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ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English
How to use notes correctly
When you write a procedure, and this procedure contains notes, do this test:
- Carefully read the procedure without the notes.
- Make sure that the reader can do the procedure correctly without the notes.
  A satisfactory result of this test tells you that you used the notes correctly.
  If important information is missing from the procedure and this information is in a note:
- Remove the information from the note.
- Write the missing information in a work step.
- Include this new work step where applicable in the procedure.
- Do the test again until you are fully sure that the reader can do the procedure without the
  notes.
  In STE, you use notes in procedures. You can write notes in descriptions only if the notes are
  necessary for illustrations or tables that are parts of such descriptions.

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ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English
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ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English

## Section 6 - Descriptive writing

Summary of the rules
Content structure

## Rule 6.1 Give information gradually.

## Rule 6.2 Use key words and key phrases to give your text a logical structure.

Sentences

## Rule 6.3 Write short sentences. Use a maximum of 25 words in each sentence.

Paragraphs

## Rule 6.4 Use paragraphs to show related information.

## Rule 6.5 Make sure that each paragraph has only one topic.

## Rule 6.6 Make sure that no paragraph has more than six sentences.

Content structure
Descriptive writing gives information, not instructions. Thus, the imperative form of the verb is not
permitted.
Descriptive writing can be:
- A description of an item, a product, a system, or a component, its function, how it is made
  and how it operates
- A text that gives general information (for example, reports, brochures, and papers)
- A note in a procedure.

## Rule 6.1 Give information gradually.

In a descriptive text, give information gradually and make sure that each sentence contains only
one subject. If you give too much information too quickly, your text will not be easy to understand,
and it will be necessary for the reader to read it again.
Example:

| Non-STE: | Instrument Landing System |
| --- | --- |
|  | During the approach to the runway, deviation pointers in the course indicators give |
|  | commands to fly up or down and left or right. This information comes from the VHF |
|  | transceivers, which are part of the Instrument Landing System. This helps the pilot |
|  | during the landing approach. When the pilot responds to the commands, the |
|  | aircraft can be flown over the runway centerline (localizer) and at a fixed angle |
|  | (glideslope) to the runway threshold. The localizer signals are processed by the |
|  | transceiver and data are transmitted to Air Traffic Control. |

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ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English
The STE text that follows shows how you can use short sentences to write a clear text that gives
information gradually. Each sentence contains only one subject in underlined texts.

| STE: | Instrument Landing System |
| --- | --- |
|  | The Instrument Landing System (the system) on the aircraft shows data that helps |
|  | the pilot during the approach to the runway. This system shows the pilot the |
|  | deviations from the localizer course and the glideslope path. The localizer course |
|  | aligns with the centerline of the runway. And the glideslope path is at a constant |
|  | angle to the threshold of the runway. During the approach to the runway, deviation |
|  | pointers in the course indicators show the pilot in which direction the aircraft must |
|  | go: |
|  | - Left or right (for the localizer) |
|  | - Up or down (for the glideslope). |
|  | This data about deviations from the localizer course and glideslope path comes |
|  | from two VHF transceivers. These transceivers transmit this data to Air Traffic |
|  | Control. |

The STE text is divided into two paragraphs and has a logical structure:
- The first paragraph has five sentences.
- The second paragraph has two sentences.

## Rule 6.2 Use key words and key phrases to give your text a logical structure.

Key words are words that occur in a text to connect different ideas, and key phrases are phrases
that have the same function.
These key words and key phrases show how information in a text is related and give the text a
logical structure.
You can also use connecting words and connecting phrases to help the reader understand the
logical flow of ideas in the text. Connecting words and connecting phrases have the function of
traffic signs, which tell the reader if the information is new, different, or a result of previous
information. Examples of approved connecting words are: "and," "but," "then," "thus," and examples
of connecting phrases are "as a result," and "at the same time."
The example that follows is the STE text of the example for rule 6.1. In the text, you can see how
the underlined key words and key phrases connect sentences and their related ideas. This makes
the text much easier to read and understand.
When you use key words and key phrases, make sure that you do not change them in your text.
The same terminology will keep your text clear and correct.
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