Short Words and Phrases

Short words and phrases to replace long ones.
A‐B C‐D E‐F H‐I L‐M N‐O P‐R S‐T U‐Y
Instead of:	Use:
a and/or b	a or b or both
accompany	go with
accomplish	carry out, do
accorded	given
accordingly	so
accrue	add, gain
accurate	correct, exact, right, true
additional	added, more, other
address	discuss
addressees	you
addressees are requested	(omit), please
adjacent to	next to
advantageous	helpful
adversely impact on	hurt, set back
advise	recommend, tell
afford an opportunity	allow, let
aircraft	plane
allocate	divide
anticipate	expect
a number of	some
apparent	clear, plain
appreciable	many
appropriate	(omit), proper, right
approximate	about
arrive onboard	arrive
as a means of	to
ascertain	find out, learn
as prescribed by	in, under
assist, assistance	aid, help
attain	meet
attempt	try
at the present time	at present, now
at this point in time	now
be advised	(omit)
benefit	help
by means of	by, with

Instead of:	Use:
capability	ability
caveat	warning
close proximity	near
combat environment	combat
combined	joint
commence	begin, start
comply with	follow
component	part
comprise	form, include, made of
concerning	about, on
consequently	so
consolidate	combine, join, merge
constitutes	is, forms, makes up
contains	has
convene	meet
currently	(omit), now
deem	believe, consider, think
delete	cut, drop
demonstrate	prove, show
depart	leave
designate	appoint, choose, name
desire	want, wish
determine	decide, figure, find
disclose	show
discontinue	drop, stop
disseminate	spread, distribute
due to the fact that	due to, since
during the period	during

Instead of:	Use:
effect modifications	make changes
elect	choose, pick
eliminate	cut, drop, end
employ	use
encounter	meet
endeavor	try
ensure	make sure
enumerate	count
equipments	equipment
equitable	fair
establish	set up, bring about
evidenced	showed
evident	clear
exhibit	show
expedite	hasten, speed up
expeditious	fast, quick
expend	spend
expertise	ability
expiration	end
facilitate	ease, help
failed to	didn't
feasible	can be done, workable
females	women
finalize	complete, finish
for a period of	for
for example,______etc.	for example, such as
forfeit	give up, lose
forward	send
free gift	gift
frequently	often
function	act, role, work
furnish	give, send

Instead of:	Use:
has a requirement for	needs
herein	here
heretofore	until now
herewith	below, here
however	but
identical	same
identify	name, pinpoint, reveal
immediately	at once
impacted	affected, changed
implement	carry out, start
in accordance with	by, following, per, under
in addition	also, besides, too
in an effort to	to
inasmuch as	since
in a timely manner	on time, promptly
inception	start
incumbent upon	must
indicate	show, write down
indication	sign
initial	first
initiate	start
in lieu of	instead
in order that	for, so
in order to	to
in regard to	about, concerning, on
in relation to	about, with, to
inter alia	(omit)
interface	meet, work with
interpose no objection	don't object
in the amount of	for
in the event of	if
in the near future	shortly, soon
in the process of	(omit)
in view of	since
in view of the above	so
is applicable to	applies to
is authorized to	may
is in consonance with	agrees with, follows
is responsible for	(omit) handles
it appears	seems
it is	(omit)
it is essential	must, need to
it is requested	please, we request, I request

Instead of:	Use:
liaison	discussion
limited number	limits
magnitude	size
maintain	keep, support
maximum	greatest, largest, most
methodology	method
minimize	decrease, method
minimum	least, smallest
modify	change
monitor	check, watch

Instead of:	Use:
necessitate	cause, need
notify	let know, tell
not later than 10 May	by 10 May, before 11 May
not later than 1600	by 1600
notwithstanding	inspite of, still
numerous	many
objective	aim, goal
obligate	bind, compel
observe	see
on a _________basis	(omit)
operate	run, use, work
optimum	best, greatest, most
option	choice, way

Instead of:	Use:
parameters	limits
participate	take part
perform	do
permit	let
pertaining to	about, of, on
portion	part
possess	have, own
practicable	practical
preclude	prevent
previous	earlier
previously	before
prioritize	rank
prior to	before
proceed	do, go ahead, try
procure	(omit)
proficiency	skill
promulgate	issue, publish
provide	give, offer, say
provided that	if
provides guidance for	guides
purchase	buy
pursuant to	by, following, per, under
reflect	say, show
regarding	about, of, on
relative to	about, on
relocate	move
remain	stay
remain	stay
remainder	rest
remuneration	pay, payment
render	give, make
represents	is
request	ask
require	must, need
requirement	need
reside	live
retain	keep

Instead of:	Use:
said, some, such	the, this, that
selection	choice
set forth in	in
similar to	like
solicit	ask for, request
state-of-the-art	latest
subject	the, this, your
submit	give, send
subsequent	later, next
subsequently	after, later, then
substantial	large, much
successfully complete	complete, pass
sufficient	enough
take action to	(omit)
terminate	end, stop
the month of	(omit)
there are	(omit)
therefore	so
therein	there
there is	(omit)
thereof	its, their
the undersigned	I
the use of	(omit)
this activity, command	us, we
timely	prompt
time period	(either one)
transmit	send
type	(omit)

Instead of:	Use:
under the provisions of	under
until such time as	until
utilize, utilization	use
validate	confirm
viable	practical, workable
vice	instead of, versus
warrant	call for, permit
whereas	because, since
with reference to	about
with the exception of	except for
witnessed	saw
your office	you
/ (slash)	and, or

The words in italics are very commonly used.

Adapted from Plain Language.gov