The A to Z of alternative words

along the lines of like, as in

alternative choice, other

(an) absence of no, none

alternatively or, on the other hand

abundance enough, plenty, a lot (or say how

many)

ameliorate improve, help

accede to allow, agree to

accelerate speed up
accentuate stress
accommodation where you live, home
accompanying with
accomplish do, finish
according to our records our records show
accordingly in line with this, so
acknowledge thank you for
acquaint yourself with find out about, read
acquiesce agree
acquire buy, get
additional extra, more
adjacent next to
adjustment change, alteration
admissible allowed, acceptable
advantageous useful, helpful
advise tell, say (unless you are giving advice)
affix add, write, fasten, stick on, fix to
afford an opportunity let, allow
afforded given
aforesaid this, earlier in this document
aggregate total
aligned lined up, in line
alleviate ease, reduce
Plain English Campaign 2001

amendment change
anticipate expect
apparent clear, plain, obvious, seeming
applicant (the) you
application use
appreciable large, great
apprise inform, tell
appropriate proper, right, suitable
appropriate to suitable for
approximately about, roughly
as a consequence of because
as of the date of from
as regards about, on the subject of
ascertain find out
assemble build, gather, put together
assistance help
at an early date soon (or say when)
at its discretion can, may (or edit out)
at the moment now (or edit out)
at the present time now (or edit out)
attempt try
attend come to, go to, be at
attributable to due to, because of
Plain English Campaign 2001
The A to Z of alternative words
authorise allow, let

The A to Z of alternative words

authority right, power, may (as in have the

authority

allocate divide, share, add, give

to)

axiomatic obvious, goes without saying

consequently so

Plain English Campaign 2001

considerable great, important

The A to Z of alternative words

constitute make up, form

construe interpret

belated late

consult talk to, meet, ask

beneficial helpful, useful

Plain English Campaign 2001

bestow give, award

The A to Z of alternative words

breach break

consumption amount used

by means of by

contemplate think about

Plain English Campaign 2001

contrary to against, despite

The A to Z of alternative words

correct put right

correspond write

calculate work out, decide

costs the sum of costs

cease finish, stop, end

counter against

circumvent get round, avoid, skirt, circle

courteous polite

clarification explanation, help

cumulative added up, added together

combine mix

currently now (or edit out)

combined together

customary usual, normal

commence start, begin

Plain English Campaign 2001

communicate talk, write, telephone (be specific)

The A to Z of alternative words

competent able, can

compile make, collect

deduct take off, take away

complete fill in, finish

deem to be treat as

completion end

defer put off, delay

comply with keep to, meet

deficiency lack of

component part

delete cross out

comprise make up, include

demonstrate show, prove

(it is) compulsory (you) must

denote show

conceal hide

depict show

concerning about, on

designate point out, show, name

conclusion end

desire wish, want

concur agree

despatch or dispatch send, post

condition rule

despite the fact that though, although

determine decide, work out, set, end

endeavour try

detrimental harmful, damaging

enquire ask

difficulties problems

enquiry question

diminish lessen, reduce

ensure make sure

disburse pay, pay out

entitlement right

discharge carry out

envisage expect, imagine

disclose tell, show

equivalent equal, the same

disconnect cut off, unplug

erroneous wrong

discontinue stop, end

establish show, find out, set up

discrete separate

evaluate test, check

discuss talk about

evince show, prove

disseminate spread

ex officio because of his or her position

documentation papers, documents

exceptionally only when, in this case

domiciled in living in

excessive too many, too much

Plain English Campaign 2001

exclude leave out

The A to Z of alternative words

excluding apart from, except

dominant main

exclusively only

due to the fact of because, as

Plain English Campaign 2001

duration time, life

The A to Z of alternative words

during which time while

exempt from free from

dwelling home

expedite hurry, speed up

Plain English Campaign 2001

expeditiously as soon as possible, quickly

The A to Z of alternative words

expenditure spending

expire run out

economical cheap, good value

extant current, in force

eligible allowed, qualified

extremity limit

elucidate explain, make clear

Plain English Campaign 2001

emphasise stress

The A to Z of alternative words

empower allow, let

enable allow

fabricate make, make up

enclosed inside, with

facilitate help, make possible

(please find) enclosed I enclose

factor reason

encounter meet

failure to if you do not

finalise end, finish

Plain English Campaign 2001

following after

The A to Z of alternative words

for the duration of during, while

for the purpose of to, for

if and when if, when (but not both)

for the reason that because

illustrate show, explain

formulate plan, devise

immediately at once, now

forthwith now, at once

implement carry out, do

forward send

imply suggest, hint at

frequently often

in a number of cases some (or say how many)

furnish give

in accordance with as under, in line with,

because of

further to after, following

furthermore then, also, and
Plain English Campaign 2001
The A to Z of alternative words
G
generate produce, give, make
give consideration to consider, think about
grant give
Plain English Campaign 2001
The A to Z of alternative words
H
henceforth from now on, from today
hereby now, by this (or edit out)
herein here (or edit out)
hereinafter after this (or edit out)
hereof of this
hereto to this
heretofore until now, previously
hereunder below
herewith with this (or edit out)
hitherto until now
hold in abeyance wait, postpone
hope and trust hope, trust (but not both)

