How you should write for GOV.WALES.
A
A* A*s
The top grade in GCSEs and A levels. Use the symbol * not the word ‘star’. No apostrophe in the plural.
A level
No hyphen. Lower case level.
Abbreviations and acronyms
The first time you use an abbreviation or acronym explain it in full on each page unless it’s well known, like UK, NHS or BBC. This includes government departments or schemes. Then refer to it by initials.
Do not use full stops in abbreviations: NHS, not N.H.S.
Do not use an acronym if you’re not going to use it again later in the text.
Able-bodied
Do not use this. Use non-disabled.
act, act of Senedd Cymru
Lower case. Only use upper case when using the full title: Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Act 2017, for example.
Active voice
Use the active rather than passive voice.
Addressing the user
Address the user as ‘you’ where possible. Content on the site often makes a direct appeal to get involved or take action: ‘You can apply for a blue badge by contacting your local authority’, for example.
Adviser
For example, special adviser. Not advisor, but advisory is the correct adjective.
Ages
Do not use hyphens in ages unless to avoid confusion. It is best to write in a way that avoids ambiguity. For example, ‘a class of 15 16-year-old students took the A level course’ can be written as ‘15 students aged 16 took the A level course’.
Be clear who is included when using age groups. For example, 'everyone aged 11 and over' rather than 'over 10'.
Agile
Upper case when referring to the Agile Manifesto and principles and processes, otherwise use lower case.
Alternative formats
Alternative formats are usually published in addition to the primary version of content and include:
- video (for example used to present British Sign Language)
- audio
- Easy Read
When linking to alternative formats do not state any intended users, for example use:
- Millipede health action plan (British Sign Language)
Do not introduce the link by publishing statements similar to 'A British Sign Language video for people with hearing loss’.
Alternative languages
Use this to describe information published in languages other than English or Welsh.
Americanisms
Organise not organize. Exceptions include where it’s part of a specific name, for example ‘4th Mechanized Brigade’.
You ‘fill in’ a form, not ‘fill out’ a form.
Ampersand
Use 'and' rather than an '&' unless part of a brand name, for example HM Revenue & Customs.
animal health
Lower case.
Antisocial
No hyphen.
A-road
Hyphenated.
armed forces
Lower case.
Arm’s length body
Apostrophe, no hyphen.
B
Bacs (Bankers Automated Clearing System)
Acronym should come first as it’s more widely known than the full name. Please note that the acronym has changed to Bacs.
Backend
Used in a technical context, not 'back-end' or 'back end'.
BAME
Do not use this. Use Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic. For any subsequent references on the same page use ‘ethnic minority’ or ‘ethnic minority communities’.
Bank details
When adding bank details in content about paying a government body:
- use spaces rather than hyphens in sort codes - 60 70 80 (not 60-70-80)
- do not use spaces in account numbers - 10025634
Banned words
See words to avoid.
Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic
Use this. Do not use BAME. For any subsequent references on the same page use ‘ethnic minority’ or ‘ethnic minority communities’.
Blog post
Use 2 words when referring to an article published on a blog. A blog is the site on which a blog post is published.
Bold
Only use bold to refer to text from interfaces in technical documentation or instructions.
You can use bold to explain what field a user needs to fill in on a form, or what button they need to select. For example: 'Select Create content.'
Do not use bold in other situations, for example to emphasise text.
To emphasise words or phrases, you can:
- front-load sentences
- use headings
- use bullets
Brackets
Use (round brackets), not [square brackets]. The only acceptable use of square brackets is for explanatory notes in reported speech.
“Thank you [Foreign Minister] Mr Smith.”
Do not use round brackets to refer to something that could either be singular or plural, like ‘Check which document(s) you need to send to Rural Payments Wales’.
Always use the plural instead, as this will cover each possibility: ‘Check which documents you need to send to Rural Payments Wales’.
Brexit
Brexit has happened. Use transition period to refer to the time between 1 February and 31 December 2020.
Britain
BTEC National Diploma
Upper case.
Bullet points
Usually use bullet points between paragraphs of text and in this case:
- use a lead-in sentence and follow it with a colon (:)
- use lower-case at the start of each bullet
- do not use full stops within bullet points, where possible start another bullet point or use commas or semi-colons to expand on an item
- do not put a full stop, ‘or’, ‘and’, ‘;’ after the bullets
- ensure bullets make sense running on from the lead-in sentence
- do not use numbered bullets unless appropriate, for example the 7 core aims for children and young people
You may use bullet points immediately following a heading and in this case each bullet point:
- starts with a capital letter
- finishes with a full stop
- is short (no more than one sentence)
Bullets should normally form a complete sentence following from the lead text. But it’s sometimes necessary to add a short phrase to clarify whether all or some of the points apply. For example, ‘You can only register a pension scheme that is (one of the following):’
The number and type of examples in a list may lead the user to believe the list is exhaustive. This can be dealt with by:
- checking if there are other conditions (or if the list is actually complete)
- listing the conditions which apply to the most users and removing the rest
- consider broader terms in the list which capture more scenarios (and could make the list exhaustive)
- creating a journey to specialist content to cover the remaining conditions
business plan
Lower case. Do not use upper case even in the title of a business plan publication.
business statement
Lower case.
