskOxford.com

Introduction

Devon County Council Plain English Guide 2008 3


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Everything that we recommend in this guidehas been included because it is agreed tobe good practice by at least one of theseorganisations.

This guide also includes a House Style. Ahouse style explains how an organisationsets out, phrases, spells and punctuates itscommunications.

Why do we need a house style?

Lots of common words and phrases can bewritten in different ways (for example email,e-mail and Email) and spelling and punctuationchange over time as language develops. Ourhouse style sets out the approach we shoulduse for spelling and punctuation to make ourdocuments consistent and professional.

Following this style will help you to produceinformation which is:

l corporatel clearl consistent.

Ourbrand

This Plain English Guide has been designedto work with the Ourbrandcorporateidentity guide which explains how youshould use our logo and brand. You canfind Ourbrandathttp://staff.devon.gov.uk/corporateid

In this guide we refer to Plain English usingcapital letters because it is the name of a

particular way of writing.


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Planning

Remember at school when your teachers toldyou to plan out your essays before writinganything? Well, they were right. Planningwill reduce the time you spend revising yourdocument later and will also mean that:l your information follows a logical order

l you know what you need to write andwhere it needs to go

l you dont miss anything out.

There are several different methods forplanning a document, including:l spider diagrams or mind mapsl listsl writing framesl pyramidsl Post-its.

They are all useful; simply find the one thatyou feel most comfortable using.

You can find information about planning toolsat:www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/writing/planningyourwriting

This site has very basic information, but it hassome good examples of different planningtools.

Writing

Follow these guidelines when writing.

Know your audience.Identify who willbe reading your work and keep them inmind as you write. Think about what theyneed to know. Keep your informationshort and to the point and let your readers

know where they can find more detailedinformation if they want it.

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Get to the point.Use the title andintroductory paragraph to say what theinformation is about, who it is for and whyyou are publishing it.

Use everyday words.Write in directlanguage using everyday words. Thinkabout how you would explain the sameinformation in a conversation; you willusually find that you use more natural and

plain language when talking, and thatshow you should write.

Avoid jargon and abbreviationsif youcan when writing for people who are notfamiliar with your subject. Explain anytechnical terms you have to use. If youneed to use an acronym or abbreviationalways write it in full with the shortversion in brackets the first time it appears Common Assessment Framework (CAF).

If only a specific group of people who arefamiliar with the technical terms will bereading your work, you probably wontneed to explain everything.

Glossaries are particularly useful in largerdocuments and are the best way to makesure that people who dont know thesubject can understand technical terms.

Keep sentences and paragraphs short.It is good to have a mix of long and shortsentences for variety and interest, but aimfor an average sentence length of 1520words. When youve finished writing gothrough your document and edit out anyunnecessary words:

l the proposal that was received froml

we are in the process of preparing astrategy documentl we are currently developing.

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The quick guide to Plain English


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Use active verbs.Say we will do itinstead of it will be done by us. The activevoice is direct, inclusive and open.

Be friendly.Try to write in the firstperson and use personal pronouns, so saywe will do this instead of Devon CountyCouncil will do this. It makes you soundmore helpful and human.

Checking

Once youve written your document check itthoroughly for waffle and jargon. You may notbe able to use all the methods listed here, butyou must make sure that someone checks yourinformation before you send it out.

Check the document yourself; the bestway to do this is to read it out loud if you

can!

Ask someone else to read it.This is abetter option. It helps if they dont alreadyknow a lot about the subject, they canthen tell you if it makes sense and if youvemade the points in a logical order. If yourewriting an important document for thepublic which lots of people are contributingto, appoint an editor to make sure that the

document is consistent.

Use readability statistics.This is afunction in Microsoft Word which givesyour document a score based on theaverage number of syllables per word andwords per sentence.

The Flesch Reading Easescore rates texton a 100 point scale; the higher the score,

the easier it is to understand the document.For most standard documents aim for ascore of 60 to 70.The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Levelscore

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rates text on a United States grade schoollevel. For most standard documents, aim fora score of 7 to 8.

