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Federal Plain Language Guidelines
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Introduction- Thinking about your audience
- Organizing your document
- Organize to meet your readers' needs
- Address one person, not a group
- Use lots of useful headings
- Write short sections
- Writing your document
- Words
- verbs
- Use active voice
- Use the simplest form of a verb
- Avoid hidden verbs
- Use "must" to indicate requirements
- Use contractions when appropriate
- nouns and pronouns
- other word issues
- Sentences
- Write short sentences
- Keep subject, verb, and object close together
- Avoid double negatives and exceptions to exceptions
- Place the main idea before exceptions and conditions
- Place words carefully
- Paragraphs
- Have a topic sentence
- Use transition words
- Write short paragraphs
- Cover only one topic in each paragraph
- Other aids to clarity
- Testing your Document