Begin with the reader’s task

Identify who will use the document and what decision or action it supports. A client receiving a settlement proposal needs a different explanation from a lawyer reviewing a procedural argument. Digital.gov’s plain-language guidance starts with the audience and its needs. Before rewriting a paragraph, decide what the reader must understand from it and why that information belongs there.

Put the action where it can be found

State the document’s purpose early. If a response is required, make the action, recipient, and relevant date easy to locate. Organise a process in the order the reader will encounter it. Keep background material where it supports the task, rather than making the reader work through a long history before discovering the decision that needs attention.

Explain necessary legal terms in context

Some precise terms cannot simply be removed. Introduce an unfamiliar expression with a short explanation, then use it consistently. Check that a simpler sentence has not changed a condition, exception, or allocation of responsibility. For formal documents, distinguish binding provisions from explanatory notes and have the revised wording reviewed by someone competent in the applicable law.

Use layout to support understanding

Descriptive headings, short paragraphs, and carefully chosen lists can make relationships visible. Put comparable options beside each other when that helps readers assess them. Avoid splitting an important qualification from the statement it limits. Make the document usable on a phone and in accessible formats; a beautifully typeset page is not effective if someone cannot read or navigate it.

Test the explanation, then revise

Ask a suitable reader to explain the required next step in their own words. Observe where they pause or make an incorrect assumption rather than only asking whether the text seems clear. Use fictional or properly protected examples during testing. A readability score may identify dense writing, but it cannot establish legal accuracy or show that a real reader understood the consequences.

From reading to reflection

A practical starting point

  • Name the reader and the task.
  • Make actions and important dates easy to find.
  • Preserve qualifications and legal meaning.
  • Test understanding with an appropriate reader.

Reference points: Digital.gov, Principles of plain language and Organize the information. Legal drafting and professional communication obligations require separate jurisdiction-specific review. Reviewed September 30, 2026.

General information for readers interested in legal practice and access to justice. It is not advice on a particular matter.