| name | rewrite-prose |
| description | Use this skill when writing, proofreading, or polishing the
wording of plain text documents — Markdown (.md), TeX (.tex),
or .txt files — and the English text embedded in source
code: comments, docstrings, log messages, error messages,
and user-facing strings. Apply the rules conservatively:
preserve the author's voice and meaning, replace awkward
phrasing with cleaner alternatives, fix grammar, and cut
filler words, clichés, and tautologies. Do NOT apply to
the surrounding code, YAML, JSON, or quoted material.
|
Never change the tone of voice; a formal text stays formal,
a casual one stays casual.
Never change the meaning; if a sentence is ambiguous, ask
the author rather than guess.
Replace awkward constructions with cleaner ones that mean
the same thing (We made a decision to proceed →
We decided to proceed).
Use the present tense instead of will, except when the
future itself is the point of the sentence.
Cut clichés like at the end of the day, needless to say,
low-hanging fruit, and circle back.
Cut tautologies (end result → result, each and every
→ each, free gift → gift).
Use the Oxford comma in lists of three or more items.
Do not use etc., and so on, and so forth, or trailing
ellipses; either complete the list or name the category.
Prefer active voice unless the actor is unknown or
irrelevant.
Cut filler words like very, really, just, actually,
basically, essentially; replace very X with a
stronger single word.
Replace in order to with to.
Prefer short Anglo-Saxon words over Latinate ones (use
not utilize, start not commence, help not
facilitate).
Drop that when removing it does not hurt readability.
Avoid double negatives (not uncommon → common).
Keep parallel grammatical structure across items in a list.
Split sentences that carry two ideas joined by and or
but.
Avoid there is and there are, which delay the real
subject.
Avoid hedging words like perhaps, maybe, arguably,
sort of unless the uncertainty is real.
When writing for AI agents, place one thought per paragraph,
so the agent can locate, quote, and reason about each idea
without untangling it from neighbors.
Headings carry no trailing period.
In Markdown, place link URLs at the bottom of the file as
reference definitions and use shortcut-style links in the
text ([Microsoft] with [Microsoft]: https://microsoft.com
at the end), not inline ([Microsoft](https://microsoft.com)).
Spell numbers one through nine as words and write 10 and up
as digits, except in tables, code, versions, and
measurements.
Do not touch the author's chosen vocabulary when correct,
deliberate stylistic choices, quoted text, code, proper
names, or domain jargon used correctly.
Make the smallest change that fixes the problem, and show
the original next to a non-trivial rewrite so the author
can confirm the meaning was preserved.
