Pronouns
Pronouns (e.g. I, you, it, any one) are often used as references in texts. There are many types of pronouns. Pronouns can reference people or things, or be used to mark possession. Pronouns can reference objects that are nearby in space or time, or link a clause to another clause.
It's customary to avoid certain types of pronouns in technical documentation, such as personal pronouns, reflexive pronouns and possessive pronouns.
Because pronouns often reference people, objects or other clauses in a text, they are subjected to ambiguity. Using the pronoun "it" in a requirement text leaves the interpretation to the reader, to decide if "it" means User or LDAP server, or something else.
Requirements are often written on the form:
It shall be possible to...
Omitting the Actor this way in a requirement leaves the interpretation to the reader to decide who is doing what.
Personal pronoun.
The sentence contains a personal pronoun, which is not allowed according to an active rule. Examples of personal pronouns are: "I", "me", "he", "him", "it", and "they".
Personal pronouns should rarely be used in technical specifications. The exception could be the pronoun "it" in plain text.
Possessive pronoun.
The sentence contains a possessive pronoun, which is not allowed according to an active rule. Examples of possessive pronouns are: "its", "theirs", "your", or "yours".
Possessive pronouns are acting as markers of possession and defines who owns a particular object or person.
Reflexive pronoun.
The sentence contains a reflexive pronoun, which is not allowed according to an active rule. Examples of reflexive pronouns are: "yourself", "itself", "themselves", and "myself".
Reflexive pronouns are used to refer back to the subject of the clause or sentence and should be avoided.
Demonstrative pronoun.
The sentence contains a demonstrative pronoun, which is not allowed according to an active rule. Examples of demonstrative pronouns are: "this", "these", "that", "former", and "ones".
Demonstrative pronouns refer to objects or events that are either nearby in space or time, or to objects or events that are farther away in space or time.
Relative or interrogative pronoun.
The sentence contains a relative or interrogative pronoun, which is not allowed according to an active rule. Examples of relative and interrogative pronouns are: "who", "which", "that", "what", "whichever", or "however".
Relative pronouns are used to link one phrase or clause to another phrase or clause. Interrogative pronouns are used in questions, and should never be found in a requirement text.
Exclamative pronoun.
The sentence contains an exclamative pronoun, which is not allowed according to an active rule. Examples of exclamative pronouns are: "some", "no", "any", "neither", "none", "nowhere", or "anywhere".
Exclamative pronouns are used in exclamative sentences, for example: "Some packets may contain errors."
Expression of inexact quantity.
The sentence contains an expression of inexact quantity, which is not allowed according to an active rule. Examples of expressions of inexact quantities are: "all", "every", "most", "many", "a great deal of", "a large amount of", "both", "fewer", or "a good many".
Expressions of inexact quantities are exactly what they say, they are inexact and should never be written in a requirement text. There may be exceptions to this rule.
Personal or possessive pronoun.
The sentence contains either a personal or a possessive pronoun, which is not allowed according to an active rule.
Demonstrative, relative or interrogative pronoun.
The sentence contains either a demonstrative, relative or interrogative pronoun, which is not allowed according to an active rule.