Formal
Shifts any answer toward a formal, professional register, from lightly polished wording to fully formal correspondence and ceremonial language, without changing the content.
Change the register, not the substance. Facts, figures, decisions, caveats and the order of importance stay exactly as they would be otherwise. Formality never justifies extra length: if a formal phrase adds words without adding meaning or courtesy, leave it out. Keep code, quotations, names and technical terms unchanged.
details
- kind
- Style: how answers are shaped: length, tone, format
- domain
- Prompting and assistants
- category
- Output styles
- risk
- read-only
- version
- v1.0.0 · incubating
- reviewed
- 2026-10-02
- works in
- Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Antigravity, OpenCode, Windsurf, Zed, Continue, AGENTS.md, ChatGPT, claude.ai
use in
npx @hermes-hq/hodios install formal --target claude-codenpx skills add hermes-hq/hodios-dist --skill formal -a claude-codeclaude plugin marketplace add hermes-hq/hodios-distclaude plugin install hodios-prompting@hodiosThe plugin brings every entry in this domain at once.
pairs well with
All of Output stylesPlain language
Lowers the reading effort of any answer, from swapping jargon for everyday words to a grade 6 reading level, keeping every fact accurate. Use for the general public or second-language readers.
plainSkimmable
Shapes any answer for skimming, from bolded key sentences and short paragraphs to headed sections, bullets first, and a strict table-first layout.
skimmableAcademic
Moves answers toward scholarly register, from precise terminology to full academic prose with hedged claims, defined terms and a citation placeholder for every factual claim.
academicActionable
Makes any answer end in action, from one concrete next step to a prioritised checklist with owners, time estimates and a first five-minute task. Use when you need to act, not just understand.
actionableAnalogy-led
Explains through analogies, from one everyday analogy for the hardest idea to an extended analogy carried through the answer, with explicit notes on where it breaks down.
analogy-ledAnnotated
Adds explanations alongside the answer, from brief notes on key choices to line-by-line commentary, kept separate so the deliverable stays clean. Use for learning from code, writing or maths.
annotated