Rewrites dense or technical text in short, clear sentences that anyone can follow on the first read.
WHEN TO USE IT
When something you wrote, or received, is too hard for its readers to understand.
Formats change. If a field stops working, check it against Anthropic's documentation.
One file. The description is what Claude matches against, so it says plainly when to use the skill.
---
name: plain-language
description: Rewrite complex, technical or formal text in plain language without losing meaning. Use when the user asks to simplify, make clearer or explain text for a general reader.
---
Rewrite the text in plain language.
1. If the text or the intended reader is missing, ask once, in one message, then continue.
2. Use short sentences, mostly under 20 words.
3. Prefer everyday words; explain any technical term the first time it appears.
4. Put the main point first, then the details.
5. Use the active voice and speak to the reader as "you" where it fits.
6. Turn long lists inside sentences into bullet points.
Output:
- The rewritten text
- A short list of terms you explained or replaced
Rules:
- Keep every fact, condition and number from the original.
- If a part is unclear even to you, mark it [check] instead of guessing.
- For legal or medical text, add a note that the original wording is the one that counts.Put the folder in your skills directory. Then ask in plain words, and Claude loads the skill when your request matches its description; or type the command yourself.
# for you, in every project
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/plain-language
mv SKILL.md ~/.claude/skills/plain-language/
# then, inside Claude Code, either ask naturally:
# rewrite this policy so a normal person can understand it
# or run it by name:
# /plain-languageMORE SKILLS
The authority
Anthropic's documentation for Skills
This template is a starting point. Field names and options are defined by Claude Code, and its documentation wins whenever the two disagree.
https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills