List of plain English words and phrases

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Plain English (sometimes referred to more broadly as plain language) is a generic term for communication in English that emphasizes clarity, brevity, and the avoidance of technical language—particularly in relation to official government or business communication. It uses simple, familiar words instead of lengthy, formal words,[1] avoids jargon, prefers positive words to negative words,[2] and prefers strong verbs to be verbs.[3]

This is a list of plain English words and phrases and the more lengthy, formal words for which they are recommended as replacements in writing guides. The problem word is listed first; the plain English alternative follows.

A

B

  • basis, on a – (omit)[30]
  • be advised – (omit)[8]
  • because of the fact that – because, since[31][32]
  • beg – ask[33]
  • belated – late[34]
  • beneficial – helpful, useful[34]
  • bestow – give, award[34]
  • by means of – by, with[8][35]
  • by reason of – because[36]
  • by virtue of – by, under[37]
  • beverage – drink[38]

C

D

E

F

H

I

L

  • liaison – discussion[8]
  • -ly (doubtless, fast, ill, much, seldom, thus) – (omit)[123]
  • last will and testament – will[124]

M

N

O

P

Q

  • question as to whether, question of whether – question whether[192]
  • quite puzzling – baffling[193]

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

  • you are requested – please[241]
  • your attention is drawn – please see, please note[241]
  • your office – you[8]

Symbols

  • / (slash) – and, or[8]

