Plain English

We write using plain English so that everyone can understand us.

If people can’t understand what we say, they can’t follow our advice.

Plain English is also better for people who have literacy needs.

“1 in 5 adults in Ireland are at or below level 1 in literacy. This means that around 740,000 people struggle with reading and understanding everyday text, like bus timetables or medicine instructions” - National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA)

Research shows that everyone prefers plain English, no matter their level of education or reading ability.

Content Design London - Readability guidelines

Plain English is a style of writing and presenting information that helps the reader to understand it the first time they read it.

To do this, we:

• use short, simple words
• write short, clear sentences - 20 words maximum
• use the active voice (say ‘We’ll send you a letter’, not ‘A letter will be sent to you’)
• explain technical terms
• don’t use jargon

Following these will make your writing much easier to understand.

Use the active voice, not the passive voice

Say ‘The dog bit the man’. Don’t say ‘The man was bitten by the dog.’

Good examples

• We will send you a letter.
• We reviewed the issue.
• We will send your medical card in the post.

Bad examples

• A letter will be sent to you.
• The issue was reviewed.
• Your medical card will be sent to you.

We always use the same language as our users when we write for HSE.ie.

We use everyday words. They are easy for people to understand. They make content easier to find.

Good examples

• Phone your GP.
• You can use all community care services.

Bad examples

• Visit a medical professional.
• You are entitled to avail of a complete range of community care services.

People don’t understand jargon. It’s often vague and risks misinterpretation. People don’t trust it.

It’s easy for jargon to sneak into content, particularly if you know your subject well.

Look out for:

• words, acronyms and abbreviations the organisation uses internally
• nominalisation (turning verbs into nouns - use the verb instead, for example, ‘We will consider’ instead of ‘We will take into consideration’)
• business-speak
• legalese
• medicalese
• marketing-speak
• specialist terms that aren’t technical terms

Good example

We pay the GPs, dentists, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals who give free or reduced-cost services to the public.

Bad example

We support the delivery of primary healthcare by providing reimbursement services to primary care contractors for the provision of health services to members of the public in their own community.

Technical terms are not jargon. It’s fine to use them where necessary - just explain what they mean the first time you use them.

Check that the term is really necessary before you use it.

Good examples

• Check your child’s fontanelle (the soft spot on the top of their head).
• Surgeons usually remove tonsils with a surgical blade.
• The incubation period (the time it takes symptoms to develop after being infected) is …

Bad examples

• Check the fontanelle.
• Tonsils are usually removed using cold steel surgery (that means using a surgical blade).
• The incubation period is 3 days.

Choose the shorter word over the longer word. Don’t be afraid to use short words.

Bad examples

• utilise
• purchase
• assist
• approximately

Good examples

• use
• buy
• help
• about

Be clear. Get to the point - eliminate introductory words.

Use imperatives rather than suggestions.

Avoid adjectives and adverbs because they are hard to interpret and add unnecessary words. Be specific instead.

If a sentence gets to 25 words, break it into 2 sentences.

Bad examples

• The recently implemented formula for immunisations should not be applied before 2019.
• If you have a raging fever, see your GP.
• You should consider calling an ambulance.
• You may like to take a painkiller.

Good examples

• Do not use the new immunisation formula until 2019.
• If you have a temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius or above, talk to your GP.
• Call an ambulance.
• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Use personal pronouns - we, you, our, your.

Check that it’s clear who ‘we’ is. If it’s not, explain.

Use the active voice, not the passive

Use the active voice. It’s easier to understand than the passive voice. It makes your content positive and direct.

Good examples

• We’ll send your medical card in the post.
• Your doctor will explain your diagnosis to you.

Bad examples

• Your medical card will be sent to you in the post.
• Your diagnosis will be explained to you by a medical professional.

Positive sentence construction is easier to read. Negative sentences can be frightening and doom-laden in health writing.

Good examples

• You need a password to sign in.
• You should be back to normal in 7 days.

Bad examples

• You can’t sign in unless you have a password.
• You won’t feel back to normal for up to 7 days.

We use ‘readability’ tests as one measure of how easy it is to understand our content.

Readability tests check written content to predict what level of ‘reading age’ (level of educational reading ability) someone will need to understand our content.

You can check reading age using:

• the Hemingway app
• Microsoft Word

Aim for a reading age of about 9 (grade 4). For technical medical and professional content, aim for a maximum of 12 years (grade 7).

The A to Z of alternative words - plainenglish.co.uk

Communicating clearly - HSE.ie

Plain English resources - nala.ie