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simple-english

Skill288 starsChanged 6 days agoMITView on GitHub

Write or rewrite technical text with the rules of ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English so the result is clear, unambiguous, and free of AI slop. Use for documentation, READMEs, runbooks, procedures, error messages, release notes, incident reports, and API guides. Also use when the user says "STE", "Simplified Technical English", "ASD-STE100", "de-slop", "make this readable", "write for non-native readers", or asks for docs that translate well. Enforces the 53 rules of the standard (Issue 9) with a deterministic lint gate.

26 other projects use a version of this.

Adopted by

Most recently taken up by

Used with

Projects with it also use xsai, pnpm and 10 more.

Other files people use alongside this one.

Files found in the same public projects as a version of this one, more often than they turn up anywhere else. Each project counts once, large collections count for less, and this file's own repository is left out.
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The file

We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

8 rules. 0 are common, 6 are distinctive, and 2 are very specific to this project.

  • 0

    Common

    Most of the 26 edited versions we read keep these.

  • 6

    Distinctive

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 2

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Distinctive:

    Write technical text with the rules of ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English.

    line 17
  2. Distinctive:

    When asked to write or rewrite technical text, do these steps in order:

    line 21
  3. Distinctive:

    Run mandatory self-check before delivery.

    line 27
  4. Distinctive:

    Leave code, identifiers, and quoted errors untouched.

    line 28
  5. Distinctive:

    When asked to CHECK text, report each violation with rule number, offending text, and compliant rewrite.

    line 30
  6. Very specific:

    Search draft for contractions, perfect tenses, banned modals, -ing verbs after comma, semicolons.

    line 60
  7. Very specific:

    Check if/when placement (must start sentence before command).

    line 61
  8. Distinctive:

    Verify consistent single term per concept across whole doc.

    line 62

“Common” is measured: kept by at least 6 in 10 of the 26 edited versions of this file we could read. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
SKILL.md

Simple English

HARD GATE — Do NOT deliver technical text without classifying it first as procedural or descriptive. Every sentence limit and verb form depends on this choice.

HARD GATE — Do NOT change code, identifiers, CLI flags, file paths, or quoted error messages. Leave them exact.

HARD GATE — Do NOT claim STE compliance. State that final approval rests with the writer.

Write technical text with the rules of ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English. STE removes long sentences, synonym rotation, and decorative clauses so a tired reader cannot misread an instruction.

Your task

When asked to write or rewrite technical text, do these steps in order:

  1. Select mode (Pragmatic default for docs/READMEs; Strict when user requests full STE/compliance).
  2. Classify each passage as procedural or descriptive.
  3. Fix vocabulary before drafting (pick one verb/noun per concept).
  4. Apply core limits and rules from REFERENCE.md.
  5. Run mandatory self-check before delivery.
  6. Leave code, identifiers, and quoted errors untouched.

When asked to CHECK text, report each violation with rule number, offending text, and compliant rewrite.

Passage classification

Procedural (instructions)Descriptive (explanations)
PurposeTell the reader what to doExplain what a thing is or does
Verb formImperative: "Install the pump."Simple present, past, or future
Sentence limit20 words (Rule 5.1)25 words (Rule 6.3)
Unit ruleOne instruction per sentence (5.2)One topic per paragraph (6.5), max 6 sentences (6.6)

Core limits

LimitRule
Max 20 words per procedural sentence / 25 words per descriptive sentence or note5.1, 6.3, 5.5
Max 6 sentences per paragraph; multi-word nouns max 3 words6.6, 2.1
Approved verbs: infinitive, imperative, simple present/past/future, past participle as adj3.2
Active voice; no semicolons; put required conditions before commands3.6, 8.1, 5.4
Code, numbers with units, identifiers, quoted text count as 1 word each8.6

Approved modals & slop replacements

Approved modals: can, will, must. Replace should → must (requirement) or delete (recommendation); may/might/could → can.

Common slop replacements: leverage/utilize → use; in order to → to; prior to → before; ensure → make sure that; functionality → function/feature. See full table in REFERENCE.md.

Self-check before delivery

  1. Count words in 3 longest sentences (over limit → split).
  2. Search draft for contractions, perfect tenses, banned modals, -ing verbs after comma, semicolons.
  3. Check if/when placement (must start sentence before command).
  4. Verify consistent single term per concept across whole doc.

Verify

→ verify: test -x skills/simple-english/scripts/ste_lint.py && python3 skills/simple-english/scripts/ste_lint.py --self-test && echo OK

Reference

  • REFERENCE.md — full 53-rule catalog, slop substitutions, doc-type adaptations, and verification checklist.

Download now (ZIP)

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