2.1Writing clearly & concisely (readability)
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Clarity = short sentences + simple words + active voice: three levers that reduce the reader's effort.
- Full verbs, no nominalizations: "verify" rather than "proceed with the verification".
- Reflex: one idea per sentence (~15-20 words) + reading aloud before sending.
Running mini-case — Yasmine and the email nobody understands
Yasmine, sales assistant in an SME in Algiers, sends a client: "it is necessary to proceed with the verification of the data before validation can be carried out by the relevant department". The client's reply: "concretely, what do I have to do?". Yasmine understands she did the opposite of her job: it's up to her to make the effort, not the reader. We will rewrite this email with her, sentence by sentence.
This same case runs through the course, the diagram, the script and the 48h challenge — and continues in 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5.
1. Clarity, a method more than a gift
Professional writing has one purpose: to be read and understood quickly. Clarity isn't a talent, it's a method: short sentences, simple words, active voice, and cutting jargon and filler.
Writing clearly means doing the work for the reader. Most professional writing suffers from the same flaws: endless sentences, fancy words, negative phrasing, "ghost" verbs.
2. Active voice and full verbs
Active voice ("the team delivered the project") is more direct and clear than passive voice ("the project was delivered by the team"): it immediately names who acts.
Nominalization — turning a verb into a noun ("proceed with the verification" instead of "verify") — needlessly weighs down a sentence. Preferring full verbs makes the text livelier and shorter.
3. One idea, one short sentence
A short sentence ideally carries a single idea, around 15-20 words: beyond that, reading effort rises and ambiguity multiplies. Jargon, specialist vocabulary, should be replaced with simple words when they suffice.
Writing simply is a mark of expertise, not weakness: great communicators make the complex accessible, while jargon and convoluted sentences often mask thinking that is still unclear.
🔎 Concrete example — Before/after on an administrative sentence
Comparison for the same instruction given to a team.
Before: "It is necessary to proceed with the verification of the data before validation can be carried out by the relevant department."
After: "Check the data before sending it to the department for approval."Gain: twice as short, a clear active subject, no loss of meaning.
Section vocabulary
- Readability
- How easily a text is read and understood. It can be measured and improved through simple rules.
Simple example: Yasmine's rewritten email is understood the first time by the client.
What it is not: a pretty font or layout (formatting is not clarity).
Reflex: test every important piece of writing: does a non-specialist understand it the first time?
- Active voice
- A subject that performs the action ("the team delivered the project"): more direct and clear than passive voice ("the project was delivered by the team").
Simple example: "check the data" rather than "before validation can be carried out".
What it is not: systematic passive voice, which hides who actually performs the action.
Reflex: hunt down "was / will be carried out by" and rewrite with a subject that acts.
- Short sentence
- Ideally one idea per sentence, ~15-20 words. Reduces reading effort and ambiguity.
Simple example: Yasmine splits her 30-word instruction into two one-idea sentences.
What it is not: stacking several ideas linked by commas into a single sentence.
Reflex: any sentence over 25 words: split it in two.
- Jargon
- Specialist vocabulary or unnecessary fancy words. Replace with simple words when they suffice.
Simple example: "it should be noted that" deleted from Yasmine's email with no loss of meaning.
What it is not: the precise technical term when no simple word exists (keep that one).
Reflex: faced with a fancy word: "would a simple word say the same thing?".
- Nominalization
- Turning a verb into a noun ("perform an analysis" instead of "analyze"): needlessly heavy. Prefer verbs.
Simple example: "proceed with the verification" becomes "verify" in Yasmine's email.
What it is not: a real noun for a thing ("the quote", "the invoice") — that's not nominalization.
Reflex: hunt down "-tion" nouns and give the verb back to the sentence.
In practice — Making a text clear and readable
- Take a paragraph you wrote. Split every sentence longer than 25 words into two.
- Replace fancy words with simple ones and remove filler phrases ("in the context of", "it should be noted that").
- Hunt down passive voice and nominalizations: rewrite with an active subject and verbs ("verify" rather than "proceed with the verification").
- Read it aloud: wherever you stumble or run out of breath, it's too long or awkward — fix it.
Ready-to-use script — announcing a plainly rewritten document (30s)
"I'm sending you back the instruction in a short version: one idea per sentence, action verbs, no jargon. Tell me if anything stays unclear — if you understand it the first time, it's good."
Attach to a simplified document: own the rewrite instead of apologizing for "keeping it simple".
Copy-paste template — clarity checklist before sending
TEXT TO CHECK: _______________ | RECIPIENT: _______________
SENTENCES > 25 WORDS (split in two?): [yes / no]
REMAINING PASSIVE VOICE: _______________ → REWRITTEN IN ACTIVE: _______________
"-TION" NOMINALIZATIONS: _______________ → VERBS: _______________
JARGON / FILLER REMOVED: _______________
ALOUD TEST (no stumbling?): [yes / no]Small business / tight budget
No paid tool: the aloud test + hunting "-tion" words is enough to halve email length.
Algerian SME
Mixed French- and Arabic-speaking clients: prefer simple words and short sentences — they also translate better.
Everyday rush
No time to rewrite everything: at minimum fix the subject, the first sentence (the request) and the action verbs.
High-stakes document
Quote, complaint response: have a non-specialist colleague reread it — if they understand the first time, the client will.
✓ Best practices
- Aim for one idea per sentence; if a sentence has "and", "but" AND a comma, consider splitting it in two.
- Systematically hunt down "-tion" nominalizations and replace them with the matching verb.
- Read important writing aloud before sending: the ear catches what the eye misses.
✗ Common pitfalls
- Believing that sophisticated or complex vocabulary is more impressive than clear, direct writing.
- Stacking several ideas into one long sentence linked by commas.
- Systematically using passive voice, which hides who actually performs the action.
Key takeaways
- Clarity = short sentences + simple words + active voice.
- One idea per sentence; cut filler and unnecessary jargon.
- Prefer verbs over nouns ("analyze" rather than "perform an analysis").
- Reading aloud reveals the sentences to fix.
48h Challenge — apply tomorrow
Take 1 real email or paragraph, split sentences over 25 words, replace 3 nominalizations with their verbs, and reread aloud. Compare before/after: how many words saved?
- I name the 3 levers of readability without hesitation.
- I spot a nominalization and rewrite it as a verb.
- I've done the 48h challenge or scheduled its date.
Frequently asked questions
Doesn't writing simply make me look less competent?
It's the opposite: clarity is a mark of expertise and respect for the reader. Great communicators make the complex accessible. Jargon and convoluted sentences often mask fuzzy thinking; writing simply forces you to clarify your ideas.
How do I know if my text is clear enough?
Two simple tests: reading aloud (if you run out of breath, the sentence is too long) and the recipient test (does a non-specialist colleague understand your request the first time?). If yes, you've succeeded.
Yasmine writes: "it is necessary to proceed with the verification of the data". What flaw does this sentence show?