Talk about Make writing direct and Write in active sentences.

Avoid
Keep sentences short
one idea in a friendly as though you are passive sentences
and simple (10-15
talking to the E.g. “We sent you a letter”
sentence words maximum)
person not “letters were sent”
Using the pronouns “I”
“you” and “we” will help
you write in active
sentences
When writing lists make each
point a new sentence
E.g. Here are some things you can do
You can go for a walk
You can stay at home
Making your
Write in positive sentences. Avoid
You can go shopping
Not :You can SENTENCES easier negative sentences.
Go for a Walk E.g. “Walk in the corridor” not “do not
Stay at home run in the corridor”
Go shopping
to understand If you need to use a negative
Often people forget the first sentence use the word “no”
sentence by the time they get where possible rather than
to the end of a list “don’t or “not” and try to put it at the
beginning of the sentence

Use easy punctuation

Avoid using idioms (phrases that – avoid hyphens, co-
say one thing but mean another) lons, semi
E.g. pulling my leg Think about any redundant words
Order your information colons and
Avoid abstract concepts that you can take out of long sen-
in a logical too many
and ideas or explain tences that will make the sentence
step by step commas
them in a simpler way easier to read but not affect the
way meaning
using pictures

NHS Oxfordshire Speech and Language Therapy. Tips for communicating with people with a learning disability. June 2010.