Simple English: Write Like an Aerospace Manual
Write technical text with the rules of ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English. STE is the controlled language that aerospace and defense manufacturers use for maintenance documentation. The rules exist so that a tired reader who is not a native English speaker cannot misread an instruction. They remove the usual signs of AI-generated text as a side effect: long sentences, synonym rotation, hedges, filler, and decorative clauses.
Write for that tired reader. Each sentence must survive one read.
Your Task
When asked to write or rewrite technical text:
- Select the mode (pragmatic or strict — the table that follows).
- Classify each passage as procedural or descriptive. Every other rule depends on this.
- Correct your vocabulary before drafting. In strict mode, the dictionary rejects check/verify/confirm/ensure as verbs. Replace them by intent:
make sure that (verify a state), examine (look for faults), measure (get a value). In pragmatic mode, pick one and keep it. Pick ONE noun for config/settings (all are valid technical nouns — pick one and keep it). Use no other word for these concepts in the whole document.
- Apply the rules from the catalog that follows.
- Do the self-check before you deliver. This step is not optional.
- Never touch code, identifiers, commands, or quoted errors (see Untouchables).
When asked to CHECK text instead of writing it, report each violation as: rule number, the offending text, a compliant rewrite. Cite only rule numbers that exist in this file. Do not cite rule numbers from memory. The numbering is unintuitive and invented rule numbers are a known failure.
Two Modes
| Mode |
When |
What you apply |
| Pragmatic (default) |
Docs, READMEs, error messages — the user wants clear text |
All structural rules. Domain words stay ("idempotent", "webhook"). |
| Strict |
The user names STE, ASD-STE100, or compliance |
Structural rules + full vocabulary discipline, and tell the user that full compliance needs the official dictionary (free at asd-ste100.org). |
Step 1: Classify the Text
|
Procedural (instructions) |
Descriptive (explanations) |
| Purpose |
Tell the reader what to do |
Explain what a thing is or does |
| Verb form |
Imperative: "Install the pump." |
Simple present/past/future |
| Sentence limit |
20 words (Rule 5.1) |
25 words (Rule 6.3) |
| Unit rule |
One instruction per sentence (5.2) |
One topic per paragraph (6.5), max six sentences per paragraph (6.6) |
Do not mix the two in one passage. A "Getting started" section is procedural. An "Architecture" section is descriptive. A note inside a procedure is descriptive (25-word limit, no imperative).
THE RULE CATALOG
53 rules in 9 sections, paraphrased from ASD-STE100 Issue 9 with software examples. The official wording is in the free standard at asd-ste100.org.
Section 1 — Words (Rules 1.1-1.14)
| Rule |
Instruction |
| 1.1 |
Use only approved words, technical nouns, or technical verbs. |
| 1.2 |
Use an approved word only as its listed part of speech. |
| 1.3 |
Use an approved word only with its approved meaning. |
| 1.4 |
Use only the approved forms of verbs and adjectives. |
| 1.5 |
You can use domain words as technical nouns ("webhook", "commit", "endpoint"). |
| 1.6 |
Use an unapproved word only when it is a technical noun or part of one. |
| 1.7 |
Do not use technical nouns as verbs. |
| 1.8 |
Use the technical nouns of your project or industry. |
| 1.9 |
When you pick a technical noun, pick a short and clear one. |
| 1.10 |
No regional, slang, or jargon words as technical nouns. |
| 1.11 |
One item, one name. Do not call it "config" here and "settings" there. |
| 1.12 |
You can use domain verbs as technical verbs ("deploy", "compile", "merge"). The standard names computer verbs as legal, for example: click, press, enter, type, tap, copy, cut, paste, delete, save, scroll, sort, validate, boot, debug, download, install, load, process, reboot, update, upgrade, upload. When a dictionary verb does the same job, prefer it: "find" instead of "detect". |
| 1.13 |
Do not use technical verbs as nouns. |
| 1.14 |
Use American English spelling. |
In pragmatic mode, rules 1.5, 1.8, and 1.12 do the heavy lifting: your domain vocabulary is legal. The ones agents break are 1.7, 1.11, and 1.13.
Before: You can webhook the event, then do a deploy.
After: Send the event to the webhook. Then deploy the service.
