10. The method of acquiring rules for a computer-based expert system, said rules being characterized by a predetermined grammar and conditions involving queries having more than one possible answer, said method comprising, serially receiving portions of a sentence input from an expert, in response to an already received portion of sentence input, generating alternatives for a next portion of a sentence permitted by said predetermined grammar, accepting a further portion of said sentence input from said expert as matches one of said alternatives, as said further sentence portion is accepted, continuing to generate allowable alternatives and accept matching input for following sentence portions from said expert until a statement is completed according to said predetermined grammar, and transforming the completed statement into the form of a diagnostic rule.
12. The method according to claim 10 including graphically presenting alternatives for a next portion of said sentence to said expert in response to input by said expert not matching one of said alternatives.