One task per sentence sounds simple, but it changes everything. When instructions pack multiple actions into a single line, users slow down. They slow down to interpret the sequence. They backtrack to confirm they understood it. They make assumptions. Clear writing removes that unnecessary pause. One action at a time creates a rhythm readers can follow without effort.
Why It Matters for Product Teams
For product teams, clarity shapes outcomes because users rely on every instruction to understand what happens next and why. Multistep sentences increase cognitive load and invite user error. Cleanly separated actions help users move forward with confidence. They improve onboarding, remove unnecessary effort, and strengthen trust in the product.
How To Use It
Look for sentences that try to do more than one thing. Break them into simple, single steps the reader can follow without slowing down. Keep the verbs clear and the order easy to see. If a sentence includes and then or before you, you are looking at steps that need their own space.
Examples
Not-Effective: Click Upload and then Save to store the file and close the dialog.
Effective: Click Upload. Then click Save to store the file and close the dialog.
Not-Effective: Enter your password and select Next before approving the request in the app.
Effective: Enter your password. Select Next. Approve the request in the app.
One task. One sentence. Each line moves the reader forward exactly one step. It keeps users oriented, keeps things easier to follow, and helps readers always know where they are.
