BY LESLIE O ’ FLAHAVAN , E-WRITE
1 . Avoid slang and idioms . Casual language or non-literal language can confuse non-native English speakers , and it won ’ t translate well . Just imagine what Google Translate would make in Mandarin or Malay of the English idiom “ pull yourself together ”!
Idiom-free emails may sound stilted to customers whose English is just like yours , but when you know that you are writing to a non-native English speaker , make reading easier for them by removing idioms as often as you can .
IDIOM-LOADED EMAIL
Dear Naveed , Thank you for contacting us about the Photopro 680 digital camera . We are sorry this camera has been unavailable for six months . We were caught off guard by the demand for these cameras . Last year , they were flying off the shelves , and they had been in short supply for a while . Rest assured that we are working hard to get them back in stock just as soon as we can . Our brand new Photopro 780 camera will be hitting the stores soon . I think you ’ ll find that this new camera stacks up well against higher-priced cameras …
IDIOM-FREE EMAIL
Dear Naveed , Thank you for contacting us about the Photopro 680 digital camera . We are sorry this camera has been unavailable for six months . We were unprepared for the demand for these cameras . Last year , they were selling very quickly , and they had been scarce for a while . You have our assurance that we are working hard to get them back in stock just as soon as we can . Our new Photopro 780 camera will be available soon . I think you ’ ll find that this new camera compares favorably to higher-priced cameras …
2 . Write shorter sentences . Aim for 20 words or less . Shorter sentences contain fewer clauses , so they are easier to understand .
• Don ’ t write a 48-word sentence like this . Start your job search by typing in a keyword or location into the search box located at the top of the FindJobs home page or the Search link in the top navigation then use the search filters to narrow your results by salary , work schedule , agency and more .
• Do write this . Start your job search by entering a keyword or location into the FindJobs search box or use the Search link in the top navigation . Use the filters to narrow your results by salary , schedule , agency and more .
3 . Write in active voice . Passive voice sentences often omit the doer or place the doer at the end , far away from the verb . Active voice sentences usually place the doer right before the verb , which makes it easier for the reader to understand who will or should do what .
• Don ’ t write in passive voice . Your company ’ s expiring digital certificate will need to be replaced by a new certificate after the system update has been completed on March 3 , 2025 .
• Do write in active voice . You will need to replace your company ’ s expiring digital certificate with a new certificate after we complete the system update on March 3 , 2025 .
4 . Use headings and lists . Because these signposts help distinguish main points from subpoints , they make your email responses easier to read .
PARAGRAPH VERSION
Thanks for your question about PhotoFixUp . Whether you log in with your personal or corporate username and password , you ’ ll have access to the same account features . First-time users must accept the Terms and Conditions before searching .
Go to PhotoFixUp / Tool then click Login and provide your personal or your corporate username and password . Once logged in , click Search Images and provide the file name or image type . In the search results , click on the image you wish to edit . To enlarge the image for editing , use the scroll wheel or Ctrl +.
HEADINGS AND BULLETS VERSION
Dear [ Name ], Thanks for your question about PhotoFixUp . Following these steps will help you get started . Logging in for the first time
Whether you log in with your personal or corporate username and password , you ’ ll have access to the same account features . First-time users must accept the Terms and Conditions before searching .
1 . Go to PhotoFixUp / Tool 2 . Click Login and provide your personal or your corporate username and password . 3 . Once logged in , click Search Images and provide the file name or image type . 4 . In the search results , click on the image you wish to edit . 5 . To enlarge the image for editing , use the scroll wheel or Ctrl +.
5 . Use readability statistics to check the complexity of your writing . Use Microsoft Editor ’ s document stats or Grammarly ’ s Editor to check the readability statistics of your templates . Microsoft Editor , for example , will calculate a Flesch Reading Ease score and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score .
These readability statistics have their detractors , but if your customer service writing earns a high Grade Level score , it ’ s reasonable to assume it ’ s too complicated for non-English speakers to understand without undue effort .
Here ' s an example . The bulleted FAQ that follows ( SEE PAGE 16 ) comes from the Maryland . gov website and measures an 11.6 on the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score , which means that an American student who is halfway through their 11th grade year should be able to understand the text .
However , most American adults read at an eighth grade level or below , so it ’ s not reasonable to expect non-English speakers to cope with content that scores an 11.6 . Fancy phrasing like “ reside ” and “ bear the seal and signature ” skew the grade level score and increase the difficulty for ( all ) readers . MARCH 2025 15