Goal: Help writers use relevant examples and analogies to make complex or abstract ideas easier for readers to understand.
Examples and analogies are powerful tools to make your message easier to understand. They help readers connect new information to things they already know.
An example shows how something works in a real or simple situation.
For instance, if you’re explaining how to recycle, you might say:
“Put clean paper, for example newspapers or notebooks, in the blue bin.”
An analogy compares something new to something familiar.
For example, explaining how the heart works by saying:
“The heart is like a pump. It pushes blood around your body like a pump moves water through pipes.”
These tools make abstract or difficult ideas more concrete. But be careful: the examples must match your reader’s world. A farming example might confuse a city reader, and a football example might not work for someone who doesn’t like sports.
Use simple, familiar comparisons. This helps readers feel more confident and makes learning easier.