I asked this question first on math SE and was told that it would better fit here. So: The following concept is due to Shelah and I have some issues with a claim using this notion: Suppose that $\nu$ is a limit ordinal and that $P_\nu$ is an iteration of forcing notions. We say that a $P_\nu$ name $\dot{\alpha}$ of an ordinal is $prompt$ iff the following two things hold: 1. $\Vdash_\nu \dot{\alpha} \le \nu$ 2. If $p \Vdash_\nu "\dot{\alpha} = \xi"$ then even $p \upharpoonright \xi ^\smallfrown 1_\nu \upharpoonright [\xi, \nu) \Vdash_\nu \dot{\alpha} = \xi$ ( $1_\nu$ should be the largest element of the iteration, and $\xi$ is the hacek name of an ordinal though I refused to write the hacek) Then the following two things should hold: 1. If $\dot{\alpha}$ is prompt $\eta \le \nu$ and if $p \Vdash_\nu \eta \le \dot{\alpha}$ then $p \upharpoonright \eta ^\smallfrown 1_\nu \upharpoonright [\eta, \nu) \Vdash_\nu \eta \le \dot{\alpha}$ 2. If $\dot{\alpha_i}$ are prompt then so is the supremum $sup$ and the minimum $min$ I have problems proving those two assertions so any help would be highly appreciated. Thank you!