How to display readability statistics.In Word click on Toolson the menu baracross the top of the page. Click Options,then click the Spelling & Grammartab.Select Show readability statisticsand clickOK. When you have finished writing your

document click on Toolson the menu baracross the top of the page and chooseSpelling & Grammar. When the spelling andgrammar check is complete a box will displayyour readability score.

Be careful not to rely solely on readabilitystatistics to check your document. Thesestatistics only provide a rough estimate andthere are many aspects of a document thatthey cant measure. Always make sure that

someone reads your document through.

4. Consult a group.If you are producing adocument which will be used for a longtime, or if it is aimed at a very specific groupof people (such as older people or peoplewith a visual impairment), its worth askinga group of relevant people to read it beforeyou print it. If your document is for childrenand young people you must consult with

them before you send it to print.

5. Use the Plain English and Easy Readproject pages on The Source at:http://staff.devon.gov.uk/plainenglish


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Design

The way you present your information(the design or layout) is just as important asthe words you use. When you are producinga document make sure that you leave enoughtime to lay it out properly or to work with agraphic designer. Even if your words are clearno-one will read it if it looks cramped andunattractive.

The main thing to remember with design isthat less is more. Keep your page clean andsimple. Any organisation or design elementsthat you use should help people read yourinformation, not distract them from it. Somesimple rules to follow are:

Left-align main body text(text whichisnt a header, footnote or title). Main bodytext should always be left aligned with a

ragged right hand margin. You can centreheadings and titles for effect, but do notjustify text. Justified text looks dense andit creates uneven spaces between words,which makes the text harder to read.

Use headingsto guide your reader andbreak up long pieces of text.

Be clever with colour.If you are using

colour make sure that you have a goodcontrast between the text and thebackground colour. Black text on a white,cream or pale yellow background givesthe best contrast. Putting a lot of text indifferent colours can be distracting anddifficult to read. Try choosing one or twocolours and using them to highlight keywords, phrases and titles.

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Use 12 point font(or typeface) for text.An 11 point font is the minimum text sizeyou should use.

Use Arial.The DCC typeface fordocuments produced on a PC is Arial. Ifyou want to use a different typeface fortitles or headings make sure it is clearand readable. Do not use a handwriting

style typeface (such as Monotype Corsiva),Comic Sans or WordArt and never usemore than three typefaces on one page.

Use photos to illustrate your text. Dontcopy photographs from the web as theyare too small to print and will be grainy. Ifyou are struggling to find images there isa good range of photographs available inClipArt. Avoid ClipArt cartoons.

Use space to frame your information.A lot of white space makes your documenteasier to read and guides your readerthrough the text.

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Although you should have an audience inmind when you write, in reality you often haveno way of knowing who might end up readingyour information. This means that you shouldalways produce something which is readablefor as many groups of people as possible,including people:

l with a visual impairmentl who speak English as a second languagel who are dyslexic or have low levels of

reading comprehensionl who are on the autistic spectruml who have a learning disability.

Of course, no publication will ever meet theneeds of all these groups. Some people willneed your document in a different format(such as Braille) but producing a clear, welllaid-out document in the first place will make abig difference.

Text

1. Check, check and then check!You reallycant check your document enough. Themost thorough way is to:

l check the text and get someone whohasnt worked on the document to checkit when you first write it

l check the text when it has been laid out inthe design

l check the proof copy from the printerbefore your document is printed this isusually the point where you find anobvious error you should have spotted thefirst time around.

2. Consult.It is always a good idea to consultmembers of your target audience on a new

document before you print it. They will beable to tell you if the text flows in a logicalorder and if they can understand all theterms and phrases used.

3. Use frequently asked questions (FAQ).Having an FAQ section is a good way ofpresenting information in leaflets andfactsheets. Think about the questions whichpeople would naturally ask and not simplyquestions that you would like to answer!Ask your consultation group or the personchecking your text what theyd like to knowand try to answer those questions.

