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Changes for page Simple sentences

Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:51
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edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 13:30
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edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 14:15
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88 88  
89 89  == {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
90 90  
91 -
92 92  === 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
93 93  
94 -The maximum sentence length we would recommend for easy comprehension is 25 words.
93 +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.
95 95  
96 -You can split longer sentences up into 2 or 3 or restructure the content with bullet points to make meaning clearer for users.
95 +Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine but above 40 words is hard to understand.
97 97  
98 98  
99 99  === 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
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113 113  
114 114  == Usability evidence for simple sentences ==
115 115  
116 -"People with some learning disabilities read letter for letter – they do not bounce around like other users. They also cannot fully understand a sentence if it’s too long. People with moderate learning disabilities can understand sentences of 5 to 8 words without difficulty. By using common words we can help all users understand sentences of around 25 words." GOV.UK
115 +Oxford Guide to plain English
117 117  
118 -The Oxford Guide to Plain English recommends 15–20 words per sentence. It also says: "…if you regularly exceed 40 words, you’ll certainly weary and deter your readers."
117 +Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
119 119  
120 -Jyoti Sanyal, author of 'Indlish' said: "Based on several studies, press associations in the USA have laid down a readability table. Their survey shows readers find sentences of 8 words or less very easy to read; 11 words, easy; 14 words fairly easy; 17 words standard; 21 words fairly difficult; 25 words difficult and 29 words or more, very difficult."
119 +Author Ann Wylie
121 121  
122 -Author Ann Wylie said: "When the average sentence length in a piece was fewer than 8 words long, readers understood 100% of the story. At 14 words, they could comprehend more than 90% of the information. But move up to 43-word sentences and comprehension dropped below 10 percent."
123 -
124 124  [[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
125 125  
126 126  [['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