See also

Notes

  1. Schiess 2003-2004, pp. 71–75.
  2. SEC 1998, p. 27.
  3. Garner 2001.
  4. Garner 2002, pp. 100–01: "cumbersome phrases; lawyerisms"
  5. Wydick 1978, p. 739: "lawyerism"
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 Plain English Campaign 1998, p. 3.
  7. Garner 2009a, p. 371: "formal word"
  8. 8.000 8.001 8.002 8.003 8.004 8.005 8.006 8.007 8.008 8.009 8.010 8.011 8.012 8.013 8.014 8.015 8.016 8.017 8.018 8.019 8.020 8.021 8.022 8.023 8.024 8.025 8.026 8.027 8.028 8.029 8.030 8.031 8.032 8.033 8.034 8.035 8.036 8.037 8.038 8.039 8.040 8.041 8.042 8.043 8.044 8.045 8.046 8.047 8.048 8.049 8.050 8.051 8.052 8.053 8.054 8.055 8.056 8.057 8.058 8.059 8.060 8.061 8.062 8.063 8.064 8.065 8.066 8.067 8.068 8.069 8.070 8.071 8.072 8.073 8.074 8.075 8.076 8.077 8.078 8.079 8.080 8.081 8.082 8.083 8.084 8.085 8.086 8.087 8.088 8.089 8.090 8.091 8.092 8.093 8.094 8.095 8.096 8.097 8.098 8.099 8.100 8.101 8.102 8.103 8.104 8.105 8.106 8.107 8.108 8.109 8.110 8.111 8.112 8.113 8.114 8.115 8.116 8.117 8.118 8.119 8.120 8.121 8.122 8.123 8.124 8.125 8.126 8.127 8.128 8.129 8.130 8.131 8.132 8.133 8.134 8.135 8.136 8.137 8.138 8.139 8.140 8.141 8.142 8.143 8.144 8.145 8.146 8.147 8.148 8.149 8.150 8.151 8.152 8.153 8.154 8.155 8.156 8.157 8.158 8.159 8.160 8.161 8.162 8.163 8.164 8.165 8.166 8.167 8.168 8.169 8.170 8.171 8.172 8.173 8.174 8.175 8.176 8.177 8.178 8.179 8.180 8.181 8.182 8.183 8.184 8.185 8.186 8.187 8.188 8.189 8.190 8.191 8.192 8.193 8.194 8.195 8.196 8.197 8.198 8.199 8.200 8.201 8.202 8.203 8.204 8.205 8.206 8.207 8.208 8.209 8.210 8.211 8.212 8.213 8.214 8.215 8.216 8.217 8.218 8.219 8.220 8.221 8.222 8.223 8.224 Simple word suggestions 2013.
  9. Schiess, p. 1: "heavy connector"
  10. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  11. Schiess, p. 1: "heavy connector"
  12. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 4.
  14. Garner 2009a, p. 611: "unnecessary"
  15. Garner 2002, p. 102.
  16. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  17. Garner 2009a, p. 587: "officialese"
  18. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  19. Garner 2009b, p. 96: "commercialese"
  20. Garner 2002, p. 104: "legaldegook"
  21. Garner 2002, p. 104: "wordy"
  22. Wydick 1978, p. 733: "verbose"
  23. Garner 2002, p. 104: "wordy, except at beginning of sentence"
  24. Garner 2002, pp. 104–05.
  25. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  26. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  27. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  28. Garner 2009b, p. 96: "commercialese"
  29. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 5.
  30. Garner 2002, p. 104.
  31. SEC 1998, p. 25: "superfluous"
  32. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "verbose"
  33. Garner 2009b, p. 96: "commercialese"
  34. 34.0 34.1 34.2 Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 6.
  35. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  36. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  37. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  38. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  39. Garner 2002, p. 106.
  40. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  41. Garner 2009a, p. 155: "class distinction"
  42. Wydick 1978, p. 755: "throat-clearing"
  43. Garner 2002, p. 107.
  44. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  45. Wydick 1978, p. 755: "adjective-adverb mania"
  46. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  47. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  48. Garner 2009a, p. 371: "formal word"
  49. Garner 2002, p. 108.
  50. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  51. Schiess, p. 1: "heavy connector"
  52. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  53. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  54. SEC 1998, p. 25: "superfluous"
  55. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "verbose"
  56. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  57. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  58. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "verbose"
  59. Garner 2009a, p. 284: "redundant"
  60. Wydick 1978, p. 733: "verbose"
  61. Garner 2002, p. 112.
  62. Garner 2009a, p. 287: "redundant"
  63. Garner 2009a, p. 287: "redundant"
  64. 64.0 64.1 64.2 64.3 64.4 64.5 64.6 64.7 64.8 Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 11.
  65. Garner 2009a, p. 300: "redundant"
  66. SEC 1998, p. 31: "simpler synonym"
  67. Wydick 1978, p. 739: "stuffy"
  68. Garner 2002, p. 113: "deadwood"
  69. Garner 2009b, p. 96: "commercialese"
  70. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  71. Garner 2009a, p. 313: "redundant"
  72. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  73. Garner 2009a, p. 313: "usually superfluous"
  74. Wydick 1978, p. 739: "stuffy"
  75. Garner 2002, p. 115: "a favorite word of jargonmongers"
  76. 76.0 76.1 Garner 2002, p. 115.
  77. Garner 2009a, p. 355: "cliché"
  78. 78.0 78.1 Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 12.
  79. Wydick 1978, p. 733: "verbose"
  80. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  81. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  82. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  83. Kimble 1998-2000, p. 113: "wordy"
  84. Wydick 1978, p. 754: "adjective-adverb mania"
  85. Schiess, pp. 1–2: "heavy connector"
  86. Garner 2002, p. 118: "voguish phrase"
  87. Garner 2002, p. 118.
  88. Garner 2002, p. 119: "vogue word"
  89. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  90. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  91. Wydick 1978, p. 737: "verbose"
  92. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  93. 93.0 93.1 Garner 2002, p. 119.
  94. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  95. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  96. 96.0 96.1 Garner 2002, p. 120.
  97. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  98. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  99. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  100. Garner 2009b, p. 96: "commercialese"
  101. SEC 1998, p. 25: "superfluous"
  102. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "verbose"
  103. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "verbose"
  104. SEC 1998, p. 25: "superfluous"
  105. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  106. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  107. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  108. Wydick 1978, p. 731: "compound preposition"
