Plain English Campaign
We’ve edited, rewritten, clarified and Crystal-Mark approved over 22,000 documents worldwide since 1979.
Transform and clarify your documents with our editing services.
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Our annual award winners, past campaigns and examples of communication at its worst.
2017 course discounts
- Plain English (21 September, London)
- Report writing (26 September, London
Book a place on either of these courses for just £250+VAT. Further discounts available for corporate members.
To book your place, email us at info@plainenglish.co.uk or phone Terri on 01663 744409.
We can translate your simple document from one of six languages into plain English.
Latest news:-
Hurricane of misinformation
Right-wing media representatives in the US have been rightly criticised for peddling dangerous misinformation about Hurricane Irma.
“There is a desire to advance this climate change agenda,” suggested Rush Limbaugh. “And hurricanes are one of the fastest and best ways to do it.”
Read more...
2017 open courses
- Plain English course 21 September 2017, London
Last few places remaining on this course. Book now to get £50 off each place. Further discounts available to corporate members.
- Report writing course 26 September, London
This course is only run twice a year and we have only a few places remaining.
For these offers, call Terri Schabel on: 01663 744409 for more details or email her at terri.schabel@plainenglish.co.uk
Summer 2017 issue of Plain English magazine
Summer 2017 issue of Plain English magazine now published and available for download.
Read more...
Yet more obvious jargon
Every so often we see a list of ‘most hated jargon terms’ and job website Glassdoor have provided the latest. There are many (sadly) familiar terms on there. ‘Touch base’, ‘Blue-sky thinking’, and ‘Thought shower’, to name three, continue to thrive among office dullards.
Why are these awful terms so enduring? We think there are two main reasons.
Read more...
To be clear, or not to be...
We regularly bang on about lengthy terms and conditions, in the hope that they’ll eventually disappear. But instead, they seem to be getting longer and more and more absurd.
Amazon is the latest culprit. Their Kindle terms and conditions are 73,198 words long. Were you to want to read them, it would take you about 9 hours – but why would you, or anyone, bother?
Read more...
Legal rulings judged 'overlong'
For many years we’ve struggled to influence the language of the courts. Legal language is still very much how it’s always been – largely archaic, Latin-heavy and pretty much impenetrable to non-experts.
There’s never been a justifiable excuse for this – just as there’s absolutely no reason why barristers and solicitors don’t use plain English rather than language very few can understand. But perhaps changes are finally afoot.
Read more...
The Internet Crystal Mark – why you need one
A website that puts obstacles in front of its audience is not doing its job properly. Get rid of any on your website, and get our Crystal Mark accreditation to boot.
Obviously, easy-to-understand text is very important. But what if that text is badly laid out, difficult to read or hard to find?
Read more...
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