Plain-language business writing: emails and short documents
For anyone who writes emails, notices or short procedures that other people must act on. No prerequisites beyond everyday email use. You learn to lead with the action, write short active sentences in familiar words, structure a page for scanning and edit a draft (yours or a colleague's) before it goes out. Based on the U.S. federal plain language guidelines on digital.gov and the GOV.UK writing guidelines; your own house style still applies.
- Level
- Beginner
- Length
- About 80 minutes
- Contents
- 4 lessons · final exam
- Status
- Published · updated 10 Oct 2026
Skills you'll practise
- Write a subject line and opening sentence that state the action, the person responsible and the deadline
- Rewrite passive sentences, hidden verbs and wordy phrases into active, plain alternatives
- Choose descriptive headings, lists and paragraph breaks so a short document can be scanned
- Edit a draft email or notice against a pre-send checklist: identify lines that hide responsibility, bury the request or use unfamiliar terms, and explain each change
Course outline
- 1.Lead with what the reader has to doLesson · 14 min
- 2.Short, active sentences in familiar wordsLesson · 18 min
- 3.Structure a short document for scanningLesson · 14 min
- 4.Edit a draft against the checklist and explain each changeLesson · 14 min
- 5.Plain-language business writing: emails and short documents: knowledge checkKnowledge check · 14 questions
- 6.Plain-language business writing: emails and short documents: practical exerciseKnowledge check · 1 question
- 7.Final exam8 questions · passing it completes the course, so people who already know the material can test out
Sources it draws on
The lessons and questions are written from these references, so learners can go back to the original.
- Digital.gov (U.S. GSA): Plain language guide series
- Digital.gov: Writing for understanding (active voice, hidden verbs, present tense)
- Digital.gov: Write clear and short sentences and paragraphs
- Digital.gov: Use familiar terms (including "must", not "shall")
- Digital.gov: Plain language style (noun strings, wordy phrases, abbreviations, "and/or")
- GOV.UK: Writing to GOV.UK standards, Clear language
- GOV.UK: Writing to GOV.UK standards, Clear structure
See it with your own jobs and topics
Tell us about your team and we'll walk you through setup, from choosing jobs to your first skills check.