It is a misconception that a good writing piece must contain complex words. With simple sentences and paragraphs, you can also write an outstanding article, blog, essay, or any content in English. Your ultimate goal will be to make people understand what you are trying to say. If you can achieve that with simple sentences and paragraphs, that's fantastic! Here are some tips for writing in plain English.

Techniques for writing simple sentences

At a bare minimum, a simple sentence consists of a subject and a verb. When composing a simple sentence, you may include indirect objects and modifiers. It doesn't contain any dependent clause. When writing each paragraph, you must apply the following techniques:

Use transition words

Try to use 'transition words' to tie up several paragraphs so that they form a coherent thought. Transition phrases include 'moreover', 'in addition to', 'in fact', and others. These words help the readers to understand how the paragraphs are related to one another.

Use keywords

Use keywords in paragraphs so that the reader is continuously reminded of the main topic. These words also show the readers the connection between the ideas you are trying to express in different paragraphs.

Use verbs, numbers, and tenses consistently

Be consistent with the use of verbs, tense, and numbers. If you are writing from a 'you' perspective, then continue doing so instead of switching to 'one'. Don't move haphazardly from past to present or use numbers illogically. You must remember that inconsistencies create confusion in the readers' minds.

Use active voice

Writing in an active voice will help you to keep your sentences simple and short. Active voice can express ideas clearly and straightforwardly. You will need to use fewer words to explain what you are trying to say. Active voice focuses on the action; that is what someone or something is doing. It tells you things to the point rather than going in a roundabout direction.

Use simple words and phrases

Try to use common or familiar words over complicated ones. One reason for this is that your readers may not understand the jargon. Unless you publish your writing on an industry-specific website or journal, you should write using simple phrases that readers of all backgrounds can understand.

Use short paragraphs

You must write in short paragraphs. It's easy to read and understand. You can cover a topic in one paragraph. If you need to discuss a topic in detail, you can break it up into several small paragraphs instead of a big one. The writing experts suggest that your paragraphs shouldn't be more than 150 words long. Also, each paragraph must contain between 3 to 8. You should try to vary the length of your paragraphs to make your writing more interesting.

Short paragraphs create white space, that is soothing to the eyes. It also motivates the readers to read the entire content. You can improve the visibility of the writing by adding headings to each paragraph. It also tells the reader what they are about to read in the paragraph.

Techniques to write a simple paragraph

You must start the paragraph with a topic sentence that tells in short what the paragraph is about. That way the reader can anticipate what's coming and also may choose to skip the paragraph if he or she thinks the topic discussed in the paragraph is unimportant. After the topic sentence, you include supporting sentences to develop the idea you are trying to express. You should write the supporting sentences in a logical order. After that, you must end the paragraph with a closing sentence that pretty much summarizes the paragraph.

Next time you sit to write anything, try using simple sentences and paragraphs. You will be surprised how you can say what you want to say. You will also have more readers interested in reading your English content.