AI tells and rewrite patterns

Use this as a hunt list during rewrite and during the audit pass. Prefer plain speech, named actors, and specifics over generic importance and promotional gloss.

External reference (background, not to paste into user deliverables): Wikipedia: Signs of AI writing.

Content patterns

• Significance inflation: “pivotal moment”, “transformative”, “landscape” without concrete detail → replace with facts, dates, or cut.
• Notability stacking: lists of outlets or credentials as proof → one concrete cite or remove.
• Vague attributions: “experts believe”, “studies show” → name the source or soften honestly.
• Promotional geography / mood: “nestled”, “breathtaking” → neutral description.
• Formulaic adversity: “despite challenges… continues to thrive” → state the actual tradeoff or remove.

Language patterns

• AI vocabulary clusters: “additionally”, “testament”, “showcasing”, “underscores”, “fostering” → simpler verbs (“shows”, “helps”, “is”).
• Copula avoidance: “serves as a catalyst” → “helps” / “is”.
• False range / big sweep: “from X to Y” covering everything → list what you actually mean or narrow.
• Rule of three where two items or one would do.
• Synonym cycling (rotating labels for the same noun) → pick one clearest term.

Style patterns

• Em dash overuse — prefer commas, periods, or parentheses when the line reads like a pitch deck.
• Bold / emoji / inline-label lists used as decoration — remove unless the user asked for scannable bullets.
• Title Case Overuse in headings — sentence case unless a style guide says otherwise.
• Signposting openers: “Let’s dive in”, “Here’s what you need to know” — delete and start with the substance.
• Chatbot residue: “Great question”, “I hope this helps” — delete.

Filler and hedging

• Trim filler phrases (“in order to”, “due to the fact that”) → shorter equivalents.
• Collapse stacked hedges (“could potentially”) → one honest modal verb.
• Generic closers (“exciting times ahead”) → specific next step or delete.

What not to “fix” into new problems

• Do not add fake specificity. If the source lacks numbers, do not invent them.
• Do not remove clarity that prevents misunderstanding just to sound casual.
• Do not change the author’s stance or conclusion; clarify wording only.