articles - Plain English People

Smart sentences: workplace writing solutions

a conference paper presented by HOWARD WARNER of Plain English People

Howard Warner explains why he believes sentences are the key to unlocking the plain English conundrum — more now than ever. But first he gives a perspective on plain English ‘practice’ and ‘practitioners’, how they fit into the whole ‘community’ of plain English professionals. And at the end, he considers whether the community is ready for 'benchmarking'.

Thomson Reuters acquires Cleardocs

media release from Thomson Reuters

Australian legal plain-language operation Cleardocs has been bought by Thomson Reuters. It will be aligned with Thomson Reuters' tax and accounting business in Australia.

Should Scrabble have axed word ‘jandal’?

from Sunday Star-Times

Wordsmith Kiwis [including PEP director and New Zealand Scrabble champion Howard Warner] are outraged over Scrabble's banning of the word "jandal" from the game's official word list.

Demise of the serial comma

The serial comma — we’ve taken it for granted for years. But now it is being downgraded as an essential part of sentence structure, and the world of English-language writing is heavily divided.

Making the most of annual reports

by VICKI JAYNE, Management

Producing an annual report is both an obligation and an opportunity — but are companies making the most of a vital communication tool? Do shareholders and other stakeholders get the full story?

Sentence makeovers: But what does it mean?

collected and translated by HOWARD WARNER

You know those sentences that you read through once, maybe even several times, and still have no idea what they’re about? Well, here are some of our favourites, together with a plain English translation — what we think the writer was actually trying to say.

Report writing in 16 stages

from Plain English People

First, think about the audience, purpose and scope of your document. As the very last thing, check your page numbering. Plus, 14 steps in between.

Writing in plain English is smart business

by HOWARD WARNER, Employment Today

Businesses and organisations generate whole forests of written material. Yet how much of it actually gets read? How do we know? And even if it is read, do readers get the right messages? Howard Warner asks some tough questions, and suggests solutions for communication-conscious employers.