# EkLine rules reference

import { Aside } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';

EkLine Reviewer checks your documentation against a set of writing rules. Each rule targets one issue, such as passive voice, a British spelling, or a broken link. This reference documents every rule that is available to all EkLine projects, so you can understand any flag you see and decide how to respond.

## How rules work

When EkLine reviews a file, it reports each issue with a rule ID in brackets, followed by a message:

```
[EK00300] "responce" could be a typo. Check the spelling.
```

The rule ID, such as `EK00300`, identifies the rule. Use it to look up the rule on this page, or to silence the rule in your configuration.

Each rule has two properties that affect how it behaves:

- **Severity** — the level EkLine assigns to the issue: `suggestion`, `warning`, or `error`. Severity helps you triage which flags to fix first.
- **Enabled by default** — whether the rule runs without any configuration. Some rules are off by default and run only when your project's rule set includes them — for example, through a [style guide](/reviewer/configuration/style-guides/).

<Aside type="tip">
Before you silence a rule, consider whether the flag is correct. EkLine catches real issues that are often overlooked. To keep a flagged phrase, use an [inline ignore comment](/reviewer/configuration/ignoring-rules/#inline-ignore-comments) or disable the rule in your [configuration file](/reviewer/configuration/ignoring-rules/#ignore).
</Aside>

## Writing style

### Spelling and grammar

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK00001](/reviewer/rules/ek00001/) | Prefer American over British spelling | Warning | On |
| [EK00007](/reviewer/rules/ek00007/) | Place commas and periods inside quotation marks | Error | Off |
| [EK00010](/reviewer/rules/ek00010/) | Avoid unnecessary hyphens | Error | On |
| [EK00012](/reviewer/rules/ek00012/) | Avoid exclamation points | Error | On |
| [EK00016](/reviewer/rules/ek00016/) | Avoid periods in acronyms and initialisms | Error | Off |
| [EK00024](/reviewer/rules/ek00024/) | Avoid repeated words | Error | On |
| [EK00025](/reviewer/rules/ek00025/) | Use a single space between words | Error | On |
| [EK00027](/reviewer/rules/ek00027/) | Avoid words like "from" or "between" in number ranges | Warning | On |
| [EK00028](/reviewer/rules/ek00028/) | Avoid spaces before or after a dash | Error | Off |
| [EK00029](/reviewer/rules/ek00029/) | Spell out ordinal numbers | Error | Off |
| [EK00034](/reviewer/rules/ek00034/) | Use an en dash for negative numbers | Error | On |
| [EK00036](/reviewer/rules/ek00036/) | Use semicolons judiciously | Suggestion | Off |
| [EK00039](/reviewer/rules/ek00039/) | Use the Oxford comma | Warning | On |
| [EK00300](/reviewer/rules/ek00300/) | Enable dictionary-based spell checking | Error | On |

### Tone and voice

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK00005](/reviewer/rules/ek00005/) | Prefer present tense over future tense | Warning | On |
| [EK00031](/reviewer/rules/ek00031/) | Prefer active voice over passive voice | Warning | On |
| [EK00033](/reviewer/rules/ek00033/) | Use contractions | Warning | On |
| [EK00047](/reviewer/rules/ek00047/) | Limit first-person pronouns | Warning | On |
| [EK00048](/reviewer/rules/ek00048/) | Avoid adding -ly to ordinal numbers | Error | On |
| [EK00057](/reviewer/rules/ek00057/) | Write direct action statements | Warning | Off |

### Consistency

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK00008](/reviewer/rules/ek00008/) | Use the "January 01, 1970" date format | Error | Off |
| [EK00009](/reviewer/rules/ek00009/) | Define unfamiliar terms and abbreviations | Warning | Off |
| [EK00011](/reviewer/rules/ek00011/) | Avoid ellipses | Warning | On |
| [EK00018](/reviewer/rules/ek00018/) | Use consistent logical operators | Warning | Off |
| [EK00026](/reviewer/rules/ek00026/) | Prefer English terms over Latin abbreviations | Error | On |
| [EK00032](/reviewer/rules/ek00032/) | Use an em dash instead of an en dash | Error | Off |
| [EK00037](/reviewer/rules/ek00037/) | Use sentence-style capitalization in headings | Error | On |
| [EK00040](/reviewer/rules/ek00040/) | Use standardized word-list terms | Suggestion | Off |
| [EK00049](/reviewer/rules/ek00049/) | Use "of" instead of "for" with URL | Suggestion | On |
| [EK00050](/reviewer/rules/ek00050/) | Abbreviate units of measurement | Error | On |
| [EK00051](/reviewer/rules/ek00051/) | Use American-style number formatting | Warning | On |
| [EK00053](/reviewer/rules/ek00053/) | Use standard keyboard shortcut terms | Warning | Off |
| [EK00054](/reviewer/rules/ek00054/) | Format data measurements consistently | Warning | Off |
| [EK00055](/reviewer/rules/ek00055/) | Use numerals for time measurements | Warning | Off |
| [EK00056](/reviewer/rules/ek00056/) | Capitalize unit abbreviations correctly | Warning | Off |