Design

Follow the general design guidelines, but forpublic information always use a skilled designer.Any information we send out to the publicrepresents the whole of Devon County Council,so it needs to be professional and present theright corporate image. For information ondesign services speak to:

l Devon Design and Printhttp://staff.devon.gov.uk/ictddp

l your directorates publications orcommunications officers.

Accessibility

You must always tell your readers how they canget your information in another format if theyneed it. We have a standard statement which

you must use on documents for the public.See page 13.

Public information


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Internal information needs to be as clear andas easy to read as information for the public.

When producing information for staff dontassume that your colleagues in DCC or evenin your directorate know as much about yoursubject as you do. And dont forget about newstarters who may be too embarrassed to saythat they dont understand our jargon.

Follow the normal rules of Plain English and:make your documents worth reading.Were all busy at work and your informationwill have to compete with lots of othermessages. Make sure your document is easyto read, relevant and up-to-date. If you havesomething really important to say, make itstand out dont bury vital news under waffle.

make your documents a pleasure to read.

Your readers may miss useful information if itisnt written in an engaging and friendly way.They are also more likely to remember yourinformation if you have put some thoughtinto it.

use short paragraphs and direct language.Get straight to the point and write in the sameway as you would talk to your colleagues.

be a ruthless editor.Edit your documentto keep it as short as possible. If it is a longdocument produce a summary version whichcovers your main points and tells your readerwhere to find the full document if they want toknow more.

use good design.Use the same guidelines asyou would for a public document. Remember, ifa document looks dense and unattractive staffwont read it even if they know they should!

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Letters

If you are sending a letter you must use aDevon County Council letter template. You canfind the templates in Word.

Click on Viewon the menu bar across the topof the page. Then click on Taskpane. A newmenu will open on the right hand side of thepage. In the New from templatesection of thismenu click on General Templates. All letter

templates are stored here.

Letters should always be helpful, efficient,polite and friendly whatever the subjectmatter. The structure is important; lettersshould always have a beginning, a middle andan end.

BeginningThe beginning sets the tone, introduces yourtopic and responds to a letter or query youhave received.

So you might want to use:

l I would like to explainl Following our telephone conversationl Thank you for your letter of

If you are dealing with a complaint, let thereader know from the beginning that you

understand why they are upset and apologise,if its appropriate.

MiddleThe middle of your letter should set out thepoints you want to make and answer thepoints the reader has made in a logical order.If there are lots of points to make, put theimportant ones first.

EndThe end should tell your reader what theyneed to do next and not simply summariseeverything you have already said.You could use:

l I hope this answers your question. If youneed more information please contact meon ...

l Please fill in the attached form and send itback to me at

Top letter tips

There is no need to put commas in anaddress unless the address is all on one line.Similarly, there is no need to put full stops innames and titles.

If you are writing to a councillor thepreferred salutation style is Dear CouncillorXXXX.

If you address a letter to someone by name,sign off with yours sincerely, otherwise useyours faithfully. If you know the personwell you may want to use kind regards orbest wishes.

Keep your letter as clear and concise aspossible. If you write too much your reader

will lose interest. Instead direct your readerto a web page, a helpline number or includea leaflet with more detailed information.

If you include any other information withyour letter there is no need to list it at thebottom just make sure that you do includeit.

Do not use re at the top of your letter explain what your letter is about in the

opening sentence.

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Try not to use headings in your letter. If youneed them then your letter is probably toolong.

Think about how your reader will feel whenthey get the letter and, if in doubt, getsomeone else to read it through before yousend it.

Emails

Email is a written form of communicationwhich is covered by the Freedom ofInformation Act, so use the same care andstandards that you use for other forms ofcommunication.

Use the same structure for email that youwould for a letter.

l Beginning I am contacting you

becausel Middle The points I want to make arel End What I would like you to do is

Top email tips

Be friendly. Emails are less formal than abusiness letter, so its more usual to useHello John rather than Dear Mr Smith

and regards rather than yours faithfully.

Be polite. Its often difficult to judgesomeones tone from an email soremember to be polite and use basicformalities, such as signing off with yourname.