C
Capitals
Never use BLOCK CAPITALS for large amounts of text as it's difficult to read.
Capitalise:
- buildings
- place names
- brand names
- job titles, ministers’ role titles: Minister for Science and Skills
- the Earth (our planet), Planet Earth and Earth sciences
- faculties, departments, institutes and schools
- names of groups and directorates, for example Health and Social Services Group
- titles of specific acts or bills: Trade Union (Wales) Bill (but use ‘the act’ or ‘the bill’ after the first time you use the full act or bill title)
- names of specific, named government schemes well known to people outside, for example Right to Buy
Do not capitalise:
- government, see government
- minister, never Minister, unless part of a specific job title, like Minister for Science and Skills or referring to the Welsh Ministers as a group
- department or ministry never Department or Ministry, unless referring to a specific one: Ministry of Justice, for example
- page titles or the titles of publications only initial cap on first word and the entire title in single quote marks, for example ‘Implementing self-financing for council housing’ (unless it includes a phrase which should be capitalised for other reasons for example ‘Review of the Right to Buy scheme’)
- white paper, green paper, command paper
- group or directorate, unless referring to a specific group or directorate, for example Welfare Reform Task and Finish Group
- departmental board, executive board, the board
- policy themes, for example sustainable communities, local enterprise zones
care worker
Two words. Lower case.
Caveats
Do not let caveats dictate unwieldy grammar for example say 'you can' rather than 'you may be able to'.
chair of governors
Lower case.
CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System)
The acronym should come first as it’s more widely known than the full name.
Checkbox
Not 'check box'.
chief constable
Lower case except where it’s a title with the holder’s name, like Chief Constable Matt Jukes.
childcare
Lower case.
Childminder, childminding
One word.
Civil Service
Upper case.
civil servants
Lower case.
Classwork
One word.
Click
Do not use 'click' when talking about user interfaces because not all users click. Use 'select'.
coastguard
Lower case.
code of practice
Lower case.
Commercial software
Not 'third-party software'. Also use 'commercial' for types of software, for example 'commercial word processor'.
community council
Lower case except in a name: Pentyrch Community Council
community resilience
Lower case.
competence order
Lower case unless used in the full title, like the National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Social Welfare) Order 2008.
consultation responses
Lower case.
continuous improvement
Lower case.
Contractions
Use non-negative contractions, for example 'they've', 'we'll'. Avoid using 'should've', 'could've', 'would've' as these are hard to read.
Do not use negative contractions, for example don't and can't. Strong evidence shows users misread these and risk making the wrong decisions.
Co-operation
Hyphenated.
core standards
Lower case.
coronavirus (COVID-19)
Coronavirus is the type of virus that causes the illness COVID-19. There are several coronaviruses. This pandemic is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus which in some people causes the illness COVID-19.
Where you need to refer to it in the title, use ‘coronavirus (COVID-19)’ unless the title is over 65 characters. If the title is over 65 characters use only ‘COVID-19’. If you use only ‘COVID-19’ in the title consider using coronavirus in the summary, so together the title and summary mention both.
Use ‘coronavirus (COVID-19)’ in the text at first mention, then ‘COVID-19’ after that.
Coronavirus is lower case. Use ‘COVID-19’ capitalised as this is the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard.
Do not use ‘Covid-19’ with only the first letter capitalised or ‘covid-19’ lower case.
Council
Use 'local authority' to refer to councils.
Council Tax
Upper case.
county borough council
Lower case except in a name: Caerphilly County Borough Council
Coursework
One word.
credit unions
Lower case.
Cross-curricular learning
Hyphenated.
Curriculum for Wales
Upper case.
Curriculums
Not curricula.
customs union
Lower case. Only use upper case when part of the title of a specific customs union: the European Union Customs Union, for example.
Cyber bullying
Two words. Lower case.
D
Data
Treat as a singular noun: The data is stored on a secure server. Note that data is always plural in Welsh.
Data set
Not 'dataset'.
Dates and times
Use upper case for months: January, February.
Do not use a comma between the month and year: 14 June 2012.
We use ‘to’ in date ranges not hyphens, en rules or em dashes. For example:
- tax year 2011 to 2012
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (put different days on a new line, do not separate with a comma)
- 10 November to 21 December
Do not use quarter for dates, use the months: ‘department expenses, January to March 2013’.
Midnight is the first minute of the day, not the last. You should consider using '11:59pm' to avoid confusion about a single, specific time. For example, 'you must register by 11:59pm on Tuesday 14 June' can only be read 1 way. But 'you must register by midnight on Tuesday 14 June' can be read in 2 ways (the end of Monday 13, or end of Tuesday 14).
When referring to today (as in a news article) include the date: ‘The minister announced today (14 June 2012) that…’
Always explain what your date range represents, for example ‘tax year 2013 to 2014’ or ‘September 2013 to July 2014’. Date ranges can be the academic year, calendar year or tax year. This is why date ranges must be very clear.
Deaf
Upper case, refers to people who use British Sign Language as their first or preferred language. It is also a cultural definition for people who are part of the Deaf community.
deaf
Lower case, as deaf can describe or identify anyone who has any form of hearing loss.
department
Lower case except when in the title: the Department of Work and Pensions.
deputy permanent secretary
Lower case in text. Upper case in titles: Owen Evans, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Education and Public Services.
devolved administrations
Lower case.
diploma
Lower case unless part of a title like Edexcel L2 Diploma in IT.
Direct Debit
Upper case.
Direct Debit Instruction
Upper case.
director
Lower case in text. Upper case in titles
director general
Lower case. No hyphen.
Disability
The things which society, the environment, or policy do to a person with an impairment which disadvantages them.
Disabled people or disabled person
Use these. Do not use people with a disability or person with a disability.
Discretionary Assistance Fund
Upper case
E
early years
Lower case.
the Earth
Upper case for the Earth, Planet Earth and Earth sciences, with lower case for ‘the’.
Eco-schools
Hyphenated.
eg, etc and ie
eg can sometimes be read aloud as ‘egg’ by screen reading software. Instead use ‘for example’ or ‘such as’ or ‘like’ or ‘including’ whichever works best in the specific context.
etc can usually be avoided. Try using ‘for example’ or ‘such as’ or ‘like’ or ‘including’. Never use etc at the end of a list starting with these words.
ie used to clarify a sentence is not always well understood. Try (re)writing sentences to avoid the need to use it. If that is not possible, use an alternative such as ‘meaning’ or ‘that is’.
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
Upper case
One word.
Email addresses
Write email addresses in full, in lower case and as active links. Do not have any other words in the link, including labels like this:
- email: name@domain.gov.uk
You should not publish personal email addresses, instead use a generic mailbox.
emergency plan
Lower case.
Estyn judgements
Lower case and not in inverted commas: Olchfa School was judged excellent in its latest Estyn inspection.
There are 4 Estyn grades:
- excellent: very strong, sustained performance and practice
- good: strong features, although minor aspects may require improvement
- adequate and needs improvement: strengths outweigh weaknesses, but important aspects require improvement
- unsatisfactory and needs urgent improvement: important weaknesses outweigh strengths
European Commission
Leave unabbreviated to distinguish from the European Community. Write out in full at first mention, then call it the Commission.
European Economic Area (EEA)
Avoid using as it is not widely understood. Say ‘the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein’.
When rules covering the EEA also cover Switzerland, say ‘the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein’.
European Union vs European Community
Use EU when you mean EU member states: EU countries, EU businesses, EU consumers, goods exported from the EU, EU VAT numbers.
EC should be used when it’s EC directives, EC Sales List.
euros, the euro
Lower case.
Excel
Upper case because Excel is a brand name.
executive director
Lower case in text. Upper case in titles
Extended Project Qualification
Upper case.
Extra-curricular
Hyphenated
F
FAQs
You should avoid using FAQs on GOV.WALES. If you write content by starting with user needs, you will not need to use FAQs.
finance and procurement
Lower case.
Fine
Use ‘fine’ instead of ‘financial penalty’.
For example, 'You’ll pay a £50 fine'.
For other types of sanction, say what will happen to the user - you’ll get points on your licence, go to court and so on. Only say ‘civil penalty’ if there’s evidence users are searching for the term.
Describe what the user might need to do, rather than what government calls a thing.
fire and rescue service
Lower case.
Fixed-term exclusions
Hyphenated.
foot and mouth disease
Lower case.
