# Plain English Alternatives

Replace complex or pompous words with plain English alternatives.

Source: Plain English Campaign A-Z of Alternative Words (2001), Australian Government Style Manual (2024), plainlanguage.gov

---

## A

| Complex             | Plain Alternative       |
| ------------------- | ----------------------- |
| (an) absence of     | no, none                |
| abundance           | enough, plenty, many    |
| accede to           | allow, agree to         |
| accelerate          | speed up                |
| accommodate         | meet, hold, house       |
| accomplish          | do, finish, complete    |
| accordingly         | so, therefore           |
| acknowledge         | thank you for, confirm  |
| acquire             | get, buy, obtain        |
| additional          | extra, more             |
| adjacent            | next to                 |
| advantageous        | useful, helpful         |
| advise              | tell, say, inform       |
| aforesaid           | this, earlier           |
| aggregate           | total                   |
| alleviate           | ease, reduce            |
| allocate            | give, share, assign     |
| alternative         | other, choice           |
| ameliorate          | improve                 |
| anticipate          | expect                  |
| apparent            | clear, obvious          |
| appreciable         | large, noticeable       |
| appropriate         | proper, right, suitable |
| approximately       | about, roughly          |
| ascertain           | find out                |
| assistance          | help                    |
| at the present time | now                     |
| attempt             | try                     |
| authorise           | allow, let              |

---

## B

| Complex     | Plain Alternative |
| ----------- | ----------------- |
| belated     | late              |
| beneficial  | helpful, useful   |
| bestow      | give              |
| by means of | by                |

---

## C

| Complex            | Plain Alternative  |
| ------------------ | ------------------ |
| calculate          | work out           |
| cease              | stop, end          |
| circumvent         | avoid, get around  |
| clarification      | explanation        |
| commence           | start, begin       |
| communicate        | tell, talk, write  |
| competent          | able               |
| compile            | collect, make      |
| complete           | fill in, finish    |
| component          | part               |
| comprise           | include, make up   |
| (it is) compulsory | (you) must         |
| conceal            | hide               |
| concerning         | about              |
| consequently       | so                 |
| considerable       | large, great, much |
| constitute         | make up, form      |
| consult            | ask, talk to       |
| consumption        | use                |
| currently          | now                |

---

## D

| Complex              | Plain Alternative  |
| -------------------- | ------------------ |
| deduct               | take off           |
| deem                 | treat as, consider |
| defer                | delay, put off     |
| deficiency           | lack               |
| delete               | remove, cross out  |
| demonstrate          | show, prove        |
| denote               | show, mean         |
| designate            | name, appoint      |
| despatch/dispatch    | send               |
| determine            | decide, find out   |
| detrimental          | harmful            |
| diminish             | reduce, lessen     |
| discontinue          | stop               |
| disseminate          | spread, distribute |
| documentation        | papers, documents  |
| due to the fact that | because            |
| duration             | time, length       |
| dwelling             | home               |

---

## E

| Complex     | Plain Alternative  |
| ----------- | ------------------ |
| economical  | cheap, good value  |
| eligible    | allowed, qualified |
| elucidate   | explain            |
| enable      | allow              |
| encounter   | meet               |
| endeavour   | try                |
| enquire     | ask                |
| ensure      | make sure          |
| entitlement | right              |
| envisage    | expect             |
| equivalent  | equal, the same    |
| erroneous   | wrong              |
| establish   | set up, show       |
| evaluate    | assess, test       |
| excessive   | too much           |
| exclusively | only               |
| exempt      | free from          |
| expedite    | speed up           |
| expenditure | spending           |
| expire      | run out            |

---

## F

| Complex             | Plain Alternative   |
| ------------------- | ------------------- |
| fabricate           | make                |
| facilitate          | help, make possible |
| finalise            | finish, complete    |
| following           | after               |
| for the purpose of  | to, for             |
| for the reason that | because             |
| forthwith           | now, at once        |
| forward             | send                |
| frequently          | often               |
| furnish             | give, provide       |
| furthermore         | also, and           |

---

## G-H

| Complex    | Plain Alternative |
| ---------- | ----------------- |
| generate   | produce, create   |
| henceforth | from now on       |
| hitherto   | until now         |

---

## I

| Complex                      | Plain Alternative |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------- |
| if and when                  | if, when          |
| illustrate                   | show              |
| immediately                  | at once, now      |
| implement                    | carry out, do     |
| imply                        | suggest           |
| in accordance with           | under, following  |
| in addition to               | and, also         |
| in conjunction with          | with              |
| in excess of                 | more than         |
| in lieu of                   | instead of        |
| in order to                  | to                |
| in receipt of                | receive           |
| in relation to               | about             |
| in respect of                | about, for        |
| in the event of              | if                |
| in the majority of instances | most, usually     |
| in the near future           | soon              |
| in view of the fact that     | because           |
| inception                    | start             |
| indicate                     | show, suggest     |
| inform                       | tell              |
| initiate                     | start, begin      |
| insert                       | put in            |
| instances                    | cases             |
| irrespective of              | despite           |
| issue                        | give, send        |

---

## L-M

| Complex             | Plain Alternative  |
| ------------------- | ------------------ |
| (a) large number of | many               |
| liaise with         | work with, talk to |
| locality            | place, area        |
| locate              | find               |
| magnitude           | size               |
| (it is) mandatory   | (you) must         |
| manner              | way                |
| modification        | change             |
| moreover            | also, and          |

---

## N-O

| Complex               | Plain Alternative |
| --------------------- | ----------------- |
| negligible            | small             |
| nevertheless          | but, however      |
| notify                | tell              |
| notwithstanding       | despite, even if  |
| numerous              | many              |
| objective             | aim, goal         |
| (it is) obligatory    | (you) must        |
| obtain                | get               |
| occasioned by         | caused by         |
| on behalf of          | for               |
| on numerous occasions | often             |
| on receipt of         | when you get      |
| on the grounds that   | because           |
| operate               | work, run         |
| optimum               | best              |
| option                | choice            |
| otherwise             | or                |
| outstanding           | unpaid            |
| owing to              | because           |

---

## P

| Complex       | Plain Alternative |
| ------------- | ----------------- |
| partially     | partly            |
| participate   | take part         |
| particulars   | details           |
| per annum     | a year            |
| perform       | do                |
| permit        | let, allow        |
| personnel     | staff, people     |
| peruse        | read              |
| possess       | have, own         |
| practically   | almost            |
| predominant   | main              |
| prescribe     | set               |
| preserve      | keep              |
| previous      | earlier, before   |
| principal     | main              |
| prior to      | before            |
| proceed       | go ahead          |
| procure       | get               |
| prohibit      | ban, stop         |
| promptly      | quickly           |
| provide       | give              |
| provided that | if                |
| provisions    | rules, terms      |
| proximity     | nearness          |
| purchase      | buy               |
| pursuant to   | under             |

---

## R

| Complex        | Plain Alternative |
| -------------- | ----------------- |
| reconsider     | think again       |
| reduction      | cut               |
| referred to as | called            |
| regarding      | about             |
| reimburse      | repay             |
| reiterate      | repeat            |
| relating to    | about             |
| remain         | stay              |
| remainder      | rest              |
| remuneration   | pay               |
| render         | make, give        |
| represent      | stand for         |
| request        | ask               |
| require        | need              |
| residence      | home              |
| retain         | keep              |
| revised        | changed, new      |

---

## S

| Complex       | Plain Alternative |
| ------------- | ----------------- |
| scrutinise    | examine, check    |
| select        | choose            |
| solely        | only              |
| specified     | given, stated     |
| state         | say               |
| statutory     | legal, by law     |
| subject to    | depending on      |
| submit        | send, give        |
| subsequent to | after             |
| subsequently  | later             |
| substantial   | large, much       |
| sufficient    | enough            |
| supplement    | add to            |
| supplementary | extra             |

---

## T-U

| Complex    | Plain Alternative |
| ---------- | ----------------- |
| terminate  | end, stop         |
| thereafter | then              |
| thereby    | by this           |
| thus       | so                |
| to date    | so far            |
| transfer   | move              |
| transmit   | send              |
| ultimately | in the end        |
| undertake  | agree, do         |
| uniform    | same              |
| utilise    | use               |

---

## V-Z

| Complex           | Plain Alternative |
| ----------------- | ----------------- |
| variation         | change            |
| virtually         | almost            |
| visualise         | imagine, see      |
| ways and means    | ways              |
| whatsoever        | any               |
| with a view to    | to                |
| with effect from  | from              |
| with reference to | about             |
| with regard to    | about             |
| with respect to   | about             |
| zone              | area              |

---

## Phrases to Remove Entirely

These phrases often add nothing. Delete them:

- a total of
- absolutely
- actually
- all things being equal
- as a matter of fact
- at the end of the day
- at this moment in time
- basically
- currently (when "now" or nothing works)
- I am of the opinion that (use: I think)
- in due course (use: soon, or say when)
- in the final analysis
- it should be understood
- last but not least
- obviously
- of course
- quite
- really
- the fact of the matter is
- to all intents and purposes
- very