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Keep emails short. If you have a lot to sayit might be quicker and easier to phone theperson, or meet up with them.

Be professional. Emails should still followthe normal rules for spelling and grammar.It is not professional to use:

l American spellings color, favoritel text talk w8, cu l8r, loll emoticons or smiley faces - ;-)

Attach an auto-signature to your emails.This lets your reader know who you areand how they can contact you. Use a clear,simple font.

To create an auto-signature go to Toolsonthe menu bar at the top of the page. Clickon Options, a box will open with a series ofheading tabs. click on Mail Format, in the

bottom section you will see a Signaturesbutton. Click on this to start creating a newsignature.

Email is not a secure method ofcommunication so think carefully about whatyou send. We have specific guidelines forconfidential information. Find them athttp://staff.devon.gov.uk/emailpolicy

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Anyone can access the information weproduce for the web, so using Plain English isvital.

We read web pages differently to printeddocuments. We often have to go to theinformation on a computer which we cantreally move around, and we sometimes havelittle choice about the distractions around uswhen were reading.

This means that when we read a web page wegenerally:

l look at the main body text and ignoreinformation either side

l scan the text for relevant informationrather than reading the whole thing

l leave the website if we havent foundwhat were looking for in three mouseclicks.

So, when youre writing text for the webremember to:

l use the least amount of words possiblel have a new paragraph for every new ideal use lots of headings and sub-headings so

readers can navigate through the pagel use clear, conversational English which a

global audience can understand.

Top tips for web writing

Never write click here for a link becauseit causes problems for people using screenreaders. Always use a word or phrase in asentence as a link.

If you use a photo on your page make surethat you give alternative text explaining whatthe subject of the photo is so that screenreaders can describe it.

Always say what the page is about in thefirst few lines.

Put any vital information in the main bodytext; if it only appears in the side boxespeople may not see it.

This applies to the main DCC website and TheSource intranet pages.

If you have any questions about writing for theweb contact the web team on 01392 382883or email [email protected]

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A house style explains how an organisationsets out, phrases, spells and punctuates itscommunications.

You should apply the house style to all yourinformation, including:

l publications such as leaflets and reportsl material for the webl marketing material such as posters, flyers

and invitations.

Consistency

AmpersandsNever use the ampersand sign & insteadof the word and unless it is part of anorganisations name Jones & Sons.

Bold, underline and italics

Only use bold text to highlight titles, headersand important information. Underlining textand setting text in italics makes it much harderto read, particularly for people with a visualimpairment.

Only use italic text for:l titles of books, television programmes,

journals and legislation The ChildrenAct 2004

l names of ships, railway engines andspaceships MSC Napoli

l scientific names of plants and animals- Primula vulgaris.

DatesWhen you can, use a specific date or timereference rather than a vague phrase like, laterthis year.

When writing a date follow the style of theseexamples:

l on 27 Aprill Tuesday 27 April 2007l the 80s, the 1990s no apostrophe

l the class of 78l 1998-9, but 1983-91 to show periods of

timel 2006/7 to show an academic or financial

yearl in autumn 2007 seasons should always be

lower case.

Diversity and equalityWe need to make sure that our information

is inclusive and respects everyones views andfeelings.

UNISON have produced a detailed andup-to-date guide on the best way of usingpositive and inclusive language, you can find itat: www.devoncountyunison.org.uk/equalities/applang/index.htm

Remember to always include the standardstatement which tells readers how they can getyour information in other formats and languages.This needs to be in 16 point font or bigger.

If you would like this in a differentformat, such as large print, Brailleor tape, or in a different language,please contact the CouncilsInformation Centre on

01392 380101 or [email protected]

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NumbersWrite the numbers zero to nine as words andthen use numerals 10, 11, 12, 13, except:

l at the start of a sentence always writethe number out in full

l in a table always write the number as anumeral

l when writing a measurement always usenumerals such as 3, 5mm, 7pm

l when writing about education stages always use numerals such as year 6,key stage 1

l if you are writing numbers that are joinedby a hyphen ages 18-30.

