When it adds clarity, don’t hesitate to use the same word over again.
Don’t avoid using the same word twice in a sentence or in consecutive sentences because you think that this is poor style. In user assistance, the best style is clarity.
1 In sentences with and and or, make sure that it’s clear which terms an attribute relates to.
2 Words such as this, that, they, these, those, it, which, and so on link ideas. Make sure that these pointers point unmistakably to one noun, phrase, or clause so that your sentence isn’t ambiguous. If there’s any possibility of confusion, repeat the noun.
3 Don’t use awkward constructions like the former … the latter. These constructions aren’t ambiguous, but they’re extremely hard to read. Most readers do remember the statements, but they don’t remember which one came first. So they have to read the whole section again, which wastes their time, makes them feel stupid, and doesn’t contribute to a positive user experience.
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