## Language

### Inclusive language

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK00003](/reviewer/rules/ek00003/) | Avoid potentially condescending language | Error | On |
| [EK00013](/reviewer/rules/ek00013/) | Prefer inclusive phrasing | Error | On |
| [EK00014](/reviewer/rules/ek00014/) | Avoid gender-specific pronouns | Error | On |
| [EK00030](/reviewer/rules/ek00030/) | Avoid language that defines people by disability | Error | On |
| [EK00035](/reviewer/rules/ek00035/) | Use inclusive technical terms | Error | On |
| [EK00052](/reviewer/rules/ek00052/) | Avoid directional references | Suggestion | On |

### Respectful language

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK00015](/reviewer/rules/ek00015/) | Avoid internet slang and abbreviations | Error | On |
| [EK00019](/reviewer/rules/ek00019/) | Avoid weasel words | Suggestion | Off |

## Structure and formatting

### Titles and headings

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK00002](/reviewer/rules/ek00002/) | Avoid acronyms in titles or headings | Warning | Off |
| [EK00022](/reviewer/rules/ek00022/) | Avoid periods at the end of headings | Warning | Off |
| [EK00023](/reviewer/rules/ek00023/) | Avoid end punctuation in headings | Warning | On |

### Sentences and phrases

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK00004](/reviewer/rules/ek00004/) | Remove parentheses for clarity | Suggestion | Off |
| [EK00006](/reviewer/rules/ek00006/) | Remove unnecessary adverbs | Suggestion | On |
| [EK00017](/reviewer/rules/ek00017/) | Avoid plurals in parentheses | Error | On |
| [EK00020](/reviewer/rules/ek00020/) | Use lowercase after a colon | Warning | Off |
| [EK00021](/reviewer/rules/ek00021/) | Limit sentences to 32 words or fewer | Suggestion | Off |
| [EK00038](/reviewer/rules/ek00038/) | Prefer simple, concise words | Suggestion | Off |
| [EK00041](/reviewer/rules/ek00041/) | Require ending punctuation in list items | Error | Off |
| [EK00042](/reviewer/rules/ek00042/) | Prefer concise words over complex terms | Suggestion | On |
| [EK00043](/reviewer/rules/ek00043/) | Avoid idioms and colloquialisms | Suggestion | On |
| [EK00044](/reviewer/rules/ek00044/) | Format AM and PM in times correctly | Error | On |
| [EK00045](/reviewer/rules/ek00045/) | Avoid ordinal numbers in dates | Error | On |
| [EK00046](/reviewer/rules/ek00046/) | Spell out month names in dates | Error | On |

### Frontmatter and metadata

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK00058](/reviewer/rules/ek00058/) | Avoid a byte order mark before frontmatter | Error | On |

## Readability metrics

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK00100](/reviewer/rules/ek00100/) | Flesch–Kincaid readability score | Suggestion | Off |
| [EK00101](/reviewer/rules/ek00101/) | Gunning fog readability index | Suggestion | Off |

## Links and references

| Rule | Checks | Severity | Default |
|------|--------|----------|---------|
| [EK20001](/reviewer/rules/ek20001/) | Check for broken links | Error | On |
| [EK20002](/reviewer/rules/ek20002/) | Check for broken email addresses | Error | Off |

## Related

- [Configuration file reference](/reviewer/configuration/ignoring-rules/) — Disable rules or ignore specific content
- [Choose and apply a style guide](/reviewer/configuration/style-guides/) — Enable opt-in rules through a style guide
- [Add words to your dictionary](/reviewer/configuration/dictionary/) — Accept product names and jargon