Section 2 — Multi-word nouns (Rules 2.1-2.2)
| Rule |
Instruction |
| 2.1 |
Write multi-word nouns of three words or fewer. |
| 2.2 |
When a technical noun needs more than three words, write it in full once, then give a short form or hyphenate the units. |
Break long noun chains with prepositions (of, on, in, for):
Before: the connection pool timeout configuration value
After: the timeout value for the connection pool
Section 3 — Verbs (Rules 3.1-3.7)
| Rule |
Instruction |
| 3.1 |
Use only the verb forms that the dictionary gives. |
| 3.2 |
Use only: infinitive, imperative, simple present, simple past, simple future, past participle as adjective. |
| 3.3 |
Use the past participle only as an adjective ("the cached response"). |
| 3.4 |
No auxiliary verbs for complex constructions. No present perfect, no "is to be installed". |
| 3.5 |
Use an "-ing" form only as a technical noun or inside one ("logging", "the mounting bracket") — never as a verb. |
| 3.6 |
Active voice. In descriptive text, passive is legal only when the agent is unknown. To repair an agentless passive, use "you" (the reader) or "we" (your company) as the subject: "Indexes are not used on this table" → "We do not use indexes on this table." |
| 3.7 |
Describe an action with a verb, not a noun ("compress the file", not "perform compression of the file"). |
Approved modals: can, will, must. Banned: should, would, may, might, could.
The standard rejects "could" even for possibility: write "an explosion can occur", never "could occur". For "should": a requirement becomes "must". A suggestion is stated as fact or deleted. This matters double for agent instructions — models read "should" as optional.
Before: The migration has completed and the table is being rebuilt.
After: The migration completed. The database rebuilds the table.
Before: The flag can be set in the config file, making restarts unnecessary.
After: You can set the flag in the config file. Then a restart is not necessary.
Before: The temperature must be adjusted.
After: Adjust the temperature.
Section 4 — Sentences (Rules 4.1-4.5)
| Rule |
Instruction |
| 4.1 |
Write short and clear sentences. |
| 4.2 |
Do not omit words or use contractions to shorten sentences. Keep articles, keep "that". |
| 4.3 |
Use a vertical list for complex text. Put a colon at the end of the lead-in. Start each item with an uppercase letter. An item gets a period only if it is a full sentence — never a comma or a semicolon. The last item gets a period. Do not mix instructions and facts in one list. Do not nest lists. |
| 4.4 |
Use connecting words between sentences on related topics ("Then", "As a result"). |
| 4.5 |
Put an article (the, a, an) or a demonstrative adjective (this, these) before nouns where applicable. Exception: no article before a noun when an identifier follows it — "Restart pod web-7f9b2", not "Restart the pod web-7f9b2". |
Rule 4.2 is the anti-terseness rule. STE is short sentences with complete grammar, not telegraph style:
Wrong shortening: Ensure file exists before running.
STE: Make sure that the file exists before you run the command.
Section 5 — Procedural writing (Rules 5.1-5.5)
| Rule |
Instruction |
| 5.1 |
Maximum 20 words per sentence. Warnings and cautions included. |
| 5.2 |
One instruction per sentence, unless two actions happen at the same time. A step can have a second sentence for an immediate result or limit: "Run the migration. The migration must take less than 5 minutes." |
| 5.3 |
Write instructions in the imperative: "Run the migration." |
| 5.4 |
Put a required condition before the command, divided by a comma: "If the build fails, read the log." |
| 5.5 |
Notes give information, never instructions, requirements, or limits. A limit belongs with its action in the work step. Notes get the 25-word limit. Notes-test: the procedure must still work for a reader who deletes all notes. |
Before: You'll want to grab the API key from the dashboard before configuring the client, which you can do under Settings.
After: Get the API key from the dashboard, under Settings. Then configure the client with this key.
Section 6 — Descriptive writing (Rules 6.1-6.6)
| Rule |
Instruction |
| 6.1 |
Give information gradually: one new fact per sentence. |
| 6.2 |
Use key words and phrases to give the text a logical structure. |
| 6.3 |
Maximum 25 words per sentence. |
| 6.4 |
Group related information in paragraphs. |
| 6.5 |
One topic per paragraph. |
| 6.6 |
Maximum six sentences per paragraph. |
No imperative in descriptive text. Descriptions explain. Procedures instruct.
Section 7 — Safety instructions (Rules 7.1-7.3)
| Rule |
Instruction |
| 7.1 |
Use a word that shows the risk level ("WARNING" = injury, "CAUTION" = damage). If the two risks occur together, use "WARNING". |
| 7.2 |
Start with a clear command or condition. |
| 7.3 |
Then give the risk or the possible result. |
Never bury the instruction after the explanation. The pattern transfers directly to destructive CLI flags, irreversible migrations, and dangerous API options.
Before: Note that data loss may occur in some circumstances if the destructive flag happens to be enabled when running against production.
After: CAUTION: Do not use the --force flag against production. The flag deletes rows that do not match the source.
Section 8 — Punctuation and word count (Rules 8.1-8.7)
| Rule |
Instruction |
| 8.1 |
All standard punctuation is legal except the semicolon. Write two sentences instead. |
| 8.2 |
Use hyphens to connect words that act as one unit. |
| 8.3 |
Parentheses are legal for references, item numbers, abbreviations, plural forms, explanations, alternatives. |
| 8.4 |
In a vertical list, the lead-in colon ends a sentence for word count. Each item after the colon counts as a new sentence and gets its own 20/25-word budget. |
| 8.5 |
Text inside parentheses counts as one word. |
| 8.6 |
Count as one word each: numbers, numbers with units, abbreviations, alphanumeric identifiers, quoted text, titles, labels, proper nouns. |
| 8.7 |
A hyphenated word counts as one word. |
Rule 8.6 matters for software text: sqlpipe run --config sqlpipe.yaml in backticks is quoted text and counts as one word. Long identifiers do not blow your sentence budget.
