Skip to content

clarify: require real interrogatives, ban topic-label questions - #3745

Open
orize wants to merge 3 commits into
github:mainfrom
orize:clarify-question-writing-quality
Open

clarify: require real interrogatives, ban topic-label questions#3745
orize wants to merge 3 commits into
github:mainfrom
orize:clarify-question-writing-quality

Conversation

@orize

@orize orize commented Jul 26, 2026

Copy link
Copy Markdown

Summary

Clarify agents often present topic labels or bare requirement ids as "questions" (e.g. Acceptance device/runtime matrix (FR-023)), which are not answerable on their own. This extends the question-first UX direction from #1777: every turn must lead with a full interrogative under **Question:**, add one plain-language stake sentence, then Recommended/options. Requirement ids belong only in trailing parentheses.

Test plan

  • Run /speckit.clarify on a spec with open NEEDS CLARIFICATION items
  • Confirm each question starts with **Question:** …? (not a topic heading)
  • Confirm a "Why it matters" sentence appears before Recommended/options
  • Confirm FR/requirement ids appear only in trailing parentheses

Made with Cursor

Agents often present topic labels or bare requirement ids as "questions",
which are not answerable on their own. Require a full interrogative under
**Question:**, a plain-language stake sentence, then Recommended/options.

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Copilot AI left a comment

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Pull request overview

Clarifies the /speckit.clarify question format to require standalone interrogatives and plain-language context.

Changes:

  • Requires **Question:** prompts ending in a question mark.
  • Prohibits topic labels and IDs as questions.
  • Adds a “Why it matters” sentence before options.
Show a summary per file
File Description
templates/commands/clarify.md Strengthens clarification-question formatting guidance.

Review details

Tip

Add Copilot custom instructions for smarter, more guided reviews. Learn how to get started.

  • Files reviewed: 1/1 changed files
  • Comments generated: 1
  • Review effort level: Medium

Comment thread templates/commands/clarify.md Outdated

@mnriem mnriem left a comment

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Collaborator

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Please address Copilot feedback

@orize

orize commented Jul 27, 2026

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Author

Please address Copilot feedback

"must stand on its own" can refer to meaning or position. I have removed the ambiguity: "must make sense on its own"

Resolves Copilot feedback: an interrogative ending in ? cannot also have
a parenthesized id "at the end of the question." Exact format is now
`**Question:** <interrogative>?` or `**Question:** <interrogative>? (FR-023)`.

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
@orize

orize commented Jul 28, 2026

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Author

Addressed Copilot’s ID/? conflict:

  • The interrogative still ends with ?; text before the ? must make sense on its own.
  • Requirement/question ids are now defined as the only permitted suffix after the ?.
  • Exact format: `**Question:** <interrogative>?` or `**Question:** <interrogative>? (FR-023)`.
  • Ids must not appear before the ?, and must not be the whole prompt (alone or with a topic label).

Ready for re-review.

Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment

Labels

None yet

Projects

None yet

Development

Successfully merging this pull request may close these issues.

3 participants