You may need to use correct but difficult terminology at times in your writing, but when you do, include an explanation immediately. We are addressing adults, and sometimes they need to know the correct term, whether it is a part of the human body, or the type of professional they are being referred to, or an illness they may have. Keep these harder words to a minimum, though. It is another layer separating the reader from the text.

Keep sentences short—the shorter the better. Imagine someone reading slowly through the text, with a finger under each word as it is read aloud. If the reader needs to take a breath during a sentence, it is probably too long.

Be prepared to find the process frustrating and a lot of work. And you will never feel that your document is completely perfect. All low-literacy plain language is the result of compromises. If you aim for the very simplest level you can, you will be limited in the amount of useful information you can include. If you put in harder words, you exclude more readers.

If you write about difficult subjects, such as mortgages or menopause, you will have to include concepts which are hard to explain really, really simply, so your readers will be those who can read simple text with some ease. Any low-literacy materials can be used, however, by family or staff to help them explain things to low- or non-readers.

Use direct language
Avoid implied meanings, as they are likely to be misunderstood. It’s not a good idea to be rude to that big guy may not have the same effect as saying If you shout at that big guy he may hit you. Look both ways before you cross the road implies that someone will not cross if there is traffic, but it is safer to say Look both ways, and if there is no traffic, then cross.

Use consistent language
Be consistent with the words you use. If you use cat on one page, don’t use pussy on the next; if you write bike, don’t later use bicycle. People may be able to read one but not the other, and so may stumble. Also, they may think you are writing about two different things.

Use stories to illustrate the point you are making, if you can.

Use simple tenses and avoid “ing” words
Use simple tenses where you can. This often means avoiding words which end in ing. Both people with developmental disabilities and people with English as a new language have difficulty with these very common words. We often use continuous, or progressive, tenses—I am doing something, or Will you be doing something, or Have you been doing something. Maybe you can change a present continuous tense like Are you going to the store, to Will you go to the store. It doesn’t have exactly the same meaning, but it is close and it is much easier for people to read.