Why does STE not allow “ing” forms?
One of the purposes of STE is to avoid ambiguity, and the use of words with an “ing” ending can easily lead to misunderstandings. “Ing” ending words can have different parts of speech, and can also be used in verbal constructions difficult to understand by non-native readers with a basic English knowledge. Moreover, verbal tenses with “ing” forms imply a duration that is not always clearly expressed. Since maintenance documentation requires clarity, precision and unambiguity, it has been decided to avoid these “ing” forms. There are words with “ing” endings in the Dictionary, but these are always nouns, adjectives and prepositions. Examples, OPENING (n), REMAINING (adj), DURING (pre).
