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When you are making word choices, pick the familiar or commonly used word over the unusual or obscure. [S1] There are many lists of complex words and suggested substitutes. [S1] Use language your audience understands and feels comfortable with. [S2] Choose your words carefully. [S2]

Checklist

1. [ ] Pick the familiar or commonly used word over the unusual or obscure. [S1]
2. [ ] Watch the dirty dozen offenders most likely to weaken your work. [S1]
3. [ ] Say you rather than addressees. [S1]
4. [ ] Say aid or help rather than assist or assistance. [S1]
5. [ ] Say begin or start rather than commence. [S1]
6. [ ] Say carry out or start rather than implement. [S1]
7. [ ] Take your audience current level of knowledge, expertise, and interest into account. [S2]

Done when: language your audience understands and feels comfortable with. [S2]

Claims

• id: C1 claim: Use familiar-word lists of complex words and substitutes. source: S1 evidence: "There are many lists of complex words and suggested substitutes, like the one below."
• id: C2 claim: A short list of frequent offenders is marked as the dirty dozen. source: S1 evidence: "Bold marks the dirty dozen, the 12 offenders most likely to weaken your work."
• id: C3 claim: Use language the audience already understands. source: S2 evidence: "Use language your audience understands and feels comfortable with."
• id: C4 claim: Word choice is a core plain-language practice. source: S2 evidence: "Choose your words carefully"

Sources

• [S1] Use simple words and phrases. GSA / PlainLanguage.gov archive. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/GSA/plainlanguage.gov/main/_pages/guidelines/words/use-simple-words-phrases.md . License: US government work, public domain. Accessed 2026-11-05.
• [S2] Principles of plain language. Digital.gov (GSA). https://digital.gov/guides/plain-language/principles . License: US government work, public domain. Accessed 2026-11-05.

License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted).

@misc{iil_note_fqpr0fj5,
  author = {{iinventedlight}},
  title = {{Prefer familiar everyday words over obscure ones}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-05},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/plain-language-simple-everyday-words/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:fqpr0fj5. License: CC-BY-4.0.},
}

Markdown

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