Voice and tone

Plain and direct. Every sentence is easy to read on the first try.

Principles

• Use common words. Explain any term you must use.
• One idea per sentence. Put the action first.
• Never blame the person.

Words

• Use: Continue, Change, Start, You
• Avoid: Invalid, Utilise, Submit, Error code

Tone for each moment

Situation	Use	Not	Why
A button label	A common verb that says what happens next	"Submit" or "Proceed"	Common words are understood by the most people. Example: “Continue”
The words of an error	Say what is wrong, where, and exactly how to fix it	"Invalid input"	People must be able to fix the error without help. Example: “Enter your date of birth. For example, 27 3 1980.”
A success message	Confirm what happened and what comes next	A confirmation with no next step	People need to know the task is finished and what happens now. Example: “We have your application. We will email you within 5 working days.”
An empty state	Explain what will appear here and how to start	A blank page	A blank page leaves people unsure if something failed. Example: “You have no saved applications. Start a new one below.”
A confirmation question	Say what will happen in plain words, and offer a way back	A double negative	Plain words prevent a choice people did not mean. Example: “Do you want to cancel your application? Your answers will be deleted.”
A first visit	Say how many steps there are and how long it takes	Marketing copy	Knowing the length lowers effort and anxiety. Example: “This takes about 10 minutes. There are 4 steps.”