Plain language for translations

5th grade readability

DAIS requires that all digital content for the public be written in plain language. Content on SF.gov should ideally be written at or below a 5th grade reading level. This makes SF.gov equitable and easy to use.

We encourage you to bring your content to a 5th grade reading level before requesting translations. We make exceptions to this rule, but we ask that you use the Hemingway Editor to determine your content's reading level and improve the score as much as possible. This helps with:

Accuracy

We’ve found that higher reading levels lead to less accurate translations. If the English content is difficult to understand, they are more likely to be misinterpreted. This could then lead to inaccurate translations. Using plain language helps ensure accuracy.

Accessibility

The City has committed to provide information for the public in plain language. So everything on SF.gov, unless it’s legal content or specifically for experts, should be in plain language.

Readability and grade level

Readability scores tell you how easy or difficult it is to read something.

For SF.gov content, we use the Hemingway Editor to determine the “grade level” of your text. This “grade level” reflects the lowest education needed to understand that text. MSWord also shows readability scores in documents. This is a great tool for gauging whether or not your page uses plain language.

Get help

We're happy to work with you on using plain language for your content.

• We've got office hours Monday through Friday. Book a 30 minute slot in advance online.

• You can also get help on Teams or email us at [e-mail]