Structured English: Your Lifeline Out of the Fog of Coding Chaos

Structured English:  Your Lifeline Out of the Fog of Coding Chaos



Staring At the Screen

You’ve been staring at the screen for hours. A blinking cursor mocks your attempts to write the perfect program. You’ve got the idea—it makes sense in your head—but the moment you try to translate those thoughts into code, everything falls apart. The logic doesn’t flow. The syntax feels like a maze. You start second-guessing every line.


Frustration

Out of frustration, you do what many coders do: you skip the planning phase and dive headfirst into writing source code, hoping that somehow, it will all come together. But after hours of trial and error, your codebase is a mess. You’ve solved some problems, created others, and you’re feeling more confused than when you started.


Sound familiar?

Lost In the Fog of Planning

This is where many programmers find themselves trapped—feeling lost in the fog of planning, trying to code their way out of confusion. For most, the problem is simple: they don’t have a clear plan. Pseudocode sounds like a good idea, but it often feels too formal, too abstract. And what about **structured English**? Most haven’t even heard of it.


Structured English Might Be Your Lifeline

But here’s the thing: structured English might be the very lifeline you need to pull yourself out of the coding chaos. It's not about writing code, it's about writing logic. It bridges the gap between your thoughts and the source code you're about to write, providing a crystal-clear roadmap that helps you focus on the logic rather than the language.


Start with Simple Statements

When writing in structured English, keep the language clear and concise. Use straightforward terms for actions, decisions, and loops. Each sentence should focus on one specific operation.

(Structured English)

Check if the user’s input is greater than zero.
If it is, print "Positive number."
Otherwise, print "Negative or zero."


(Pseudocode)

Input user_number
IF user_number > 0 THEN
    Print "Positive number"
ELSE
    Print "Negative or zero"
ENDIF

Identify Key Control Structures

Structured English should highlight decision-making and loops. By using phrases like "if," "for each," or "repeat until," you're already thinking in terms of code logic. Break down each condition or loop into its simplest components before transitioning into pseudocode.

(Structured English)

For each number in the list, check if it's even.
If it is, add it to the sum.


(Pseudocode)

SET sum = 0
FOR EACH number IN list
    IF number % 2 == 0 THEN
        sum = sum + number
    ENDIF
ENDFOR

Use Natural Language to Create Blocks

Use simple, natural language to describe each "block" of the program. This helps create a mental map of where each function or decision-making process will go in your code. Once you’ve laid out these blocks, translating them into pseudocode becomes a structured task.

(Structured English)

First, get the user’s input.
Then, if the input is invalid, display an error message and ask for input again.
Continue until a valid input is given.


(Pseudocode)

REPEAT
    Input user_value
    IF user_value is not valid THEN
        Print "Invalid input, please try again."
    ENDIF
UNTIL user_value is valid

Iterate Using Loops or Recursion

In structured English, loops should read like natural instructions. When translating to pseudocode, clearly define your loop control and conditions. Whether it's a `for`, `while`, or recursive structure, stating it in plain English first makes the translation more precise.

(Structured English)

Repeat asking the user for a password until they enter a valid one.


(Pseudocode)

WHILE password is not valid
    Input password
    IF password is valid THEN
        Print "Password accepted"
    ELSE
        Print "Invalid password, try again."
    ENDIF
ENDWHILE

Refactor and Simplify

Sometimes, your first draft of structured English might be too verbose or complex. Go back and simplify wherever possible. This refinement process makes the final pseudocode more readable and easier to implement.

(Structured English)

If the user input is not a number or if the number is less than zero,
print an error message and keep asking for input.
Otherwise, print the number.


(Pseudocode)

REPEAT
    Input user_input
    IF user_input is not a number OR user_input < 0 THEN
        Print "Error: Input must be a positive number."
    ELSE
        Print user_input
    ENDIF
UNTIL user_input is valid

Conclusion

The transition from structured English to pseudocode is all about maintaining clarity and logical flow. By breaking down each task, keeping your language simple, and focusing on core programming constructs (like loops and conditions), you can refine your process and ensure your code is well thought out before even starting to write it.

Image:  Gerd Altmann from Pixabay