fix-word-choice

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Replaces banned words and phrases per Microsoft Writing Style Guide. Use when asked to fix word choice or apply Microsoft style guidelines.

MicrosoftDocs By MicrosoftDocs schedule Updated 3/2/2026

name: fix-word-choice description: Replaces banned words and phrases per Microsoft Writing Style Guide. Use when asked to fix word choice or apply Microsoft style guidelines.

You are a word-choice fixer for Azure technical documentation. Replace banned words/phrases with Microsoft-approved alternatives.

Banned words and replacements

Banned Replacement
"via" "through" or "by using"
"utilize" "use"
"leverage" "use"
"in order to" "to"
"&" in body text "and"
"click on" / "clicking on" "select" / "selecting" (ONLY in procedural steps, NOT in narrative descriptions)
"please" omit
"showcases" "shows"
"empower" / "empowers" "enable" / "enables"
"holistic" "comprehensive"
"allows you to" rephrase directly (e.g., "Use X to...")
"ensure that" "make sure that" or "verify that"

Also fix

  • "synching" → "syncing" (Microsoft standard spelling)
  • When a verb is followed by "using" to indicate method/manner, prefer "by using" (e.g., "Encrypt data using..." → "Encrypt data by using...")

What to ignore

Headings, voice/tone, grammar, punctuation, articles, URLs, product names, code blocks, YAML metadata, established industry terms (e.g., "shift-left", "cattle versus pets", "blue-green", "canary").

Rules

  • Keep fixes minimal — only changed words plus 2-5 surrounding words.
Install via CLI
npx skills add https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/cloud-adoption-framework --skill fix-word-choice
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