Section 9 — Writing practices (Rules 9.1-9.4, GR-1 to GR-8)
| Rule |
Instruction |
| 9.1 |
When a word-for-word replacement does not work, restructure the sentence. |
| 9.2 |
Use each approved word correctly: approved meaning, approved part of speech. |
| 9.3 |
Do not build phrasal verbs ("go down" → "decrease", "set up" → "install" or "configure"). |
| 9.4 |
Keep one consistent style and terminology through the whole document. |
General recommendations GR-1 to GR-8: keep the conjunction "that", be careful with "with", give pronouns clear referents, prefer "this + noun" over bare "this", avoid false friends, avoid Latin abbreviations, use inclusive language, and use the possessive apostrophe form only when you are sure it is correct (GR-8: if unsure, do not use it — non-native readers find it hard). GR-2 also kills a common habit: keep the primary verb first and the tool after "with" — "Fetch the URL with curl", not "Use curl to fetch the URL".
GR-6 for software docs: "e.g." → "for example", "i.e." → "that is", and delete "etc." — name the items or write "and more".
VOCABULARY DISCIPLINE
The official dictionary (~900 approved words, ~1,200 banned words with alternatives) is copyrighted by ASD and is not reproduced here. Its mechanics apply without it: one word, one meaning, one part of speech. Issue 9 adds a quick-reference list of approved verbs in the dictionary introduction — in strict mode, check your verbs against the official standard.
Known part-of-speech rulings, useful as patterns:
| Word |
Ruling |
| test, check, work |
Noun only. "Do a test", not "test the pump". "Check that X" becomes "make sure that X". |
| oil |
Technical noun (TN) only. For the verb, the dictionary gives "lubricate": "Lubricate the linkage with oil." |
| help |
Verb only. For the noun, the dictionary gives "aid": "with the aid of". |
| fall (noun) |
Rejected. Use "decrease" for a reduction in value. Use FALL (verb) only for physical movement downward by gravity: "Make sure that the tools do not fall into the engine." |
| follow |
"To come after" only, never "obey". Write "obey the instructions". |
| above, below |
Physical positions only. For limits write "more than", "less than". |
The modal ladder
| You wrote |
STE writes |
| should (requirement) |
must |
| should (recommendation) |
Delete it, or state it as fact: "X is better because Y." |
| should (inverted conditional: "should a failure occur") |
if: "If a failure occurs" |
| may / might / could (possibility) |
can |
| may (permission) |
can |
| would (hypothetical) |
can, or restructure: "If X occurs, Y occurs." |
Slop-to-simple substitutions
AI-generated docs overuse a known set of words. references/word-swaps.md maps each one to a plain replacement. Read it when you rewrite existing text. If a word carries no fact, delete it instead of replacing it.
Consistency pass
Collapse synonym rotations to one term each (Rules 1.11, 9.4). The two lists that follow work differently.
Technical nouns — not in the dictionary. Pick one and keep it consistent (both modes):
- config / configuration / settings / options → pick one
Dictionary rulings — the standard has already chosen. Use the approved word (strict mode). Or pick one and keep it consistent (pragmatic mode):
| You wrote |
Dictionary status |
Use instead |
| check (verb) / verify / confirm / ensure |
All rejected as verbs |
Strict, by intent: make sure that (verify a state), examine (look for faults: "examine the log"), measure (get a value), or the noun: "do a check of". Pragmatic: pick one and keep it. |
| validate |
Not in dictionary |
Use as technical verb (Rule 1.12), or replace with make sure that |
| delete / drop (verb) / destroy |
All rejected as dictionary verbs |
Strict: erase (data), remove (physical). In computer contexts delete is also a legal technical verb (Rule 1.12). Avoid drop and destroy. |
| remove |
Approved verb |
Keep it |
| run / execute |
Both rejected |
operate for run, do for execute (strict); pick one (pragmatic) |
| invoke / launch |
Not in dictionary |
Use as technical verbs (Rule 1.12) |
| display (verb) / render / present (verb) |
All rejected |
show covers most software cases. Official alternatives: display → show, render → make, present → give, show |
| issue |
Not in dictionary |
Use as technical noun, or replace with problem (approved) |
| failure |
Rejected in general use; approved as TN for performance loss |
Use only when it means a performance error: "a failure of the pump" |
| error |
Approved noun |
Keep it |
| problem |
Approved noun |
Keep it |
Recurring errors the standard names
The dictionary introduction lists the words that writers get wrong most often. This is the software-relevant set, given as rulings only — the full list is part of the official dictionary.
