The Plain English Guide How to write clearly and communicate better

174 Pages·1995·32.89 MB·English

by  Martin Cutts

MARTIN
CUTTS

The Plain English Guide

The Plain
English Guide

Martin Cutts

(Oxford » New York
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
1995
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| Contents

Staring poins 1
Stommary of eidlines 9

1 Writing shorter sentences... orchopping up snakes 1
2 Preferrng plain words 19

3 Writingtight 4

4 Favouring the active voice 48

'5 Using vigorous verbs 56

6 Using vercal ists 61

7 Negative wo postive 67

8 Crose-references, cross readers 69

9 Cleary nonsexist 71

10 Sound stars and excellent endings 75

141 Using good punctuation 80

12 Scven writing myths explored and exploded 94
2 Conquering grammarphobia 99

1 Planning effecsvely 102

15 Using eader-cenred structure 108

16 Using alternatives to words, words, words 118
17 Management of colleagues’ writing 124

18 Writing beer instructions 132

19 Lucid legal language 140

20 Clearlayout 148

Sources and notes 160

‘10 1VOR AND JOAN CUTTS,
‘Sor goxearof support and encouragement

Acknowledgements
‘My thanks goto thse who commented on the manuscript:
‘Nick Moore, Kate Shipsdes, Tony Mercer, vor Cutts and
Kevin Cutts Throughout the writing ofthe book, Ingrid
[Rampley gave constant help and suppor.

1am also grateful to Monica Sowash, who conducted
{the focus group interviews; and to Sidney Greenbaum and
1NiYibin, who helped me gain access tothe Survey of
English Usage

Exact from a debt advice booklet in chapter 20 ae

reproduced by permission of The Birmingham Setlement
‘ational Debine, the copyright owners.

The Plain English Gide intended by canned ith Pain
Belk Campa ye.