# prose/vale

> Checks ambiguous dates, link text, and alternative text with the shipped Vale styles at level `recommended`. Level `all` adds the complete style and upstream packages.

Checks ambiguous dates, link text, and alternative text with the shipped Vale styles at level `recommended`. Level `all` adds the complete style and upstream packages.

Part of the [`prose`](/reference/configurations/prose/) configuration, at the `recommended` [level](/start/concepts/#levels). It runs at the `commit` [stage](/start/concepts/#stage), per file. It runs vale.

## Why

An ambiguous date, a link that reads “here”, or an image without alternative text fails some readers, and no other check catches it.

## What to do

Rewrite the sentence the alert names, add a real name and its reason to the root allowed\_words setting, or use `gspot ignore prose/vale --rule <rule> --reason "<why>"`.

## Example

`Release on 03/04/2026.` reports an ambiguous date. Write `Release on March 4, 2026.` instead.

## Turn it off

Turn it off for some files, with a reason:

```shell
gspot ignore prose/vale --paths "<glob>" --reason "<why>"
```

A suppression comment is refused; use `gspot ignore`.