| You wrote |
STE writes |
| however |
but |
| therefore |
thus, as a result |
| since (= because) |
because |
| any |
Delete it, or restructure: "if you have any questions" → "if you have questions" |
| now |
at this time — better, delete it: "now start the service" → "start the service" |
| need to, have to |
Imperative in procedures ("install"); "it is necessary to" in descriptive text |
| perform |
do |
| insert |
put (but SQL INSERT stays: it is quoted text) |
| reach |
get, get to |
| avoid |
prevent |
| repeat |
do … again |
| acceptable |
permitted — better, give the limit: "a latency of less than 200 ms" |
| complete (adjective) |
completed |
| the example below, the section above |
Name the target, or put the reference after it: "the example that follows" |
Untouchables
These are technical names (Rules 1.5, 8.6). Leave them exact, even when they break vocabulary rules:
- Code blocks, inline code, identifiers, CLI commands, flags, file paths
- Quoted error messages and log lines
- Product names, API endpoint names, config keys
- UI labels and button names ("click the Save button" — quoted text, counts as one word)
- Numbers with units — each counts as one word in the sentence limit
Facts are untouchable too. Rewrite the style, not the content. When the source does not give a number, a cause, or an exact term, keep the general statement. Do not invent specifics to look concrete.
Beyond Documentation
The same rules apply to error messages, runbooks, incident reports, release notes, commit messages, agent instructions, support macros, UI copy, and translation prep. Read references/use-cases.md when the task is one of these. It gives the pattern for each.
Self-Check Before You Deliver
This step is not optional. Run these five checks on your draft:
- Count words in your three longest sentences. Over the 20/25 limit → split them.
- Search your draft for:
'll, 're, 's (contraction), has been, have been, should, shall, however, therefore, -ing verbs after a comma, semicolons.
- Search for every
if and when. Each one stands at the START of its sentence, before the command. "Increase the timeout if the network is slow" → "If the network is slow, increase the timeout."
- Search for the verbs you did NOT pick in Your Task step 3 (check, verify, confirm, ensure). STRICT MODE: route each hit by intent —
make sure that, examine, or measure. Pragmatic mode: replace each hit with your chosen verb.
- Check each vertical list: colon on the lead-in, items start with an uppercase letter, no comma or semicolon at the end of an item, no procedural and descriptive items mixed.
Fix what you find, then deliver. For a full audit, run references/checklist.md.
Full Example
Before (real unedited AI output):
Connection timeouts. If sqlpipe hangs or fails with dial tcp: i/o timeout, check that the host running sqlpipe can reach the Postgres port (usually 5432) — this is often a security group or firewall rule blocking the connection. If you're connecting to a managed database (RDS, Cloud SQL, etc.), confirm the instance allows connections from sqlpipe's IP. You can also try increasing source.connect_timeout_seconds in your config, since a slow network path can trip the default timeout even when the connection eventually succeeds.
After (classified procedural, verb = "make sure", conditions first, one instruction per sentence):
Connection timeouts. sqlpipe stops with dial tcp: i/o timeout when it cannot connect to the Postgres port (5432 by default).
- Make sure that the host that runs sqlpipe can connect to the Postgres port. A firewall or security group usually blocks it.
- If the database is managed (RDS, Cloud SQL), make sure that the instance accepts connections from the IP of sqlpipe.
- If the network is slow, increase
source.connect_timeout_seconds in the configuration.
What changed: 40-word sentences split under 20. "you're" expanded. "check/confirm" collapsed to "make sure that". Every condition moved before its command. "etc." removed. Code and error strings untouched.
Limits
STE is for technical facts and instructions. Do not apply it to marketing copy, blog voice, or brand writing — it deletes persuasion by design. When a user asks for STE on marketing text, say so and offer it for the docs instead.
No tool can guarantee STE compliance. If the user asks for a compliance claim, say that.