Footnotes
First, check if you can avoid creating a bookmark for a footnote. For example:
- since Storm Dennis hit Wales in February 2020, the Welsh Government has provided more than £194 million to help with the risk of flooding. [footnote 1]
It may be possible to link inline and remove the footnote:
- since Storm Dennis hit Wales in February 2020, the Welsh Government has provided more than £194 million to help with the risk of flooding
If a footnote is essential in text:
- in the main content add the word ‘footnote’ (‘troednodyn’ in Welsh) and the number in square brackets using superscript, for example [footnote 1]
- group all footnotes (except in tables or charts) together under a heading ‘Footnotes’ ('Troednodiadau' in Welsh) at the end of the page
- use normal text for footnotes and add the footnote number in square brackets at the beginning, for example [1]
- link from the main content, for example [footnote 1], to the footnote text (only link the word footnote and the number)
- if a footnote is referenced only once, create an anchor link from the footnote number (for example [1]) back to the footnote in the main content
If a footnote is essential in tables or charts:
- do not use the word ‘footnote’ in the main content, just the number in square brackets using superscript
- footnote text should appear below the relevant chart or table
Foreign languages
Do not use this to describe information published in languages other than English or Welsh, instead use ‘alternative languages’.
foundation degrees
Lower case.
foundation schools
Lower case.
foundation phase
Lower case.
Freedom of Information
You can make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, but not a request under the FOI Act.
Frontend
Not 'front-end' or 'front end'.
free school meals
Lower case.
further education (FE)
Lower case.
G
gamebird
No hyphen or space between words.
GCSE, GCSEs
No full stops between the initials. No apostrophe in the plural.
general election
Lower case, but upper case if referring to a specific election. For example, the 2019 General Election.
Geography and regions
Compass directions are all in lowercase: north Wales, south Wales.
The same applies to geopolitical regions: the west, western Europe, the far east, south-east Asia.
Note the following: Middle East, Central America, North America, South America, Latin America.
You can use a capital for a shortened version of a specific area or region if it’s commonly known by that name, for example ‘the Gulf’ for the Persian Gulf. If it’s not in common use in the media use lowercase, for example ‘the strait’ for ‘the Strait of Hormuz’.
Great Britain refers only to England, Scotland and Wales excluding Northern Ireland.
If you are telling users about multiple areas, use: ‘England, Scotland and Wales’.
Use UK and United Kingdom in preference to Britain and British (UK business, UK foreign policy, ambassador and high commissioner). Note British embassy, not UK embassy.
Governing body
Singular noun. The governing body is meeting today. It will decide who to appoint.
government
Lower case unless it’s part of a name. For example: ‘UK government’, but ‘His Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’.
‘Welsh Government’ as this is the organisation’s name.
government offices
Lower case.
government procurement card
Lower case.
governor
Lower case.
Green Paper
Upper case.
Group
Upper case for names of groups, directorates and organisations: Housing Information Group
Lower case when a group has a very generic title like working group or research team.
guidance
Lower case: Welsh language terminology guidance.
Gypsies
Upper case because Gypsies are an ethnic group protected under the Equalities Act 2010.
H
harbour authority
Lower case unless part of a proper noun: Cardiff Harbour Authority.
harbour master
Lower case.
Headings
Headings should be a few words of helpful, descriptive text which aid page scanning. Try and use at least 1 heading every 2 paragraphs to help visitors distinguish which blocks of text are for them as they scan a page. Only initial cap on the first word.
Use the appropriate heading style for each heading.
Do not be afraid to be creative to make sure you convey what’s in the text below although avoid presenting headings as questions. 'Who can apply' not 'Who can apply?'
Headteacher
One word. You can use head if the context is clear.
health protection team
Lower case unless it’s the title of an organisation: North Wales Health Protection Office.
Hidden disability
Do not use this. Use invisible impairment.
higher education (HE)
Lower case.
Hyphenation
Hyphenate:
- re + word starting with ‘e’, for example re–elect
- co-ordinate.
Do not hyphenate:
- reuse
- reorder
- reopen
- antisocial
Do not use a hyphen unless it’s confusing without it, for example, a little used-car is different from a little-used car.
Use ‘to’ for ranges, not hyphens. For example, use '18 to 20 years old’.
I
Impairment
The thing about a person which is different.
Impairment and disability do not mean the same thing.
implementation period
Always lower case.
individual development plan
Lower case.
individual education plan
Lower case.
initial teacher education
Lower case.
INSET day
Upper case.
International Baccalaureate
Upper case.
internet
Lower case.
Invisible impairment
Use this. Do not use hidden disability.
Italics
Do not use italics. Use single quotation marks if referring to a document, scheme or initiative.
J
Jargon
Avoid unnecessary jargon, legalistic prose, unexplained abbreviations or acronyms, rarely used Latin terms (for example inter alia, ad hoc, ibid).
We lose trust from our users if we write government buzzwords and jargon. Often, these words are too general and vague and can lead to misinterpretation or empty, meaningless text. We need to be concrete, use plain English and be very clear about what we are doing.
