Guides
Practical guides
The first article in this section is about rewriting a message, email or notice so that it is understood on the first reading. The technique works just as well for an email to colleagues, a note to neighbours or a short post in a work chat.
A clear text is a courtesy: the writer spends an extra minute so that the reader does not have to guess.
What to prepare in advance
- Your draft just as it came out — even if it feels clumsy.
- An answer to the question "what should the reader do or find out", put in a single sentence.
- A sense of who the reader is: a colleague on your team, someone from another department or a stranger.
- All the facts you need — dates, place, contacts — so you do not have to add them in a hurry later.
- A general dictionary and a spelling dictionary at hand or bookmarked in your browser.
- A few quiet minutes: rewriting a text on the run is almost always harder.
State the main point
Before editing words, decide what the message is for. Put that idea at the start: the reader should see at once what it is about and what is expected of them.
Sample example: instead of a long introduction about the work done, the email opens with "Please approve the draft report by Friday".
Untangle chains of nouns
Officialese loves constructions such as "the carrying out of an inspection of". Find the verb hiding behind the nouns and put it back in its place.
Sample example: "we are carrying out the cleaning of the stairwell" becomes simply "we are cleaning the stairwell".
Look at the loanwords
Reread foreign words through your reader's eyes. If your reader is used to them, keep them; if not, choose a plain English alternative or explain the word the first time it appears.
Sample example: within a project team "ad hoc" is clear to everyone, but in a notice for residents "one-off" reads more naturally.
Check similar words
Confusable words easily swap places when you type fast. Reread the spots where you used "affect" and "effect", "complement" and "compliment", "effective" and "efficient".
Sample example: "the chart complements the report" means it completes it, while "she complimented the report" means she praised it.
Split long sentences
If you cannot read a sentence in one breath, break it up. One idea, one sentence; linking words such as "so" and "also" will keep the logic intact.
Sample example: a sentence with three clauses about moving a meeting becomes two short ones — what has changed and what needs to be done.
Remove repetition
Look for pleonasms and tautology — words that repeat what has already been said. Without them the text gets shorter and the meaning stays exactly where it was.
Sample example: "free gift" shrinks to "gift", and "past history" to "history".
Read it aloud
Say the text out loud or imagine retelling it over the phone. The places where you stumble almost always need editing.
Sample example: reading aloud reveals that "in order to facilitate" sounds unnatural, and the writer simply puts "to".
Common mistakes
- Replacing every loanword at any cost, even when the alternative is longer and less precise.
- Opening the message with background and hiding the actual request in the last paragraph.
- Treating officialese as a sign of politeness: politeness comes from the greeting and the tone, not from heavy constructions.
- Leaving professional jargon in a text meant for a wide audience.
- Relying on memory where a dictionary could easily settle the doubt.
- Polishing a text for so long that its natural voice disappears.
Other options
- If the message is complex, first jot down a list of the main points and then build the connected text from it.
- Ask a colleague to read the draft and retell it in their own words: any differences will show what is still unclear.
- For recurring emails, create a template checked once, and change only the details.
- If you cannot do without a term, add a short explanation in brackets the first time it appears.
Check yourself
- The main point comes first and makes sense without the rest of the text.
- Verbs are not hidden behind chains of nouns.
- Every loanword is familiar to your reader or explained.
- Pairs of similar words have been checked for meaning.
- Long sentences are split: one idea, one sentence.
- Repetition and unnecessary words are removed.
- The text has been read aloud and sounds natural.
Catalogue of articles for English-language readers
This is where standalone articles on choosing words, clear writing and using dictionaries will appear. Each one is written from scratch for readers of English and checked against current dictionaries.
- What players should know about gaming services and player resources: Digital Entertainment
Guides, coaching, boosting and marketplaces explained in plain terms, with the account security, terms-of-service and payment checks every player should make.
- GTA 6 Beginner Resources and Guides: Editorial Overview
A beginner's map of GTA 6 information: what is confirmed as of October 2026, why official sources come first, and how to judge guide sites before launch.
- Aion2Boost brand & Aion 2 player resources: Practical Overview for Players
Matching Aion 2 player questions to the right resource: official notes, community guides and named sites like Aion2Boost, plus terms-of-service cautions.
- Grand Theft Auto VI: Mission Progression And Online Preparation — Player Decision Guide
Field notes on preparing for GTA VI story and online play: what is confirmed, what series history suggests, and when solo play beats outside help.
What we are working on now
- A notice for your neighbours: how to write it briefly, politely and without ambiguity.
- Words that shift in tone in casual speech, and how to use them precisely in writing.
- How to read dictionary labels: informal, dated, technical.
- Polite phrases for work emails without officialese.
- New words in everyday English: how to tell whether a word has caught on.
Editorial rules
- Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
- Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
- We do not publish advertising for courses, publications or services, rankings, prices or reviews.
See also
- Questions
Short answers on word meanings, confusable pairs, loanwords, officialese and the style of work emails.
- Collections
Reading paths: words from office emails, pairs people mix up, and words with an interesting history.
- Reference
A glossary: loanword, calque, paronym, neologism, officialese, pleonasm and the kinds of dictionaries.
- Sections
Four themes: loanwords, confusable words, clear writing, and dictionaries and checking a word.
Sources
- Current general, spelling and etymological dictionaries of English
Explanations are given in general terms and reflect the material as of the date it was prepared. Language changes slowly, but it does change: if our advice differs from a current dictionary, go with the dictionary. For official documents, follow the style rules adopted where you work.