# Page 113–116 of 434

> **Source:** ASD-STE100 Issue 9, January 2025
> **Pages:** 113–116 of 434

## Part 1 - Writing Rules

# Page 113 of 434

make many changes to your text. Then, when you change one part of a text, you must make sure that it has no negative effects on other parts of the text.

**Example:**

|   | Non-STE: | _If cracks aredetected during_<br>_withina certain number of flig_<br>_followingtable:_<br> | _this procedure, the operator mustperform the repair_<br>_ht hoursdependingon crack length. Refer to_<br>_ |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|   |   | _Crack length detected_ | _Time before repair_ |
|   |   | _L> ..._<br>_L = ..._<br>_L< ..._ | _1000 flight hours_<br>_2000 flight hours_<br>_3000 flight hours_ |
|   | STE: | If you find cracks, refer to the | table that follows: |
|   |   | If the crack is of this length | Do the repair before |
|   |   | L>_..._<br>L = ...<br>L< ... | 1000 flight hours<br>2000 flight hours<br>3000flighthours |

In the non-STE example:

- The underlined words are not approved in STE.
- The first verb form "are detected" is in the passive voice.
- The first sentence is 24 words long.
- An article is missing in front of "crack length" and "following table."
- The instruction is not in the imperative form.

As shown in the dictionary, you can replace:

- "perform" with "do"
- "within" with "in"
- "certain" with "some"
- "detect" with "find".

You can also include the missing articles. Then, the sentence becomes:

> _<mark>If cracks are found during this procedure, the operator must do the repair in some flight hours depending on the crack length</mark>_ <mark>.</mark> _<mark>Refer to the following table:</mark>_

This sentence keeps the same construction, but the sentence is not good English.

To replace "are found" (passive voice), you must change the construction to: "If you find cracks ..." But this does not change the construction of the remaining part of the sentence.

To replace "following," you must make a small change to the construction: "Refer to the table that follows:"

To replace "the operator must do the repair," you must change the construction to: "do the repair".

To replace "in some flight hours," you can use "number of flight hours."

To replace "depending," you must make an important change to the sentence. This important change is necessary because you cannot do a word-for-word replacement with the alternative "if (conj)" given in the dictionary for "depend."

# Page 114 of 434

You can then write the first sentence as follows:

> _<mark>If you find cracks during this procedure, do the repair before the number of flight hours that</mark>_ _<u><mark>are applicable to the crack length. Refer to the table that follows:</mark></u>_

But the first sentence has 23 words, and the technical meaning is not correct and not easy to understand. Also, part of the information is in the table. Thus, it is not necessary to give it two times. A good solution is to put the instruction in the table heading, as shown in the STE text.

> <u>The primary objective of STE is that readers immediately understand each sentence that they read.</u>

### How to use approved words correctly

#### Rule 9.2 Use each approved word correctly.

Some STE-approved words have meanings that are applicable only in some contexts (restricted meaning).

Before you use a word, read its definition in the approved meaning column of the dictionary. Words frequently have many different meanings in standard English. In STE, approved words usually only have one approved meaning. Other meanings that the word can have in standard English are not approved.

Always make sure that the word that you select has the correct meaning in the applicable context.

**Examples:**

> **Non-STE:** _<u><mark>Wear protective clothing.</mark></u>_
>
> **STE:** <u><mark>Use (or put on) protective clothing</mark></u>

The word "wear" is approved as a verb, but with the meaning "to become damaged by friction."

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>This regulation extends to all units.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>This regulation is applicable to all units.</mark>

The verb "extend" has the approved meaning "to increase, or cause something to increase, in dimension or range." In the non-STE example, the verb "extend" does not agree with its approved meaning.

# Page 115 of 434

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>When the pressure goes down, lift the cover.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>When the pressure decreases, lift the cover.</mark>

The verb "goes" together with the preposition "down" is a phrase that refers to a physical movement, for example, when an indicator (a gauge needle or a flag) goes down.

"Decrease" is better because it refers to the pressure, not to the indicator that monitors the pressure.

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>Make sure that the probe went through more than 500 °C.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>Make sure that the temperature of the probe increased to more than 500 °C.</mark>

You can use the verb "go" together with the preposition "through" only for something that physically moves through something. You cannot use it to show a requirement or a condition.

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>Move the tube to see if the inner connection is tight.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>Move the tube to make sure that the inner connection is tight.</mark>

You can use the verb "see" only for something that you can see with your eyes and not as a word for "come to know."

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>The indicator turns green.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>The color of the indicator changes to green.</mark>

You can use the verb "turn" only with the meaning "to move or cause to move around an axis or a point."

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>Do not let the pressure go below (or above) 20 psi.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>Do not let the pressure become less than (or more than) 20 psi.</mark>

The prepositions "above" and "below" are for physical positions only and not for limits.

Also, make sure that you use approved words as their approved part of speech. In English, words usually do not have different forms that immediately show their function in a sentence. Thus, readers can frequently think differently about the same word. To make sentences clearer, an approved word can usually only have one function (part of speech). In STE, use each approved word as the approved part of speech.

**Examples:**

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>When you work with cleaning agents, use breathing equipment.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>When you do work with cleaning agents, use breathing equipment.</mark>

"Work" is approved as a noun, but not as a verb.

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>Install the cover with the help of a second person.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>Install the cover with the aid of a second person.</mark>

"Help" is approved as a verb, but not as a noun.

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>Be careful not to damage the sleeve.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>Be careful not to cause damage to the sleeve.</mark>

# Page 116 of 434

"Damage" is approved as a noun, but not as a verb.

There are a small number of words that are approved as more than one part of speech and have more than one meaning. These words are important and frequently occur in technical English.

The word "flush," for example, frequently occurs in technical texts as a verb (with the approved meaning "to remove something or to operate with a flow of liquid"). The same word can also occur as an adjective (when it refers to a condition where one surface fully touches a different surface).

**Examples:**

> **STE:** <mark>Flush the pipes with a disinfectant solution. ("Flush" is a verb here.)</mark>
>
> **STE:** <mark>Make sure that the door is flush with the adjacent surfaces. ("Flush" is an adjective here.)</mark>

But because the verb and the adjective have different positions and contexts, it is easy to see their function.

#### Rule 9.3 When you use two words together, do not make phrasal verbs.

In English, a verb and one or more prepositions can go together to form a "phrasal verb." This phrasal verb has a meaning that is different from the meanings of its parts. Phrasal verbs usually have two meanings: the original, more concrete meaning, and a more general and abstract meaning.

**General examples:**

> _<u><mark>Put out the cat.</mark></u>_ (Concrete meaning: "Put the cat outside of the house.") _<u><mark>Put out the fire.</mark></u>_

(Abstract meaning: "Extinguish the fire.")

To prevent ambiguity, it is not permitted in STE to use approved words together to make a new phrase (phrasal verb).

**Examples:**

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>After you put out the fire, close the valve on the fire extinguisher.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>After you extinguish the fire, close the valve on the fire extinguisher.</mark>

"Put" and "out" are approved words in STE. In the example, "put out" has a different meaning from the approved meanings for "put" and "out" given in the dictionary. The word "extinguish" has the approved meaning "to stop burning" and it is the word that is most usual in technical documentation.

> **Non-STE:** _<mark>This compound can give off poisonous fumes.</mark>_
>
> **STE:** <mark>This compound can release poisonous fumes.</mark>

"Give" and "off" are approved words in STE. In the example, "give off" has a different meaning from the approved meaning for "give" and "off" given in the dictionary. Here you must think of a different