  109. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "verbose"
  110. 110.0 110.1 110.2 Garner 2002, p. 121.
  111. Garner 2009a, p. 587: "officialese"
  112. Garner 2002, p. 121: "jargonmonger's word"
  113. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "compound preposition"
  114. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "verbose"
  115. SEC 1998, p. 25: "superfluous"
  116. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  117. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "compound preposition"
  118. Wydick 1978, p. 733: "verbose"
  119. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "compound preposition"
  120. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  121. Garner 2009a, p. 570: "nonword"
  122. Wydick 1978, p. 755: "throat-clearing"
  123. Garner 2009a, p. 24: "nonword double adverbs"
  124. Lebovitz 2008, p. 59: "redundant"
  125. Garner 2009a, p. 522.
  126. Garner 2009a, p. 522: "cliché"
  127. Garner 2009a, p. 522: "redundant"
  128. Garner 2002, p. 125.
  129. Garner 2009a, pp. 532–33: "redundant"
  130. Garner 2009a, p. 533: "redundant"
  131. Garner 2009a, p. 594: "superfluous"
  132. Schiess, p. 2: "heavy connector"
  133. Saffire 1997: "pompous, snooty"
  134. Garner 2002, p. 128.
  135. Schiess, p. 2: "heavy connector"
  136. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  137. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  138. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  139. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  140. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  141. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  142. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  143. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  144. SEC 1998, p. 27: "negative compound"
  145. Kimble 2002, p. 45: "legal jargon"
  146. Garner 2002, p. 129.
  147. Butt 2006, p. 29: "jargon"
  148. Kimble 1998-2000, p. 114: "redundant doublet"
  149. Garner 2002, p. 129: "stuffy"
  150. Wydick 1978, p. 737: "verbose"
  151. Garner 2009b, p. 94: "officialese"
  152. Garner 2002, p. 130.
  153. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  154. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "compound preposition"
  155. Schiess, p. 2: "heavy connector"
  156. Garner 2009a, p. 594: "verbose"
  157. Garner 2009a, p. 594: "verbose"
  158. Schiess, p. 2: "heavy connector"
  159. 159.0 159.1 159.2 Garner 2002, p. 131.
  160. Garner 2009a, p. 594: "verbose"
  161. Garner 2009a, p. 598: "redundant"
  162. Garner 2009a, p. 600: "superfluous"
  163. Garner 2009a, p. 601: "vogue word"
  164. Garner 2009a, p. 602: "jargon"
  165. SEC 1998, p. 25: "superfluous"
  166. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "verbose"
  167. Garner 2002, p. 132: "jargonistic vogue word"
  168. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  169. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  170. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  171. Garner 2009a, p. 618: "archaic"
  172. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  173. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  174. Garner 2009a, p. 630: "redundant"
  175. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  176. Garner 2009a, p. 640: "clumsy phrase"
  177. Garner 2009a, p. 648: "jargon"
  178. Garner 2009a, p. 653: "euphemism"
  179. 179.0 179.1 Garner 2002, p. 133.
  180. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  181. SEC 1998, p. 25: "superfluous"
  182. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "compound preposition"
  183. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  184. Garner 2002, p. 134.
  185. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  186. Garner 2002, p. 135.
  187. Schiess 2003-2004, pp. 57–58: "wordy"
  188. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  189. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 11: "word to avoid"
  190. Garner 2002, p. 136: "legalese"
  191. Garner 2009b, p. 96: "commercialese"
  192. Garner 2002, p. 136.
  193. Wydick 1978, p. 754: "adjective-adverb mania"
  194. Garner 2002, pp. 136–37: "verbose"
  195. Garner 2002, p. 137: "redundan[t]"
  196. Garner 2002, p. 137.
  197. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 11: "word to avoid"
  198. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 26.
  199. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism
  200. SEC 1998, p. 35.
  201. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  202. Garner 2002, p. 139: "legaldegook"
  203. Garner 2009b, p. 96: "commercialese"
  204. Wydick 1978, p. 739: "lawyerism"
  205. Schiess 2003-2004, p. 56: "vague word"
  206. Butt 2006, p. 29: "jargon"
  207. Kimble 1992.
  208. Schiess 2003-2004, p. 74.
  209. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 11: "word to avoid"
  210. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "officialese"
  211. Garner 2002, p. 141.
  212. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  213. SEC 1998, p. 25: "superfluous"
  214. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "compound preposition"
  215. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  216. SEC 1998, p. 31: "simpler synonym"
  217. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 11: "word to avoid"
  218. Wydick 1978, p. 739: "stuffy"
  219. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "verbose"
  220. Schiess, p. 2: "heavy connector"
  221. Garner 2009a, p. 845: "verbose"
  222. Wydick 1978, p. 754: "adjective-adverb mania"
  223. Lebovitz 2001, p. 56: "legalese"
  224. Garner 2009b, p. 91: "genteelism"
  225. Garner 2009a, p. 587: "officialese"
  226. Wydick 1978, p. 733: "verbose"
  227. SEC 1998, p. 31: "simpler synonym"
  228. Garner 2009a, p. 587: "officialese"
  229. Wydick 1978, p. 739: "stuffy"
  230. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 30.
  231. Garner 2009a, p. 838: "redundant"
  232. Garner 2009a, p. 842: "weasel word"
  233. Wydick 1978, p. 754: "adjective-adverb mania"
  234. Garner 2009b, p. 96: "commercialese"
  235. Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 10: "word to avoid"
  236. 236.0 236.1 Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 31.
  237. Garner 2002, p. 147: "legalese"
  238. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "compound preposition"
  239. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "compound preposition"
  240. Wydick 1978, p. 732: "compound preposition"
  241. 241.0 241.1 Plain English Campaign 2001, p. 32.

References

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