Writing about complex ideas sometimes brings out the big vocabulary words and abstract expressions. This seems like the right approach — complex ideas should be explained and expounded upon with complex words, right?

Wrong. If reader understanding and retention are our goals, then we want to make our document clear and easy to read, even if our readers are experts. Everyone — even the extremely well-educated reader with a vocabulary that would put the SAT to shame — finds simple writing with concrete examples easier to read and to retain. People are busy and do not want to take too much time to understand a knotty, complex paragraph. And with so much content coming at us every day, it’s easy for any reader to put a paper or report aside, never to return.

Below are four examples of abstract writing with simple, clear alternatives.

Putting things into simple, concrete terms helps uncover ideas and issues we or our reader might have missed. Instead of allowing us to hide behind vague sentences, clear writing brings out our clearest thinking.