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Increasing Readability: Language
The first suggestion when it comes to simplifying your writing is to use SHORT SENTENCES. Avoid the tendency to go on and on and on in a sentence. It makes it difficult for the reader to keep up with you. Instead of putting two ideas into one long sentence, try using two short sentences. You'll find it breaks it up and makes it easier to read. If you want some help with this, go pick up a copy of USA Today. It's a well-known fact that USA Today is written on a low reading level, which is good. That increases the overall readability. Go read any article out of that paper and you'll quickly see what I mean about using short sentences.
The second suggestion is just flat-out use SIMPLER LANGUAGE. Here are a few rules of thumb that I employ. Use familiar words instead of words that are far-fetched. Use a concrete word instead of an abstract one. Choose short words instead of long words. I think the best way to illustrate this is with a list of complicated words and their more simplified equivalentsAll of these answers are partially right. All of the answers are results of what happens when your marketing and advertising does what it is supposed to do.
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Instead Of |
Use |
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Encourage |
Urge |
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Continue |
Keep up |
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Supplement |
Add to |
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Acquire |
Get or gain |
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Along the lines of |
Like |
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As to |
About |
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For the reason that |
Since |
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In order to |
To |
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In the event of |
If |
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In accordance with |
By, under |
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Prior to |
Before |
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With regard to |
About |
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Accordingly |
So |
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Likewise |
And, also |
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Neverthless |
But, however |
See how that will lighten up your writing and make it more conversational? I know that an English professor would be delighted if you used the phrase "in accordance with." Your attorney might like that too. Your writing can be as complex or as simple as you choose to make it. I once heard about a doctor who would lean back in his chair when he was finished with dinner, put his hands behind his head, and proclaim..."My gastronomical satiety admonishes me to such an extent that I am no longer able to indulge myself beyond the limits of dietary integrity." All of that simply means, "I'm full." Now that's complicating it. Make sure you always remember the rules of thumb I just gave you - use short sentences and simple words - and they will help your prospect immensely...and ultimately, make you more money.
The third suggestion for increasing readability is to use a lot of verbs. This isn't about being a wonderful student of grammar. It's just about using certain kinds of words to wake up your writing and your readers and make them more likely to take action. If you remember from way, way back in elementary school when you first started learning grammar, you'll remember that they described verbs as action words. That's what you want in your writing, lots of action words. You're probably thinking, come on, every sentence has a verb in it; you can hardly write a sentence without a verb. But understand, most writing contains nothing more than nouns and adjectives glued together with what's called the "be" verbs: is, was, are, and were. But you've got to think like the Chinese. Simplify and get rid of all the "filler" words. That's all that "is, was, are and were" are...they're filler words. They don't signify any action. That's why they're called "be" verbs because they just indicate a state of being - not action.
So what do I mean by action words? Here's a short list to give you an idea: blow, break, bring, call, carry, cast, catch, come, cut, do, draw, drive, drop, fall, get, give, go, hang, hold, keep, lay, let, look, make, pick, pull, push, put, run, set, shake, show, skip, slip, split, stand, stay, stick, strike, take, talk, tear, throw, tie, touch, turn, walk, wear, and work.
Using live words takes some practice, patience, and persistence. You'll find if you look at what you or your copywriter has written for you in the past, it's probably full of is, are, were, and was. It takes discipline to make yourself go back and rewrite the sentence or the paragraph or the page to incorporate live words. But like the rest of these writing tips, if you do it, your bottom line results can be greatly improved. And that's the name of the game, right?
So the first three suggestions for increasing readability using language were 1) using short sentences, 2) using simpler words, and 3) using live words. The fourth suggestion then is to use more personal references. What's a personal reference? It's simple a word or a sentence that references the reader or listener - primarily with the word "you." In Dale Carnegie's classic work, How To Win Friends And Influence People, he states that people's number one motivating force in their lives - for good or for bad - is the need to feel important. He goes on to state that people's favorite subject to talk about is themselves. If that's true, and I believe that it is, then you'd be well off to address your writing directly to the reader and make as many references to them as possible.
This Newsletter was brought to you by...
Ajay Prasad,
President,
Global Marketing Resources,
Irvine CA, 92606,
USA (949)654-7897.
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