Most of the time, you should write in present tense. It's generally easier to understand and applies to most of the actions our users take.
The active voice puts the focus of the sentence onto the subject and their actions. The passive voice reduces or completely omits the subject and focuses on the object. It is almost always better to use the active voice because it’s direct and clear.
The passive voice can be appropriate to avoid emphasizing who is taking an action. This can be useful in error messages when the app is responsible or to avoid blaming the user.
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Use straightforward language that is easy to understand. Avoid jargon and technical terms. Write so that a layperson can understand you.
Write in short, scannable sentences and avoid unnecessary adjectives or modifiers. Try not to use the same word multiple times in a sentence or short paragraph.
Be specific and reinforce the subject or action.
Second person refers to “you, your, yours”, as opposed to first person, “I, me, mine”, or third person, “he/she/they, him/her/them, his/hers/theirs”. In most cases, use second person. This draws the user in and makes them feel spoken to.
First person can be appropriate in some cases, such as for consent: “I have read and agree to the Terms & Conditions.”
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Lots of punctuation can result in clutter, making content harder to scan.
Avoid using parentheses. Don't use periods at the end of most sentences and never use exclamation marks. If you’re asking a question, always include a question mark.
See Mechanics.
Using contractions like "it's" can save space and make content easier to scan. It can also make content seem more personable.
It is sometimes better to say “do not” instead of “don’t” to emphasize that the user shouldn’t take an action.
Basis Technologies is an American company, so all of our content should be written using American English spelling.
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