Plain English Checker
Use this plain language checker to remove jargon, simplify formal writing, and make customer-facing text easier to act on. Start with Plain English Checker, then validate clarity in Readability Checker.
What is plain English?
Plain English means clear wording, explicit ownership, and practical sequence. It is not casual writing. It keeps precision while removing language that forces readers to decode intent.
Plain English vs readability
| Plain English | Readability |
|---|---|
| Removes jargon, legalistic phrases, and vague wording. | Measures sentence load and text difficulty ranges. |
| Best for policy, legal, support, and customer communication. | Best for benchmarking page-level clarity over time. |
Common jargon patterns
Avoid: commence implementation
Use: start implementation
Avoid: in accordance with policy
Use: under this policy
Avoid: facilitate completion
Use: complete
Avoid: subsequent to authorization
Use: after approval
Avoid: for the purpose of
Use: to
Before/after examples
legal clause
Before: The undersigned party shall undertake completion of remediative action subsequent to notice.
After: After notice, the party must complete corrective action.
policy paragraph
Before: In the event of non-compliance, sanctions may be imposed unless an exception has been approved in writing.
After: If someone does not comply, sanctions apply unless a written exception is approved.
enterprise email
Before: Stakeholders are hereby advised that commencement of migration is contingent upon prior authorization.
After: Stakeholders can start migration only after approval.
help-center text
Before: Completion of credential verification is required prior to initiation of account recovery procedures.
After: Verify credentials before starting account recovery.
onboarding UI text
Before: Utilize this function to facilitate configuration optimization.
After: Use this feature to improve setup.
Plain English for legal and policy teams
Use plain-language editing to keep obligations explicit while reducing interpretive friction. Continue in legal text simplification for practical workflow examples.
Plain English for websites and help docs
Replace formal language with direct action wording in support and onboarding pages. Use text simplifier and reading level converter for follow-up optimization.
Related Pages
FAQ
Plain English is direct wording that helps readers understand and act without unnecessary decoding.
No. Readability measures difficulty, while plain English focuses on clear phrasing and jargon cleanup.
Yes. Keep required terms and simplify surrounding language and structure.
Use plain English where possible, then verify enforceable meaning with legal review.
Yes. Clear language reduces hesitation and improves progression to next steps.