From f5ea00be3438acdb94506758afb1079eddfe9f68 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Patrick H. Lauke" <redux@splintered.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:21:04 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Add note to 3.3.2 understanding to explain "require" in
 normative wording

Closes https://github.com/w3c/wcag/issues/4214
---
 understanding/20/labels-or-instructions.html | 10 +++++++---
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/understanding/20/labels-or-instructions.html b/understanding/20/labels-or-instructions.html
index ab6599bb4b..8f582855dc 100644
--- a/understanding/20/labels-or-instructions.html
+++ b/understanding/20/labels-or-instructions.html
@@ -59,7 +59,11 @@ <h2>Intent of Labels or Instructions</h2>
       <p>While this success criterion requires that controls and inputs have labels or instructions, whether or
          not labels (if used) are accurate, sufficiently clear, or descriptive is covered separately by
          <a href="headings-and-labels">2.4.6: Headings and Labels</a>.
-      </p> 
+      </p>
+      <p class="note">The use of "requires" in this criterion's normative wording does not mean that the criterion only applies
+         to <em>required</em> form fields. It is used here as a synonym for "accepts", "expects", or "allows". The criterion
+         applies to all form fields, whether they're required or optional.
+      </p>
 
    </section>
    <section id="benefits">
@@ -87,8 +91,8 @@ <h2>Examples of Labels or Instructions</h2>
       
       <ul>
          
-         <li>A field which requires the user to enter the two character abbreviation for a US state
-            has a link next to it which will popup an alphabetized list of state names and the
+         <li>A field which asks the user to enter the two character abbreviation for a US state
+            has a link next to it which will pop up an alphabetized list of state names and the
             correct abbreviation.
          </li>