What Is Plain English?

Plain English means writing that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. It doesn't mean dumbing things down — it means opening things up. The goal is for the reader to understand your message the first time they read it.

Key principles of Plain English:

✔ Use familiar, everyday words

✔ Keep sentences short and focused

✔ Be active, not passive

✔ Organize information logically

✔ Design documents with the reader in mind

It's communication that respects your reader’s time, reduces confusion, and builds trust.

Who Needs Plain English?

The answer is simple: everyone who writes for others.

Plain English is used by:

• Government agencies making policies accessible to the public
• Businesses clarifying contracts, HR materials, and websites
• Nonprofits explaining services and goals to donors and communities
• Educators and researchers sharing complex ideas in readable ways
• Healthcare professionals writing patient-facing instructions
• And everyday people writing emails, résumés, or social media posts

If your writing needs to be read, Plain English can help.

Why It Matters

Studies show that clear writing:

• Increases comprehension
• Reduces mistakes
• Saves time and money
• Improves customer satisfaction
• Builds credibility and trust

If your audience has to read something twice, you’ve already lost them.

What We Offer

At Plain English, we offer training, editing, and writing services that help people communicate with clarity and impact.

🖋️ Editing & Rewriting

We'll take your existing documents — emails, reports, legal notices, websites, or user manuals — and rewrite them in plain English.

👨‍🏫 Training & Workshops

We deliver virtual and in-person workshops that empower teams to write clearly, quickly, and with confidence. Perfect for organizations who want to improve communication across the board.

📄 Document Design & Strategy

We go beyond words. We help structure and format documents so they guide your reader naturally. This includes layout tips, sectioning, callouts, and visuals.

✍️ Custom Writing

Need it written from scratch? Our expert writers will craft your message in a way that’s engaging, easy to understand, and right for your audience.

Hear from the Community

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“We cut customer support tickets in half”

“We had a problem: users weren’t understanding our onboarding emails or product instructions. They were flooding our support team with questions. We hired Plain English to rewrite our emails, FAQs, and tooltips. The result? Support tickets dropped by over 50% in 30 days. Our NPS score even improved. Clear writing literally saved us thousands of dollars a week.” - Alex M., Director of UX, Tech Startup (San Francisco)

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“They helped us translate legalese into real language”

“We had pages and pages of legal policy we needed to turn into accessible guides for local communities. Plain English didn’t just ‘simplify’ the text — they kept the meaning intact while making it actually readable. We now use their writing as a model for all our public documents. Community feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. They’re not just editors — they’re interpreters of ideas.” - Jasmine T., Public Health Policy Manager (Toronto)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I finally felt confident sending out my résumé”

“I’m a talented developer, but I’m not a great writer. My résumé and cover letters were long, technical, and honestly boring. Plain English worked with me to rewrite everything with clarity and energy. The language felt like me — but more polished and direct. I landed three interviews in one week after applying with the new version. I finally felt like my words matched my skills.” - Tom R., Job Seeker (Manchester, UK)

Before & After: A Plain English Example

Before

“It is imperative that all applicants ensure the submission of their completed forms is executed no later than April 30th in order to be considered eligible for the program.”

After

“To be eligible, send your completed form by April 30.”

Clear. Direct. Human.

Our Mission

We believe in the power of words — not just to inform, but to include, empower, and connect. In a time when complexity is often mistaken for credibility, we stand for clarity.

Plain English is not a trend. It’s a movement.

One that champions accessibility, transparency, and kindness in communication.

Who We Work With

• Local and national government agencies
• Fintech and SaaS startups
• Healthcare providers and insurance companies
• Law firms and legal aid groups
• Nonprofits and education-focused NGOs
• Individuals looking to polish their writing

No matter your industry, we help you speak the language your audience actually understands.