Plain Language

---
name: plain-language
description: >
  Applies strict plain-language writing rules to any content.
  Use this skill whenever the user asks to write, edit, review, clean, or improve
  any text — emails, reports, presentations, announcements, web copy, documentation,
  READMEs, or any written content. Also triggers on: "clean this text",
  "make this clearer", "rewrite this", "simplify", "plain language",
  "too wordy", "shorten this", or when the user pastes text and
  asks for improvements.
---

# plain language

You are applying a strict plain-language editing method.
This is a set of editing rules that gives readers everything they need,
and nothing they do not need.

The goal is instant understanding.
Readers have three seconds of attention for online content.
Every word must earn its place.

You must follow EVERY rule below.
No exceptions unless explicitly noted.
When in doubt, delete.

---

## step zero: define the target group

Before writing or editing, identify the reader.

- Who will read this?
- What does the reader already know?
- What does the reader need to learn?
- Is this external (users, public) or internal (team, colleagues)?

The target group determines tone and detail level.
If the target group is unclear, ask the user before writing.

---

## rule 1: write short sentences

Try to use no more than seven words per sentence.
Break long sentences into several short ones.
Do not write composed sentences — split them.
Skip "and" between two actions — divide into two sentences.

Each sentence gets its own line.
Start a new line for each sentence.
This is not optional.

A paragraph contains one message.
Start a new paragraph for the next message.

If a sentence is long,
start a new line after the comma where a narrator would pause.

Whenever possible, divide one long sentence into two or more short sentences.

**Why:** non-native English speakers make up a large part of any global audience.
Short, direct sentences are faster to read and easier to translate.

### before and after

Before: *Alex decides how to treat customers and Sam decides how to develop the business.*

After:
*Alex decides how to treat customers.*
*Sam decides how to develop the business.*

---

## rule 2: use active voice

Write in the order: who does what.
Start with the person doing the action, or use an imperative.
Talk directly to your friend.

Change *what is done by whom* to *who does what*.
Start sentences with the subject, not the object.

If you find "is," "was," "are," "been," or "by" in a sentence,
check whether you can rewrite it in active voice.

### before and after

Before (passive): *The report is sent to the board.*
After (active): *You send the report to the board.*

Before (passive): *Invoices have to be paid within thirty days.*
After (active): *Pay invoices within thirty days.*

Before (passive): *The oven is installed to the left of the window.*
After (active): *Install the oven to the left of the window.*

Before (passive): *The report should be sent at the end of each month.*
After (active): *Send the report at the end of each month.*

Before (passive): *Reporting is done by the asset manager.*
After (active): *The asset manager reports.*

Before (passive): *Smoking forbidden.*
After (active): *Do not smoke.*

---

## rule 3: write "you" not "we"

Prefer the reader's perspective.
Write "you" instead of "we" whenever possible.

### how to rewrite "we"

When you find "we" in a sentence, rewrite it shorter:

1. **"You" perspective (preferred).** Flip to the reader's viewpoint.
   *"We offer free shipping"* → *"You get free shipping."*

2. **Imperative.** Drop the subject entirely.
   *"We recommend checking the meter"* → *"Check the meter."*

3. **The thing itself as subject.** Let the object do the work.
   *"We install new windows"* → *"Your building gets new windows."*

### exceptions where "we" is fine

- **Direct quotes.** Keep "we" inside quotes.
- **Shared work.** When writing to someone you work with on the same task, "we" is natural.
- **Inclusive audience.** When the reader is genuinely part of "we," keep it.

If unsure whether the reader is part of "we," ask the user.

### before and after

Before: *We offer renovated apartments in central locations.*
After: *You get a renovated apartment in a central location.*

Before: *We will carry out maintenance next week.*
After: *Maintenance starts next week.*

Before: *Our team is responsible for maintenance.*
After: *The maintenance team handles this.*

---

## rule 4: put facts in headlines

The headline tells the whole story in up to seven words.
Do not classify — teach.
The reader should know what to learn and what to skip just from the headline.

Use *message headlines* in instructions, reports, and announcements.
Use *category headlines* only for glossaries, databases, and file names.

The most common error is using a category instead of a message.

### before and after

Before (category): *Information*
After (message): *you get a new kitchen*

Before (category): *Hamburg*
After (message): *twelve new buildings in Hamburg*

Before (boasting): *We have achieved this thanks to our hard working, ambitious staff*
After (message): *the team now has one thousand members*

---

## rule 5: use lower case letters

Write headlines in lower case.
Use lower case in menus, graphs, tables, and bullet lists.
Uppercase letters are only for the first letter in a complete sentence and proper nouns.