There is more advice on jargon and when and how to avoid it when translating text into Welsh in the BydTermCymru Arddulliadur.
Job titles
Specific job titles and ministers’ role titles are upper case: Minister for Science and Skills.
Generic job titles and ministers’ role titles are lower case: director, minister.
K
Key Stage
Upper case and numeral: Key Stage 4.
The King
Upper case.
L
law
Lower case even when it’s ‘the law’.
lateral flow test (LFT)
Lower case, but use upper case for the acronym. Do not use lateral flow device test, or LFD test.
legal aid
Lower case.
Legal language
Legal content can still be written in plain English. It’s important that users understand content and that we present complicated information simply.
If you’re talking about a legal requirement, use ‘must’. For example, ‘your employer must pay you the National Minimum Wage (NMW)’.
If you feel that ‘must’ does not have enough emphasis, then use ‘legal requirement’, ‘legally entitled’ or similar. For example: ‘Once your child is registered at school, you’re legally responsible for making sure they attend regularly’.
When deciding whether to use ‘must’ or ‘legally entitled’ or similar, consider how important it is for us to talk about the legal aspect, as well as the overall tone of voice.
If a requirement is legal, but administrative, or part of a process that will not have criminal repercussions, then use: ‘need to’. For example: ‘You will need to provide copies of your marriage certificate’.
This may be a legal requirement, but not completing it would just stop the person from moving on to the next stage of a process, rather than committing a more serious offence.
legislative competence order
Upper case if used as the full title: the National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Social Welfare) Order 2008.
Lower case otherwise: the legislative competence orders (LCOs) are approved, rejected or withdrawn.
Life cycle
Not 'lifecycle' or 'life-cycle'.
Links
Front-load your link text with the relevant terms and make them active and specific. Always link to online services first. Offer offline alternatives afterwards, when possible.
See:
Lists
Lists should be bulleted to make them easier to read.
Very long lists can be written as a paragraph with a lead-in sentence if it looks better: ‘The following countries are in the EU: Spain, France, Italy…’
local authority
Lower case. Do not use LA.
Use local authority, instead of local council where possible.
local council
Lower case.
Use local authority instead of local council where possible.
Looked-after children
Do not use this. Use children looked after.
Lottery
Always use the National Lottery if that’s what you mean.
M
Maths content
Use a minus sign for negative numbers: –6
Ratios have no space either side of the colon: 5:12
One space each side of symbols: +, –, ×, ÷ and = (so: 2 + 2 = 4)
Use the minus sign for subtraction. Use the correct symbol for the multiplication sign (×), not the letter x. You can find the multiplication sign in Word by going to Insert>Symbol.
Write out and hyphenate fractions: two-thirds, three-quarters.
Write out decimal fractions as numerals. Use the same number format for a sequence: 0.75 and 0.45
See numbers.
Measurements
Use numerals and spell out measurements at first mention:
- 4 metres
- 10 kilometres per hour
Do not use a space between the numeral and abbreviated measurement: 3,500kg not 3,500 kg.
Abbreviating kilograms to kg is fine - you do not need to spell it out.
If the measurement is more than one word, for example ‘kilometres per hour’ then spell it out the first time it is used with the abbreviation. From then on, abbreviate. If it is only mentioned once, do not abbreviate.
Use Celsius for temperature, for example 37°C.
See numbers.
Member of the Senedd (MS)
Capital letters. Formerly Assembly Member (AM).
member states of the EU
Lower case.
memorandum of understanding
Lower case.
Metaphors
See words to avoid.
military
Lower case.
Millions
Always use million in money (and billion): £138 million.
Use millions in phrases: millions of people.
But do not use £0.xx million for amounts less than £1 million.
Do not abbreviate million to m.
minister
Use upper case for the full title, like Minister for Economy and Transport, or when used with a name, as a title, like Education Minister Kirsty Williams.
When used without the name, shortened titles are lower case: The health and social services minister welcomed the research team.
Mixed-sex schools
Hyphenated.
modern foreign languages
Lower case.
Money
Use the £ symbol: £75
Do not use decimals unless pence are included: £75.50 but not £75.00
Do not use £0.xx million for amounts less than £1 million.
Write out pence in full: calls will cost 4 pence per minute from a landline.
Months
See dates and times.
MP
Do not use Member of Parliament, just MP.
Multidisciplinary
One word.
Multi-ethnic
Hyphenated.
multisport
No hyphen or space between words.
Multi-year funding
Hyphenated.
Multilingual
One word.
N
N/A
Separate with a slash. Only use in tables.
national
Lower case.
