error · Section 3: Verbs
Rule 3.5: Use the "-ing" form of a verb only as a technical noun or noun modifier
Do not use a word with an '-ing' form as part of a verb phrase (a progressive tense) or to build long modifying clauses attached to a noun. The '-ing' form may be used in two separate, independent ways: (1) as a valid technical noun (for example in a procedure title or heading) or as a functional modifier within a technical noun describing the function of a system, component, part, tool, or material — this path does not require the specific '-ing' word to also appear in the small dictionary-approved general list; or (2) as one of the small number of dictionary-approved general '-ing' words. A word only needs to satisfy one of these two paths, not both.
What a checker looks for
A clear deviation from the rule.
- Flag any '-ing' word used as part of a verb phrase (progressive tense, e.g. 'is opening,' 'are doing') rather than as a technical noun or noun-modifier.
- Flag '-ing' words used to build long modifying phrases or dependent clauses attached to a noun (e.g. 'a mechanic opening a door without observing the safety precautions...').
- For an '-ing' word used as a noun or noun-modifier, confirm it is EITHER a valid technical noun/functional modifier within an approved technical noun (e.g. 'air-conditioning system,' 'grinding wheel,' 'welding torch') OR one of the small dictionary-approved general set (e.g. lighting, opening, routing, servicing as nouns; mating, missing, remaining as adjectives; something as a pronoun; during as a preposition) — it does not need to satisfy both.
What this rule does not cover
- '-ing' words used as procedure/section titles or headings (e.g. 'Cleaning,' 'Testing and Fault Isolation,' 'Troubleshooting') are compliant technical-noun uses, not violations.
- An '-ing' word functioning as a modifier describing a component's function within a multi-word noun (e.g. 'switching relay') is compliant.
How to fix it
Rewrite the sentence so the action is expressed with a finite verb in an approved tense (rule 3.2) — typically converting 'while X is -ing' to 'while X verb-s,' and breaking long '-ing'-headed modifier clauses into separate short sentences or a numbered list.
Constraints on the fix
- Keep '-ing' words that are approved technical nouns or noun-modifiers (headings, component names) unchanged.
Examples
Not STE: When you are doing this procedure, obey all the safety precautions.
STE: When you do this procedure, obey all the safety precautions.
Not STE: A mechanic opening a door without following the safety precautions can cause injury.
STE: If a mechanic opens a door and does not obey the safety precautions, injury can occur.
Related rules
Where this fits in AI governance
A rule a checker can test is a rule a model can be held to. The same discipline, on the governance side of this site.
- Testing AI systems
Verb-form rules are deterministic tests, which is what makes them a useful regression suite for generated text. - Model drift, performance regression and versioning
A rule-level pass rate is a baseline; a provider update that changes the model changes the pass rate. - Output validation guardrails
A controlled language is a checkable output constraint. This is the control that treats model output as something to be checked rather than trusted.
Source
ASD-STE100 Issue 9, Section 3 - Verbs, page 1-3-4.
This page is commentary and does not reproduce the standard. About this rule pack.