Never use UPPERCASE for emphasis or headings.
Non-native speakers read lower case letters faster than uppercase letters.

DO NOT WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS.
Not even for emphasis.
Not even for abbreviations that feel natural in caps.

---

## rule 6: no decorative formatting

Do not underline text.
Do not use bold in body text.
If you need emphasis, use *italic*.

No signs after headlines, except a question mark.
No decorative color plates, lines, squares, or frames.
Use black text on white background.

---

## rule 7: simplify punctuation

Do not use exclamation marks.
Do not use parentheses — rewrite the sentence instead.
Do not write composed sentences — split them.

The parentheses ban applies everywhere, including:

- phone numbers: write "020 7946 0958" not "(020) 7946 0958"
- time ranges: write "nine to five" not "(9am to 5pm)"
- clarifications: make it a separate sentence instead
- area codes: just write the digits without parentheses

### before and after

Before: *Work starts on April 15th and should take about 8 weeks. There will be some noise during working hours (9am to 5pm).*

After:
*Work starts on April fifteen.*
*The renovation takes about eight weeks.*
*Expect noise from nine to five on weekdays.*

Before: *Phone: (020) 7946 0958*
After: *Phone: 020 7946 0958*

---

## rule 8: delete meaningless words

If any word is not needed, delete it.
You should delete ten percent of single words from your text.

### banned words — always delete

- fantastic, elegant, good, cheap, nice, perfect
- interesting, creative, ambitious, vibrant
- huge, breath-taking, higher performance, must be seen
- very, many, different
- "and so on"
- repetitions
- what the reader already knows
- jokes, emojis

### approximation words — delete or replace with facts

Do not write "circa," "about," "almost," "more than," "over."
Either give the exact number or skip the qualifier entirely.

Before: *There are circa three hundred staff.*
After: *The office has three hundred staff.*

Before: *Over two thousand units.*
After: *Two thousand units.* (or the exact number)

### banned phrases — always delete

- "it is important to note that"
- "it should be noted that"
- "we are pleased to announce"
- "in order to" (use "to")
- "the fact that"
- "for more details"
- "if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us"
- "we apologize for any inconvenience"
- "please be advised"
- "kindly note"
- "as per our conversation"
- "at your earliest convenience"
- "with all due respect"

### before and after

Before: *The new elegant Berlin office has huge, nice windows with a fantastic breath-taking view from an interesting restaurant on the top floor.*

After:
*The Berlin office has windows that are four meters high with decorated stone frames.*
*From the roof restaurant you see Alexanderplatz with the TV-tower,*
*thousands of rooftops and the nearby green avenue towards the Oranienplatz.*

---

## rule 9: replace private opinions with facts

Do not use subjective adjectives.
Replace opinions with measurable facts.

Your opinion disturbs the reader.
The reader thinks *Do not tell me what I think is nice.*
Let the readers find out themselves.

### before and after

Before: *a fantastic view*
After: *you see green fields and a river*

Before: *an elegant apartment*
After: *the apartment has oak floors and four-meter ceilings*

Before: *a good area*
After: *two hundred meters to a tube station*

Before: *a perfect location*
After: *near the city, fifty meters to a park, one hundred meters to elementary school*

Before: *An apartment filled with light from the sun.*
After: *The bedroom faces east, getting sunlight in the morning.*
*The kitchen and the living room face west, getting sunlight in the afternoon.*

Before: *close proximity*
After: *five hundred meters*

Before: *near the heart of the city*
After: *eight hundred meters to the central station*

---

## rule 10: skip boasting

Show superiority with actions and results,
not by writing or saying you are the best.

Delete words that say how big or good something is.
Avoid saying "we are the best."

Instead of boasting, show a comparison.
The readers can judge for themselves.

### before and after

Before: *a leading provider of quality housing*
After: *forty thousand apartments in three countries*

Before: *our award-winning platform*
After: *the platform processes ten million requests per day*

---

## rule 11: replace complex words

Use everyday words.
Replace formal or complex words with simple ones.

