How to Edit Hard Words to Improve Readability

In the aftermath of a natural disaster, emergency response teams scrambled to coordinate relief efforts. A government official delivered a report, packed with bureaucratic language like “resource allocation protocols” and “logistical contingencies.” The local communities, desperate to know where to find shelter and supplies, struggled to make sense of the message.

Seeing the confusion, a volunteer group approached it differently. They set up a hotline and distributed flyers with clear, concise instructions: “Find shelter at the community center,” “Get water and food at the high school gym,” and “Call this number for help.” The impact was immediate—people knew what to do and where to go. The relief efforts became far more effective.

This crisis highlights a key point: hard words can impede understanding, disrupt flow, and alienate readers. Using simpler and familiar words is a golden rule of plain English writing because you:

 Improve comprehension. 

 Increase engagement. 

 Reach a wider audience. 

Most readability formulas score words with 1-2 syllables as easy, and words with 3 or more syllables as hard. Readability formulas like the Fry Graph, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, and SMOG Index use syllable count to score a text’s complexity. Other formulas like the Coleman-Liau Index and the Automated Readability Index use word length (character count) instead. Lexical formulas, like Dale-Chall, Fry Sight, and Spache, use a word list to classify easy and hard words.

“One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you’re maybe a little bit ashamed of your short ones.” – Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Easy vs. Hard Words

The idea that 1-2 syllable words are “easy” and 3 or more syllable words are “hard” is a generalization, not an absolute rule. When linguists developed their formulas, they needed a way to classify easy and hard words. We know most easy words in English are 1-2 syllables. Many readers, young and old, have memorized such words and use them daily. Using this fact as a baseline, words with 3 or more syllables increase in complexity and need more mental effort to process. Like these words: “multifaceted” and “institutionalization.” Notice how the syllables in each one slows your reading? Now pronounce these words: “happy” and “cat.” Did you pause at all? Most likely you recognized the words by sight and didn’t stop to pronounce them.

Most easy words are learned words and sight words; they can make up to 80% of any text. Most hard words are nominalizations, jargon, inflected base words, adverbs and adjectives, and so on.

Easy Words (1-2 Syllables)

Base Words: Base words, also known as root words or root bases, are simple forms of words that carry meaning. You cannot break them down into smaller parts. They are the building blocks for creating new words by adding prefixes and suffixes. Example words: write (writer, writing, rewrite); act (action, active, react); friend (friendly, friendship, befriend); kind (kindness, unkind, kindly); teach (teacher, teaching, teachable), etc.

Sight Words: Sight words include the most popular: the, is, and, it, he, she, we, you, they, and so on. Readers learn these words at an early age, and recognize them by memory. Knowing sight words lets readers focus on understanding the text rather than decoding every word.

Parts of Speech: Parts of speech are categories that describe the function of words in a sentence. These include pronouns (he, she, they); conjunctions (and, but, if); prepositions (in, out, on, at, by); determiners (the, a, an); nouns; simple adjectives and adverbs, etc. Many parts of speech are 1-2 syllables, and many young and adult readers already know them.

Base words, sight words and parts of speech form the core vocabulary of every reader.

Hard Words (3+ Syllables)

Complex Base Words: Readers need more time to pronounce, process, and understand these words. They may need extra time to look up the word, remember its definition, and then understand how the writer is using it in the context of the sentence. Example words:  automatic, misunderstanding, industry, terminology, cardiovascular, determine, etc.

Nominalizations: Nominalizations are nouns formed from verbs or adjectives. They add complexity and formality to writing. They can make words longer and more abstract. Examples: decision (from “decide”), discussion (from “discuss”), development (from “develop”), submission (“submit”).

Jargon: Jargon are specialized terms that professionals use in their field. While jargon can be precise and concise, it can alienate readers who are unfamiliar with the terms. Example words: bandwidth (in computing), synergy (in business), PCR (in medical field), gobbledygook (in editing) etc.

Rare Words. Rare or complex words are uncommon in everyday reading. They disrupt the flow of text and can cause readers to pause to look up definitions. Words like “obfuscate” or “sycophant.”

Inflected base words: (3 Syllables): These easy (2-Syllable) base words are turned hard because the inflections add a syllable. Example words: suggested (suggest), advances (advance), happiness (happy), abruptly (abrupt), excitement (excite), etc.

Adverbs: Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or entire sentences. They provide information about how, when, where, why, or to what extent something happens. Example words: beautiful, extremely, eventually, yesterday, always, etc.

