We all know the feeling: a letter from the bank, a hospital instruction sheet, or a phone bill lands in your hands—and you can’t make sense of it.
The words are long, the sentences tangled, the layout overwhelming. That’s where plain language comes in. Plain language is not about dumbing things down. It’s about respect, trust, and empathy.
“Plain language is when your audience can find what they need, understand what they find, and use it to take action.” – International Plain Language Federation
Plain language is both a mindset and a toolkit. It means thinking about who you are writing for, why they need the information, and how they will use it. It also means applying proven strategies—like shorter sentences, clear structure, and active voice—that make text easier to read.
We are flooded with messages every day. But the information that matters most—contracts, mortgages, hospital instructions—is often the hardest to understand.
When people can’t understand, they can’t act. That can cost time, money, and even lives.
One example: at the eye doctor, Dr. Deborah Bosley, a leading expert on plain language, was asked:
“How well do you see when your eyes are in a superior position?”
She had no idea what that meant—until the technician explained it simply: “when you look up.”
Almost everyone understands “look up.” Almost no one understands “superior position.” That’s why plain language matters.
A common myth is that plain language makes texts simplistic or childish. The opposite is true. Plain language is about clarity and respect.
“It’s not dumbing down—it’s wising up.” – Dr. Deborah Bosley
Even highly educated people struggle with unclear communication. Studies show younger readers don’t blame themselves when they can’t understand. They blame the writer or the organization. And that damages trust.
Unclear language doesn’t just frustrate people—it costs money.
An investment company once sent a jargon-heavy letter about retirement rules. The result? 10,000 phone calls from confused clients in one week.
After the letter was rewritten in plain language, the calls stopped—and clients actually invested more money. Clear communication built trust, and trust led to action.
Some of the biggest problems, and their solutions:
Passive voice hides responsibility.
❌ “The payment must be made by Friday.”
✅ “Please pay by Friday.”
Negative phrasing confuses readers.
❌ “You cannot travel first class.”
✅ “You must travel economy class.”
Jargon alienates.
❌ “Ophthalmic superior position.”
✅ “Look up.”
Dense text discourages reading:
Use headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs.
Writer-centered focus wastes time.
Always ask: What does my audience need to know?
💡 Tip: Read your text out loud. If you wouldn’t say it that way, rewrite it.
Healthcare is one of the most critical areas for plain language. Patients often leave hospital with dense, technical discharge instructions—or none at all.
As Dr. Bosley explains:
“Plain language in healthcare isn’t optional; it’s essential.”
Without clear instructions, patients risk taking the wrong medication, misunderstanding side effects, or missing vital steps. In this context, plain language can save lives.
Plain language also makes translation easier, faster, and more accurate.
When source texts are full of jargon or long, convoluted sentences, translators must first “rewrite” them before they can even begin translating. This wastes time, costs money, and increases the risk of errors.
In Dutch, there’s even a term for this: klare taal—literally “clear language.” Translators are trained to rewrite texts into clear language before translating.
Plain language doesn’t just improve communication within one language—it ensures ideas travel more faithfully across languages and cultures.
Plain language is more than a style. It’s empathy in action.
Think of the surgeon who tells a patient: “Make sure you clean it well.”
For him, it’s the hundredth time saying it.
For the patient, it’s the first time hearing it.
Without details—how, how often, with what?—the advice is useless.
Plain language means stepping into your reader’s shoes and writing from their perspective.
Plain language matters because understanding matters. It builds trust, saves time and money, and in healthcare, can even save lives.
Next time you write an email, a report, or a policy, ask yourself:
Can my reader find what they need?
Can they understand it?
Can they act on it?
If the answer is yes, you’re writing in plain language.
Dr. Deborah Bosley is an international expert in plain language and founder of The Plain Language Group. She has over 25 years of experience as a professor of technical writing at UNC Charlotte and has worked with hospitals, banks, universities, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies.
Kadija Bouyzourn is a joint doctoral researcher at KU Leuven (Belgium) and the University of Melbourne, researching language barriers in healthcare. She previously did Applied Linguistics at the University of Oxford. Her publications include work on translation policy and multilingual communication.
At Living Stone, we partner with our clients to put plain language into practice. We believe the real power of plain language is its ability to make information clear, accessible, and actionable—so your audience knows what to do and feels confident taking the next step.
Ready to make your B2B communication clear, engaging, and effective?
Contact Anne-Mie Vansteelant at anne-mie.vansteelant@livingstone.eu to learn how Living Stone can help you implement plain language strategies that achieve your business goals.