in addition (to) and, as well as, also

in advance before
in case of if
in conjunction with and, with
in connection with for, about
in consequence because, as a result
in excess of more than
in lieu of instead of
in order that so that
in receipt of get, have, receive
in relation to about
in respect of about, for
in the absence of without
in the course of while, during
in the event of/that if
in the majority of instances most, mostly
in the near future soon
in the neighbourhood of about, around
in view of the fact that as, because
Plain English Campaign 2001
The A to Z of alternative words
inappropriate wrong, unsuitable

inception start, beginning

manufacture make

incorporating which includes

marginal small, slight

incurred have to pay, owe

material relevant

indicate show, suggest

materialise happen, occur

inform tell

may in the future may, might, could

initially at first

merchandise goods

initiate begin, start

mislay lose

insert put in

modification change

instances cases

moreover and, also, as well

intend to will

Plain English Campaign 2001

intimate say, hint

The A to Z of alternative words

irrespective of despite, even if

is in accordance with agrees with, follows

negligible very small

is of the opinion thinks

nevertheless but, however, even so

issue give, send

notify tell, let us/you know

it is known that I/we know that

notwithstanding even if, despite, still, yet

Plain English Campaign 2001

numerous many (or say how many)

The A to Z of alternative words

Plain English Campaign 2001

The A to Z of alternative words

jeopardise risk, threaten

Plain English Campaign 2001

objective aim, goal

The A to Z of alternative words

(it is) obligatory (you) must

obtain get, receive

(a) large number of many, most (or say how

many)

occasioned by caused by, because of

on behalf of for

(to) liaise with to meet with, to discuss with, to

work with

on numerous occasions often

(whichever is more descriptive)

on receipt of when we/you get

locality place, area

on request if you ask

locate find, put

on the grounds that because

on the occasion that when, if

magnitude size

operate work, run

(it is) mandatory (you) must

optimum best, ideal

manner way

option choice

ordinarily normally, usually

otherwise or
outstanding unpaid
owing to because of
Plain English Campaign 2001
The A to Z of alternative words
P
(a) percentage of some (or say what
percentage)

(to) progress something (replace with a more

precise phrase saying
what you are doing)
Plain English Campaign 2001
The A to Z of alternative words
prohibit ban, stop
projected estimated
prolonged long
promptly quickly, at once

partially partly

promulgate advertise, announce

participate join in, take part

proportion part

particulars details, facts

provide give

per annum a year

provided that if, as long as

perform do

provisions rules, terms

permissible allowed

proximity closeness, nearness

permit let, allow

purchase buy

personnel people, staff

pursuant to under, because of, in line with

persons people, anyone

Plain English Campaign 2001

peruse read, read carefully, look at

The A to Z of alternative words

place put

possess have, own

qualify for can get, be able to get

possessions belongings

Plain English Campaign 2001

practically almost, nearly

The A to Z of alternative words

predominant main

prescribe set, fix

reconsider think again about, look again at

preserve keep, protect

reduce cut

previous earlier, before, last

reduction cut

principal main

referred to as called

prior to before

refer to talk about, mention

proceed go ahead

(have) regard to take into account

procure get, obtain, arrange

regarding about, on

profusion of plenty, too many (or say how

many)

regulation rule
reimburse repay, pay back

reiterate repeat, restate

substantial large, great, a lot of

relating to about

substantially more or less

remain stay

sufficient enough

remainder the rest, what is left

supplement go with, add to

remittance payment

supplementary extra, more

remuneration pay, wages, salary

supply give, sell, delivery

render make, give, send

Plain English Campaign 2001

represent show, stand for, be

The A to Z of alternative words

request ask, question

require need, want, force

(the) tenant you

requirements needs, rules

terminate stop, end

reside live

that being the case if so

residence home, where you live

the question as to whether whether

restriction limit

thereafter then, afterwards

retain keep

thereby by that, because of that

review look at (again)

therein in that, there

revised new, changed

thereof of that

Plain English Campaign 2001

thereto to that

The A to Z of alternative words

thus so, therefore

to date so far, up to now

said/such/same the, this, that

to the extent that if, when

scrutinise read (look at) carefully

transfer change, move

select choose

transmit send

settle pay

Plain English Campaign 2001

similarly also, in the same way

The A to Z of alternative words

solely only

specified given, written, set

ultimately in the end, finally

state say, tell us, write down

unavailability lack of

statutory legal, by law

undernoted the following

subject to depending on, under, keeping to

undersigned I, we

submit send, give

undertake agree, promise, do

subsequent to/upon after

uniform same, similar

subsequently later

unilateral one-sided, one-way

unoccupied empty

whereas but

until such time until

whether or not whether

utilisation use

with a view to to, so that

utilise use

with effect from from

Plain English Campaign 2001

with reference to about

The A to Z of alternative words

with regard to about, for

with respect to about, for

variation change

with the minimum of delay quickly (or say

when)

virtually almost (or edit out)

visualise see, predict
Plain English Campaign 2001
The A to Z of alternative words
W
ways and means ways
we have pleasure in we are glad to
whatsoever whatever, what, any
whensoever when

Plain English Campaign 2001

The A to Z of alternative words
Y
you are requested please
your attention is drawn please see, please note
Plain English Campaign 2001
The A to Z of alternative words
Z
zone area, region