Confidence / Speaking Clearly / Lesson 08

LESSON 08 Â· SPEAKING CLEARLY

Use Words a Ten-Year-Old Would Understand

Thirty-two ways to use words a ten-year-old would understand, so everyone can follow you.

Simple words are not simple-minded. They are clear and respectful.

40 tipsEasy things to say7-day plan

40 tips that really help

These ideas come from The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking (Dale Carnegie), Talk Like TED (Carmine Gallo), Made to Stick (Chip and Dan Heath), and everyday practice. Pick one tip and try it today.

TIP 1

Simple words are not simple-minded

Clear speakers choose short, familiar words because they want to be understood, not to impress. Simple words signal confidence, not weakness.

TRY THIS
Rewrite one sentence of your talk using only short words.

TIP 2

Orwell's rule

In his essay “Politics and the English Language”, George Orwell advised never using a long word where a short one will do. It is still a good test.

TRY THIS
Replace one long word with a short one today.

TIP 3

The ten-year-old test

Ask, “Could a bright ten-year-old follow this?” If yes, your adult listeners will thank you. It does not mean talking down.

TRY THIS
Read your next explanation aloud as if to a ten-year-old.

TIP 4

Choose "use" over "utilise"

“Use”, “help”, “start” and “show” beat “utilise”, “facilitate”, “commence” and “demonstrate”. Short words travel faster.

TRY THIS
List five fancy words you can swap.

TIP 5

Choose "buy" over "purchase"

Everyday words feel human. Save the formal ones for formal documents.

TRY THIS
Swap “purchase” for “buy” in your next email.

TIP 6

Choose "about" over "regarding"

“Regarding” and “pertaining to” add stiffness. “About” does the same job.

TRY THIS
Replace “regarding” with “about”.

TIP 7

Choose "end" over "terminate"

Plain verbs like “end”, “stop” and “start” are clear. Fancy ones add distance.

TRY THIS
Swap one formal verb for a plain one.

TIP 8

Use words you would say to a friend

If you would not say it to a friend, you probably should not say it in a talk. Natural words build trust.

TRY THIS
Read your script aloud and mark any word that sounds stiff.

TIP 9

Explain acronyms

If you must use abbreviations, say what they mean the first time. Many people will not know them.

TRY THIS
Write out acronyms in full once.

TIP 10

Cut jargon

Jargon is useful among experts but confuses others. Choose the audience first.

TRY THIS
Replace one jargon term with a plain phrase.

TIP 11

The curse of knowledge

In a famous 1990 Stanford study, Elizabeth Newton asked people to tap out well-known songs and predict how many listeners would guess them. Tappers predicted about half, but listeners guessed very few. Experts often cannot imagine not knowing.

TRY THIS
Ask someone outside your field to listen to your explanation.

TIP 12

Use examples

A concrete example makes a word real. “A vehicle, like a bus or a bike” is clearer than “a vehicle”.

TRY THIS
Add one example to each abstract idea.

TIP 13

Use pictures in words

“A queue as long as a football pitch” paints a picture. Pictures stick.

TRY THIS
Replace an abstract phrase with an image.

TIP 14

Use everyday comparisons

Compare the unknown to the known: “A router is like a post office”. Analogies bridge understanding.

TRY THIS
Create one comparison for a complex idea.

TIP 15

Prefer verbs to nouns

“We decided” is clearer than “a decision was made”. Active verbs are lively and short.

TRY THIS
Turn one noun phrase into a verb.

TIP 16

Prefer active voice

“The team finished the report” is clearer than “The report was finished by the team”. Active voice names who does what.

TRY THIS
Rewrite one passive sentence.

TIP 17

Prefer concrete words

“Two weeks” is clearer than “soon”. “Fifty people” is clearer than “many”.

TRY THIS
Replace vague words with specific ones.

TIP 18

Say fewer words

If you can cut a word without changing meaning, do. Brevity helps clarity.

TRY THIS
Cut ten percent of your words.

TIP 19

Say it in one breath

If a sentence does not fit in one breath, simplify it. Your lungs are a good editor.

TRY THIS
Split any sentence that needs two breaths.

