# Page 109–112 of 434

> **Source:** ASD-STE100 Issue 9, January 2025
> **Pages:** 109–112 of 434

## Part 1 - Writing Rules

# Page 109 of 434

> **STE:** " FRAGILE - Please handle with care. "

(1 word)

(The text given in quotation marks is not in STE. It comes from a label on shipping containers, and it is not possible to change it. It counts as one word.)

### 7. Proper nouns of individuals, groups, organizations, and geopolitical entities.

There are groups of words that you cannot change because they identify:

- Individuals (for example, John Smith)
- Groups or organizations (for example, World Health Organization)
- Geopolitical entities (for example, Republic of Ireland).

**Examples in STE:**

> **STE:** The first president of the United States of America was George Washington. (8 words)
>
> **STE:** The owner of STE is the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe. (7 words) ("Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe" is the proper noun of an organization and counts as one word.)

("United States of America" is the proper noun of a geopolitical entity and counts as one word. "George Washington" is the proper noun of an individual and counts as one word.)

### Rule 8.7 Hyphenated words count as one word.

Groups of words that are not usually adjectives but have the function of an adjective before a noun are hyphenated. Such groups of words count as one word.

**Examples in STE:**

| Example | Word count |
|----------|-------------|
| Clean the surface with a soap-and-water solution. | (7 words) |
| Use the trial-and-error method. | (4 words) |

When you use hyphens in long technical nouns to make them clearer to the reader, a hyphenated group of words also counts as one word.

**Examples in STE:**

| Example | Word count |
|----------|-------------|
| Cutoff-switch power connection | (3 words) |
| Main-gear-door retraction-winch handle | (3 words) |

# Page 110 of 434

## Section 9 - Writing practices

| Different sentence constructions | Rule 9.1 | How to use the approved words correctly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Summary of the rules | Use a different sentence construction to write a sentence when a word-for-word replacement is not sufficient. | Use each approved word correctly. |

When you use two words together, do not make phrasal verbs.

| Topic | Reference |
| --- | --- |
| Consistent style | Rule 9.4 |
| When you select terminology or wording, always use a consistent style. |  |

### General recommendations

| Reference | Topic |
| --- | --- |
| GR-1 | The conjunction "that" |
| GR-2 | The preposition "with" |
| GR-3 | How to use pronouns |
| GR-4 | The pronoun "this" |
| GR-5 | False friends |
| GR-6 | Latin abbreviations |
| GR-7 | Inclusive language |
| GR-8 | Possessive form |

### Different sentence constructions

#### Rule 9.1 Use a different sentence construction to write a sentence when a word-for-word replacement is not sufficient.

STE is a controlled natural language with a controlled dictionary.

To help you use the approved words correctly, the dictionary gives approved alternatives for words that are not approved. If you find an alternative that has the same part of speech, you can use it to replace the word that is not permitted (a word-for-word replacement).

**Example:**

> **Non-STE:** A value of 2 mm is acceptable. ("Acceptable" is not approved.)
>
> **STE:** A value of 2 mm is permitted.

# Page 111 of 434

When you replace a word, always make sure that the alternative that you select does not change the meaning of the sentence. If the meaning changes, or if the alternative does not have the same part of speech, you must use a different sentence construction.

A different sentence construction is necessary because:

#### 1. You must change the grammatical structure of the sentence to use the alternative that you selected. Usually, the STE examples show you how to do this.

**Examples:**

> **Non-STE:** The oil level on the sight gauge must be visible during the test.
>
> **STE:** During the test, make sure that you can see the oil level on the sight gauge.

In this example, the approved verb "see" replaces the adjective "visible." But to use the verb "see," it is necessary to replace "must be" with "make sure that you can."

> **Non-STE:** Cycle the unit twice to remove air from the lines.
>
> **STE:** Operate the unit for two cycles to remove air from the lines.

In this example, the approved noun "cycle" together with the approved verb "operate" replaces the verb "cycle." And the technical noun "two" replaces the adverb "twice."

When you use different sentence constructions, always make sure that you use approved words that do not change the meaning of the sentence.

#### 2. The word-for-word replacement of the word that is not approved gives a meaningless result.

**Example:**

> **Non-STE:** Without this modification, the service life of the unit can be uncertain.

"Uncertain" is not in the dictionary, but it means "not sure" or "not known." Thus, you can refer to "sure" and "know" in the dictionary. You will find that they are approved, and you can use "not sure" and "not known" ("not" + the approved word).

But do not write:

> **Non-STE:** Without this modification, the service life of the unit cannot be sure.

or

> **Non-STE:** Without this modification, the service life of the unit cannot be known.

These sentences are not clear, and they are not good English. You must think about the meaning of the sentence and then use a different sentence construction.

> **Non-STE:** Without this modification, the service life of the unit can be uncertain.
>
> **STE:** Without this modification, it is possible that the service life of this unit will be shorter than usual.

The STE sentence uses approved words to give the same information clearly. Always make sure that you know the purpose of your communication and that the words that you use give the meaning that you want.

# Page 112 of 434

#### 3. The approved alternative that you find changes the meaning of the sentence.

**Example:**

> **Non-STE:** Just apply very light pressure to the surface.
>
> **STE:** Only apply very light pressure to the surface.
>
> **Non-STE:** NOT: Immediately apply very light pressure to the surface.

"Immediately" is the approved alternative for "just." But if you use the word "immediately" in this context, you will change the meaning of the instruction.

#### 4. The word that you must replace is not in the dictionary.

**Example:**

> **Non-STE:** The incidence of water in fuel is dangerous.
>
> **STE:** Water in fuel is dangerous.

"Incidence" is not in the dictionary. Thus, you must think of a different word that has the same meaning, for example, "presence." But "presence" is not approved, and its suggested approved alternative is "be." You can use a different sentence construction to keep the same meaning.

#### How to use a different sentence construction

When you cannot do a word-for-word replacement, use different words to get the same result.

**Example:**

> **Non-STE:** Lift the seat so that it clears the track locks.
>
> **STE:** Lift the seat until it is away from the track locks.
>
> **Non-STE:** NOT: Lift the seat so that it cleans the track locks.

In this example, "clear" is not an approved verb and its only alternative in the dictionary is "clean" as a verb. But "clean" as a verb does not have the meaning that you want.

Do not use "clear" as a verb or think that "clear" can be a technical verb.

Answer these questions before you write the sentence:

- "What is the meaning of the word 'clear' in this context?"
- "What is the action that a reader must do?"

If you are not sure, look for "clear" in an English dictionary and find the definition that is applicable to this sentence.

You will understand that "clears the track locks" is the result of the previous action "lift the seat." This is the action that is necessary to increase the distance between the seat and the track locks. Thus, you can tell your reader "lift the seat" (the action) "until the seat is away from the track locks."

In the examples, you saw:

- How you can change a word that is not approved in a sentence.
- How you can write a new sentence that has the same meaning.

Frequently, you must select different words, use different verb forms, or write new sentence constructions. It is possible that you must divide long sentences into shorter ones, remove information that is not necessary, or get more information from an engineer. Frequently, you must
