To overcome some of the difficulties, there are a few rules of thumb:

• The first obvious step is to make our language as simple as possible. Don't use a long word where a shorter one will do. Where an unfamiliar or technical word is necessary or particularly useful, define it clearly the first time you use it.
• Over-elaborate sentence structure can be even more confusing for a foreign-language reader than advanced vocabulary. Try to break up longer complex sentences into shorter simple ones. For example,

Margie was in a very good mood because she had found a job that was much better than her previous job, because the boss was more supportive and in addition she was going to get a higher salary.

could be changed to:

Margie was in very good mood. She had found a job that was much better than her previous job. The boss was more supportive, and she would get a higher salary.

• Where possible, avoid using the passive voice – rather use the structurally simpler active voice. For example:

Jeremy's favorite jersey was destroyed by moths.

could rather be phrased:

Moths destroyed Jeremy's favorite jersey.

• Also watch out for English idioms and colloquialisms. In this tutorial, “rules of thumb” and even “watch out for” could cause confusion. The writer could replace such terms with more literal alternatives, for example “useful rules to remember” and “be careful about”.
• Illustrations or diagrams can help to make your meaning clearer, and can supplement or even replace text. (Of course, this is not appropriate in some documents, like letters.)
• Be careful of culture-specific references if you are writing for a foreign readership – for example, not everybody is familiar with the intricacies of the British political system, nor do all audiences understand the rules of baseball.

Remember: making your language clear and simple doesn't mean talking down to your audience. Don't write as if you are talking to stupid people or children. If your thinking is clear and your ideas sound, you should be able to make your point using language that is accessible to a global audience.

What would you do with these sentences to tailor them to a second-language English audience?

1. Living in the city, one finds it disadvantageous to own a motor vehicle owing to the extreme stress of traffic congestion.
2. I'm at my wit's end looking for that sock; it's like looking for a needle in a haystack.
3. In the event of fire, call the fire brigade before using the fire extinguisher – which is conveniently placed next to the telephones – and make sure that other employees are aware of which exit to use if they are panicking.

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