Writing with Style: The Plain or Low Style

Style in writing defies easy definition. That makes it hard to talk about, and harder to master. The ancient rhetoricians grouped style into three categories: the high or florid style (used to entertain, as in literature); the middle or forcible style (used in political discourse); and the plain or low style (suitable for instruction). In a previous article I gave an overview of the three styles; in this article and in a recent podcast episode I focus on the plain style.
First, let's clear up the confusion between style as linguistic element and style as cultural display. Plain style, because it is utilitarian and accessible by most, historically was associated with the lower classes in society. For our purposes, let's just ignore that association. The plain style, as it is used today, dominates communication. Speaking plainly and writing clearly matter across class boundaries.
Most workplace writing should be written in the plain style. But what is the plain style? Here are some characteristics:

• Word counts: be as concise as possible
• Sentence lengths: keep the average under 25 words
• Vocabulary choices: avoid long and/or vague words
• Linguistic structures: use parallel grammatical structures

Plain language guidelines stress the importance of writing for your readers:

• Plain language involves an ethical relationship between reader and writer
• Writers want to communicate clearly with readers
• Take your readers’ point of view
• Organize ideas around what your reader needs to know

At the sentence level, check your writing to see if you:

• Use as few words as possible
• Vary sentence length and sentence structure
• Use parallel structure (especially in lists)
• Begin most paragraphs with topic sentences
• Use transitions to link ideas

At the word level, check your writing to see if you:

• Use words that are accurate, appropriate, and familiar to your readers
• Use technical jargon sparingly (and do not use business jargon at all)
• Use active verbs most of the time
• Use strong verbs (not nouns) to carry the weight of your sentences

Examples that illustrate these principles are available in the slides and in the podcast episode.

​Roger Graves
roger@wecanwrite.ca