References
references/checklist.md — full verification pass with searchable patterns, for check mode and final auditsreferences/word-swaps.md — slop-to-simple word map, for rewriting existing textreferences/use-cases.md — long-form adaptations: error messages, runbooks, incident reports, commits, UI copy, i18n
1---2name: simple-english3description: Write or rewrite technical text with the rules of ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English so it is clear, unambiguous, and free of AI slop. Use for documentation, READMEs, runbooks, procedures, error messages, release notes, incident reports, and API guides. Also use when the user says "STE", "Simplified Technical English", "ASD-STE100", "de-slop", "make this readable", "write for non-native readers", or asks for docs that translate well. Enforces the standard's 53 rules: 20/25-word sentence limits, one word one meaning, simple tenses, active voice, condition before command.4license: MIT5---67# Simple English: Write Like an Aerospace Manual89Write technical text with the rules of ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English. STE is the controlled language that aerospace and defense manufacturers use for maintenance documentation. The rules exist so that a tired reader who is not a native English speaker cannot misread an instruction. They remove the usual signs of AI-generated text as a side effect: long sentences, synonym rotation, hedges, filler, and decorative clauses.1011Write for that tired reader. Each sentence must survive one read.1213## Your Task1415When asked to write or rewrite technical text:16171. **Select the mode** (pragmatic or strict — the table that follows).182. **Classify each passage** as procedural or descriptive. Every other rule depends on this.193. **Correct your vocabulary before drafting.** In strict mode, the dictionary rejects check/verify/confirm/ensure as verbs. Replace them by intent: `make sure that` (verify a state), `examine` (look for faults), `measure` (get a value). In pragmatic mode, pick one and keep it. Pick ONE noun for config/settings (all are valid technical nouns — pick one and keep it). Use no other word for these concepts in the whole document.204. **Apply the rules** from the catalog that follows.215. **Do the self-check** before you deliver. This step is not optional.226. **Never touch code**, identifiers, commands, or quoted errors (see Untouchables).2324When asked to CHECK text instead of writing it, report each violation as: rule number, the offending text, a compliant rewrite. Cite only rule numbers that exist in this file. Do not cite rule numbers from memory. The numbering is unintuitive and invented rule numbers are a known failure.2526## Two Modes2728| Mode | When | What you apply |29|---|---|---|30| **Pragmatic** (default) | Docs, READMEs, error messages — the user wants clear text | All structural rules. Domain words stay ("idempotent", "webhook"). |31| **Strict** | The user names STE, ASD-STE100, or compliance | Structural rules + full vocabulary discipline, and tell the user that full compliance needs the official dictionary (free at asd-ste100.org). |3233## Step 1: Classify the Text3435| | Procedural (instructions) | Descriptive (explanations) |36|---|---|---|37| Purpose | Tell the reader what to do | Explain what a thing is or does |38| Verb form | Imperative: "Install the pump." | Simple present/past/future |39| Sentence limit | **20 words** (Rule 5.1) | **25 words** (Rule 6.3) |40| Unit rule | One instruction per sentence (5.2) | One topic per paragraph (6.5), max six sentences per paragraph (6.6) |4142Do not mix the two in one passage. A "Getting started" section is procedural. An "Architecture" section is descriptive. A note inside a procedure is descriptive (25-word limit, no imperative).4344## THE RULE CATALOG454653 rules in 9 sections, paraphrased from ASD-STE100 Issue 9 with software examples. The official wording is in the free standard at asd-ste100.org.4748### Section 1 — Words (Rules 1.1-1.14)4950| Rule | Instruction |51|---|---|52| 1.1 | Use only approved words, technical nouns, or technical verbs. |53| 1.2 | Use an approved word only as its listed part of speech. |54| 1.3 | Use an approved word only with its approved meaning. |55| 1.4 | Use only the approved forms of verbs and adjectives. |56| 1.5 | You can use domain words as technical nouns ("webhook", "commit", "endpoint"). |57| 1.6 | Use an unapproved word only when it is a technical noun or part of one. |58| 1.7 | Do not use technical nouns as verbs. |59| 1.8 | Use the technical nouns of your project or industry. |60| 1.9 | When you pick a technical noun, pick a short and clear one. |61| 1.10 | No regional, slang, or jargon words as technical nouns. |62| 1.11 | One item, one name. Do not call it "config" here and "settings" there. |63| 1.12 | You can use domain verbs as technical verbs ("deploy", "compile", "merge"). The standard names computer verbs as legal, for example: click, press, enter, type, tap, copy, cut, paste, delete, save, scroll, sort, validate, boot, debug, download, install, load, process, reboot, update, upgrade, upload. When a dictionary verb does the same job, prefer it: "find" instead of "detect". |64| 1.13 | Do not use technical verbs as nouns. |65| 1.14 | Use American English spelling. |6667In pragmatic mode, rules 1.5, 1.8, and 1.12 do the heavy lifting: your domain vocabulary is legal. The ones agents break are 1.7, 1.11, and 1.13.6869**Before:** You can webhook the event, then do a deploy.70**After:** Send the event to the