Refers to Wales. If a policy area, such as justice, covers England and Wales, it should always be referred to as ‘England and Wales’. Any policy area, for example welfare and defence, which covers the whole of the UK, should be referred to as UK policy, a UK-wide issue or UK government policy.
National Adoption Service
Upper case
National Assembly for Wales
See Welsh Parliament.
national curriculum
Lower case.
national reading and numeracy test results
Lower case
National Insurance
Upper case. But following words are lower case, for example National Insurance number.
national pupil database
Lower case.
newly qualified teacher
Lower case.
Non-disabled
Use this. Do not use able-bodied.
non-executive director
Lower case in text, upper case in titles:[name], Non-executive Director,[department or organisation].
Numbers
Write all numbers in numerals (including 2 to 9).
Do not use numerals when it’s part of a common expression like ‘one or two of them’.
Try to avoid using numbers at the start of a sentence. You may be able to do this by changing the order. For example:
2020 was the hottest year on record.
becomes
The year 2020 was the hottest on record.
If you have to use a number to start a sentence, write it out in full (Thirty-four, for example). You should only use numerals at the beginning of a title or subheading.
Use ‘one’ unless:
- you’re talking about a step or point in a list, for example ‘in point 1 of the design instructions’
- the numeral makes more sense, for example when comparing numbers such as ‘1 person in every 13’
For numerals over 999 insert a comma for clarity. Do not abbreviate thousand to K. For example use ‘it was over 9,000’.
Use a % sign for percentages, so 50%.
Use ‘500 to 900’ and not ‘500–900’.
Spell out common fractions like one-half.
Use a ‘0’ where there’s no digit before the decimal point.
Use ‘to’ in address ranges: 49 to 53 Cherry Street.
See measurements.
See ordinal numbers.
See maths content.
nursery school
Lower case.
O
Obliques (slashes)
The / symbol is usually used to show ‘or’ or ‘and’. Use the correct ‘or’ or ‘and’ instead of the slash to avoid confusion.
If a slash is needed to separate:
- 2 single words then do not use spaces either side of the slash, for example 'parents/carers'
- more than 2 single words then use spaces either side of the slash, for example 'Rydym yn croesawu galwadau yn Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh'
One-year-on
If used adjectivally, hyphenate and use one rather than 1. See numbers.
Online
One word.
online services
Lower case if the service name starts with a verb – write the sentence so the user knows what action they can take. For example: You can apply for planning permission online.
Only use upper case if the name of the service you’re referring to contains a named thing. For example: You can apply for Museum Accreditation online.
Guidance on how to name your service or tool on GOV.WALES.
open source software
Lower case. Not 'Open Source software' or 'OS software'.
opposition
Lower case even for the opposition and opposition leader.
Or
Do not use slashes instead of 'or'. For example, 'Do this 3/4 times'.
oral statement
Lower case.
order
Lower case unless used as the full title: Standing Order 22.
Ordinal numbers
Spell out first to ninth. After that use 10th, 11th and so on.
In tables, use numerals throughout. See numbers.
Organisations
All organisations are singular: The government has decided to sell assets.
Use the singular verb form when referring to organisations by name. Use ‘they’ when replacing an organisation name with a pronoun.
The definite article can be used when referring to the organisation by its full name, but should not be used with the organisation’s acronym: ‘You should contact the Care Inspectorate Wales if…’ but ‘You should contact CIW if…’
P
Parliament
Upper case.
pathfinder
Lower case.
Upper case. No need to explain the acronym.
Penalty
See fine.
People with a disability or person with a disability
Do not use. In most contexts use disabled people or disabled person. If your context means that you are referring to people with impairments then use impairments. For example “people with impairments are disabled by barriers in society”.
Per cent
Use per cent not percent. Percentage is one word. Always use % with a number. See numbers.
performance management
Lower case
Physical education or PE
You can write in full or use the initials.
plain English
Lower case plain and upper case English unless in a name, for example the Plain English Campaign.
Use plain English, it’s easier for users to read and understand.
Do not use formal or long words when easy or short ones will do. Use ‘buy’ instead of ‘purchase’, ‘help’ instead of ‘assist’, and ‘about’ instead of ‘approximately’. Also use shorter sentences.
We also lose trust from people if we write government buzzwords and jargon. Often, these words are too general and vague and can lead to misinterpretation or meaningless text.
We use Hemingway Editor to help us write clearly, and make sure there are no ‘very hard to read’ sentences in the text. Do not paste sensitive unpublished information into Hemingway, it is a security risk. Use the Flesch-Kincaid reading level tool (on Microsoft) instead.
Planet Earth
Upper case.
police
Lower case, even when referring to ‘the police’.
police service
Lower case. Note that police force is usually avoided.
policy statement
Lower case.
