Making text more readable
Here are some guidelines to follow:| Principle | Original | Simpler version |
| Keep sentences short | A number of At the present time Due to the fact that In the near future Make use of In the case of |
Some Now, currently Because Soon Use If |
| Limit the number of qualifying phrases | The foredunes, with their irregular topography, are in an area of natural instability where sometimes the dune-building processes are in ascendancy, while at others, the forces tending to break down the dune prevail. | The foredunes are irregular because the area is unstable. Some dunes are being built up by sand deposits while others are being eroded. |
| Use short, familiar words | Has the capacity/ability to. Endeavour Indicate Utilise Nevertheless | Can Try Show Use Still |
| Express statements in the positive | The flowers won't bloom until October
The burrows will not collapse provided people don't walk on the dunes These nocturnal animals only come out of their burrows once visitors stop talking |
The flowers will bloom in October
The burrows will collapse if people walk on the dunes These nocturnal animals will come out of their burrows if visitors are quiet |
| Use verbs rather than nouns/adjectives derived from verbs | The harvest required the involvement of every person in the community
Land clearing has lead to a reduction in the number of koalas living in this region Our prediction is that. |
The harvest involved every person in the community
Land clearing has reduced the number of koalas living in this region We predict that. |
Here are two examples of these principles in practice:
The colourful flowers, complete with nectar guides (the stripes on the lower petal), nectar, and sweet fragrance, attract pollinating insects (as well as humans) and promote the genetic variability that is a result of cross-pollination. This genetic variability can be beneficial when some of the resulting seedlings survive and reproduce better where they germinate than their parents would.
The simpler version
Insects are attracted to these colourful flowers by their nectar, sweet fragrance and nectar guides (the stripes on the lower petal that act as signposts). The insects pollinate the flowers by taking pollen from one flower to the next. The resulting seedlings have a mixture of their parents' genes. In some cases they survive better in a particular area than their parents would have done.
In the wild, yellowwood inhabits limestone slopes and bluffs, not generally becoming large. The fragrant white (or pink in the cultivar 'Rosea') flowers make this species an attractive ornamental, although flowering peaks only occur a few times per decade. The wood and sap were a regular source of yellow dye. Gunstocks were also manufactured from the wood.
The simpler version
Yellowwood is a small tree found on limestone slopes and bluffs. It has fragrant white or pink flowers, though these only appear a few times every decade. In the old days, yellow dye was obtained from the wood and sap. The wood was also used to make gunstocks.
