QReg5 Design System
Byt till svenska

Writing style and grammar

This section covers some grammatical rules and approaches, but it is not comprehensive. If you feel unsure about spelling or grammar, ask a colleague.

We write texts using simple and clear language. According to the organization Funka, which works with accessibility, around 25% of the adult population in Sweden have difficulties with reading. It is therefore important that we write clear and comprehensible texts.

Use active voice

Avoid passive voice. Active voice is recommended for system texts. Passive voice is characterized by something being done by someone else (has been done, will be done) and in Swedish there is often an "s" at the end of the verb.

  • Example active voice: "The registration is signed."

  • Example passive voice: "The registration was signed"

Avoid slang and jargon

Slang, puns and jargon do not belong in the quality registries. Use plain and clear language.

Use positive language

Use positive wording. One way to detect negative wording is if the words "it's not possible...", "cannot", "may not" or similar are used.

  • Example positive wording: "Enter age to sign."

  • Example negative wording: "It is not possible to sign if you have not entered age."

The right information at the right time

Provide only the information needed at the time. Nothing more.

  • The fact that there is a lot of information is no reason to share it

  • Help users focus on what's important by not including too much information

  • At each point in the workflow, try to answer the users' most important question

Grammar

Abbreviations and acronyms

  • Print abbreviations, unless the abbreviation is completely familiar to the user

  • Acronyms are okay as long as they are well known to users

Uppercase

  • Always start sentences with a capital letter. This also applies to all headings and button texts.

  • Other words should not be capitalized, unless it is a name of a person or geographical place.

Punctuation

  • Do not end headings with a full stop.

  • Do not place full stops at the end of sentences in bullet lists, unless one of the bullets contain multiple sentences. In such cases, use full stops for all items in the list.

Numbers

Write with numbers, not letters. That is, write “3” and not “three” even though it is grammatically correct to write lower numbers with text. Numbers are faster and easier to read on the screen.

Date

In input fields and other short texts: YYYY-MM-DD

Dashes and hyphens

We use hyphens

  • in hyphenation

  • in certain combinations to provide clarity, for example to avoid awkward doubling of vowels or to join a prefix to a capitalized word.

We use dashes

  • between numbers or words to indicate a range of some kind (10am–7pm Monday–Friday). Here there should be no spaces before and after the dash.

Personal identity number

The Swedish personal identity number should be typed YYYYMMDD-NNNN.

Geographical names

Write geographical names with a capital initial letter.

URLs and web pages

Should not normally be printed, but hidden in a link.