Area IV
Structural & Systemic Constraints
Hard rules, uniformly applied
Constraint is a paradoxical engine of clarity. Forbid a single verb, or fix an exact grade level, and the writer must find fresh, specific, verifiable language. These rules apply everywhere at once, so their effects are easy to check.
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E-Prime (English-Prime)
Banishing the verb “to be”
Write with no form of the verb “to be,” forcing vivid verbs and explicit agents.
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Readability Metrics
Quantified reading level
Target an exact, measurable reading level—grade, sentence length, syllable count.
Example from this area
From E-Prime (English-Prime)—Write with no form of the verb “to be,” forcing vivid verbs and explicit agents.
BeforeThe results were surprising, and it was clear that the model was superior to the baseline.
After (E-Prime)The results surprised us; the model clearly outperformed the baseline.