Plain English is different because it aims to be written at a grade 8 level for all to understand with ease.

The use of plain English is different from other more complex forms of everyday writing. The main aim of plain English is to help all readers, regardless of their education and expertise levels, understand the texts they come across. In achieving this goal, slang, technical terms, and any needless complexity that can confuse the reader are taken out. Plain English stands for daily conversation in a clear, simple manner without the unnecessary complexity of sentences. Another crucial point is the presence of an active voice, which is interactive and straight to the point. A specific approach to messages that includes vague and overly complex phrases will be the primary reason for the confusion, instead of the benefits of understanding.

On top of that, plain English’s style separates topics and ideas logically and coherently, frequently making use of headings, bullet points, and lists to draw attention to vital details. The goal is to make sure that the readers put little to no effort into comprehending the message as it is intended to be understood and acted upon right away for all. The use of English in this manner stands out in instances where a message needs to be communicated to a wide and diverse audience like legal paperwork, government communication, or user instruction manuals (ex. IKEA, Voting). Simplifying the blend of language and structure helps the majority of people understand the message and reduces the chances of it being misinterpreted. This guarantees meaningful communication where the target audience gets the information with ease, understands it easily, and can take the next steps without difficulty.