Pre-school
Hyphenated.
Prime Minister
Use Prime Minister [name] and the Prime Minister.
Proforma
Do not use proforma - say what it is in plain English: a template or form, for example. Be specific about what to do with it.
programme
Lower case: Building for the future programme, Innovative housing programme.
public health
Lower case.
public sector
Lower case.
Pupil Development Grant
Upper case
pupil referral unit
Lower case.
Q
qualified teacher status
Lower case.
The Queen
Upper case.
Quotes and speech marks
In long passages of speech, open quotes for every new paragraph, but close quotes only at the end of the final paragraph.
Use single quotes:
- in headlines
- for links
- for unusual terms
- when referring to words or publications, for example 'View 'understanding Capital Gains Tax'.'
Use double quotes in body text for direct quotations.
Use the block quote markup for quotes longer than a few sentences.
R
religious education
Lower case.
resilience
Lower case.
Roma
Upper case because Roma are an ethnic group protected under the Equalities Act 2010.
Rt Hon
No full stops.
S
school admissions code
Lower case.
school development plan
Lower case.
Scientific names
Capitalise the first letter of the first part of the scientific name. Do not use italics.
Seasons
Spring, summer, autumn, winter are lower case.
Semicolons
Avoid semicolons as they are often mis-read. Long sentences using semicolons should be broken up into separate sentences instead.
Self-employment
Hyphenate this noun.
self-manage
Hyphenated. Used in relation to work or a medical condition.
Sentence length
Do not use long sentences. Keep average sentence length 20 words or fewer.
Service children
Recognised term for children whose parents serve in the armed forces.
Services
Lower case, even when referring to the armed forces services or the services.
Sign in or log in
Use sign in rather than log in (verb) for calls-to-action where users enter their details to access a service.
Do not use login as a noun - say what the user actually needs to enter (like username, password, National Insurance number).
sixth form
Lower case. Not hyphenated
Sixth former
Not hyphenated.
sixth-form college
Hyphenated. Lower case.
SMEs
This acronym means small and medium-sized enterprises. Use SME for the singular.
Social model of disability
Says that society, the environment, policy and practice can all disable people by creating barriers. It is Welsh Government policy to use the social model of disability in language and practice.
See:
- impairment
- disability
- hidden disability
- invisible impairment
- non-disabled
- able-bodied
- special needs
- vulnerable
Spaces
One space after a full stop, not 2.
special educational needs or special educational needs and disabilities (SEN/D)
Lower case, but use upper case for the acronym.
special measures
Lower case.
Special needs
Do not use. Use additional learning needs or access requirements, depending on context.
strategy
Lower case. Do not capitalise a named strategy: transport strategy.
standing order
Lower case unless used as the full title: Standing Order 22.
Subdomain
Not 'sub domain' or 'sub-domain'.
Summaries
See summaries.
summary of consultation responses
All lower case.
summer school
Lower case.
T
Tables
When to use tables and how to make them accessible.
Team
Lower case: youth offending team, Behavioural Insights team.
teamwork
Lower case. One word.
Technical terms
Use technical terms where you need to. They’re not jargon. You just need to explain what they mean the first time you use them.
Telephone numbers
Use ‘Telephone: 011 111 111’ or ‘Mobile:’ not ‘Mob:’.
Use spaces between city and local exchange. Here are the different formats to use:
- 01273 800 900
- 029 2087 2087
- 0800 890 567
- 07771 900 900
- 077718 300 300
- +44 (0)29 2087 2087
- +39 1 33 45 70 90
When a number has been chosen to be memorable, group the numbers into easily remembered units, for example 0800 80 70 60.
Tell users calls are welcomed in Welsh. When the number forms part of a paragraph add the following text in brackets, do not use brackets if the number is outside a paragraph:
- When a number is for a service directly provided by the Welsh Government:
- English language page add ‘Rydym yn croesawu galwadau yn Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.’
- Welsh language page add ‘Rydym yn croesawu galwadau yn Gymraeg.'
- When a number is for a service funded by or provided on behalf of Welsh Government:
- English language page add ‘Croesawir galwadau yn Gymraeg / Calls are welcomed in Welsh.'
- Welsh language page add ‘Croesawir galwadau yn Gymraeg’
For example, see contact the Welsh Government.
Temperature
Use Celsius: 37°C
Test, Trace, Protect (TTP)
Upper case, with commas. Write in full: NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect (TTP).
Titles
Page titles should:
- be 65 characters or less
- be unique, clear and descriptive
- be front-loaded and optimised for search
- consider using a colon
- not contain dashes or slashes
- not have a full stop at the end
- not use acronyms unless they are well-known, like EU
- be sentence case
Document (file) titles should:
- be the formal title of the document
- not have a full stop at the end
- be sentence case
Follow the more detailed guidance in content types > publications.
town council
Lower case, except when part of a name: Brecon Town Council.