Always:

l put commas in thousands 1,000 or33,000

l write 3.5 million, not 3 million or 3.5M

l write out ordinal numbers such as first andtwelfth, but use numerals over 20 21st,33rd.

SpellingUse the modern British spelling for wordswhich could be written in two ways. Thisincludes:

l always using ise endings instead of izeso:

l organisation not organization l recognise not recognize

l always prefer the simpler option so: l focused not focussed l Medieval not Mediaeval

l always prefer adviser not advisor.

If you are not sure of any spellings check the

online Oxford dictionary atwww.askoxford.com

Website addressesMany documents have references to DCC webpages and external websites. Always write webaddresses in the shortest form possible.

Our website has been designed so that only thefirst and last parts of the address are neededto find a page. The prefix http:// and the suffix.htm are also not needed, so:

http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/learning/

supporting-children/health_welfare/education_welfare.htm

can be written

www.devon.gov.uk/education_welfare

If you are including a reference to pages on TheSource you will need to include http://,so: http://staff.devon.gov.uk/corporateid

Many external sites are also set up this way. Trydeleting parts of the address until you find theshortest version of the address for the page youwant.

Website and email addresses should not beunderlined in a written document. Word doesthis automatically and you can get rid of it byhighlighting the address and clicking the Ubutton twice.

Grammar and punctuation

The modern style of punctuation follows aless is more approach. This helps to keep textlooking simple and clean and avoids confusion.Using lots of punctuation will make us seemold-fashioned and out of touch.


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Clean, modern punctuation also makes texteasier to read on a computer screen, which isimportant to remember as we put more andmore information on the web.

ApostrophesThe rules for using apostrophes are surprisinglysimple.

An apostrophe shows that a letter or letters

have been left out.l Cant for cannot.l Dont for do not.l Its for it is.l Youre for you are.

An apostrophe shows possession.

l For the singular use apostrophe s. l The customerscomplaint. l The schoolsfield.

l For the plural use s apostrophe. l The customerscomplaints. l The schoolsfields.

l If the plural doesnt end in s useapostrophe s:

l The childrensplayground. l The peoplescommittee.

l For names ending in s we can just add anapostrophe:

l Mr Williamsdecision.

The possessive form of it does not take anapostrophe as it works in the same way asours, theirs, his and hers:

l DCC was pleased with itsrating.

Ordinary plurals never take an apostrophe. Thisincludes: 1990s, MPs, 1000s, cds, GCSEs andunder-20s.

Find more information on apostrophe use onthe Apostrophe Protection Society website at:www.apostrophe.fsnet.co.uk

Capital lettersThe modern British style is to use as few capitalletters as possible. Using too many capitalletters can come across as old-fashioned andpompous.

Capitals should only be used for proper nounsincluding peoples names, place names,months and days of the week (seasons donot take a capital letter), names of specificorganisations and specific job titles.

General nouns do not take a capital letter, so:

l University of Plymouth but universityl Phil Norrey, Chief Executive but a chief

executivel

Bob Smith, Social Worker but socialworkers.

Capital letters should not be used for entirewords or sentences. Writing words in capitalstakes away their individual shape, makingthem very hard to read for people with visualimpairments or dyslexia. It can also lookthreatening and as if youre shouting at thereader.

Hyphens and dashesThe most common uses for hyphens are:

l to avoid confusion a geriatric ward nurseis not the same as a geriatric-ward nurse

l to distinguish between similar words realign and re-align

l in double-barrelled adjectives middle-aged

l with some prefixes ante-natall to separate vowels de-ice, pre-empt.


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If you are unsure which words take a hyphencheck the online Oxford dictionary at:www.askoxford.com

Email and website do not take a hyphen.

Dashes can be used in the middle of asentence to separate out information in thesame way that you would use brackets.

A single dash can be used like a colon toshow a break between pieces of information.

When dashes are used to separate information like this they have a space either side.When dashes are used to join informationtogether as in ages 1319, there are nospaces.

