Jeanette Muscat,
Little pink typewriter / FIELD Engineers

Document name

Sentence from Case Study: Dragline failure investigation and redesign significantly improves design life

Original sentence

This led to an understanding that the cross-bracing assembly is being excited by an external influence and resonating back and forwards at its nature harmonic frequency.

Rewritten sentence

The modelling suggested an external influence was causing vibration on the cross-bracing assembly.

Judges’ comments

The judges praised how the writer transformed a complex technical sentence into clear, accessible language. The sentence was cut from 26 words to just 13 words—halving its length while preserving meaning.

The rewrite replaced technical language with everyday words that made immediate sense. The phrase ‘being excited by an external influence and resonating back and forwards at its nature harmonic frequency’ became the simpler ‘an external influence was causing vibration’. Judges noted this change enhanced both structure and meaning.

Judges highlighted several strong editing techniques. The writer replaced a vague pronoun with a concrete subject and swapped a nominalisation for a simple verb. This made the sentence shorter, snappier and clearer.

The change between the original and rewrite was described as ‘vast’. The wording remained appropriate for the technical audience while being far more accessible.

Media statement

Perth-based copywriting and editing business Little pink typewriter is tap, tap, tappity excited to announce it has been named a finalist in the 2025 Plain Language Awards.

As a freelance writer who works primarily with technical industry businesses, Jeanette Muscat, copywriter / editor and owner of Little pink typewriter, employs plain language tactics in her writing projects to ensure her clients’ communications are clear, and showcase their expertise.

Entering the Sentence Transformation category, Jeanette transformed a clunky sentence from her client (FIELD Engineers)’s case study into a clear, straight-to-the-point sentence.

Jeanette said, “Working with technical industry businesses, such as engineering consultancies, it’s important to retain the technical information, so it’s not about chopping out all ‘the big words’.

The challenge is in simplifying the language without losing its meaning. In fact, the goal is to make it clear while showcasing that technical, complex expertise.”

On being announced as a finalist, Jeanette said, “I’m so excited to be a finalist because I’m always writing award submissions for clients, and hadn’t even thought of entering one for our profession.

So I was happy to be participating, regardless of the outcome.

The Plain Language Awards are such a great opportunity to showcase the work writers / editors / plain language specialists do every day to support their company, clients or the public.”

Organised by the not-for-profit WriteMark Plain English Awards Trust, the annual Plain Language Awards recognise plain language champions in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia.

Finalists and award winners will be celebrated at a ceremony at Parliament in Wellington on 30 October.

Jeanette Muscat
Little pink typewriter