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ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English

## Section 4 – Sentences

Summary of the rules
Short sentences and clear sentence structures

## Rule 4.1 Write short and clear sentences.

## Rule 4.2 Do not omit words or use contractions to make your sentences shorter.

Vertical lists

## Rule 4.3 Use a vertical list for complex texts.

Connecting words and connecting phrases
Rule 4.4 Use connecting words and connecting phrases to connect sentences that contain
related topics.
Articles and demonstrative adjectives
Rule 4.5 When applicable, use an article (the, a, an) or a demonstrative adjective (this, these)
before a noun or a multi-word noun.
Short sentences and clear sentence structures
The basic principle of STE is to make texts easy to read and understand. Thus, you must write
short sentences and use clear sentence structures.
In STE, there are different rules for how to write sentences in procedures (section 5) and for how to
write sentences in descriptive text (section 6). Section 4 contains the general rules that are
applicable to the two types of writing.

## Rule 4.1 Write short and clear sentences.

Write short and clear sentences that give accurate instructions and information.
In procedures, give short and clear instructions directly to the reader (imperative form).
Example:

|| Non-STE: | To remove the cover assembly (9), first remove the four screws (10) that attach the |
|| --- | --- |
||  | cover (11) to the housing (12), and then, after taking the cover (11) off the housing |
||  | (12), remove the preformed packing (13) and throw it away. |
|| STE: | 1. Remove the cover assembly (9) as follows: |
||  | A. Remove the four screws (10) that attach the cover (11) to the housing (12). |
||  | B. Remove the cover (11) from the housing (12). |
||  | C. Remove and discard the preformed packing (13). |

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ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English
In a descriptive text, make sure that each sentence has only one topic (subject or idea) and does
not contain the imperative form. Then, in the sentences that follow, gradually give information
about that topic.
Example:

|| Non-STE: | The side stay assembly has two folding toggles hinged together and attached with |
|| --- | --- |
||  | hinges between the main gear strut and the side stay bracket. |

(This sentence contains more than one topic. To make this information clearer, you
can write a new sentence for each topic.)

|| STE: | The side stay assembly has two folding toggles. The folding toggles are attached |
|| --- | --- |
||  | together with hinges. These folding toggles are also attached with hinges between |
||  | the main gear strut and the side stay bracket. |

(The new text has three sentences, and each sentence has its topic. Refer to the
underlined text for the specified subjects in each sentence.)
For the two types of writing, always make sure that your text is not abstract. Make sure that it
clearly shows how to do a task or how a system operates. Be accurate. Do not give information
that is not accurate or can have different meanings.
Examples:

|| Do not write: | No leaks are permitted. |
|| --- | --- |

(This sentence does not tell the reader about the action.)

|| WRITE: | Make sure that there are no leaks. |
|| --- | --- |

(This sentence directly tells the reader about the action.)

|| Do not write: | No leaks are permitted. |
|| --- | --- |

(This is an abstract sentence because it contains no information about how the
cure time changes.)

|| WRITE: | Make sure that there are no leaks. |
|| --- | --- |

(This sentence tells the reader the correct information about how the cure time
changes. To make your writing more accurate, give the specified temperatures
and the related cure times.)

|| WRITE: | Make sure that there are no leaks. |
|| --- | --- |

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ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English

## Rule 4.2 Do not omit words or use contractions to make your sentences shorter.

Each sentence must have all its parts. When you write sentences, do not omit words or use
contractions (for example, "don't," "isn't," "aren't"). If you do that, your sentence will be shorter, but
it will not be easier to read. Write all the words in full.
Do not omit nouns to make short sentences. It will not be easy for the reader to understand the
meaning of the sentence.
Example:

|| Non-STE: | Can be a maximum of five inches long. |
|| --- | --- |
|| STE: | Cracks can have a maximum length of five inches. |

Do not omit verbs because the reader will not understand the action.
Example:

|| Non-STE: | Can be a maximum of five inches long. |
|| --- | --- |
|| STE: | Cracks can have a maximum length of five inches. |

Do not omit the subject because the reader will not understand the action.
Examples:

|| Non-STE: | Can be a maximum of five inches long. |
|| --- | --- |
|| STE: | Cracks can have a maximum length of five inches. |

|| Non-STE: | Can be a maximum of five inches long. |
|| --- | --- |
|| STE: | Cracks can have a maximum length of five inches. |

### STE: WARNING: MAKE SURE THAT THE POTABLE WATER SYSTEM IS NOT

### PRESSURIZED. A PRESSURIZED SYSTEM CAN CAUSE INJURY

### TO PERSONS.

Do not omit articles to make the sentence shorter because omitted articles can cause ambiguity.
Examples:

|| Non-STE: | Can be a maximum of five inches long. |
|| --- | --- |
|| STE: | Cracks can have a maximum length of five inches. |

Do not omit parts of words to make contractions because contractions will not be easy to
understand.
Example:

|| Non-STE: | Can be a maximum of five inches long. |
|| --- | --- |
|| STE: | Cracks can have a maximum length of five inches. |

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ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English
Vertical lists

## Rule 4.3 Use a vertical list for complex text.

When your sentence is long and you must include many different items (for example, a list of
components, parts, or documents) or actions, you can put them in a vertical list. Vertical lists make
long and complex texts much easier to read and understand.
When you make a vertical list:
- Put a colon (:) at the end of the first sentence, before the first item in the vertical list.
- Identify each item in the vertical list with a number, letter, punctuation mark, or symbol.
  For example, you can use:
• A dash (-)
• A bullet point (•)
• A letter (a, b, c…)
• A number (1, 2, 3…).
- Start each item in the vertical list with an uppercase letter.
- Where applicable, use an article before the noun that is the subject of each item in the
  vertical list.
- Put a period at the end of an item in the vertical list if it is a full sentence.
- Do not put a period at the end of an item in the vertical list if it is not a full sentence.
- Do not put a comma or a semicolon at the end of an item in the vertical list.
- Put a period at the end of the last item in the vertical list.
  To know which marks or symbols to use, refer to the applicable specifications for technical
  publications, style guides, and other official directives.
  Examples:
  In the two examples that follow, the vertical lists give a list of parts and documents. Dashes and
  bullet points identify each of these parts and documents.
  Non-STE: The wheel assembly comprises the tire, the tube, the spokes, the spoke fittings,
  the valve, and the hub.
  STE: The wheel assembly has these parts:
- The tire
- The tube
- The spokes
- The spoke fittings
- The valve
- The hub.
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