In Other Words
Help the intended reader understand the message. Follow the requested audience, language, tone, format, and length; otherwise use natural language for a broad adult audience.
Meaning and language
- When rewriting or explaining supplied text, preserve its meaning, facts, attribution, uncertainty, and conditions. Summaries may omit detail but must retain the context and qualifications needed to understand the claims they keep. Do not add outside facts unless the task calls for them.
- When drafting from a brief, use the supplied context and available evidence. Do not invent facts, sources, promises, or personal experiences to make the writing more convincing. Ask for missing information only when it is necessary to fulfill the request accurately.
- Write in the requested language. Otherwise preserve the source language, or use the language of the request for new writing. Translate only when asked. Follow the language's own idiom, grammar, register, and punctuation; English examples are illustrations, not templates for other languages.
Writing principles
These principles draw mainly on Orwell, the Kansas City Star, and Digital.gov. Apply their emphasis on meaning and reader needs with judgment.
- Put the main point where the reader needs it. Keep related ideas together and make actors, actions, relationships, and next steps clear. Use paragraphs, headings, or lists when they help.
- Prefer familiar, precise words and direct verbs. Turn abstract wording into concrete meaning. Keep technical terms when they carry necessary precision; explain them when the audience needs it. Use consistent names for the same concept.
- Remove needless words, repetition, inflated claims, stale phrases, and empty transitions. Every sentence should contribute to the reader's understanding or the intended voice.
- Recast a difficult sentence instead of merely swapping words. Separate tangled claims and qualifications, and prefer active voice when it clarifies responsibility. Vary sentence length naturally; avoid strings of fragments.
- Preserve the source's voice, including personality, stance, and emotional character, unless the user asks to change it. For new writing, use the voice the task calls for. Do not add opinions, forced enthusiasm, or deliberate roughness to sound human.
- Let accuracy, necessary nuance, and natural expression override mechanical rules. Clear language should not become childish or generic.
Examples
- “In order to facilitate access” → “To make access easier.”
- “The change resulted in an improvement in response times” → “The change improved response times.” Do not invent a measured improvement.
- “The findings suggest an association, but do not establish causation” → “The findings suggest a link, but do not show that one thing caused the other.” Keep the uncertainty and distinction.
Before returning
Briefly check that the text fulfills the request, preserves accuracy and necessary meaning, and reads naturally without avoidable difficulty. Fix any issue you notice. Return the requested text without a checklist, score, or explanation of edits unless asked. Routine writing needs no tools or numerical measurement.
References
The principles above are sufficient for ordinary use. Read principles and sources when maintaining the skill or discussing its foundations.
1---2name: in-other-words3description: Write, rewrite, summarize, and explain clearly and naturally in the requested language. Use for drafting from a brief, improving human or AI text, simplifying difficult passages, or producing faithful summaries while preserving accuracy and an appropriate voice.4---56# In Other Words78Help the intended reader understand the message. Follow the requested audience, language, tone, format, and length; otherwise use natural language for a broad adult audience.910## Meaning and language1112- When rewriting or explaining supplied text, preserve its meaning, facts, attribution, uncertainty, and conditions. Summaries may omit detail but must retain the context and qualifications needed to understand the claims they keep. Do not add outside facts unless the task calls for them.13- When drafting from a brief, use the supplied context and available evidence. Do not invent facts, sources, promises, or personal experiences to make the writing more convincing. Ask for missing information only when it is necessary to fulfill the request accurately.14- Write in the requested language. Otherwise preserve the source language, or use the language of the request for new writing. Translate only when asked. Follow the language's own idiom, grammar, register, and punctuation; English examples are illustrations, not templates for other languages.1516## Writing principles1718These principles draw mainly on Orwell, the Kansas City Star, and Digital.gov. Apply their emphasis on meaning and reader needs with judgment.1920- Put the main point where the reader needs it. Keep related ideas together and make actors, actions, relationships, and next steps clear. Use paragraphs, headings, or lists when they help.21- Prefer familiar, precise words and direct verbs. Turn abstract wording into concrete meaning. Keep technical terms when they carry necessary precision; explain them when the audience needs it. Use consistent names for the same concept.22- Remove needless words, repetition, inflated claims, stale phrases, and empty transitions. Every sentence should contribute to the reader's understanding or the intended voice.23- Recast a difficult sentence instead of merely swapping words. Separate tangled claims and qualifications, and prefer active voice when it clarifies responsibility. Vary sentence length naturally; avoid strings of fragments.24- Preserve the source's voice, including personality, stance, and emotional character, unless the user asks to change it. For new writing, use the voice the task calls for. Do not add opinions, forced enthusiasm, or deliberate roughness to sound human.25- Let accuracy, necessary nuance, and natural expression override mechanical rules. Clear language should not become childish or generic.2627## Examples2829- “In order to facilitate access” → “To make access easier.”30- “The change resulted in an improvement in response times” → “The change improved response times.” Do not invent a measured improvement.31- “The findings suggest an association, but do not establish causation” → “The findings suggest a link, but do not show that one thing caused the other.” Keep the uncertainty and distinction.3233## Before returning3435Briefly check that the text fulfills the request, preserves accuracy and necessary meaning, and reads naturally without avoidable difficulty. Fix any issue you notice. Return the requested text without a checklist, score, or explanation of edits unless asked. Routine writing needs no tools or numerical measurement.3637## References3839The principles above are sufficient for ordinary use. Read [principles and sources](references/principles.md) when maintaining the skill or discussing its foundations.
FMKreative