webhook. Then deploy the service.7172### Section 2 — Multi-word nouns (Rules 2.1-2.2)7374| Rule | Instruction |75|---|---|76| 2.1 | Write multi-word nouns of three words or fewer. |77| 2.2 | When a technical noun needs more than three words, write it in full once, then give a short form or hyphenate the units. |7879Break long noun chains with prepositions (of, on, in, for):8081**Before:** the connection pool timeout configuration value82**After:** the timeout value for the connection pool8384### Section 3 — Verbs (Rules 3.1-3.7)8586| Rule | Instruction |87|---|---|88| 3.1 | Use only the verb forms that the dictionary gives. |89| 3.2 | Use only: infinitive, imperative, simple present, simple past, simple future, past participle as adjective. |90| 3.3 | Use the past participle only as an adjective ("the cached response"). |91| 3.4 | No auxiliary verbs for complex constructions. No present perfect, no "is to be installed". |92| 3.5 | Use an "-ing" form only as a technical noun or inside one ("logging", "the mounting bracket") — never as a verb. |93| 3.6 | Active voice. In descriptive text, passive is legal only when the agent is unknown. To repair an agentless passive, use "you" (the reader) or "we" (your company) as the subject: "Indexes are not used on this table" → "We do not use indexes on this table." |94| 3.7 | Describe an action with a verb, not a noun ("compress the file", not "perform compression of the file"). |9596**Approved modals: can, will, must. Banned: should, would, may, might, could.**97The standard rejects "could" even for possibility: write "an explosion can occur", never "could occur". For "should": a requirement becomes "must". A suggestion is stated as fact or deleted. This matters double for agent instructions — models read "should" as optional.9899**Before:** The migration has completed and the table is being rebuilt.100**After:** The migration completed. The database rebuilds the table.101102**Before:** The flag can be set in the config file, making restarts unnecessary.103**After:** You can set the flag in the config file. Then a restart is not necessary.104105**Before:** The temperature must be adjusted.106**After:** Adjust the temperature.107108### Section 4 — Sentences (Rules 4.1-4.5)109110| Rule | Instruction |111|---|---|112| 4.1 | Write short and clear sentences. |113| 4.2 | Do not omit words or use contractions to shorten sentences. Keep articles, keep "that". |114| 4.3 | Use a vertical list for complex text. Put a colon at the end of the lead-in. Start each item with an uppercase letter. An item gets a period only if it is a full sentence — never a comma or a semicolon. The last item gets a period. Do not mix instructions and facts in one list. Do not nest lists. |115| 4.4 | Use connecting words between sentences on related topics ("Then", "As a result"). |116| 4.5 | Put an article (the, a, an) or a demonstrative adjective (this, these) before nouns where applicable. Exception: no article before a noun when an identifier follows it — "Restart pod web-7f9b2", not "Restart the pod web-7f9b2". |117118Rule 4.2 is the anti-terseness rule. STE is short sentences with complete grammar, not telegraph style:119120**Wrong shortening:** Ensure file exists before running.121**STE:** Make sure that the file exists before you run the command.122123### Section 5 — Procedural writing (Rules 5.1-5.5)124125| Rule | Instruction |126|---|---|127| 5.1 | Maximum 20 words per sentence. Warnings and cautions included. |128| 5.2 | One instruction per sentence, unless two actions happen at the same time. A step can have a second sentence for an immediate result or limit: "Run the migration. The migration must take less than 5 minutes." |129| 5.3 | Write instructions in the imperative: "Run the migration." |130| 5.4 | Put a required condition before the command, divided by a comma: "If the build fails, read the log." |131| 5.5 | Notes give information, never instructions, requirements, or limits. A limit belongs with its action in the work step. Notes get the 25-word limit. Notes-test: the procedure must still work for a reader who deletes all notes. |132133**Before:** You'll want to grab the API key from the dashboard before configuring the client, which you can do under Settings.134**After:** Get the API key from the dashboard, under Settings. Then configure the client with this key.135136### Section 6 — Descriptive writing (Rules 6.1-6.6)137138| Rule | Instruction |139|---|---|140| 6.1 | Give information gradually: one new fact per sentence. |141| 6.2 | Use key words and phrases to give the text a logical structure. |142| 6.3 | Maximum 25 words per sentence. |143| 6.4 | Group related information in paragraphs. |144| 6.5 | One topic per paragraph. |145| 6.6 | Maximum six sentences per paragraph. |146147No imperative in descriptive text. Descriptions explain. Procedures instruct.148149### Section 7 — Safety instructions (Rules 7.1-7.3)150151| Rule | Instruction |152|---|---|153| 7.1 | Use a word that shows the risk level ("WARNING" = injury, "CAUTION" = damage). If the two risks occur together, use "WARNING". |154| 7.2 | Start with a clear command or condition. |155| 7.3 | Then give the risk or the possible result. |156157Never bury the instruction after the explanation. The pattern transfers directly to destructive CLI flags, irreversible migrations, and dangerous API options.158159**Before:** Note that data loss may occur in some circumstances if the destructive flag happens to be enabled when running against production.160**After:** CAUTION: Do not use the `--force` flag against production. The flag deletes rows that do not match the source.161162### Section 8 — Punctuation and word count (Rules 8.1-8.7)163164| Rule | Instruction |165|---|---|166| 8.1 | All standard punctuation is legal except the semicolon. Write two sentences instead. |167| 8.2 | Use hyphens to connect words that act as one unit. |168| 8.3 | Parentheses are legal for references, item numbers, abbreviations, plural forms, explanations, alternatives. |169| 8.4 | In a vertical list, the lead-in colon ends a sentence for word count. Each item after the colon counts as a new sentence and gets its own 20/25-word budget. |170| 8.5 | Text inside parentheses counts as one word. |171| 8.6 | Count as one word each: numbers, numbers with units, abbreviations, alphanumeric identifiers, quoted text, titles, labels, proper nouns. |172| 8.7 | A hyphenated word counts as one word. |173174Rule 8.6 matters for software text: `sqlpipe run --config sqlpipe.yaml` in backticks is quoted text and counts as one word. Long identifiers do not blow your sentence budget.175176### Section 9 — Writing practices (Rules 9.1-9.4, GR-1 to GR-8)177178| Rule | Instruction |179|---|---|180| 9.1 | When a word-for-word replacement does not work, restructure the sentence. |181| 9.2 | Use each approved word correctly: approved meaning, approved part of speech. |182| 9.3 | Do not build phrasal verbs ("go down" → "decrease", "set up" → "install" or "configure"). |183| 9.4 | Keep one consistent style and terminology through the whole document. |184185General recommendations GR-1 to GR-8: keep the conjunction "that", be careful with "with", give pronouns clear referents, prefer "this + noun" over bare "this", avoid false friends, avoid Latin abbreviations, use inclusive language, and use the possessive apostrophe form only when you are sure it is correct (GR-8: if unsure, do not use it — non-native readers find it hard). GR-2 also kills a common habit: keep the primary verb first and the tool after "with" — "Fetch the URL with curl", not "Use curl to fetch the URL".186187GR-6 for software docs: "e.g." → "for example", "i.e." → "that is", and delete "etc." — name the items or write "and more".188189## VOCABULARY DISCIPLINE190191The official dictionary (~900 approved words, ~1,200 banned words with alternatives) is copyrighted by ASD and is not reproduced here. Its mechanics apply without it: **one word, one meaning, one part of speech.** Issue 9 adds a quick-reference list of approved verbs in the dictionary introduction — in strict mode, check your verbs against the official standard.192193Known part-of-speech rulings, useful as patterns:194195| Word | Ruling |196|---|---|197| test, check, work | Noun only. "Do a test", not "test the pump". "Check that X" becomes "make sure that X". |198| oil | Technical noun (TN) only. For the verb, the dictionary gives "lubricate": "Lubricate the linkage with oil." |199| help | Verb only. For the noun, the dictionary gives "aid": "with the aid of". |200| fall (noun) | Rejected. Use "decrease" for a reduction in value. Use FALL (verb) only for physical movement downward by gravity: "Make sure that the tools do not fall into the engine." |201| follow | "To come after" only, never "obey". Write "obey the instructions". |202| above, below | Physical positions only. For limits write "more than", "less than". |203204### The modal ladder205206| You wrote | STE writes |207|---|---|208| should (requirement) | must |209| should (recommendation) | Delete it, or state it as fact: "X is better because Y." |210| should (inverted conditional: "should a failure occur") | if: "If a failure occurs" |211| may / might / could (possibility) | can |212| may (permission) | can |213| would (hypothetical) | can, or restructure: "If X occurs, Y occurs." |214215### Slop-to-simple substitutions216217AI-generated docs overuse a known set of words. `references/word-swaps.md` maps each one to a plain replacement. Read it when you rewrite existing text. If a word carries no fact, delete it instead of replacing it.218### Consistency pass219220Collapse synonym rotations to one term each (Rules 1.11, 9.4). The two lists that follow work differently.221222**Technical nouns — not in the dictionary. Pick one and keep it consistent (both modes):**223224- config / configuration / settings / options → pick one225226**Dictionary rulings — the standard has already chosen. Use the approved word (strict mode). Or pick one and keep it consistent (pragmatic mode):**227228| You wrote | Dictionary status | Use instead |229|---|---|---|230| check (verb) / verify / confirm / ensure | All rejected as verbs | Strict, by intent: `make sure that` (verify a state), `examine` (look for faults: "examine the log"), `measure` (get a value), or the noun: "do a check of". Pragmatic: pick one and keep it. |231| validate | Not in dictionary | Use as technical verb (Rule 1.12), or replace with `make sure that` |232| delete / drop (verb) / destroy | All rejected as dictionary verbs | Strict: `erase` (data), `remove` (physical). In computer contexts `delete` is also a legal technical verb (Rule 1.12). Avoid `drop` and `destroy`. |233| remove | Approved verb | Keep it |234| run / execute | Both rejected | `operate` for run, `do` for execute (strict); pick one (pragmatic) |235| invoke / launch | Not in dictionary | Use as technical verbs (Rule 1.12) |236| display (verb) / render / present (verb) | All rejected | `show` covers most software cases. Official alternatives: display → `show`, render → `make`, present → `give`, `show` |237| issue | Not in dictionary | Use as technical noun, or replace with `problem` (approved) |238| failure | Rejected in general use; approved as TN for performance loss | Use only when it means a performance error: "a failure of the pump" |239| error | Approved noun | Keep it |240| problem | Approved noun | Keep it |241242### Recurring errors the standard names243244The dictionary introduction lists the words that writers get wrong most often. This is the software-relevant set, given as rulings only — the full list is part of the official dictionary.245246| You wrote | STE writes |247|---|---|248| however | but |249| therefore | thus, as a result |250| since (= because) | because |251| any | Delete it, or restructure: "if you have any questions" → "if you have questions" |252| now | at this time — better, delete it: "now start the service" → "start the service" |253| need to, have to | Imperative in procedures ("install"); "it is necessary to" in descriptive text |254| perform | do |255| insert | put (but SQL `INSERT` stays: it is quoted text) |256| reach | get, get to |257| avoid | prevent |258| repeat | do … again |259| acceptable | permitted — better, give the limit: "a latency of less than 200 ms" |260| complete (adjective) | completed |261| the example below, the section above | Name the target, or put the reference after it: "the example that follows" |262263## Untouchables264265These are technical names (Rules 1.5, 8.6). Leave them exact, even when they break vocabulary rules:266267- Code blocks, inline code, identifiers, CLI commands, flags, file paths268- Quoted error messages and log lines269- Product names, API endpoint names, config keys270- UI labels and button names ("click the **Save** button" — quoted text, counts as one word)271- Numbers with units — each counts as one word in the sentence limit272273Facts are untouchable too. Rewrite the style, not the content. When the source does not give a number, a cause, or an exact term, keep the general statement. Do not invent specifics to look concrete.274275## Beyond Documentation276277The same rules apply to error messages, runbooks, incident reports, release notes, commit messages, agent instructions, support macros, UI copy, and translation prep. Read `references/use-cases.md` when the task is one of these. It gives the pattern for each.278279## Self-Check Before You Deliver280281This step is not optional. Run these five checks on your draft:2822831. Count words in your three longest sentences. Over the 20/25 limit → split them.2842. Search your draft for: `'ll`, `'re`, `'s` (contraction), `has been`, `have been`, `should`, `shall`, `however`, `therefore`, `-ing` verbs after a comma, semicolons.2853. Search for every `if` and `when`. Each one stands at the START of its sentence, before the command. "Increase the timeout if the network is slow" → "If the network is slow, increase the timeout."2864. Search for the verbs you did NOT pick in Your Task step 3 (check, verify, confirm, ensure). STRICT MODE: route each hit by intent — `make sure that`, `examine`, or `measure`. Pragmatic mode: replace each hit with your chosen verb.2875. Check each vertical list: colon on the lead-in, items start with an uppercase letter, no comma or semicolon at the end of an item, no procedural and descriptive items mixed.288289Fix what you find, then deliver. For a full audit, run `references/checklist.md`.290291## Full Example292293**Before (real unedited AI output):**294295> **Connection timeouts.** If sqlpipe hangs or fails with `dial tcp: i/o timeout`, check that the host running sqlpipe can reach the Postgres port (usually 5432) — this is often a security group or firewall rule blocking the connection. If you're connecting to a managed database (RDS, Cloud SQL, etc.), confirm the instance allows connections from sqlpipe's IP. You can also try increasing `source.connect_timeout_seconds` in your config, since a slow network path can trip the default timeout even when the connection eventually succeeds.296297**After (classified procedural, verb = "make sure", conditions first, one instruction per sentence):**298299> **Connection timeouts.** sqlpipe stops with `dial tcp: i/o timeout` when it cannot connect to the Postgres port (5432 by default).300>301> 1. Make sure that the host that runs sqlpipe can connect to the Postgres port. A firewall or security group usually blocks it.302> 2. If the database is managed (RDS, Cloud SQL), make sure that the instance accepts connections from the IP of sqlpipe.303> 3. If the network is slow, increase `source.connect_timeout_seconds` in the configuration.304305What changed: 40-word sentences split under 20. "you're" expanded. "check/confirm" collapsed to "make sure that". Every condition moved before its command. "etc." removed. Code and error strings untouched.306307## Limits308309STE is for technical facts and instructions. Do not apply it to marketing copy, blog voice, or brand writing — it deletes persuasion by design. When a user asks for STE on marketing text, say so and offer it for the docs instead.310311No tool can guarantee STE compliance. If the user asks for a compliance claim, say that.312313## References314315- `references/checklist.md` — full verification pass with searchable patterns, for check mode and final audits316- `references/word-swaps.md` — slop-to-simple word map, for rewriting existing text317- `references/use-cases.md` — long-form adaptations: error messages, runbooks, incident reports, commits, UI copy, i18n
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