How to Write in Simple English for Non-Native Readers
Plain English isn't dumbed-down English. It's writing that reaches everyone without sacrificing content. Here's how to do it.
· 4 min read
If you write for a global audience, you have a problem most writers ignore. The majority of your readers don't speak English as their first language. Complex sentences, idioms, and technical vocabulary filter out a large chunk of them before they finish your first paragraph.
Simple English fixes this. Not baby English. Not condescending English. Writing that a smart adult with intermediate reading skills can absorb on the first pass.
Here's how to write it.
Start with sentence length
The single highest-leverage change is shorter sentences. Native speakers can parse a 30-word sentence with three clauses. Non-native readers start losing the thread around 18 words.
Target: average sentence length of 15 words or fewer. Not every sentence — some will be shorter, some longer — but the average should hover under 15.
Before (28 words): "The implementation of our new customer service protocol, which was developed in response to feedback collected over the past year, has resulted in significantly improved response times."
After (16 words): "We developed a new customer service protocol based on last year's feedback. Response times have improved significantly."
Same content. Two sentences instead of one. Every reader gets through it.
Replace abstract nouns with verbs
English has a bad habit called nominalization — turning verbs into abstract nouns. "Decide" becomes "decision". "Analyze" becomes "analysis". "Implement" becomes "implementation".
Nominalizations make sentences feel official and difficult. Verbs make them clear.
Nominalized: "The committee conducted an examination of the proposal and reached a decision regarding its approval."
Verb-driven: "The committee examined the proposal and decided to approve it."
Seventeen words down to eleven. Much easier for a non-native reader to track.
Pick the common word
For almost every English concept, there are two or three words at different difficulty levels.
| Harder | Simpler |
|---|---|
| utilize | use |
| commence | start |
| endeavor | try |
| subsequently | then |
| demonstrate | show |
| facilitate | help |
| purchase | buy |
| approximately | about |
The harder word doesn't make you sound smarter. It makes you sound like you're trying to sound smarter. Pick the simpler one unless you have a specific reason not to.
Avoid idioms
Idioms are expressions whose meaning isn't the sum of their words. They're invisible to natives and opaque to non-natives.
- "Ballpark figure" = a rough estimate
- "Hit the ground running" = start working productively immediately
- "Moving the needle" = making a measurable impact
- "Low-hanging fruit" = easy wins
- "Cutting corners" = doing something with insufficient care
A non-native reader who's never heard these expressions has to stop and guess. Many will guess wrong. Replace idioms with their literal meaning.
Use active voice by default
Active voice (subject → verb → object) is easier to parse than passive voice in any language. Non-native readers process it even faster because it matches the patterns they learn first.
Passive: "The report was reviewed by the team and recommendations were made." Active: "The team reviewed the report and made recommendations."
Six words saved. Zero meaning lost.
One idea per sentence
English sentences can carry multiple ideas connected by commas, semicolons, and conjunctions. For simple English, don't. One idea per sentence.
Multi-idea: "The product launches in March, which is earlier than originally planned due to faster-than-expected development progress, and pre-orders will open two weeks before launch."
One-per-sentence: "The product launches in March. That's earlier than originally planned. Development progressed faster than expected. Pre-orders will open two weeks before launch."
The second version has four sentences instead of one. Every reader can follow it.
Test with a Flesch score
The Flesch Reading Ease score is a free way to check if your writing hits simple-English targets. Paste your text into any of the many online checkers and aim for:
- 70+ for general audiences including non-natives
- 60-70 for business writing for mixed audiences
- 50-60 for technical readers only
- Below 50 you've lost most non-native readers
Most "professional" English hovers around 40-50. Bringing it to 70+ isn't dumbing down — it's reaching more people.
Using a tool to shift register
Writing simple English from scratch is hard, especially if you already think in complex English. A faster workflow:
- Write the first draft in your natural register
- Paste it into ShiftText with the "simple" tone selected
- Review the output, fixing anything that got oversimplified or lost meaning
- Ship
The tool handles the mechanical simplification — shorter sentences, common vocabulary, active voice. You handle the editorial judgment about what deserves to stay complex.
The broader principle
Simple English isn't about audience intelligence. It's about reading effort. Every reader has a finite attention budget. Simple writing spends less of it, which means your content gets absorbed instead of skimmed.
Write simple by default. Reach for complexity only when a specific idea demands it.