TBX-ISO-TML uses an XML vocabulary style that adopts what is called the DCT format, or "Data Category as Tag name". The DCT format is compliant to, but quite different from, the XML vocabulary style used in TBX. The latter can be comparatively called the DCA format, or "Data Category as Attribute value". The following table provides several examples to show the differences.

DCT	DCA
<definition>	<descrip type="definition">
<partOfSpeech value="noun"/>	<termNote type="partOfSpeech">noun</termNote>

Since ISO-TBX-TML is used within the larger XML format called ISO-STS, a "tbx" namespace prefix is required on all elements, for instance:
<tbx:definition>

In DCT format, data categories that take free text as their content, such as definitions, notes, examples, and so forth, are implemented as elements with textual content. Data categories that have limited values, such as part of speech and normative authorization, are implemented as empty elements with attribute values.