Using Plain Language in Business Writing: What, Why, and How?

Plain language is communication that’s easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to act on, without needing to reread, interpret, or untangle the message. It is professional, reader-first writing. It uses everyday words, clear structure, and a tone that fits the audience and context.

In business writing, however, plain language isn’t about oversimplification or dumbing things down. Your readers are smart enough to understand; just make sure you enable that through your writing. It’s about removing friction between the message and the reader. It’s writing that gets to the point and respects the reader’s time.

It works across industries, roles, and communication types, whether you're writing a project update, a product explainer, or a leadership memo. And it’s not just for external audiences. Internally, plain language can help teams align faster, make better decisions, and reduce the endless back-and-forth that unclear writing creates.

Plain language also challenges the myth that sounding complex equals sounding smart. I don’t know about you, but I snooze off easily when I read something that feels stitched together from dictionary entries and filler words. It rarely impresses me. That tells me you’re more interested in sounding impressive than in actually being understood.

It’s like good cooking. You don’t need rare spices or expensive ingredients to make something satisfying. What matters most isn’t how complex the recipe is; it’s how the food tastes and how it makes the eater feel. The same goes for writing. You can use simple, familiar words and still create something memorable, useful, and worth coming back to. If your message is clear and nourishing, no one will miss the “gourmet” vocabulary.

Think of it this way:
- It’s about writing clearly, not writing less.
- It’s about sounding human, not sounding casual.
- It’s about organizing detail so people understand it, not cutting content for the sake of brevity.

The goal is simple: reduce the work the reader has to do, without reducing the value of what you’re saying.

Why Plain Language Matters in Business Writing

At its core, business writing is meant to inform, persuade, or prompt action, and plain language supports your message’s purpose, clarity, and authenticity – the three essential principles of human-centered writing.

·      Purpose

Plain language keeps your message focused on what’s truly important. It helps you strip away the noise and deliver what your reader actually needs. Nothing more, nothing less. In a workplace flooded with information, purposeful writing is what gets read, remembered, and acted on.

·      Clarity

Business decisions are made quickly and often based on writing. If your message is vague, padded, or disorganized, it delays understanding and disrupts workflow. Plain language gets to the point. It presents information logically, makes your meaning unmistakable, and prevents misinterpretation. And this means saving time and reducing unnecessary back-and-forth.

·      Authenticity

When you write plainly, you write like a real person. That makes your message more relatable and believable. You don’t need jargon or inflated phrasing to sound credible. In fact, the more direct and human your tone, the more your audience will trust you.

Plain language isn’t just a communication style. It’s how you build connection and credibility, all while moving the work forward.

How to Use Plain Language in Business Writing

Using plain language is a skill you can practice. Below are actionable strategies you can apply to your writing at work, helping you say more with less and connect with your reader more effectively.

Cut Unnecessary Words and Phrases

Cluttered language slows the reader down. Aim for brevity without losing clarity. We talked about finding the right balance in this article.

Before:
At this point in time, we are in the process of evaluating proposals.

After:
We’re reviewing proposals now.

Wordy phrases often sneak into business writing out of habit or formality. But most of the time, there’s a simpler, cleaner way to say the same thing.

These are examples of common phrases and their more direct alternatives.

Use Active Voice

Active voice makes your writing clearer, shorter, and more direct. It tells the reader exactly who’s doing what, without forcing them to work for it. Passive constructions and noun-heavy phrasing, on the other hand, blur meaning and hide accountability.

Before:
A decision was made to postpone the event.

After:
We decided to postpone the event.

Before:
The team conducted an analysis.

After:
The team analyzed the data.

When you use active voice, you make your sentences more confident and your message easier to follow.

Use Strong Verbs Instead of Verb + Noun Pairs

One common writing trap is relying on weak verb + noun constructions like “make a decision” or “give a presentation.” These stretch your sentences and water down the action. Often, you can replace the entire phrase with a single, focused verb. Here’s how that looks in action.

Before:
The manager gave a presentation about the new policy.

After:
The manager presented the new policy.

Before:
We conducted an analysis of customer feedback.

After:
We analyzed customer feedback.

Before:
The team made a decision to proceed.

After:
The team decided to proceed.

These edits don’t just make your writing shorter. They make it cleaner, more energetic, and easier to follow, especially when time and attention are in short supply.

Here are more examples of wordy verb + noun phrases, and how to tighten them up.

Replace Jargon with Real Language

Jargon might sound efficient or impressive, but it often confuses, distracts, or alienates the reader, especially if they’re outside your team or industry. The goal is to say what you mean in a way that’s easy to understand the first time.

Before:
Let’s touch base offline to align on next steps.

After:
Let’s meet briefly to confirm the next steps.

Jargon slows communication down because it forces people to interpret or guess what you’re trying to say. Imagine saying “circle back” to a new employee. Do you expect them to know what that’s supposed to mean? Clear, familiar language speeds understanding and builds trust.

Here are common business buzzwords and how to say them more clearly, depending on your message and audience.

Use Specific Language

Vague language feels safe, but it often leaves readers guessing. Specifics bring clarity and make your writing more memorable. They turn general statements into useful information your reader can act on.

Before:
We’ve seen good engagement.

After:
Our LinkedIn post reached 22,000 users and got 90 comments.

Before:
We had a few issues with onboarding.

After:
Two new hires didn’t receive access to the internal portal on time.

Specific details help readers understand what actually happened and what matters. They also give your message greater clarity and impact. Even when you're summarizing, aim to include concrete data, names, dates, or actions that make the message easier to grasp and harder to ignore.

Write with a Positive Emphasis

Writing in the affirmative is often clearer, more constructive, and easier to read. On the other hand, negative phrasing can sound harsh, bureaucratic, or discouraging, even when that’s not your intention.

By flipping the focus to what can or will happen, you keep the tone helpful and action-oriented.

Before:

You cannot access the system.

After:

You’ll have access starting Monday.

Before:

We don’t cover that in support.

After:

Our support covers these areas…

Before:

Your request won’t be processed unless all fields are filled out.

After:

We’ll process your request once all fields are complete.

Positive emphasis means focusing on solutions, next steps, and what’s possible. This makes your message feel more human and less like a warning label.

Cut Unnecessary Lead-ins

Phrases like “There is…” or “It is…” often lead your sentence with filler instead of meaning. These unnecessary lead-ins delay the real subject and make your writing feel heavier than it needs to be.

They aren’t really wrong, but in business writing, they slow readers down and weaken your message. In most cases, you can cut or revise them to get to the point faster.

Before:

There are some people who disagree with the plan.

After:

Some people disagree with the plan.

Before:

It is important to note that deadlines must be met.

After:

Deadlines must be met.

Before:

It is possible that the client will cancel.

After:

The client may cancel.

When you trim these phrases, your writing becomes clearer, more direct, and easier to read, without losing meaning.

Plain language isn’t about stripping your writing down to the bare bones. It’s about removing the obstacles that get in the way of meaning. In business, where attention is short and clarity is currency, writing simply is a strategic advantage. It gets your message across faster, builds credibility, and helps people act with confidence.

Using plain language shows respect for your reader, their time, and the shared goal of getting things done.

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