From a3d2781dae582324d4d40508395bf1683733df57 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Nick Vigilante Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2026 15:31:51 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] docs: add style-guide rule against "whose" for non-person antecedents Add a Word choice entry that restricts "whose" to people and points to "with", "where", or "that has" for inanimate objects and abstract concepts. Placed next to the phrasal-verbs grammar/usage rule and formatted to match the existing entries. DOCS-612 --- docs/.style/style-guide/word-choice.md | 24 ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 24 insertions(+) diff --git a/docs/.style/style-guide/word-choice.md b/docs/.style/style-guide/word-choice.md index 6e2b03f02e5..9a255294f70 100644 --- a/docs/.style/style-guide/word-choice.md +++ b/docs/.style/style-guide/word-choice.md @@ -150,6 +150,30 @@ Treat them consistently across the docs. *Enforced by `Coder.PhrasalVerbs` (planned).* +## Whose for people, not things + +"Whose" is the possessive of "who", so it implies the antecedent is a person. +When the antecedent is an inanimate object or an abstract concept, prefer "with", "where", or "that has". + +**Do**: + +> A chat with pruned gateway records reports no cost. +> +> A template that has conflicting variables fails validation. +> +> A region where every proxy is unhealthy drops workspace connections. + +**Don't**: + +> A chat whose gateway records have been pruned reports no cost. +> +> A template whose variables conflict fails validation. +> +> A region whose proxies are all unhealthy drops workspace connections. + +*Documentation-only. +No Vale rule.* + ## Refer to, check out, visit, not see When the prose points the reader at another page, section, or external resource, choose the verb that matches the register: