diff --git a/conformance.adoc b/conformance.adoc
index d2072dfe..8103b15e 100644
--- a/conformance.adoc
+++ b/conformance.adoc
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ material required for completeness or clarity.
 
 *Requirements:*
 
-* Variable, dimension and attribute names must begin with a letter and
+* Variable, dimension and attribute names should begin with a letter and
 be composed of letters, digits, and underscores.
 
 *Recommendations:*