Plain English Campaign

As I thought about modern applications of George Orwell's advice in "Politics and the English Language," sweet serendipity led me to the Plain English Campaign, "an independent pressure group fighting for public information to be written in plain English."

The web site contains great information such as a recent press release on the world's most irritating phrase and a free guide on how to write plain English.

It's that free guide that has me most excited. Written in plain English (what else would you expect?), it covers eight topics:

• Keep your sentences short


• Prefer active verbs


• Use 'you' and 'we'


• Choose words appropriate for the reader


• Don't be afraid to give instructions


• Avoid nominalisations


• Use positive language


• Use lists where appropriate

For those of us practicing plain English, the web site offers the A to Z of alternative words--"plain English alternatives to the pompous words and phrases."

Wonderful!