What is Easy Read?
Easy Read
Easy Read is a way to share information.
It uses simple words.
It uses short sentences.
Each sentence has one idea.
Each idea has a picture.
People with intellectual disability check it.
Before and after
Before: “Applicants are required to furnish the requisite documents in support of their claim, failing which the application shall be liable to be rejected.”
After, in Easy Read:
You must give us these papers.
If you do not give the papers, we cannot say yes.
The list of papers is on the next page.
1. The words
Everyday words. Short sentences. One idea in each sentence. Numbers written as figures (1, 2, 10). Hard words explained at once.
2. The pictures
One picture for every main idea, on the left of the text. Pictures explain; they do not decorate. Photos or clear drawings, never clutter.
3. The layout
Big letters — 16 point in print, 18 pixels on screen or larger. Left-aligned, ragged right edge. Line spacing 1.5. Lots of white space. No italics, no capitals for whole words.
4. The check
This is the rule that makes Easy Read different from plain language: people with intellectual disability read the document and say what is unclear. The writer changes it. Only then is it Easy Read. How we do this →
Easy Read, Easy English and plain language are not the same
| Format | Reader | Pictures | Checked by readers? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Read | Adults with intellectual and developmental disability; about 10 words per sentence | One per idea | Yes — required |
| Easy English | People with very low literacy; 3–4 very short sentences per page | One per idea | Yes |
| Plain language | General public (ISO 24495-1) | Optional | No |
Easy Read India produces both Easy Read and Easy English. Ask us which fits your readers.
Who else finds Easy Read useful?
- People who do not read English or Hindi well
- People who are stressed, anxious or unwell
- Older people and people with dementia
- Anyone who wants the facts quickly
“If you get it right for people with IDD, you get it right for everyone.”
— Manbhavan Self-Advocacy Group