TIP 20

Check your reading level

Tools such as Flesch reading ease score how easy text is. Aim for plain, readable style.

TRY THIS
Run a short script through a readability tool.

TIP 21

Read it to someone

Read your script to a friend and ask where they got lost. They will find the tangles.

TRY THIS
Ask a friend to mark confusing words.

TIP 22

Use short words for big ideas

“Trust”, “fair”, “safe” and “clear” carry weight in few letters. Big ideas need short words.

TRY THIS
List five strong short words you love.

TIP 23

Replace idioms for international audiences

Phrases like “ballpark” or “touch base” can puzzle people with a different first language. Choose plain words.

TRY THIS
Replace one idiom in your talk.

TIP 24

Be careful with humour and slang

Slang can include some people and exclude others. Know your audience.

TRY THIS
Think about who is listening before you use slang.

TIP 25

Define terms once

If you must use a technical term, define it simply the first time and stick to it. Switching terms confuses.

TRY THIS
Write a one-line definition for each term.

TIP 26

Do not use three words for one

“Free gift” and “past history” repeat. Short and exact wins.

TRY THIS
Remove one redundant phrase.

TIP 27

Avoid hedging words

“Basically”, “essentially” and “sort of” add noise. State your point directly.

TRY THIS
Delete three hedges from your script.

TIP 28

Avoid buzzwords

“Leverage”, “synergy” and “bandwidth” can sound empty. Describe what you mean.

TRY THIS
Replace one buzzword with plain English.

TIP 29

Use plain English in writing

Plain language movements around the world encourage clear, direct writing for public documents. It saves time and money.

TRY THIS
Read a short guide to plain language.

TIP 30

Be kind about reading ability

Many adults find complex text hard. Clear words respect everyone.

TRY THIS
Aim for a clear style in all you share.

TIP 31

Use the same words

Pick one word for each idea and stick to it. Changing “plan”, “project” and “scheme” in a row confuses.

TRY THIS
Choose one term per idea.

TIP 32

Test on a child

Explain your idea to a young relative. Their questions will show what is unclear.

TRY THIS
Explain one idea to a child.

TIP 33

Test on a stranger

Explain your work to someone at a party. Their face tells you if you are clear.

TRY THIS
Try a thirty-second explanation on a new person.

TIP 34

Test with your grandparent

If your grandparent could follow the gist, you are probably clear. It is a friendly test.

TRY THIS
Share one idea with an older relative.

TIP 35

Keep a list of plain swaps

Collect your favourite swaps in a note. Reviewing helps habits.

TRY THIS
Start a note of five plain swaps.

TIP 36

Be proud of plainness

Great teachers and speakers often use the simplest words. That is craft.

TRY THIS
Say, “Simple is a skill.”

TIP 37

Keep practising

Plain speech is a habit built word by word. Keep at it.

TRY THIS
Edit one paragraph each day this week.

TIP 38

Celebrate clear words

When people say “That makes sense”, you know it worked.

TRY THIS
Note a time someone understood you first time.

TIP 39

Choose "show" over "demonstrate"

Plain verbs keep the listener’s attention on the idea, not the vocabulary. “Show”, “ask”, “get” and “need” are friendly and fast.

TRY THIS
Swap two formal verbs for plain ones in your next message.

TIP 40

Use the "so what" check

After a sentence, ask “so what?” If the answer is not clear, rewrite the sentence in simpler words until the point shows. Clear words follow clear thinking.

TRY THIS
Finish a sentence, then say the point in six words or fewer.

Easy things to say

When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many everyday situations.

PLAIN

â€œLet me put it simply.â€

CHECK

â€œDoes that make sense?â€

SWAP

â€œUse start instead of commence.â€

EXPLAIN

â€œIn other words, it is like this.â€

â€œI am learning to simplify.â€

â€œThanks for bearing with me.â€

Your first week

One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.

DAY 1
Replace one long word today

DAY 2
Explain your job in plain words

DAY 3
Read your message aloud

DAY 4
Test it on a friend

DAY 5
Cut a jargon term

DAY 6
Use an example

DAY 7
Review your writing

More lessons in “Speaking Clearly”

Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.

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