How to Improve the Readability of Anything You Write

Writers crafting content for the general public usually want to entertain and/or educate their readers. They ask two important questions: 1) Will my readers understand what I write? and  2) If so, will readers want to? Although most writers can answer these questions, not all writers obey them.

Writers can score their text with a readability formula to determine if their readers might find their content too easy or difficult to comprehend. On average, general public readers can comprehend most texts at a high school level (between 7-8th grade). This is one reason why writers should aim for an average or below-average readability level. A readability formula is helpful during the editing process, but writers shouldn’t solely rely on it.

A person’s ability to read is determined not only by their reading skill, but also by their interest to read. Even good readers may decide not to read important information if they lack interest to do so. An article in the The Journal of Educational Studies (2018) highlighted a significant link between students’ eagerness to read (motivation) and their reading comprehension skills (readability), suggesting that a desire to read greatly impacts understanding.

Similarly, poor readers may struggle to understand difficult material, even if they are interested. Just as writers can choose different words and sentence lengths to affect readability, they also can affect a reader’s motivation. Readable writing is more than writing simply and concisely. Your writing has to entertain and engage one’s interest.

Of course, simplifying your writing to achieve a specific reading level is not the best strategy. For example, if you write for professionals or trades people who readily understand technical information, then you probably do not want to remove familiar hard words or “industry jargon,” otherwise these skilled readers (your peers) will find your writing style flat and dull.

Improve Readability This Way

The following advice will help your readers understand what you write. These techniques follow the rules of plain English writing.

Tip #1: Use one and two syllable words if appropriate. Readers at all reading levels can recognize high-frequency words (sometimes called “basic sight words“), such as — ‘he, ‘her,’ ‘them,’ ‘there,’ ‘is,’ ‘and,’ ‘some,’ ‘same,’ ‘we,’ ‘you,’ ‘tree.’ Avoid using too many 3+ syllable words, unless that word is familiar to your readers.

Tip #2: When possible, write short, simple sentences. Introduce one idea in a sentence. Restrict the number of new ideas on a page. State the main idea at the beginning of each paragraph so the reader immediately knows the idea.

Tip #3: Use connective words (‘firstly,’ ‘initially,’ ‘lastly,’ ‘however,’ ‘therefore,’ etc.) to help guide the reader through sentences and paragraphs.

Tip #4: Use the active voice. Too many instances of passive voice will trouble poor readers and make sentences longer. Active voice makes your writing style and voice concise and succinct. William Knowlton Zinsser, the esteemed American writer, once said, “Verbs are the most important of all your tools. They push the sentence forward and give it momentum. Active verbs push hard; passive verbs tug fitfully.”

Tip #5: Define difficult words by context clues, such as using parentheses to elaborate on a word, or using a footnote or citation to further explain the word.

Example:

Parenthetical Elaboration: “The little boy showed his bravery (courage in the face of danger) when he stood up to the bully.”

Using a Footnote: “She had an idyllic* childhood, surrounded by loving family and picturesque landscapes.”
*Idyllic: extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque.

Tip #6: Summarize important points in short paragraphs, perhaps with subheadings to break up bulky paragraphs. This helps readers skim the material or to refer back to a specific paragraph.

Tip #7: Illustrations, speech bubbles, bullets, photos, graphs and different typefaces can add appeal to your material and increase reader retention.

Tip #8: Readers like “lists”—they can easily read sequential information or a series of events or ideas in narrative form. Good writers lead readers from point A to point B to point C and so on; they don’t skip around or zig-zag around multiple ideas. Readers will quickly lose interest if you have them jumping around to make sense of things.

Tip #9: Choose a writing style that is easy to follow. Two popular writing styles include: 1) the “‘question-answer” style in which the writer asks a question and then answers it in detail; and 2) the “sharing-experience” style in which the author describes an experience in personal terms. You can also use the “list” style (as mentioned above) to emphasize main ideas in sequential order.

Tip #10: Nobody enjoys squinting and brainstorming through a long page of unfamiliar narrative. Font size and style affect both readability and reader retention. Similarly, the type and finish of paper influence the reader. Select typeface, colors, and layout sizes that attract readers and work in harmony with the purpose and tone of your message.

Tip #11: Add greater interest to your writing by using personal words, pronouns, names of people, etc. You can further connect with your readers by using personal sentences, such as quoted dialogue, spoken sentences, questions, commands, requests, exclamations, etc.

Tip #12: Use a short slogan to convey information in a memorable way. “Take a break between exercises” is more effective than, “During a series of long exercises, take a 15 minute break to slow down your heart rate.” The former statement also uses “basic sight words” and can be read by anyone with a primary-grade reading ability.

Tip #13: Break up long stretches of narrative passages with bold or italicized subtitles and/or captions. Captions and subtitles allow the reader to comprehend major points and digest your material more easily.

Tip #14: Highlight important ideas and terms with boldface type, italics or sentence indentions.

Tip #15: Fall in love with white space. Plenty of white space around black text is inviting. Crowding a page with blocks of text makes it look more confusing to a low-level reader.

Tip #16: Make technical terms look more easy to read. You can do this by adding a phonetic pronunciation or a similar-sounding word in parentheses to help readers become familiar with the word.

Examples:

Phonetic Pronunciation: “The biologist discussed the animal’s biorhythms (bio-ry-thms) during the seminar.”

Similar-Sounding Word: “He studied the phenomenon (feh-NO-muh-non, think ‘phenomenal’ without ‘al’) of northern lights.”

Motivate Your Readers This Way

Motivating your readers is another important part of effective writing. If you can’t motivate your readers or pique their interests, they’ll go elsewhere.

