A runbook step reads: "__ the container is running, attach to it with docker exec -it <id> bash." Which connector fits best?
Option B is correct. "Once" expresses a conditional-temporal relationship: "after a preceding condition becomes true, do the next action." This is exactly the right connector when a step depends on a prior state being achieved. "First" introduces the first action, not a precondition. "Subsequently" links two actions that both happen, not a condition and its result. "Finally" signals the last step in a sequence, not a prerequisite. In runbooks and procedures, "once" is the standard signal for dependency-triggered steps.
2 / 5
Reorder these deployment steps into natural procedural English: "Run npm run build. __ copy the dist/ folder to the server. __ restart nginx."
Option C is correct. "Then" is the natural, low-friction connector for the second step in a sequence, and "finally" closes the procedure, signalling the last action. This first→then→finally arc is the standard pattern in technical documentation because it gives readers a clear sense of position within the procedure. "Subsequently" is more formal and better suited to post-mortems or reports than hands-on runbooks. "Afterwards" is acceptable but less precise — it does not carry the "last step" signal that "finally" does.
3 / 5
Which sentence uses "subsequently" correctly in an incident report?
Option B is correct. "Subsequently" is a formal adverbial connector meaning "after that, as a result of the preceding event." It follows a full stop or semicolon and introduces the next sentence or clause. Option A uses the incorrect preposition "to" (the correct idiom is "subsequent to", not "subsequently to"). Options C and D are ungrammatical. In incident reports and post-mortems, "subsequently" adds appropriate formality and makes the causal-temporal chain explicit for stakeholders reading the timeline.
4 / 5
A CI/CD pipeline description reads: "__ lint the code, __ run unit tests, __ build the Docker image, and __ push it to the registry." Choose the correct connector set.
Option B is correct. The first → then → then → finally pattern is the clearest for numbered or ordered steps in pipeline documentation. "First" establishes the starting point, "then" advances each step, and "finally" closes the sequence. Repeating "then" is perfectly acceptable in procedural writing — it avoids the cognitive overhead of varied connectors. Option A's "once" is conditional, not sequential. "Also" (Option D) implies parallel execution, not sequence. Consistency and simplicity are virtues in runbooks: readers scan quickly under pressure.
5 / 5
A senior dev comments on a PR description: "Change 'after that' to something more formal." The original sentence: "Migrate the schema. After that, restart the application server." Which replacement is most appropriate for formal documentation?
Option B is correct. "Following this" is a formal sequence connector equivalent to "after that" but appropriate for internal documentation and technical wikis. It clearly signals the next required action without the informality of "next up" or the colloquial tone of "then you wanna." Starting a sentence with a bare "And" is acceptable in some modern style guides but is generally avoided in formal technical documentation. "Following this", "Subsequently", and "Thereafter" are the three preferred formal replacements for "after that" in procedural writing.