Simple English

Opt-in rules for clear technical prose inspired by ASD-STE100.

The repository includes an opt-in simple-english rule package for technical documentation. It is inspired by the SimpleEnglish skill: short sentences, direct instructions, simple verb forms, plain words, and consistent terminology.

The package is external rather than builtin because its limits and modal rules are stricter than lawlint’s defaults. It is a good fit for READMEs, runbooks, API guides, and maintenance instructions. It is not a default style for legal or contract drafting.

Enable it

From the repository root, or with an installed package:

lawlint --rule-dir packages/simple-english README.md

To enable it for a project, add the package directory to .lawlint/config.json:

{
  "ruleDirs": ["packages/simple-english"]
}

The package uses a pragmatic mode by default. It keeps domain terms such as webhook, commit, and endpoint, while flagging avoidable ambiguity and padding. Use it in strict projects that name STE or ASD-STE100 compliance, but remember that the official dictionary and a human review are still required.

Core overlap

The package does not duplicate core/no-semicolons. Consider disabling core/sentence-length when you use the package: core allows 45 words, while this package uses the STE descriptive limit of 25 words. Procedural text has a 20-word limit, which the sentence rule cannot classify automatically.

Some plain-word advice can produce related findings from core/prefer-short-words or core/prefer-concise-phrases. Review the combined output when both packages are enabled.

Test the package

lawlint rules test packages/simple-english --offline

This validates every hard rule’s before/after examples without loading a judge. Inferential rules require --judge to evaluate their examples.

This package is an unofficial aid. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by ASD or STEMG. ASD-STE100 is an ASD trademark. Full compliance requires the official dictionary from asd-ste100.org.