Adjectives: Adjectives describe or modify nouns or pronouns. Adjectives can specify various attributes, including size, shape, color, quantity, and more. Example words: sensory, compatible, successful, absolute, ultimate, definitive, etc.

In plain English writing, adverbs and adjectives lead to unnecessary complexity. Many of them are “hard” words that don’t add much meaning.

Familiar vs. Unfamiliar Words

Syllable count is the most common measure of word difficulty because syllables directly affect how easily and quickly a reader can process a word. It’s also the fastest and most reliable way to process lots of text to uncover word and sentence complexity. But remember: syllable counts are objective and unbiased. It’s the writer’s job to know what words are easy and hard to their readers. This is why you should identify words as familiar or unfamiliar instead of easy or hard if you are editing instead of processing your text.

Use syllable count as a guide, not an exact measure of word complexity. Knowing who your readers are will help you use the right word most of the time, whether it scores easy or hard by a readability formula.

Sometimes it’s unclear who your readers are. Such is the case if you’re writing for the general public or writing for a new audience. The rule of thumb is write at an 8/9th-grade level. This is the average reading level of the public based on studies and research in the U.S.

How to Edit Hard Words to Improve Readability

The quickest way to improve readability is to replace complex words with simpler synonyms. Simple words can convey your message more clearly and directly. When replacing, ensure they convey the same meaning. Word choices should match your readers’ grade level and/or reading level. Always consider the readers’ background, education level, and if they know the topic. What might be simple for one group of readers could be complex for another.

Here are examples to replace complex words with simpler synonyms:

Hard Word	Easy Word	Original	Simplified
Utilize	Use	The program will utilize advanced algorithms.	The program will use advanced algorithms.
Facilitate	Help	These measures will facilitate the process.	These measures will help the process.
Subsequently	Later	Subsequently, the team made adjustments.	Later, the team adjusted.
Ascertain	Find out	We need to ascertain the cause of the problem.	We need to find out the cause of the problem.
Terminate	End	They decided to terminate the contract.	They decided to end the contract.
Commence	Start	The event will commence at noon.	The event will start at noon.
Demonstrate	Show	The study will demonstrate the effects.	The study will show the effects.
Acquire	Get	She managed to acquire a new skill.	She managed to get a new skill.
Constitute	Form	These documents constitute the entire agreement.	These documents form the entire agreement.
Indicate	Show	The results indicate a need for further study.	The results show a need for further study.
Require	Need	This job will require a lot of effort.	This job will need a lot of effort.
Commence	Begin	The meeting will commence at 10 AM.	The meeting will begin at 10 AM.
Conclude	End	The discussion will conclude after lunch.	The discussion will end after lunch.
Contribute	Give	Everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas.	Everyone is encouraged to give ideas.
Examine	Look at	We need to examine the data closely.	We need to look at the data closely.

Edit Passive Voice: Passive voice forces you to use extra and longer words. Rewrite passive sentences into active voice to remove passive words:

• Passive Voice: “The experiment was conducted on the aliens by the researcher.” (10 words)
• Active Voice: “The researcher conducted the experiment on the alien.” (8 words)
• Concise: “The researcher experimented on the alien.” (6 words)

Replace Nominalizations with Verbs: Nominalizations are nouns formed from verbs or adjectives. They make sentences more complex and harder to read. Turn nominalizations back into verbs to create clearer, more direct words and sentences. You’ll improve readability.

• Before: “The implementation (5 syllables) of the new policy was done by the team.” (11 words)
• After: “The team implemented (4 syllables) the new policy.” (6 words)
• Concise: “The team announced (2 syllables) the new policy.” (6 words)

Replace Compound Words: Compound words combine two or more words to create a new word with a specific meaning. They can make sentences complex and harder to read.

You can replace compound words with a single word; if not, use simple words instead. Ensure the meaning of the sentence remains clear and precise.

Examples:

• Original: “The software is user-friendly.”
• Simplified: “The software is easy to use.”
• Original: “We use environmentally-friendly products.”
• Simplified: “We use products that are safe for the environment.”

• Original: “The process of software installation is time-consuming.”
  Simplified: “Installing the software takes a lot of time.”

• Original: “The restaurant serves high-quality food.”
• Simplified: “The restaurant serves very good food.”

