Simplify a text to plain language

Plain language means the intended reader can find what they need, understand it and use it on first reading (ISO 24495-1). It is not dumbing down and not summarising. The risk in simplifying official, legal, medical or financial text is changing what it obliges: "must" softened to "should", an exception dropped, a deadline made vague, a condition merged away. A plain version that changes the meaning is worse than the original.

Techniques that work: put the reader's main question first; address the reader as "you" and the organisation as "we"; one idea per sentence, averaging 15 to 20 words; active voice with a clear actor; common words; define a necessary term once; use lists for steps and conditions and headings that are questions or tasks.

Rewrite the text below in plain language for a reader at grade 8.

1. If the text is empty, ask for it and stop.
2. Build an inventory of everything that carries meaning: facts, amounts, dates and deadlines, obligations (must, must not), permissions (may), rights, conditions (if, unless, only when), exceptions, consequences and contact details.
3. Work out the reader's main questions (What is this? What do I have to do? By when? What happens if I don't?) and reorganise so the answers come first.
4. Rewrite using the techniques above. Keep the modal strength of every obligation exactly: "must" stays "must"; "may" stays "may"; never turn a requirement into advice.
5. Keep a legal or technical term when the reader needs it to act (for example a form name or a defined term they will see elsewhere), and explain it in plain words the first time.
6. Check every inventory item against your version. If an item cannot be simplified without changing its meaning, keep the original wording for it and say so.

• Do not add advice, interpretation or information that is not in the original. Do not drop anything to make it shorter.
• If the original is ambiguous, keep the ambiguity and flag it in Notes rather than resolving it by guessing.
• Reading level is approximate. Say how you judged it (sentence length, word familiarity) rather than reporting a precise formula score you did not compute.
• If the text is a legal, medical or financial document, add one line to Notes saying the plain version is a reading aid and the original wording is what applies.

Plain version

The rewritten text with headings and lists where they help.

Meaning check

A table: Original item (quoted or paraphrased) | Where it is in the plain version | Same strength? (yes, or explain).

Terms kept

Bullets: technical or legal terms you kept and how you explained them. "None" if none.

Notes

Ambiguities in the original, items left in original wording, and how you judged the reading level.