Trade marks
Avoid using trademarked names where possible - so tablet not iPad.
Trade mark is 2 words but trademarked is one word.
Trading Standards
Upper case.
transition period
The period of time between 1 February and 31 December 2020 during which the UK and EU are negotiating their future relationship. Not transition phase, implementation phase or implementation period.
On the relationship with the EU, use ‘negotiations on the future relationship with the EU'.
Lower case.
Travellers
Some Travellers, including Irish and Scottish, are ethnic groups protected by the Equalities Act 2010.
Twitter account
Upper case. Twitter is a trademarked name.
U
UK government
Never HM government.
unique pupil number
Lower case.
URL
Upper case. No need to explain the acronym.
user ID
Lower case ‘user’.
User interfaces
Guidance on creating clear and easily understood content for GOV.WALES services and tools.
Username
Not 'user name'
V
VPN
Upper case. No need to explain the acronym. When describing a VPN that is always on, write it like this: ‘always-on’ VPN. Note the single quotes and hyphen.
Vulnerable
Do not use to refer to disabled people. Anyone can become vulnerable for different reasons at different times in their lives. Disabled people are often described as vulnerable and this is often wrong and does nothing to promote equality.
W
Wales'
For Wales in the possessive use Wales’.
Wales Adoption Register
Upper case.
Wales Resilience Forum (and Local Resilience Forum)
Upper case
Webchat
One word. Not ‘web chat’.
Webpage
One word.
Web server
Not 'webserver'.
Wellbeing
One word. But use ‘Well-being’ when referring to the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.
Welsh Assembly
Do not use Welsh Assembly.
The 2 organisations are the Welsh Government and Welsh Parliament.
Welsh Baccalaureate
Can be shortened to Welsh Bacc. Full title is Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification (WBQ). Upper case.
Welsh Government
Use Welsh Government. Do not use Welsh Assembly.
Welsh language style guide
The Welsh version of this style guide is different, as some aspects are relevant to one language but not the other. Use the English style guide when writing in English and the Welsh when writing in Welsh.
Welsh National Tests
Upper case.
White Paper
Upper case.
Welsh Parliament
From 6 May 2020, National Assembly for Wales is known as Welsh Parliament or Senedd Cymru.
Word
Upper case when referring to the Microsoft product as it’s a brand name.
Words to avoid
We use plain English on GOV.WALES, so please avoid using these words:
- agenda (unless it’s for a meeting)
- advancing
- collaborate (use working with)
- combating
- commit or pledge (we need to be more specific - we’re either doing something or we’re not)
- countering
- deliver, use ‘make’, ‘create’, ‘provide’ or a more specific term (pizzas, post and services are delivered - not abstract concepts like improvements or priorities)
- deploy (unless it’s military or software)
- dialogue (we speak to people)
- disincentivise (and incentivise)
- empower
- facilitate (instead, say something specific about how you’re helping)
- focusing
- foster (unless it’s children)
- impact (do not use this as a synonym for have an effect on, or influence)
- initiate
- key (unless it unlocks something. A subject or thing is not key - it’s probably important)
- land (as a verb only use if you’re talking about aircraft)
- leverage (unless in the financial or mechanical sense)
- liaise
- overarching
- progress (as a verb - what are you actually doing?)
- promote (unless you’re talking about an ad campaign or some other marketing promotion)
- robust
- slimming down (processes do not diet)
- streamline
- strengthening (unless it’s strengthening bridges or other structures)
- tackling (unless it’s rugby, football or some other sport)
- transforming (what are you actually doing to change it?)
- utilise
Avoid using metaphors, they do not say what you actually mean and lead to slower comprehension of your content. For example:
- drive (you can only drive vehicles, not schemes or people)
- drive out (unless it’s cattle)
- going forward (it’s unlikely we are giving travel directions)
- in order to (superfluous - do not use it)
- one-stop shop (we are government, not a retail outlet)
- ring fencing
With all of these words you can generally replace them by breaking the term into what you’re actually doing. Be open and specific.
There is more advice on jargon and when and how to avoid it when translating text into Welsh in the BydTermCymru Arddulliadur.
World War 1, World War 2
Upper case and numbers.
written statement
Lower case.
X
Y
Yr arddulliadur
Welsh language style and language guide for Welsh Government translators, and for third party translators for Welsh Government. You should use the arddulliadur along with this style guide when writing in Welsh for GOV.WALES.
Z
Zero-hours contract
Not 'zero-hour contract' or 'zero hours contract'.