EasyWords: 100 Everyday Words to Learn Fast

EasyWords — Improve Your Writing with Short, Clear TermsClear writing is the bridge between thought and understanding. In a world flooded with information, readers prize simplicity. The EasyWords approach helps writers choose short, clear terms that communicate ideas faster, reduce misunderstanding, and make prose more engaging. This article explains why short words work, when to use them, how to build a practical short-word vocabulary, and exercises to practice. Follow these steps to make your writing easier to read without sacrificing nuance or depth.

Why short, clear words matter

Short words are easier to recognize and process. Cognitive research shows readers spend less time decoding familiar, common words, which frees mental resources for comprehension. Short words also tend to be more conversational and less formal, helping writers sound approachable and direct. In many contexts—web content, emails, instructions, or social media—readers prefer quick clarity over ornate language.

Short words help with:

• Faster reading and comprehension
• Better retention of key points
• A friendlier, more conversational tone
• Improved accessibility for non-native speakers and people with reading difficulties

When to favor short words — and when not to

Short words are generally preferable for clarity, but they’re not a universal solution. Use them when the goal is to be understood quickly or to make writing more approachable. Avoid short words when a precise technical term is required, or when a longer word carries specific nuance that can’t be replaced without changing meaning.

Use short words for:

• Headlines, captions, and summaries
• Instructions, how-tos, and user interfaces
• Marketing copy and social posts
• Communication with diverse audiences

Use longer, specific terms for:

• Technical documentation where precision matters
• Academic papers that require discipline-specific vocabulary
• Legal writing where exact phrasing is critical

Building an EasyWords vocabulary

Creating a reliable set of short, clear alternatives starts with awareness. Here’s a practical method:

1. Identify commonly used long words in your writing (e.g., utilize, commence, ascertain).
2. List simple substitutes (use, start, find).
3. Keep a personal EasyWords cheat sheet of preferred short alternatives.
4. Learn common phrasal verbs and short collocations (e.g., “put off” instead of “postpone”).
5. Practice rewriting paragraphs using only your short-word list, then compare clarity and tone.

Examples of swaps:

• utilize → use
• commence → start
• ascertain → find out
• facilitate → help
• implement → carry out or do

Techniques for keeping writing concise and clear

• Prefer active voice: “She wrote the report” is clearer than “The report was written by her.”
• Trim filler words: remove needless words like “very,” “actually,” “in order to” where they add no value.
• Short sentences: aim for one main idea per sentence.
• One idea per paragraph: keep paragraphs focused and short.
• Read aloud: hearing sentences helps spot awkward or long phrasing.
• Use lists and headings: chunk information for easier scanning.

Exercises to practice EasyWords

1. Rewrite complex sentences from articles using only short words.
2. Edit emails to remove words longer than three syllables unless necessary.
3. Create 10 headlines using only one- or two-syllable words.
4. Use a readability checker, then simplify until you reach a lower grade level without losing meaning.

Sample before/after:

• Before: “We will endeavor to ascertain the feasibility of the proposed initiative.”
• After: “We will try to find out if the plan will work.”

Balancing simplicity with nuance

Simplicity shouldn’t mean losing important detail. Use short words to convey clarity, then regain nuance with structure—examples, brief explanations, or precise short terms. For technical audiences, pair a short common term with the precise term on first mention: “We’ll use a cache (temporary storage) to speed up access.”

Tools and resources

• Thesaurus focused on frequency (shows common synonyms)
• Readability tools (Flesch–Kincaid, Hemingway Editor)
• Word lists of common high-frequency words (e.g., the General Service List)
• Style guides that favor plain language (PlainLanguage.gov, Plain English Campaign)

Conclusion

EasyWords is a practice, not a rule book. Choosing short, clear terms makes writing faster to read, easier to remember, and approachable to more people. With small, consistent changes—swapping long words for short ones, trimming filler, and focusing on one idea at a time—you can make your prose clearer without losing depth. Try the exercises above, build your personal EasyWords list, and notice how readers respond when clarity comes first.