Functional Standards writing style guide
Published 30 September 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/handbook-for-standard-managers/functional-standards-writing-style-guide
1. Use plain English
You should write your standard using plain English and with the reader in mind.
Plain English is easier to understand and does not mean oversimplifying your text nor changing its meaning.
Keep your sentences short, with one idea per sentence. Leave out words you don’t need. Use lists when you can. Phrase your points positively where it makes sense.
Be careful with your punctuation; punctuation can completely change the meaning.
Reduce jargon where you can. Don’t define words that have an evident, plain English, meaning. Avoid acronyms.
Use the present tense; standards are not able to predict the future!
Notes and examples may be used for giving additional information intended to assist the reader.
No requirements, recommendations or permissions should be included in a note. Each clause needs to be numbered so it can be referred to accurately.
Each functional standard should be written:
- to contain mandatory (requirements) and/or advisory elements (recommendations)
- as outcome based, stating what is needed, rather than how activities are to be done.
- for long shelf life, and not contain elements which are likely to change, such as job titles
- to be agnostic to proprietary solutions and methods unless the government has adopted them
2. Use the resources
Use the template to ensure consistent “look and feel”. The following sources should be used:
- The common glossary of definitions used in functional standards.
- Shorter Oxford English Dictionary for the meaning of words.
- Government Digital Service Style Guide .
3. Be clear on the accountabilities
All accountabilities in a standard should state who the role is accountable to and what they are accountable for. For example: “The project manager is accountable to the senior responsible owner for the day to day management of a project…”.
Some roles will be accountable to different people for different things – roles may not be shared.
4. Be precise in your writing
It should be clear, when reading a standard, which parts are mandatory (i.e. requirements), which are recommendations, which give ‘permission’ and which denote a ‘possibility and/ or capability’.
The context and preferred words to use are shown below.
| Word | Implications | Notes |
| shall | Requirements – content from which no deviation is permitted if compliance with the document is to be claimed. | Do not use ‘must’ as an alternative for ‘shall’.Do not use ‘may not’ instead of ‘shall not’ to express a prohibition. |
| should | Recommendations – content denoting a suggested possible choice or course of action deemed to be particularly suitable without necessarily mentioning or excluding others. | ‘shoulds’ are to be met on a comply or explain basis |
| may | Permission – expression denoting approval, consent or opportunity to do something. | Do not use ‘possible’ or ‘impossible’ in this context |
| might | Possibility – expression denoting expected or conceivable outcome. | Use in informative text only |
| can | Possibility and capability – expression conveying expected or conceivable outcome and the ability to do or achieve a specified something. | Use in informative text only |
| will | Ambiguous term, do not use | |
| must | Do not use except in a legal context | |
| is/are | A description |