Google's developer documentation is written in US English, but some of it is translated or read by people whose primary language is not English. Its guidance for a global audience addresses clarity for those language backgrounds through choices about wording and sentence construction.
Make relationships between actions clear
The guide identifies using as a word that may need a clearer connection to the rest of a sentence. Depending on the meaning, it suggests by using, that use, that uses or you use. Its advice favours avoiding participles and gerunds where possible because these forms can be less direct and ambiguous. This is a convention for Google's developer documentation.
Example: “Open the file using the editor.” A revision following the guide's suggested wording would be “Open the file by using the editor.” Another of its suggested constructions would fit “Choose an editor that uses the required format.”
The guide recommends putting only immediately before the word or phrase it relates to. In a hypothetical instruction, “Select only the final paragraph” places the limit next to the selected material. If the meaning remains ambiguous after a change in placement, Google's advice is to rephrase the sentence.
Google's list guidance uses an ordered list when sequence is significant, including steps or priorities. An unordered list presents nonsequential options or examples, with clear wording about whether every item is required. It recommends the same syntax or structure across items where possible. If punctuation is inconsistent, its options are parallel construction or end punctuation on every item.
Replace vague instructions with details
Google calls for technical details to be described in precise technical terms. It warns that subjective words can be vague, with simply, properly and carefully among the modifiers its guidance discourages.
Vague: “Check the setting carefully.” Specific: “Check that the language setting is English.”
Google's terminology guidance says decisions about defining or contextualising terms depend on the product area, the audience and prevailing convention. It also allows departures from its guidance when they serve readers better.
Keep helpful connecting words
Words such as then, that and of are described in Google's guide as helper words. The guide notes that conversational English frequently leaves them out, and recommends using them to avoid ambiguity.
Without the helper word: “Confirm the setting is correct.” With a helper word: “Confirm that the setting is correct.”
Write meeting shorthand in words
The Ministry of Justice content style guide uses one-to-one in full for a meeting. Its entry dated 19 May 2026 discourages digits joined by a colon or hyphen because that shorthand is less clear and screen readers may not read it as intended. Its example is that 1:1 or 1-1 could be read as “one one”.
The guide also allows a more descriptive meeting name in some contexts. It gives in-person meeting and meeting with your probation practitioner as examples of descriptions that may be clearer, depending on the meeting being described.