“Plain language,” also known sometimes as “plain English,” is writing in a way that helps readers understand the content in a document the first time they read it. It’s also the law. The Plain Writing Act of 2010¹ requires all federal agencies to use plain language whenever they communicate with the public.

Writing in plain language is not unprofessional. It’s not “dumbing down” the message or “talking down” to the audience. When you write clearly and get to the point without using unnecessary words or technical jargon, you get your message across more quickly and increase the chance the information will be understood and used.

FDA and our sister agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services are dedicated to using plain language. Our scientists, writers, lawyers, consumer safety officers, budget analysts, regulatory experts, and other professionals have valuable information to share, but it’s not effective if the target audience doesn’t understand it.

See the Difference

If you don’t believe the difference plain language can make, take a look at this example from a Public Health Service brochure. The Department of Health and Human Services revised a six-page article on Losing Weight Safely to create a single brochure with a message that's much easier to follow.

Wordy

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends a half-hour or more of moderate physical activity on most days, preferably every day. The activity can include brisk walking, calisthenics, home care, gardening, moderate sports exercise, and dancing.

Clear

Do at least 30 minutes of exercise, like brisk walking, most days of the week.

Usage Tips

• Identify your audience 
• Organize your content logically
• Design easy-to-read documents
• Use short sentences and paragraphs
• Use active verbs and personal pronouns
• Use bullets, lists, and tables
• Limit acronyms, technical terms, and legalese

Plain Language on the Web

Visitors to our website are often in a hurry to find the information they need. They may scan a page as they look for quick answers to their questions. Help your readers find what they need by following these Web writing tips from PlainLanguage.gov:

• Be concise
• Break documents into separate topics
• Use short paragraphs—even shorter than on paper
• Use short lists and bullets to organize information
• Use even more headings with less under each heading
• Use white space liberally, so pages are easy to scan
• Use the same words a reader would use in a Web search—especially in the title
• Each page should stand on its own (Don’t assume your readers know the background on a topic or have read related pages on your site.)
• Never use "click here" as a link—link language should describe what your reader will get if they click the link.

Don't Be Wordy

Government writing is often wordy. Extra or elaborate words make your writing weaker. Here are some examples of extra words and their plain alternatives: