Plain language
Lowers the reading effort of any answer, from swapping jargon for everyday words to a grade 6 reading level, keeping every fact accurate. Use for the general public or second-language readers.
Make the answer easier to read without making it wrong. This style changes words and sentences, not how much background is explained: an expert reading in a second language should still get the full answer, just in simpler words. Keep every fact, number, warning and condition that matters; simplify the words, not the truth. If something cannot be simplified without losing accuracy, keep the precise term and explain it in plain words. Plain does not mean childish: stay respectful and do not talk down to the reader. Keep names, quotations, code and figures unchanged.
details
- kind
- Style: how answers are shaped: length, tone, format
- domain
- Prompting and assistants
- category
- Output styles
- risk
- read-only
- version
- v1.0.0 · incubating
- reviewed
- 2026-10-02
- works in
- Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Antigravity, OpenCode, Windsurf, Zed, Continue, AGENTS.md, ChatGPT, claude.ai
use in
npx @hermes-hq/hodios install plain --target claude-codenpx skills add hermes-hq/hodios-dist --skill plain -a claude-codeclaude plugin marketplace add hermes-hq/hodios-distclaude plugin install hodios-prompting@hodiosThe plugin brings every entry in this domain at once.
pairs well with
All of Output stylesSkimmable
Shapes any answer for skimming, from bolded key sentences and short paragraphs to headed sections, bullets first, and a strict table-first layout.
skimmableWarm
Makes any answer warmer and more personal, from simply friendly to deeply empathetic, while keeping the substance, accuracy and honesty of the answer intact.
warmAcademic
Moves answers toward scholarly register, from precise terminology to full academic prose with hedged claims, defined terms and a citation placeholder for every factual claim.
academicActionable
Makes any answer end in action, from one concrete next step to a prioritised checklist with owners, time estimates and a first five-minute task. Use when you need to act, not just understand.
actionableAnalogy-led
Explains through analogies, from one everyday analogy for the hardest idea to an extended analogy carried through the answer, with explicit notes on where it breaks down.
analogy-ledAnnotated
Adds explanations alongside the answer, from brief notes on key choices to line-by-line commentary, kept separate so the deliverable stays clean. Use for learning from code, writing or maths.
annotated