Plain Writing Tips - A Few Words From the Federal Register
This week’s Plain Language writing tip comes to us from Succinct Sultan Jim Worsham.
We here at Writing Tip Headquarters never tire of trying to say things with as few words as possible. That’s why we have in past columns offered you suggestions for tightening your writing.
We’re doing so again here, courtesy of the Office of the Federal Register’s “Plain Language Tools” page.
The Federal Register’s web page about drafting Federal documents provides ways to say things in fewer words. Many of the words are legal terms that staff encounter while preparing the daily Federal Register.
But we found some that are widely used throughout the Archives and thought we’d share them with you. Let’s shine the light on the Federal Register’s efforts to infuse its work with plain language.
Below is a sample, but if you’d like to take a look at the full list, go to http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/write/legal-docs/appendix-b-1.html.
| DON’T SAY | SAY |
| accorded | given |
| adequate number of | enough |
| at the time | when |
| cease | stop |
| complete (as a verb) | finish |
| donate | give |
| during the course of | during |
| excessive number of | too many |
| feasible | possible |
| for the reason that | because |
| portion | part |
| prior to | before |
| provision of law | law |
| pursuant to | under |
| State of Kansas | Kansas |
| sufficient number of | enough |
| The Congress | Congress |
| under the provisions of | under |
| utilize, employ [meaning “use”] | use |
| with reference to | for |
| in the interest of | for |
| is able to | can |
| is authorized to | may |
| manner | way |
| necessitate | require |
| no later than June 30, 2014 | before July 1, 2014 |
| obtain | get |
| of a technical nature | technical |
| per annum, per day, per foot | a year, a day, a foot |
| period of time | period, time |
To be consistent with NARA style, take a look at the NARA Style Guide.