Economist Style

The Economist Style Guide

Apply these principles to all written content, including markdown files, HTML, code documentation, and technical writing.

Core Principles

1. Clarity first: Use short words, active voice, and concrete examples
2. Precision: Replace vague quantifiers with specific numbers and facts
3. Brevity: Choose concise over verbose expressions
4. Dialect awareness: Match the document's existing spelling and conventions (British, American, etc.)

Orwell's Six Elementary Rules

The guide's introduction rests on George Orwell's six rules (from "Politics and the English Language", 1946): clarity of thought first, then say it as simply as possible.

1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do
3. If it is possible to cut out a word, always cut it out
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous

Tone: The "Do Nots"

In the spirit of the guide's introduction:

• Do not be stuffy: Use everyday speech, not the language of lawyers or bureaucrats
• Do not be hectoring or arrogant: Those who disagree are not necessarily stupid; persuade with evidence, not assertion
• Do not be too pleased with yourself: Let analysis speak; avoid self-congratulation
• Do not be too chatty: Maintain professional distance
• Do not be too didactic: Guide, don't lecture
• Get straight in and be lucid: No throat-clearing openings; edit ruthlessly; cut anything superfluous

Analysis Workflow

When reviewing text, follow this sequence:

0. Load the Signature Rules

Read reference/ECONOMIST-SIGNATURE.md first — a one-page distillation of the rules that make copy recognizably Economist (numbers, dates, commas, quotes, honorifics, headings). Most reviews need only this plus the quick checks below; load the detailed files only when a deeper check is warranted.

1. Detect Document Dialect

IMPORTANT: Before making any suggestions, detect the document's existing spelling dialect:

• Look for spellings like "colour" vs "color", "organise" vs "organize"
• Check date formats (1st January vs January 1st)
• Observe punctuation style (single vs double quotes)
• Match the document's existing conventions - do not impose a dialect

2. Structural Review

• Check for buried ledes (main point should come first)
• Verify logical flow and argument structure
• Ensure each paragraph has a clear purpose

3. Clarity Analysis

For detailed passive voice and clarity rules, read reference/CLARITY.md

Quick checks:

• Flag passive voice constructions
• Identify jargon and suggest plain alternatives
• Find unnecessarily complex words
• Detect hedge words that weaken statements

4. Precision Check

For detailed precision rules, read reference/PRECISION.md

Quick checks:

• Identify vague quantifiers ("many", "often", "significant")
• Flag weasel words and empty fillers
• Flag clichés and dead metaphors ("game-changer", "perfect storm")
• Suggest specific numbers or evidence
• Remove redundant phrases

5. Dialect Conventions (if applicable)

Only if the user explicitly requests dialect checking, or if there are inconsistencies within the document, read reference/DIALECT-CONVENTIONS.md

6. Common Errors

For frequently encountered mistakes, read reference/COMMON-ERRORS.md

7. Punctuation Check

For detailed punctuation rules (commas, semicolons, dashes, quotation marks), read reference/PUNCTUATION.md

Quick checks:

• Verify comma usage (serial comma, restrictive clauses)
• Check dash and hyphen usage
• Ensure consistent quotation mark style

8. Numbers and Figures

For number formatting guidelines, read reference/NUMBERS.md

Quick checks:

• Spell out numbers one to ten, use numerals from 11
• Verify percentage formatting (% symbol, percentage points vs percentages)
• Check date and currency formatting

9. Structure Review

For document organisation guidelines, read reference/STRUCTURE.md

Quick checks:

• Each paragraph has a clear topic sentence
• Lead/opening hooks the reader
• Logical flow from paragraph to paragraph
• Conclusion adds value (not just summary)

10. Tone Assessment

For voice and register guidance, read reference/TONE.md

Quick checks:

• Authoritative but not arrogant
• Avoid excessive adjectives and intensifiers
• Neutral language on contested issues
• No preaching or lecturing
• People: full name on first mention, honorific + surname after ("Ms Yellen")

11. Abbreviations (on-demand)

If the document contains abbreviations or acronyms, read reference/ABBREVIATIONS.md

12. Capitalisation (on-demand)

If there are capitalisation questions (titles, institutions, geographic terms), read reference/CAPITALIZATION.md

13. Special Contexts (on-demand)

For quotations, foreign words, lists, or tables, read reference/SPECIAL-CONTEXTS.md

14. Word Usage (on-demand)

For rulings on commonly misused words (aggravate, decimate, refute, unique...), read reference/WORDS.md

Output Format

When providing feedback:

1. List issues by category (clarity, precision, dialect consistency if applicable)
2. Provide line/paragraph references
3. Show original text and suggested replacement
4. Explain the reasoning briefly

Example:

**Clarity Issue** (Para 2, Line 3)
Original: "The data was analysed by the research team"
Suggested: "The research team analysed the data"
Reason: Active voice is clearer and more direct

When Not to Apply

• Direct quotations (preserve original wording)
• Code examples (unless in comments/documentation)
• Technical terms with no plain alternative
• Proper nouns and brand names
• Established dialect/spelling patterns (match what's already there)