ABSTRACT
Structured English is useful for planning or designing program routines, modules, and manual procedures. It resembles a programming language, so programmers find it easy to understand. The base for structured English is, of course, English, so users find it easy to follow, too. Before writing structured English, the designer must understand the algorithm or procedure. The necessary information might be compiled from direct observation, extracted from existing documentation, or derived from the problem definition and/or analysis stages of the system development life cycle. Few software tools are designed to produce structured English. Word processors and text editors are sometimes used. It is often convenient to group several structured English statements into a block, assign a name to the block, and reference the block by coding a single sequence statement. A good structured English statement reads like a short imperative sentence. There are several variations of structured English, none of which can be considered a standard.