ObliquesThe oblique symbol / means or and should

only be used in tables, in website addresses orin dates. In normal text always write out or. Ifyou have and/or in your text you can replaceit with x or y or both.

Quote marksDouble quote marks should only be usedfor direct speech. Single quotes should be usedwhen quoting from any other source.

Design

Bullet pointsUsing bullet points is a good way of breakingup solid pieces of text and can make complexinformation much clearer. There are differentways to set bullet points, for consistency pleaseuse one of these two ways.

A list in which each point is a separatesentence.

We support the five Every Child Mattersoutcomes.

l Be healthy.l Stay safe.l Enjoy and achieve.l Make a positive contribution.l Achieve economic wellbeing.

A list which is one continuous sentence.

Payments can be made:

l at a post officel at a bankl by postl at the Alliance & Leicester using the

Girobank service.

Use simple bullets like dots or diamonds sothat the focus stays on the text.

SpacingSpacing is very important. Only use one spaceafter a full stop to start a new sentence andleave a line between paragraphs.

If you are producing information for peoplewith a visual impairment or reading difficulties

try to have a spacing (or leading) betweeneach line of 1.5 or 2 lines.

You can find this in Word by choosingFormaton the menu bar at the top of the page. Clickon Paragraph, choose the Indents and Spacingtab Go to the box marked Line spacingandchoose 1.5 linesor doublefrom the dropdown menu.


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Websites

http://staff.devon.gov.uk/plainenglishOur Plain English web pages for DCC staff.

www.apostrophe.fsnet.co.ukApostrophe Protection Society website includesbasic apostrophe rules and examples ofmisuse.

www.bdadyslexia.org.ukThe British Dyslexia Association (BDA) websitehas a useful dyslexia style guide.

www.devoncountyunison.org.ukThe Devon County Unison site includesDiversity in Diction, Equality in Action.

www.askoxford.comThe online Oxford English Dictionary. The siteincludes a free dictionary and better writingresources.

www.plainenglish.co.ukThe website for the Plain English Campaignincludes information about the campaign,training courses and free plain English guides.

www.rnib.org.ukThe Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB)website has its own clear print guide.

Books

Oxford Guide to Plain EnglishMartin CuttsOxford University Press, 2ndEdition 2007

Eats, Shoots and LeavesLynne TrussProfile, 2007

Rediscover GrammarDavid CrystalLongman, 1988

Lost for Words: The Mangling andManipulating of the English LanguageJohn HumphreyHodder & Stoughton Paperbacks, 2005

Find out more


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Devon County Council Plain English Guide 2008

The golden rules

Plan, write then check, check and check!

Write for your audience.

Get to the point.

Use everyday words.

Keep sentences and paragraphs short.

Use active verbs.

Be friendly.

Use clear and simple design.

Tell people how to get more information.

Tell people how to get alternative formats.

Use DCC templates for letters.

Keep emails short and friendly.

Use an autosignature on emails so people know who you are.

Find advice and information about Plain English at


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Devon County Council Plain English Guide 200818 Devon County Council Plain English Guide 2008


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Devon County Council Plain English Guide 2008 19Devon County Council Plain English Guide 2008 19

Alternative words

Avoid Useacquire buy/get

appropriate proper/right/suitable

as a consequence of because

by means of by

commencing beginning/starting

concerning about

completion end/finishdemonstrate show/prove

disseminate spread

due to the fact that because

engaging talking to/working with

exclude leave out

facilitate help/encourage/make possible

for the purpose of for/to

implement carry out/do

in abeyance on hold/postponed

in order to to

integrated joined up

locality area/place/Kingsbridge

necessitate must/have to/need to

persons people

procure get/arrange/obtain

regarding about

require need/want/must

statutory legal/by law

sufficient enough

undertake do/agree

utilise/utilisation use


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Devon County Council

June 2008Plain EnglishGuide

If you have any questions about this guide, or think that we have missed

anything out, please contact Kelly Doonan on 01392 383698or [email protected]

plain english guide

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