Every rule, and how hard it binds

228 rules match. Showing 51–75.

1. SYN-011 Remove empty openings IF THERE IS/IT IS delays a concrete subject without serving information structure, THEN make the concrete subject the grammatical subject ELSE retain. Heuristic
2. SYN-012 Preserve logical connector meaning IF two propositions are joined, THEN choose a connector whose relation matches addition, contrast, cause, condition, concession, sequence, example, or result ELSE state the relation explicitly. Hard constraint
3. SYN-013 Coordinate equals; subordinate dependencies IF two ideas have equal rhetorical rank, THEN coordinate them; IF one supplies cause, condition, time, concession, or support, THEN subordinate it ELSE use separate sentences. Context default
4. SYN-014 Avoid ambiguous scope of only, not, and even IF a focusing or negative operator can modify more than one constituent, THEN move it directly before the intended scope ELSE retain. Hard constraint
5. SYN-015 Resolve misplaced relative clause IF a relative clause can attach to the wrong noun, THEN move it beside the intended antecedent or repeat the noun ELSE retain. Hard constraint
6. SYN-016 Keep correlative pairs balanced IF BOTH/AND, EITHER/OR, NEITHER/NOR, or NOT ONLY/BUT ALSO joins items, THEN place each half before parallel units ELSE retain. Hard constraint
7. SYN-017 Avoid accidental garden paths IF the opening strongly invites a wrong parse that must be revised later, THEN add a boundary, determiner, complementizer, or reorder ELSE retain intentional suspense. Heuristic
8. SYN-018 Match sentence force to intent IF the intended speech act is command, question, assertion, offer, or warning, THEN select a grammatical form that makes that act clear ELSE request intent. Hard constraint
9. SYN-019 Use fragments deliberately IF a fragment improves pace, voice, emphasis, dialogue realism, headline force, or UI economy AND its meaning is recoverable, THEN allow it ELSE complete it. Creative option
10. SYN-020 Split overloaded sentences by proposition IF a sentence contains more than three major propositions OR more than one unrelated rhetorical move, THEN split at the strongest logical boundary ELSE retain. Heuristic
11. STR-001 One controlling move per paragraph IF a paragraph performs more than one unrelated rhetorical move, THEN split it at the move boundary ELSE retain. Context default
12. STR-002 Expose the paragraph point IF the paragraph’s controlling point is absent or recoverable only after rereading, THEN state or move it to a strategic position ELSE retain an intentional delayed reveal. Heuristic
13. STR-003 Support consequential claims IF a paragraph makes a consequential factual claim, THEN provide evidence, cite it, qualify it, or remove the claim ELSE retain. Hard constraint
14. STR-004 Keep evidence beside the claim IF evidence is separated from the claim it supports by unrelated material, THEN move it closer or label the relation ELSE retain. Context default
15. STR-005 Use transitions that name the relation IF adjacent paragraphs have a meaningful but unstated relation, THEN add a transition that expresses that relation ELSE retain. Context default
16. STR-006 Delete orphan paragraphs IF a paragraph neither advances the purpose nor supports another necessary move, THEN delete or relocate it ELSE retain. Heuristic
17. STR-007 Section answers one reader question IF a section answers multiple unrelated reader questions, THEN split and label them ELSE retain. Context default
18. STR-008 Heading predicts content IF a heading does not accurately predict its section, THEN rename the heading or repair the section ELSE retain. Hard constraint
19. STR-009 Maintain heading hierarchy IF heading levels skip or reflect visual size rather than logical nesting, THEN repair the hierarchy ELSE retain. Hard constraint
20. STR-010 Front-load user value IF scanning readers must pass background before reaching the answer, action, or benefit, THEN move the needed content earlier ELSE retain intentional narrative suspense. Heuristic
21. STR-011 Order by reader task IF the document supports an action, THEN order information by the reader’s task rather than the organization’s internal structure ELSE select chronological, causal, spatial, or importance order. Context default
22. STR-012 Introduce lists with a clear purpose IF a list appears, THEN make its category or task clear in a heading or lead-in ELSE retain. Context default
23. STR-013 Use numbered lists for order or rank IF list order changes meaning, sequence, priority, or reference, THEN number the items ELSE use bullets or a table. Context default
24. STR-014 Keep list items parallel IF list items perform the same role but begin with mismatched grammatical forms, THEN align them ELSE retain justified variation. Context default
25. STR-015 Choose table only for cross-comparison IF readers must compare repeated fields across three or more items, THEN use a table; IF order or action matters, use a list ELSE use prose. Heuristic