TIP #1. Know who your readers are, what they need, and what challenges they face. Tailor your content to meet those needs. Example: If writing for electricians, discuss common on-site challenges and code updates. Relate to their daily work life, including their struggles.

TIP #2. Begin with clear objectives. Let your readers know what they will gain by reading your article. Example: Start by stating, “By the end of this article, you’ll know how to navigate the latest tax laws affecting your trade business.”

TIP #3. Everyone loves a good story. Weave your points into a narrative that readers can follow. Example: Share a success story of a well-known professional who improved their business by following the advice you’re about to give.

TIP #4. Make it clear why your content matters. Connect your writing to real-world issues or problems that your readers care about. Example: Link your tips to increasing profits, such as “Implementing this safety checklist can reduce accidents and save on insurance costs.”

TIP #5. Ask questions or propose challenges to get readers involved. Encourage comments or sharing of experiences. Example: Invite readers to submit their own tips or stories, which you might feature in a future article.

TIP #6. Images, infographics, and videos can make content more engaging and easier to understand. Example: Include before-and-after photos of a job site to illustrate the impact of good organization.

TIP #7. Where appropriate, light humor can make reading more enjoyable and memorable. Example: Use a light-hearted cartoon or joke related to the trade profession to illustrate a point without undermining the article’s professionalism.

TIP #8. Sometimes offering a tangible benefit, such as a downloadable resource or a chance to win something, can motivate readers. Example: Offer a free e-book on “101 Trade Secrets” for signing up for a newsletter.

TIP #9. Use headlines and subheadings that pique curiosity and compel readers to delve into the content. Example: Use headlines like “The Surprising Tool That Can Save You Hours Each Week” to draw readers in.

TIP #10. Write in a way that shows you understand and share your readers’ feelings or experiences. Example: Acknowledge how frustrating new regulations can be and offer simplification tips.

TIP #11. Use interactive elements like quizzes or polls to make the reading experience more engaging. Example: Embed a calculator for estimating job costs or materials needed.

TIP #12. Authenticity fosters trust. Be genuine in your writing and share personal insights or stories. Example: Share a personal anecdote about a lesson learned from a job that went wrong and how it improved your practice.

TIP #13. Guide your readers on what to do next with clear, compelling calls to action. Example: after discussing a new technique, encourage readers with “Start implementing this technique today and notice the immediate improvement in your workflow.”

TIP #14. Emphasize the most important points to ensure they stand out and are remembered. Example: Use a bolded “Key Takeaway” box to summarize the main point of each  section.

TIP #15. Make your content easy on the eyes with short paragraphs, bullet points, and plenty of white space. Example: Format sections with bullet points, like a list of “Top 5 Safety Practices,” for easy scanning.

Engage Your Readers This Way

You can use sensory details to engage readers more deeply—even emotionally—by appealing to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch). Demme Learning highlights that sensory details are descriptive words that evoke mental images and sensations for the reader, transporting them directly into the scene being described. How much sensory details to include depends on what you’re writing and who your readers are.

TIP #1. Instead of stating facts or telling the reader how a character feels, show it through sensory details. Example: instead of saying “the cake was delicious,” describe the taste, texture, and smell of the cake to convey its deliciousness.

TIP #2. Use descriptive language, like adjectives and adverbs, that specifically relate to the senses. Phrases like “the rough texture of the bark,” “the cacophony of city sounds,” or “the aroma of roasted coffee” stimulate the reader’s senses.

In a technical manual, sensory language can be used to help users understand the operational context or to ensure safety. For example:

“Before initiating the calibration sequence, you should hear a soft click from the device, signaling that components are properly engaged. As you toggle the switch, you’ll feel a firm resistance—this is by design to prevent accidental activations. During operation, the machine will emit a low hum; any deviation from this sound, such as a grinding or whistling, indicates a need for maintenance. The surface of the equipment should remain cool to the touch; excessive heat suggests an inspection is warranted.”

In this example, auditory and tactile descriptions not only instruct but also use sensory details to guide the user through the proper use and monitoring of the equipment.

TIP #3. Comparisons can help readers connect new sensory experiences with familiar ones. Saying “the sun’s rays caressed my skin like warm honey” uses the sense of touch and taste to describe a sensation.

TIP #4. Long, flowing sentences can create a sense of languor or relaxation, while short, choppy sentences can convey sharp, quick sensations.

According to Enchanting Marketing, sensory language is not only for poets and novelists but can also captivate a business audience. It helps to picture a scene and engages readers by utilizing sensory details that are not limited to creative writing but are effective in any context

TIP #5. Encourage the reader to actively engage with the text by asking questions or suggesting they imagine sensations, e.g., “Imagine the chill of the mountain air on your skin.”

TIP #6. Juxtaposing sensory details can create a more dynamic scene. For instance, describing the roughness of a character’s hands against the softness of silk adds depth to the touch sensation.

TIP #7. The pace of the narrative can affect how readers perceive sensory details. Slow pacing allows for more elaborate sensory descriptions, while fast pacing might focus on rapid, intense sensations.

TIP #8. Focus on a few strong sensory details rather than overwhelming the reader with too many sensations at once. This helps to anchor the reader in the scene without distraction.

TIP #9. Some sensory details may have cultural or emotional significance which can be leveraged to create a deeper connection with the reader.

TIP #10. Ensure that the sensory details are relevant to the narrative and contribute to character development, setting, or plot advancement.

TIP #11. Create immersive experiences by combining multiple senses in a single description, allowing readers to feel like they are truly ‘in’ the story.

TIP #12. Leave some details to the reader’s imagination to engage their own experiences and senses, making the reading more personal and memorable.

Use these techniques to transform your text from stale words to an exciting experience, engaging and motivating readers to read from start to finish.

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