Confused? We Need to KISS More!

Jargon can seriously get in the way of business if no-one understands what people are talking about, or what they are writing about! I'm sure you have often come across messages that leave you feeling very confused, right? This problem happens when people use pompous or long-winded wording and phrasing to try to impress rather than to communicate. Yet really, the end result is that they do neither of these things!

Abbreviations are another thing. I read an article about someone who was making a speech and he mentioned HE (Higher Education). A member of the audience (a qualified engineer) asked "Why are you talking about High Explosives?" Sure, the context often helps to explain the correct meaning of such abbreviations, but it souldn't be relied on. So as a general rule, always explain abbreviations when you first use them.

Using jargon can result in one of two things - the reader will get bored and stop reading, or will spend a great deal of time trying to figure out what you meant four sentences ago!

Do you know any writers who sometimes concentrate so hard on what they want to say that they become absorbed in their impressive flow of wonderful words instead of talking in everyday language that the reader will understand?

Take a look at these before and after examples found on the www.plainenglish.co.uk website:

Before	After
If there are any points on which you require explanation or further particulars we shall be glad to furnish such additional details as may be required by telephone.	If you have any questions please call.
High-quality learning environments are a necessary precondition for facilitation and enhancement of the ongoing learning process.	Children need good schools if they are to learn properly.
It is important that you shall read the notes, advice and information detailed opposite then complete the form overleaf (all sections) prior to its immediate return to the Council by way of the envelope provided.	Please read the notes opposite before you fill in the form. Then send it back to us as soon as possible in the envelope provided.

You can KISS if you follow these simple rules

1. Use short words instead of long ones:

Instead of	Say
commence	start
regarding	about
purchase	buy
utilise	use
require	need
endeavour	try
terminate	end
state	say
visualise	see
despatch	send
assist	help
kindly	please

2. Use one word instead of phrases where possible:

Instead of	Say
in spite of the fact that	despite
come to a decision	decide
with regard to	about
at the present moment in time	now
conduct an investigation	investigate
in view of the fact that	as, since
in the event that	if
in the very near future	soon
at a later date	later
we would like to ask you to	please
I would appreciate it if you would	please

3. Cut out unnecessary repetitions:

Instead of	Say
absolutely essential	essential
accidentally stumbled	stumbled
actual experience	experience
advance planning	planning
assemble together	assembled
end result	result
personal opinion	opinion
very unique	unique
general consensus of opinion	consensus

TOP TIP

Keep YOUR sentences short and simple by keeping to an average sentence length of approximately 10-20 words.

» Click here to try a quiz.

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