intent

A rule that is off by default: it reports a motive given to a tool or a person ("guessed", "pretends") once a decisions table turns it on.

What it catches

A motive given to a tool or a person ("guessed", "pretends").

Dimension

stance: the text reads as a verdict on a person, or as addressed to someone else. A finding is counted on the dimension of its rule, the cost it names to the reader.

Why

A tool has a mechanism, and a person given a motive in writing reads it as an accusation. It advises: "lies" also says where a file lies. Measured 2026-10-11 over the adjudicated labeling round: 30.2% precision (13 of 43) before, 81.2% (13 of 16) after. "don't care" is no longer read (every labeled one stated a preference), and quoted words, the writer in the first person, a name ("--pretend", "new-lies.md"), "guessed" before a noun, "lies" closing a "where" clause and an imperative "Pretend" are left alone. It stays off until 30 labeled firings show it.

Default decision

The code is PRF2004. The decision depends on the kind of text judged:

Changing it

A decisions table sets this rule to deny, advise or off, for everything judged or for the files a glob matches. Proofread reads the table from the file its -decisions flag names:

{
  "rules": {"intent": "deny"},
  "paths": {"blog/**": {"intent": "off"}}
}

rules applies to every file. A glob in paths applies to the files it matches, and the last match wins. A rule set to off never reports.

Seeing it

A finding names the rule, its code and the decision that applies, and links here:

{"rule": "intent", "code": "PRF2004", "decision": "off", "url": "https://eli.gladman.cc/magus/reference/proofread/intent/"}

proofread rules prints this entry with every other rule's.

See also

• All proofread rules - every rule, grouped by what it checks
• Writing rules - how the rules apply to this repository's pages and pull requests
• The findings contract - the fields every finding carries