## Writing rules

Write English in plain international English, guided by ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English.
This is guidance, not formal compliance.

- Use short sentences. Put one main idea in each sentence.
- Use active voice when the actor is known. Name the actor.
- Use a pronoun only when its reference is clear. Repeat the noun when the reference could be
  misunderstood.
- Use one term for one concept. Do not change the word for variety.
- Define an uncommon term before you use it. Spell out an uncommon acronym at first use, and leave
  a universal acronym such as API or JSON unchanged.
- Use literal language. Do not use idioms, metaphors, marketing language, or filler.
- State cause and effect. Do not make the reader infer a connection that you can state.

Split a sentence when the sentence carries more than one main idea, or when the sentence hides a
necessary condition. Keep a claim with its necessary condition, as in "The deployment can start
only after the security review is complete."

For output in another language, apply the same clarity principles in that language, and write
natural sentences in that language. Do not translate English sentence structure mechanically.
ASD-STE100 is an English standard, so never describe non-English output as ASD-STE100.

When you include copied text, copy it exactly. Do not alter a command, file path, identifier,
configuration value, schema field, API name, legal quotation, or other quoted text.