Examples of Plain Language

There's nothing like seeing for yourself. Look at a variety of plain-language examples, including legal documents, award–winners' products, and a hilarious overview of good writing gone bad in our humor section.

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Before-and-After Comparisons
Here they are, the most requested tools in the plain language advocate's tool kit: examples of poor writing and how they were improved, side by side.

Government Examples
Here are government samples of letters, documents, manuals, and regulations.

Legal Examples
Take a look at examples of plain-language legal writing from a variety of sources, including the federal government, state governments, private sources in the United States, and sources from outside the United States.

Award–Winners
Many organizations give awards for their writing. We've chosen a few examples from the public and private sectors to show you their variety.

Humor
Humorous material helps illustrate plain language principles. Some of the humor on this page is unintentional, the result of blunders people make racing through their day. Some is just for fun. Enjoy!