ASD-STE100 · mechanical check
Plain-language writer.
Plain-language writer.
STE100, applied.
The controlled language aerospace maintenance manuals are written in. Paste text, a README, an incident note, or a generated RepoReel script, and get it back rewritten in Simplified Technical English with a rule-by-rule report you can hand to a reviewer.
This is a practical subset of the 53 writing rules in ASD-STE100 Issue 9, paraphrased and implemented for software documentation. The check is mechanical: it finds what a program can prove, not what a judge would decide. Full compliance needs the official dictionary, which is a free download at asd-ste100.org. ASD-STE100 is a registered trademark of ASD; RepoReel is an unofficial aid and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ASD.
Source text
Strength
Tone
Report
0of 0 sentences need a change
Paste text and press Check to see the findings. The rewrite runs the same rules and then tries to fix each one.
The 61 writing rules this tool knows, and which ones a program can prove
Section 1 — Words
| Rule | Instruction | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Use only approved words, technical nouns, or technical verbs. | mechanical |
| 1.2 | Use an approved word only as its listed part of speech. | judgement |
| 1.3 | Use an approved word only with its approved meaning. | judgement |
| 1.4 | Use only the approved forms of verbs and adjectives. | mechanical |
| 1.5 | You can use domain words as technical nouns, for example webhook or commit. | judgement |
| 1.6 | Use an unapproved word only when it is a technical noun or part of one. | judgement |
| 1.7 | Do not use technical nouns as verbs. | judgement |
| 1.8 | Use the technical nouns of your project or industry. | judgement |
| 1.9 | When you pick a technical noun, pick a short and clear one. | judgement |
| 1.10 | No regional, slang, or jargon words as technical nouns. | judgement |
| 1.11 | One item, one name. Do not call it config here and settings there. | mechanical |
| 1.12 | You can use domain verbs as technical verbs, for example deploy or merge. | judgement |
| 1.13 | Do not use technical verbs as nouns. | judgement |
| 1.14 | Use American English spelling. | mechanical |
Section 2 — Multi-word nouns
| Rule | Instruction | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Write multi-word nouns of three words or fewer. | mechanical |
| 2.2 | Write a long technical noun in full once, then give a short form. | judgement |
Section 3 — Verbs
| Rule | Instruction | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Use only the verb forms that the dictionary gives. | judgement |
| 3.2 | Use only the infinitive, imperative, simple present, simple past, simple future, and participle as adjective. | judgement |
| 3.3 | Use the past participle only as an adjective, for example the cached response. | judgement |
| 3.4 | No auxiliary verbs for complex constructions. No present perfect, no is to be installed. | mechanical |
| 3.5 | Use an -ing form only as a technical noun or inside one, never as a verb. | mechanical |
| 3.6 | Active voice. Passive is legal only when the agent is unknown. | mechanical |
| 3.7 | Describe an action with a verb, not a noun. | mechanical |
Section 4 — Sentences
| Rule | Instruction | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Write short and clear sentences. | judgement |
| 4.2 | Do not omit words or use contractions to shorten sentences. Keep articles, keep that. | mechanical |
| 4.3 | Use a vertical list for complex text. | mechanical |
| 4.4 | Use connecting words between sentences on related topics. | mechanical |
| 4.5 | Put an article or a demonstrative adjective before the noun where applicable. | mechanical |
Section 5 — Procedural writing
| Rule | Instruction | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | Maximum 20 words per sentence. Warnings and cautions included. | mechanical |
| 5.2 | One instruction per sentence, unless two actions happen at the same time. | mechanical |
| 5.3 | Write instructions in the imperative. | mechanical |
| 5.4 | Put a required condition before the command, divided by a comma. | mechanical |
| 5.5 | Notes give information, never instructions. Notes get the 25-word limit. | mechanical |
Section 6 — Descriptive writing
| Rule | Instruction | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | Give information gradually, one subject per sentence. | judgement |
| 6.2 | Use key words and phrases to give the text a logical structure. | judgement |
| 6.3 | Maximum 25 words per sentence. | mechanical |
| 6.4 | Group related information in paragraphs. | judgement |
| 6.5 | One topic per paragraph. | judgement |
| 6.6 | Maximum six sentences per paragraph. | mechanical |
Section 7 — Safety instructions
| Rule | Instruction | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | Use a word that shows the risk level, for example WARNING or CAUTION. | judgement |
| 7.2 | Start with a clear command or condition. | judgement |
| 7.3 | Then give the risk or the possible result. | judgement |
Section 8 — Punctuation and word count
| Rule | Instruction | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | All standard punctuation is legal except the semicolon. Write two sentences instead. | mechanical |
| 8.2 | Use hyphens to connect words that act as one unit. | judgement |
| 8.3 | Parentheses are legal for references, item numbers, abbreviations, plurals, explanations, and alternatives. | judgement |
| 8.4 | In a vertical list, the lead-in colon ends a sentence for word count. | judgement |
| 8.5 | Text inside parentheses counts as one word. | judgement |
| 8.6 | Count as one word each: numbers, numbers with units, abbreviations, identifiers, quoted text, titles, labels, and proper nouns. | mechanical |
| 8.7 | A hyphenated word counts as one word. | judgement |
Section 9 — Writing practices
| Rule | Instruction | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| 9.1 | When a word-for-word replacement does not work, restructure the sentence. | mechanical |
| 9.2 | Use each approved word with its approved meaning and part of speech. | judgement |
| 9.3 | Do not build phrasal verbs. Write decrease, not go down. | mechanical |
| 9.4 | Keep one consistent style and terminology through the whole document. | mechanical |
| GR-1 | Keep the conjunction that. | judgement |
| GR-2 | Be careful with with. | judgement |
| GR-3 | Give pronouns a clear referent. | judgement |
| GR-4 | Prefer this plus a noun over a bare this. | judgement |
| GR-5 | Avoid false friends between languages. | judgement |
| GR-6 | Avoid Latin abbreviations. Write for example, that is, and name the items instead of etc. | mechanical |
| GR-7 | Use inclusive language. | mechanical |
| GR-8 | Use the possessive apostrophe form only when you are sure it is correct. | judgement |