### replacement list

- "utilize" → "use"
- "commence" → "start"
- "terminate" → "end"
- "in accordance with" → "according to"
- "prior to" → "before"
- "subsequent to" → "after"
- "in the event that" → "if"
- "at this point in time" → "now"
- "notwithstanding" → "despite"
- "acquirement" → "purchase" or "buy"
- "facilitate" → "help"
- "implement" → "start" or "do"
- "comprehensive" → "full" or "complete"
- "approximately" → skip it, or use the exact number
- "significant" → use the exact number
- "enhanced" → "better" or "new"
- "leverage" → "use"
- "regarding" → "about"
- "currently" → "now"
- "ensure" → "make sure"
- "in addition" → "also"
- "stakeholders" → name the actual people
- "synergies" → say what actually happens
- "going forward" → delete, or say the date
- "in terms of" → "for" or delete
- "with respect to" → "about" or "for"
- "on a daily basis" → "every day"
- "in the near future" → say the date
- "a number of" → say the number
- "due to the fact that" → "because"

---

## rule 12: replace signs with words

Write words instead of signs.

- "and" not "&"
- "percent" not "%"
- "or" not "/"
- "plus" not "+"
- "minus" not "-" (when used as a word)
- "times" not "*" or "x"

Exception: mathematical formulas, code, and financial tables may keep signs.

---

## rule 13: avoid abbreviations

Write the full word instead of abbreviations.
This helps non-native speakers and aids translation.

- "for example" not "e.g."
- "that is" not "i.e."
- "and others" not "etc."
- "apartment" not "apt."
- "building" not "bldg."
- "manager" not "mgr."
- "information" not "info"
- "approximately" not "approx." (and then delete "approximately" per rule 8)

---

## rule 14: numbers

Write numbers as words for:

- one to twenty
- even tens: thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety
- round hundreds, thousands, millions, billions

Use digits for:

- mathematical contexts and formulas
- currency and amounts of money
- tables and graphs
- sequences like 3, 19, 25, 30, 33

Do not use approximation words with numbers.
Delete "over," "almost," "more than," "circa," "about," "roughly."
Either give the exact number or give the round number without qualifiers.

### before and after

Before: *Since then we have bought 2000 houses.*
After: *Two thousand houses since then.*

Before: *There are circa 300 staff. The salary increased 5 % / employee.*
After: *Three hundred staff.*
*Each employee got a five percent salary increase.*

Before: *Over 15 properties.*
After: *Fifteen properties.* (or the exact number if known)

---

## rule 15: bullet list rules

Use hyphens (-) as bullet markers.
Start each item in lower case, except proper nouns.
No colon before a bullet list.
No period at the end of bullet items.
Reserve bullets for essential things, otherwise use comma.

Group items in threes.
If you have more than five bullets, insert a blank line after every third item.
If you have up to five bullets, you do not need a space.

---

## rule 16: left-aligned layout

Start all text and headlines from the left margin.
Never center headlines.
Keep column width to about fifty characters.

---

## rule 17: delete sections

Clean your text by removing entire sections that are:

- repetitions (unless in headlines, exercises, summaries, or forewords)
- what the reader already knows
- irrelevant information
- boasting, such as "we are the best"

Sometimes it is better to delete the reason for a rule,
and just change the rule itself.

---

## rule 18: word order — main message first

Put the most important information first in the sentence.
The reader may stop reading at any point.

Move the key fact to the beginning.

### before and after

Before: *In collaboration with local authorities, the team renovated the building.*
After: *The team renovated the building with local authorities.*

Before: *Due to planned maintenance, the elevator is out of service.*
After: *The elevator is out of service.*
*Maintenance starts Monday.*

---

## rule 19: titles and functions

Write names and titles in this format:

- *Jane Smith, founder*
- *the head of communication, Lee*

Lower case for titles and functions.
No abbreviations in titles.

---

## rule 20: logical problems

Watch for these logical errors:

- contradictions: two statements that conflict
- circular reasoning: the explanation repeats the claim
- undefined terms: using jargon without explanation
- unsupported claims: stating facts without evidence
- wrong cause-and-effect: implying a link that does not exist

If you spot a logical problem, flag it and ask the user how to resolve it.

---

## rule 21: media-specific rules

### marketing texts

- tell the reader about the gain
- be honest about shortcomings
- tell the reader what is bad before they find out themselves
- end with a call-to-action: *Click on ..., Call ..., Send ...*
- use black text on white background
- no decorative color plates or decorations
- minimize text — try to delete half the words
- use images to show the product or the person responsible

### reports

- talk to your reader with a friendly "you"
- prefer naming the subject over using "we"
- define what is essential for the reader

### documentation

- write step-by-step in chronological order
- each step in no more than seven words
- keep explanations separate from instructions
- lead with the action, explain after

### newsletters and press releases

- keep it short — three to five lines for small items
- tell the message in headlines
- use headlines to help readers find relevant news
- never lie, avoid estimations, just tell facts
- if negative news, admit mistakes and explain prevention

---

## how to apply this skill

When the user gives you text to clean:

1. Identify the target group (ask if unclear)
2. Read the original carefully
3. Apply EVERY rule above — no exceptions
4. Present the cleaned version
5. Briefly note the main changes in two to three sentences

When the user asks you to write new content:

1. Ask who the reader is if not obvious
2. Write directly in plain-language style from the start
3. Keep every rule in mind — do not relax any rule
4. After writing, do a final "we" scan: search for every "we," "our," "us." Rewrite with "you," imperatives, or neutral subjects where possible.
5. After writing, do a final parentheses scan: search for "(" and ")" and remove or rewrite

When reviewing or giving feedback on text:

1. Identify EVERY violation of the rules above
2. Cite the specific rule violated for each issue
3. Suggest specific rewrites for each violation
4. Focus on the changes with the biggest impact on readability

---

## meta-skill: propose improvements

When you notice patterns, workarounds, or recurring quirks,
proactively tell the user.

### when to propose improvements

- You notice the same type of text keeps hitting the same rule
- You find a sentence that technically follows the rules but reads poorly
- You discover an edge case the rules do not cover
- You see a pattern where the rules conflict with each other
- You notice the original text has a structural problem beyond word-level edits

### how to propose

1. Finish the immediate task first
2. Then flag the observation: *"I noticed something that might help..."*
3. Describe the pattern or problem
4. Suggest a solution or ask how the user wants to handle it
5. Never silently apply a workaround — always surface it

---

## quality check

Before delivering any text, verify ALL of these points.
If any check fails, fix the text before delivering.

Do these checks FIRST — they are the most common failures:

- "we" is replaced with "you," imperatives, or neutral subjects where possible
- ZERO parentheses anywhere, including phone numbers, area codes, time ranges

Then verify the rest:

- no sentence exceeds about ten words
- every sentence starts on a new line
- no passive voice remains (check for "is," "was," "are," "been," "by")
- headlines are lower case and under seven words
- headlines contain messages, not categories
- no exclamation marks anywhere
- no signs in prose: no "&", "%", "/", "+", "!" (exception: code, formulas, technical literals)
- no abbreviations
- numbers follow convention (words for 1-20, even tens, round hundreds/thousands/millions)
- no bold in body text, no underline, no UPPERCASE for emphasis
- no meaningless adjectives (fantastic, elegant, huge, nice, perfect, interesting, creative, ambitious, vibrant, good, cheap, breath-taking)
- no approximation words before numbers (over, almost, more than, circa, about)
- no boasting or self-praise
- no private opinions — only facts
- no banned phrases (see rule 8)
- bullet lists use hyphens, lower case, no colon before, no period after
- bullets grouped in threes if more than five items
- left-aligned layout
- no decorative formatting
- no composed sentences — each sentence is one thought
- no repetitions of information
- what the reader already knows has been deleted
- main message comes first in each sentence

---

## common AI mistakes to watch for

AI tends to break these rules most often.
Be extra vigilant about these:

1. **Sentences too long.** AI writes flowing prose. Break every sentence. Seven words maximum. Count them.

2. **Passive voice creeping in.** AI defaults to passive. Check every sentence. Rewrite to active.

3. **Parentheses.** AI loves parentheses for asides, phone area codes like "(020)," and time ranges like "(9am to 5pm)." All parentheses are banned. Write phone numbers without parentheses: "020 7946 0958." Write time ranges as sentences: "Expect noise from nine to five."

4. **Exclamation marks.** AI adds them for enthusiasm. Delete every single one.

5. **Filler phrases.** AI pads text with "it is important to note," "please don't hesitate," "we are pleased to announce." Delete all of them.

6. **Category headlines instead of message headlines.** AI writes "Update" or "Information" as headlines. Write the actual message instead.

7. **Meaningless adjectives.** AI loves "comprehensive," "significant," "enhanced," "innovative." Delete or replace with facts.

8. **Numbers as digits instead of words.** AI writes "15" instead of "fifteen." Follow the number rules.

9. **Signs instead of words.** AI writes "&" instead of "and," "%" instead of "percent." Replace all signs.

10. **Composed sentences with "and," "but," "which," "while."** Split into separate sentences on separate lines.

11. **Bold text for emphasis.** AI uses **bold** liberally. Use *italic* only, and sparingly.

12. **UPPERCASE in headlines.** AI capitalizes headlines. Use lower case.

13. **Not putting each sentence on its own line.** This is the most visible rule. Never put two sentences on the same line.

14. **Approximation words.** AI writes "over two thousand" or "approximately three hundred." Delete the qualifier. Just write the number.