theluckystrike

Writing for readability when English is not your first language

Clear writing is mostly about sentence length and word choice, not grammar trivia. If English is your second language, these few habits move your writing further than memorising rules.

Cut the sentence in half

Long sentences are where non-native writing tends to wander. If a sentence has more than one "and" or "which", try splitting it. Two short clear sentences beat one long correct-but-tangled one.

Prefer the plain word

"Use" not "utilise". "Help" not "facilitate". "About" not "regarding". Non-native writers often reach for the longer Latinate word because it feels more formal, but plain words read as more fluent, not less.

Read it aloud

Your ear catches preposition slips and awkward rhythm that your eye skips. If you stumble reading a sentence out loud, a reader will stumble too.

Get feedback in context

The fastest improvement comes from seeing your own recurring patterns flagged while you write, rather than after. An in-browser assistant such as BeLikeNative surfaces non-native phrasing and readability issues as you type, which turns every email and document into practice. Track which suggestions repeat and you will learn your personal error set within a couple of weeks.