Advance to content | List of Access Keys |

Ideas for the use of plain english in plans

What is ‘plain English’?

Plain English is clear, straightforward expression, using only as many words as are necessary. It is language that avoids obscurity, inflated vocabulary and convoluted sentence construction. It is not baby talk, nor is it a simplified version of the English language. Writers of plain English let their audience concentrate on the message instead of being distracted by complicated language. They make sure that their audience understands the message easily.
(Professor Robert Eagleson –University of Sydney)

Writing plans in plain English does not mean avoiding complex information to make a plan easier to understand. For plan users to make informed decisions, planning documents may have to convey complex information. Using plain English assures the orderly and clear presentation of complex information, so that plan readers have the best possible chance of understanding it.

Plain English means analysing and deciding what information plan users and decision makers will need to make informed decisions, before terms, provisions, or explanations are used.

Key principles

The 10 most important principles in plain English writing are:

  1. Think of your reader’s needs – what is it that they need to know? What level are they reading at? (See also principle 8.)

  2. Organise your content well – have a clear structure and know what your key message is (see also the guidance note Structuring and Organising Regional and District Plans)

  3. Write in a natural style, as if you were talking to the reader – this assists in flow and simple sentence structure. Care needs to be taken to avoid colloquialisms.

  4. Keep sentences short –this avoids making the reader process too many ideas at once. It also reduces the risk of confusion over the relationships between verbs, adjectives, and subjects. It helps if you keep each sentence to one key topic.

  5. Use active verbs and try to avoid lengthy noun phrases where possible (for example “the Court decided” is better than “it has been decided by the Court”; and “a decision to amend a regulation by the district council” is better than “a district council regulation amendment decision”)

  6. Be specific rather than general – for example instead of ‘regularly’ specify time intervals (monthly, quarterly, yearly)

  7. Cut all redundant words and phrases – ask yourself if the word or phrase is needed for grammatical correctness or is important to get the message across. Words are redundant when they can be replaced with fewer words that mean the same thing.

Sometimes you can use a simpler word for these phrases:

Phrase with redundant words

Replace with

in order to

to

in the event that

if

subsequent to

after

prior to

before

despite the fact that

although

because of the fact that

 because

in light of

 because

owing to the fact that because

since

as to whether

whether

The said parties

The parties

 

  1. Use simpler words rather than complex words – avoid archaic words unless there is no word of accepted equivalent meaning. For example:

Legalese, complex or archaic

Simpler

pursuant to

under

prior to

before

terminate

end

elucidate

explain

utilise

use

deemed

regarded
.treated as

in lieu of

instead of

in like manner as

in the same way

otherwise than

except

hereinafter

as follows
subsequently

 

  1. Cut down on jargon and acronyms. However for legal and interpretative reasons it is advisable that plans used the same terminology and phrases as contained in the Resource Management Act (see Lakes District Rural Landowners Society v Wakatipu Environmental Society (C75/2001)). These terms and phrases often have specific legal meanings and an established body of case law behind them that assists in interpretation. If you have to use a term not in common usage then ensure it is defined in plain English terms in the definitions section.

    Abbreviations should be avoided as they can lead to confusion (eg, RCA can now mean Restricted Coastal Activity or Recognised Customary Activity) or misdirect people to documents, policies etc. that are out of date. If there is likely to be any doubt, spell it out.
  1. Edit vigorously – never underestimate the value of one or more ruthless edits. Look at each phrase and ask if there is a simpler, more direct, way of expressing it. Get someone who was not involved in the writing to read through and see if they can understand what is being said.

Other tips

Negative compound

Single Word

not able

unable

not accept

decline

not unlike

similar

does not have

omits

not many

few

not often

rarely

not the same

different

not ….unless

if

 

  1. You can have a continuous sentence with several listed points picked out at the beginning, middle or end.
  2. You can have a list of separate sentences with or without an introductory statement (like this list).

For a list with short points, plain English editors suggest setting it out like this:

The matters over which the Council retains control over are:

  • vehicle access
  • clearance of vegetation
  • volume of earthworks.

Lists may be bulleted, or numbered in various formats. Those comprising separate sentences have an initial capital and normal punctuation. Lists that are part of a continuous sentence may have semicolons (;) after each point and start each point with a capital. Ministry for the Environment style uses lower case for such items and only a full stop after the last item in the list. Many valid styles exist – the main thing is consistency within each document.

Adapted from:

New Zealand Law Commission (1996) Legislation Manual: Structure and Style, Report 35, Law Commission Wellington.

Office of Investor Education and Assistance (1998) A Plain English Handbook U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington DC.

For further tips and ideas see also:

Plain English Compaign

With particular reference to legal writing:

Clarity: an international association promoting plain legal language