Skip to Content

Changes for page Simple sentences

Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:51
From version Icon 1.4 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/06 18:13
Change comment: There is no comment for this version
To version Icon 2.36 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/08 23:07
Change comment: There is no comment for this version

Summary

Details

Icon Page properties
Title
... ... @@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
1 -Words
1 +Simple sentences
Parent
... ... @@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
1 -Clear language.WebHome
1 +Plain English.WebHome
Content
... ... @@ -1,1 +1,126 @@
1 -{{children/}}
1 +(% class="box" %)
2 +(((
3 +Following this helps:
4 +
5 +* **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
6 +* **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious you find it harder to comprehend things
7 +* **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're distracted it's hard to comprehend convoluted structures
8 +* **cognitive impairments** – shorter, non-complex sentences carry less cognitive load
9 +* **visual impairments** – short, simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
10 +* **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can absorb what you read quickly
11 +)))
12 +
13 +==
14 +Guidelines ==
15 +
16 +Short, simple sentences are better on the web than long, protracted prose with complex syntax. WCAG says: "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable."
17 +
18 +
19 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.MakeyouraveragesentenceA015wordslong." %)
20 +[[1. Make your average sentence 15 words long.>>doc:||anchor="#1"]]
21 +
22 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.A0Avoidcomplexsentencestructures." %)
23 +[[2. Avoid complex sentence structures.>>doc:||anchor="#2"]]
24 +
25 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
26 +[[Usability evidence>>doc:||anchor="#UESS"]]
27 +
28 +
29 +----
30 +
31 +== ==
32 +
33 +=== {{id name="#1"/}}1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
34 +
35 +The maximum sentence length for a good level of comprehension is 25 words. Split long sentences up into 2 or 3, or use bullet points.
36 +
37 +Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree:
38 +
39 +* 15 word sentences are more likely to be comprehensible
40 +* 25 words is a good maximum sentence length limit
41 +* above 40 words sentences are hard to comprehend easily
42 +
43 +
44 +Example:
45 +
46 +(% class="mark" %)This sentence is about 15 words long and is easy to understand. (%%)
47 +
48 +
49 +=== {{id name="#2"/}}2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
50 +
51 +They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
52 +
53 +
54 +Complexity depends on:
55 +
56 +* number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
57 +* distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
58 +
59 +
60 +Example:
61 +\\(% class="mark" %)"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
62 +"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
63 +
64 +
65 +----
66 +
67 +== {{id name="#UESS"/}}Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
68 +
69 +Oxford Guide to plain English
70 +
71 +Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
72 +
73 +Author Ann Wylie
74 +
75 +[[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
76 +
77 +[['Sentence length: why 25 words is our limit'>>url:https://insidegovuk.blog.gov.uk/2014/08/04/sentence-length-why-25-words-is-our-limit/]], Inside GOV.UK, UK Government blog, 2014
78 +
79 +[['Content design'>>url:https://contentdesign.london/book/]], Sarah Richards, 2017
80 +
81 +[['The role of word difficulty and sentence length in text comprehension'>>url:https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a114935.pdf]], T. M. Duffy and P. K. U'Ren, 1982
82 +
83 +[['The Influence of Semantics and Syntax on What Readers Remember'>>url:https://www.hcde.washington.edu/files/people/docs/Isakson_Spyridakis_Sem_Syn.pdf]], C. S. Isakson and J. H. Spyridakis, 1999
84 +
85 +[['How the brain attunes to sentence processing: Relating behavior, structure, and function'>>url:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4819595/]], A. Fengler, L. Meyer, A. D. Friederici, National Center for Biotechnology Information
86 +
87 +[['Functional Analysis of Clause Complex in the Language of News Websites Texts: A Comparative Study of Two Articles'>>url:http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0616/ijsrp-p5445.pdf]], F. M. S. Eid, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 6, Issue 6, June 2016
88 +
89 +[[Reading Level>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]], Understanding SC 3.1.5, WCAG, 2008
90 +
91 +[['Readability Assessment of Internet-Based Consumer Health Information'>>url:http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/53/10/1310/tab-pdf]], T. M. Walsh and T. A. Volsko in Respiratory Care October 2008, 53 (10) 1310-1315
92 +
93 +[['The research basis of plain language techniques: Implications for establishing standards'>>url:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen_Schriver/publication/285927928_The_research_basis_of_plain_language_techniques_Implications_for_establishing_standards/links/5664c50208ae192bbf90aa85/The-research-basis-of-plain-language-techniques-Implications-for-establishing-standards.pdf]], Karen Schriver, PhD, Dr. A. L. Cheek, M. Mercer, Center for Plain Language, November 20, 2008, Mexico City
94 +
95 +[['Readability Levels of Health-Based Websites: From Content to Comprehension'>>url:https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ851863.pdf]], M. Schutten, A. McFarland, PhD, International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 2009, 12:99-107
96 +
97 +[['Writing smaller'>>url:http://clarity-international.net/journals/63.pdf]], Clarity Journal no. 63, 2010
98 +
99 +[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/aaf9e928/files/uploaded/PLCstyleguide25July2012.pdf]], 2012
100 +
101 +[['Shorter Lines Facilitate Reading in Those Who Struggle'>>url:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0071161]], Matthew H. Schneps , Jenny M. Thomson, Gerhard Sonnert, Marc Pomplun, Chen Chen, Amanda Heffner-Wong, 2013
102 +
103 +[['Towards a better measure of readability: Explanation of empirical performance results'>>url:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00437956.1989.11435805]], Leslie A. Olsen & Rod Johnson, Taylor & Francis Group, 2015
104 +
105 +[['What is plain language?'>>url:https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/plain-language/what-is-plain-language/]], Plain Language Association International, 2015
106 +
107 +[[Text complexity, ATOS, and Lexile® Measures>>url:https://www.renaissance.com/products/practice/accelerated-reader-360/atos-and-text-complexity/]], Renaissance Learning, 2016
108 +
109 +[['Understanding Plain English summaries. A comparison of two approaches to improve the quality of Plain English summaries in research reports.'>>url:https://researchinvolvement.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40900-017-0064-0]] 2017
110 +
111 +[['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] Edwin Toonen, Yoast, 2018
112 +
113 +[[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
114 +
115 +
116 +----
117 +
118 +(% class="box" %)
119 +(((
120 +See also:
121 +
122 +* [[Plain English>>doc:Plain English.Plain English, simple sentences.WebHome]]
123 +* [[Specialist terms>>doc:Plain English.Specialist terms.WebHome]]
124 +* [[Law, medicine, money>>doc:Plain English.Medical.WebHome]]
125 +* [[Words to avoid>>doc:Plain English.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
126 +)))