Phrasal Verbs vs Latinate Alternatives in Technical Docs
5 exercises — choosing between "set up" and "configure", "look into" and "investigate" in READMEs, API specs, incident reports, and Slack messages.
0 / 5 completed
1 / 5
A developer is writing a user-facing README. Which sentence uses the most appropriate register?
"Set up" is the correct choice for a user-facing README. Phrasal verbs like set up, run, log in, sign up are natural and conversational — ideal for guides aimed at developers of all levels. "Execute" and "configure" (Latinate) are appropriate in internal or formal documentation but can feel stiff in a README. "Utilise" and "initialise" are unnecessarily formal for a simple instruction. "Procure" is a commercial/legal term inappropriate here. The register rule: use phrasal/simple verbs for instructions; use Latinate alternatives in technical specs and formal reports.
2 / 5
An architect is writing a formal API specification. Which phrasing is most register-appropriate?
"Exposes user data retrieval functionality" is most appropriate for a formal API specification. Latinate/technical verbs such as expose, retrieve, authenticate, validate, invoke carry precision and formality that suits reference documentation. "Lets you get" and "can use… to pull" are phrasal and conversational — better suited to tutorials or blog posts. "Gives out" is too informal for any technical document. Understanding when to use phrasal verbs (informal, instructional) vs Latinate alternatives (formal, reference) is a core register skill for IT professionals.
3 / 5
Which pair correctly matches a phrasal verb with its Latinate alternative used in technical documentation?
"Find out → discover" and "get rid of → eliminate" are accurate register equivalents used in IT writing. In documentation you replace "find out the root cause" with "identify / determine / ascertain the root cause"; "get rid of technical debt" becomes "eliminate / reduce / address technical debt." Option B: "negate" means to make negative, not to turn off (use "disable" or "deactivate"). Option C: "employ" means to use/hire, not to set up; "archive" means to store, not bring down a service (use "decommission" or "take offline"). Option D: "initiate" is the opposite of shut down; use "terminate" or "stop."
4 / 5
A technical writer revises a draft. The original says: "The system will come up again after the database comes back." The revised version should read:
"Resume operations after the database recovers") replaces both phrasal verbs (come up again, comes back) with precise Latinate-register alternatives (resume, recover) appropriate for technical documentation. Option A: "restores" is intransitive here — "the database restores" is incorrect without an object; use "the database is restored" or "the database recovers." Option B: partially fixes the problem but keeps "comes back online" — acceptable but slightly mixed register. Option D: "goes back to work" and "gets fixed" are too conversational for formal documentation.
5 / 5
A Slack message to a teammate reads: "Can you look into why the Kafka consumer is falling behind?" Which version is appropriate for a formal incident report?
"Please investigate the root cause of Kafka consumer lag" uses the Latinate verb investigate and the precise technical noun phrase root cause of Kafka consumer lag — appropriate for a formal incident report or post-mortem action item. "Look into" (options A and C) is a phrasal verb suitable for informal Slack messages but not for formal documents. "Have a look at" (option D) is similarly informal. Incident reports are archived, referenced in SLA reviews, and reviewed by stakeholders — formal register is expected. The rule: register follows audience and permanence.