Use Simple Words and Phrases

One of George Orwell’s famous six rules of writing is “Never use a long word where a short one will do.”

george orwell quote

You might assume long words will impress your readers, but actually, your readers will just feel frustrated and confused. Using obscure language makes your work difficult to read and makes you look like you’re trying too hard.

Simple word choices, on the other hand, make your writing clearer and more accessible. Your readers will find it easier to understand what you’re trying to say if you get right to the point.

So what are some complicated language choices you should be looking out for, and how do you replace them with simpler synonyms?

This article will give you a list of simple words and phrases you can use to trim the fat from your writing and make your work shine.

Long and Complicated	Simple and Clear
a large number of	many
accompany	go with
accomplish	carry out, do
accorded	given
accordingly	so
accrue	add, gain
accurate	correct, exact, right
additional	added, more, other
address (verb)	discuss
adjacent to	next to
advantageous	helpful
adversely impact	hurt, set back
advise	recommend, tell
afford an opportunity	allow, let
aforementioned	said before/above
allocate	divide
anticipate	expect
a number of	some
apparent	clear, plain
appreciable	reasonable
appropriate	proper, right
approximate	about
are in receipt of	have, have received
arrive at the conclusion	conclude, decide, settle
arrive onboard	arrive
as a means of	to
ascertain	find out, learn
ask the question	ask
as prescribed by	in
assist	aid, help
attain	meet
attempt	try
at the present time	at present, now
bandwidth (idiom)	time
benefit	help
by means of	by, with
capability	ability
caveat	condition
close proximity	near
combat environment	combat
combined	joint
commence	begin, start
comply with	follow
component	part
comprehend	understand
comprise	form, include, make up
concerning	about, on
confluence	coming together
consequently	so
consolidate	combine, join, merge
constitutes	is, forms, makes up
contains	has
contributing factor	cause, reason, factor
convene	meet
currently	now
declared	said
deem	believe, consider, think
delete	cut, drop
demonstrate	prove, show
depart	leave
designate	appoint, choose, name
designation	term, name
desire	want, wish
determine	decide, figure, find
disclose	show
discontinue	drop, stop
disseminate	give, issue, pass, send
divulged	said
due to the fact that	due to, since, because
during the period / during the course of	during
elect	choose, pick
eliminate	cut, drop, end
employ	use
enclosed please find	here is, here are
encounter	meet
end result	result
endeavor	try
ensure	make sure
enumerate	count
equipments	equipment
equitable	fair
establish	set up, prove, show
established convention	convention
evidenced	showed
evident	clear
exact same	same
exclaimed	said
exhibit	show
expedite	hasten, speed up
expeditious	fast, quick
expend	spend
expertise	ability
expiration	end
facilitate	ease, help
failed to	didn't
feasible	can be done, workable
females	women
few in number	few
finalize	complete, finish
first and foremost	first, chief, main
for a period of	for
forfeit	give up, lose
fortuitous	fortunate
forward	send
frequently	often
function	act, role, work
furnish	give, send
future plans	plans
general consensus	agreement, consensus
granular	detailed
has a requirement for	needs
herein	here
heretofore	until now
herewith	below, here
however	but
identical	same
identify	find, name, show
immediately	at once
impacted	affected, changed
implement	carry out, start
in accordance with	by, following, per, under
in addition	also, besides, too
in an effort to	to
inasmuch as	since
in a timely manner	on time, promptly
inception	start
incumbent upon	must
indicate	show, write down
indication	sign
initial	first
initiate	start
in lieu of	instead of
in order that	for, so
in order to	to
in regard to	about, concerning, on
in relation to	about, with, to
interface	meet, work with
interpose no objection	don't object
in the amount of	for
in the event of	if
in the near future	shortly, soon
in view of	since
in view of the above	so
is applicable to	applies to
is authorized to	may
is in consonance with	agrees with, follows
is responsible for	handles, takes care of
it appears	seems
it is essential	must, need to
it is requested	please, I request
it is probable that	probably
leverage (verb)	use
liaison	discussion
limited number	limits
magnitude	size
maintain	keep, support
males	men
maximum	greatest, largest, most
methodology	method
minimize	decrease
minimum	least, smallest
modify	change
monitor	check, watch
necessitate	cause, need
notify	let know, tell
not later than	by
notwithstanding	in spite of, still
numerous	many
objective	aim, goal
obligate	bind, compel
observe	see
on a regular basis	regularly
operate	run, use, work
optimum	best, greatest, most
option	choice, way
parameters	limits
participate	take part
perform	do
permit	let
pertaining to	about, of, on
point in time	now, today
portion	part
possess	have, own
practicable	practical
preclude	prevent
previous	earlier
previously	before
prioritize	rank
prior to	before
proceed	do, go ahead, try
procure	get, find
proficiency	skill
promulgate	issue, publish
provide	give, offer, say
provided that	if
provides guidance for	guides
purchase	buy
pursuant to	by, following, per, under
reflect	say, show
regarding	about, of, on
relative to	about, on
relocate	move
remain	stay
remainder	rest
remuneration	pay, payment
render	give, make
represents	is
request	ask
require	must, need
requirement	need
reside	live
retain	keep
selection	choice
set forth in	in
similar to	like
solicit	ask for, request
state-of-the-art	latest
submit	give, send
subsequent	later, next
subsequently	after, later, then
substantial	large, much
successfully complete	complete, pass
sufficient	enough
synergize	work together
terminate	end, stop
therefore	so
therein	there
thereof	related
the undersigned	I
timely	prompt
transmit	send
under the provisions of	under
unexpected surprise	surprise
unintended mistake	mistake
until such time as	until
utilize, utilization	use
uttered	said
validate	confirm
viable	practical, workable
vice	flaw
warrant	call for, permit
whatsoever	at all
when it comes to	for, when, if
whereas	because, since
with reference to	about
with the exception of	except for
witnessed	saw