Rules on using pronouns in Requirements

Pronouns (e.g. I, you, it, any one) are often used as references to persons or objects in a text. There are many types of pronouns. In addition to referencing people or things, pronouns can be used to mark possessions. Pronouns can reference things that are nearby in space or time, or link a clause to another clause. Technical documentation avoids certain types of pronouns, such as personal pronouns, reﬂexive pronouns and possessive pronouns.

Personal pronouns

Personal pronouns are rarely, if ever, used in technical documentation, especially Requirements Specifications. The exception is Instruction manuals, User Guides or Help Books.

The I, me rule checks for the personal pronouns "I" and "me" in requirements.
The you rule checks for the personal pronoun "you" in requirements.
The he, him rule checks for the personal pronouns "he" and "him" in requirements.
The she, her rule checks for the personal pronouns "she" and "her" in requirements.
The it rule checks for the personal pronoun "it" in requirements.
The we, us rule checks for the personal pronouns "we" and "us" in requirements.
The they, them rule checks for the personal pronouns "they" and "them" in requirements.

Reflexive pronouns

Reflexive pronouns reference back to the subject of the clause or sentence.

The myself rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "myself" in requirements.
The yourself rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "yourself" in requirements.
The himself rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "himself" in requirements.
The herself rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "herself" in requirements.
The itself rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "itself" in requirements.
The oneself rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "oneself" in requirements.
The thyself rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "thyself" in requirements.
The ourselves rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "ourselves" in requirements.
The yourselves rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "yourselves" in requirements.
The themselves rule checks for the reflexive pronoun "themselves" in requirements.

Possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns act as markers of possession and define who owns a particular object (or person).

The my, mine rule checks for the possessive pronouns "my" and "mine" in requirements.
The your, yours rule checks for the possessive pronouns "your" and "yours" in requirements.
The his rule checks for the possessive pronoun "his" in requirements.
The her, hers rule checks for the possessive pronouns "her" and "hers" in requirements.
The its rule checks for the possessive pronoun "its" in requirements.
The our, ours rule checks for the possessive pronouns "our" and "ours" in requirements.
The their, theirs rule checks for the possessive pronouns "their" and "theirs" in requirements.

Demonstrative pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns reference things that are either nearby in space or time, or things that are farther away in space or time. Demonstrative pronouns can be used in plain text in a Requirements Specification but shouldn't be used by requirements.

The this, these rule checks for the demonstrative pronouns "this" and "these" in requirements.
The that, those rule checks for the demonstrative pronouns "that" and "those" in requirements.
The the one, the ones rule checks for the demonstrative pronouns "the one" and "the ones" in requirements.
The any one rule checks for the demonstrative pronoun "any one" in requirements.
The whoever rule checks for the demonstrative pronoun "whoever" in requirements.
The such rule checks for the demonstrative pronoun "such" in requirements.
The same rule checks for the demonstrative pronoun "same" in requirements.
The former rule checks for the demonstrative pronoun "former" in requirements.
The latter rule checks for the demonstrative pronoun "latter" in requirements.
The ones rule checks for the demonstrative pronoun "ones" in requirements.

Relative and interrogative pronouns

Relative pronouns are used to link one phrase or clause to another phrase or clause. Interrogative pronouns are used in questions, and should never occur in requirement texts.

The who, whose rule checks for the pronouns "who" and "whose" in requirements.
The which rule checks for the pronoun "which" in requirements.
The whom rule checks for the pronoun "whom" in requirements.
The that rule checks for the pronoun "that" in requirements.
The what rule checks for the pronoun "what" in requirements.
The whoever rule checks for the pronoun "whoever" in requirements.
The whichever rule checks for the pronoun "whichever" in requirements.
The whatever rule checks for the pronoun "whatever" in requirements.
The whenever rule checks for the pronoun "whenever" in requirements.
The wherever rule checks for the pronoun "wherever" in requirements.
The however rule checks for the pronoun "however" in requirements.

Exclamative pronouns

Exclamative pronouns are used in exclamative sentences, for example:

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The some rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "some" in requirements.
The no rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "no" in requirements.
The any rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "any" in requirements.
The somebody rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "somebody" in requirements.
The someone rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "someone" in requirements.
The anybody rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "anybody" in requirements.
The anyone rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "anyone" in requirements.
The nobody rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "nobody" in requirements.
The no one rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "no one" in requirements.
The none rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "none" in requirements.
The something rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "something" in requirements.
The anything rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "anything" in requirements.
The nothing rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "nothing" in requirements.
The neither rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "neither" in requirements.
The either rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "either" in requirements.
The nowhere rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "nowhere" in requirements.
The noplace, no place rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "noplace" and "no place" in requirements.
The somewhere rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "somehwere" in requirements.
The anywhere rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "anywhere" requirements.
The anyplace rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "anyplace" requirements.
The someplace rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "someplace" in requirements.
The somewhat rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "somewhat" in requirements.
The somehow rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "somehow" in requirements.
The sometime rule checks for the exclamative pronoun "sometime" in requirements.