George Orwell said it all in his famous essay “Politics and the English Language” (1946). He wrote about the importance of saying what you mean when you write, and not letting pre-fabricated strips of words take over. Here are his rules for good writing. Plain language is good writing.

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word, if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

   Rule number 6 is always worth remembering, even when following the rules for writing plain language.

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