Or use a single word to replace a compound word:

Compound Word	Syllables	Replacement Word	Syllables
Cross-functional	4	Mixed	1
Overutilization	7	Overuse	3
Socioeconomic	6	Social	2
Cutting-edge	3	Leading	2
State-of-the-art	5	Best	1
Jack-of-all-trades	5	Adept	2
Forty-five-minutes	5	45 min.	2
Cross-examine	4	Questioned	2
Award-winning	4	Top	1
Decision-making	5	Choice	1
Post-traumatic-stress	6	Trauma	2
One-size-fits-all	5	All	1
Good-for-nothing	4	Worthless	2
Well-established	4	Proven	2
Above-and-beyond	5	Extra	2
All-encompassing	5	Total	2
Forward-thinking	4	Ahead	2
User-friendly	4	Simple	2
Heavy-handedness	5	Force	1
Cross-cultural	4	Diverse	2
Cutting-edge	3	Trendy	2

Most readability tools will count compound words, if separated with a hyphen, as individual words. For example, instead of counting “above-and-beyond” as a 5-syllable hard word, it will count “above” (2-syllables) “and” (1-syllable) “beyond” (2-syllables), scoring each word as easy.

Readers understand and recall information 60% better when it’s written in plain language (Clear Language Group) and 85% of readers are more likely to finish reading content that is easy to read (Nielsen Norman Group).

Explain Complex Terms. If you must use a complex term, explain it simply.

Example: “Photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy…”
Example: “Quantum mechanics, the study of how small particles like atoms and photons behaves…”
Example: “Mitochondria, the parts of a cell that produce energy, act like tiny power plants inside our cells.”

Use Concrete Language. Replace abstract hard words with simple, specific words to clarify your meaning.

Abstract Term	Concrete Replacement
Facilitate communication	help people talk
Utilize resources	use materials
Enhance performance	improve results
Achieve success	reach your goal
Implement strategies	put plans into action
Optimize processes	make the workflow better
Promote awareness	spread the word
Maintain stability	keep things steady
Reduce expenses	cut costs
Develop skills	learn new abilities
Provide support	help people
Deliver value	give benefits
Generate ideas	come up with ideas
Manage resources	handle materials and money
Monitor progress	check how things are going
Ensure compliance	make sure rules are followed
Address concerns	talk about worries
Leverage technology	use technology
Create solutions	find answers
Foster relationships	build friendships
Facilitate growth	help growth
Assess performance	evaluate results
Secure funding	get money
Implement change	make changes
Enhance collaboration	work better together
Clarify objectives	explain goals
Advance knowledge	learn more
Cultivate innovation	encourage new ideas
Support initiatives	back projects
Facilitate access	make it easier to get

Limit Jargon. Edit out or explain industry-specific jargon. Make your language accessible to readers outside your field. Learn from these examples:

Example 1: Medical Field

Jargon: “The patient exhibits symptoms of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 2.88 

Accessible Language: “The patient shows an ailment where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys platelets needed for normal blood clotting.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 1.63 

Explanation: Instead of using “idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura,” the writer describes the condition in plain language.

Example 2: Technology Field

Jargon: “Our software uses a robust asynchronous architecture with microservices.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 2.33 

Accessible Language: “We designed our software to work on many tasks without slowing down. It uses small, single units that work together.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 1.50 

Explanation: The writer replaces the technical terms “asynchronous architecture” and “microservices” with a description of their functions and benefits.

Example 3: Finance Field

Jargon: “The fund’s NAV is adjusted each day in relation to the market’s volatility.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 1.69 

Accessible Language: “We change the fund’s value daily to reflect market prices.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 1.50 

Explanation: The writer explains “NAV” (Net Asset Value) and “volatility” in terms of their impact on the fund’s value.

Example 4: Legal Field

Jargon: “The defendant’s habeas corpus petition was refuted.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 2.14 

Accessible Language: “The court denied the defendant’s request to be released from jail.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 1.45 

Explanation: The legal term “habeas corpus” is defined in plain English.

Example 5: Business

Jargon: “We need to leverage our core competencies to achieve synergy.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 1.80 

Accessible Language: “We need to use our main strengths to work as a team.”
 Average # of syllables per word: 1.00 

Explanation: The writer replaces business terms “core competencies” and “synergy” with simpler phrases that convey the same idea.

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the best-seller Eat, Pray, Love, revealed a secret to her success: “I write in a very conversational, plain way because I believe that’s the most effective way to communicate.” She, too, knows editing hard words to improve readability is essential to reach your readers. So does Joseph Williams, author of Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace: “Clarity is the most important element of style. If your readers cannot understand your message, your writing has failed its primary purpose.”