Help writers produce content that sounds genuinely human by avoiding the telltale patterns that make AI-generated text identifiable. Essential for policy documents, professional communications, and any writing that needs to carry authentic voice and credibility.

Quick Reference

The Big Five Categories

Vocabulary Tells — Overused "sophisticated" words
Structure Tells — Predictable organization patterns
Tone Tells — Hedging and over-qualification
Content Tells — Generic examples, missing specificity
Format Tells — Mechanical use of bullets and headers

Level 1: Vocabulary Tells (The Biggest Giveaway)

Red Flag Words

AI models consistently overuse these words regardless of context:

Category	Words to Avoid
Academic Flair	delve, myriad, plethora, multifaceted, nuanced, paradigm
Poetic Overreach	tapestry, beacon, mosaic, symphony, landscape, realm
Trendy Jargon	liminal, holistic, synergy, leverage (as verb), optimize
Empty Intensifiers	crucial, vital, essential, pivotal, paramount, indispensable
False Precision	specifically, notably, particularly, fundamentally, inherently
Corporate Speak	cutting-edge, state-of-the-art, innovative, robust, seamless
Transition Padding	furthermore, moreover, additionally, consequently, thus

Replacement Strategy

Instead of: "It's crucial to delve into the multifaceted tapestry of..."

Write: "We need to examine the different aspects of..."

Rule: If a word sounds like it's trying too hard, it probably is.

Level 2: Structure Tells

The Preamble Problem

AI loves to announce what it's about to say:

❌ AI Pattern:

"In this document, we will explore the key aspects of our new policy, examining its implications and providing guidance for implementation."

✅ Human Pattern:

"Here's how the new policy works and what you need to do."

The Enumeration Addiction

AI compulsively numbers and lists things even when prose would work better:

❌ AI Pattern:

"There are three main benefits: 1) improved efficiency, 2) cost savings, and 3) better outcomes."

✅ Human Pattern:

"It's faster, cheaper, and actually works."

The Sandwich Structure

AI follows predictable patterns:

Introduction that announces the topic
Body with exactly 3-5 points
Conclusion that restates everything

Fix: Vary your structure. Start in the middle. Skip the intro. End abruptly when you're done.

Level 3: Tone Tells

Hedging Language

AI is terrified of being wrong, so it qualifies everything:

AI Hedging	Human Directness
"It's worth noting that..."	(just say the thing)
"One might argue that..."	"Some people think..."
"It could be said that..."	(delete and state directly)
"In some cases, it may be..."	"Sometimes..."
"It's important to consider..."	(just consider it)

Over-Qualification

❌ AI Pattern:

"While there are certainly many valid perspectives on this issue, and it would be presumptuous to claim definitive answers, it seems reasonable to suggest that..."

✅ Human Pattern:

"I think..."

The Neutral Voice Problem

AI writes like a diplomatic robot trying not to offend anyone:

No strong opinions
No personality
No humor or frustration
No admission of uncertainty

Fix: Have a point of view. Disagree with something. Acknowledge what you don't know.

Level 4: Phrase Tells

Overused Transitions

Phrase	Frequency	Human Alternative
"It's important to note that"	Extremely high	(delete entirely)
"In conclusion"	Very high	(just conclude)
"Let's explore"	Very high	(just explore)
"Moving forward"	High	"Next" or nothing
"At the end of the day"	High	"Ultimately" or nothing
"When it comes to"	High	(delete, start with topic)
"In terms of"	High	"For" or "About"
"In today's world"	Very high	(delete—it's always today)
"In the realm of"	High	"In"
"A wide range of"	High	"Many" or "Various"

AI's Favorite Sentence Starters

"It's worth mentioning..."
"One of the key aspects..."
"When we look at..."
"Let's take a closer look at..."
"It goes without saying..." (then why say it?)

Dead Giveaway Phrases

These almost never appear in natural human writing:

"In the ever-evolving landscape of..."
"Navigating the complexities of..."
"Unlock the potential of..."
"A testament to..."
"Serves as a beacon..."
"Resonates deeply with..."

Level 5: Content Tells

Missing Specificity

AI gives generic examples because it can't verify real ones:

❌ AI Pattern:

"Many companies have found success with this approach."

✅ Human Pattern:

"Acme Corp tried this last quarter and cut costs by 12%."

No Personal Experience

AI can't draw from lived experience:

❌ AI Pattern:

"Users often report feeling frustrated when..."

✅ Human Pattern:

"I've been stuck on hold with them three times this month."

Balanced to a Fault

AI presents perfectly balanced arguments on everything:

❌ AI Pattern:

"While some argue X, others contend Y. Both perspectives have merit."

✅ Human Pattern:

"X is correct. Here's why the Y argument doesn't hold up."

The "Comprehensive" Trap

AI tries to cover everything superficially rather than anything deeply:

Lists every possible consideration
Touches on all angles
Never commits to priorities

Fix: Make choices. Prioritize ruthlessly. Leave things out intentionally.

Level 6: Format Tells

Bullet Point Addiction

AI reaches for bullets instantly:

❌ AI Pattern:

The benefits include:

Improved efficiency

Cost savings

Better outcomes

Enhanced collaboration

Streamlined processes

✅ Human Pattern:

It saves time and money. That's really the main thing.

Predictable Headers

AI uses generic, parallel headers:

Understanding the Challenge
Exploring Solutions
Implementing Changes
Measuring Success

Fix: Use specific, interesting headers that could only apply to THIS content.

The Rule of Three (Overused)

AI loves groups of three:

Three main points
Three examples
Three recommendations

Fix: Sometimes there are two things. Sometimes seven. Use the real number.

Document Audit Checklist

Run this checklist on any document to audit for AI tells:

Quick Scan (2 minutes)

Ctrl+F test: Search for "delve", "myriad", "tapestry", "crucial", "landscape"
Opening check: Does it announce what it will do instead of doing it?
Closing check: Does it just restate the opening?
Bullet count: More than 3 bulleted lists in a single page?

Deep Scan (10 minutes)

Voice check: Could you identify the author by voice alone?
Specificity check: Are examples real and verifiable?
Opinion check: Does it take any actual positions?
Structure check: Is the organization obvious/predictable?
Transition check: Count instances of "moreover", "furthermore", "additionally"
Hedge check: Count "it's important to", "it's worth noting", "one might argue"

Red Flag Scoring

Red Flags Found	Assessment
0-2	Likely human or well-edited
3-5	Needs revision
6-10	Significant AI patterns
11+	Almost certainly AI-generated

Policy Writing Guidelines

For Official Documents

Lead with action: State what people must do, not what the document will cover
Use concrete language: Replace "stakeholders" with actual role names
Be direct: "You must" not "It is required that personnel shall"
Include real examples: Reference actual incidents, dates, names
Vary sentence length: Mix short punchy sentences with longer ones
Show personality: Policy can be clear without being robotic

Before/After Examples

❌ AI-Style Policy:

"It is essential for all employees to familiarize themselves with the multifaceted aspects of our comprehensive data security protocols. These guidelines serve as a beacon for maintaining robust protection of sensitive information in today's ever-evolving digital landscape."

✅ Human-Style Policy:

"Everyone must follow these data security rules. We've had two breaches this year—both from people ignoring password policies. Don't be the third."

Writing Tips to Sound Human

Do This

Start sentences with "But", "And", "So"
Use contractions (don't, won't, can't)
Include personal observations
Admit what you don't know
Use real numbers and dates
Reference specific people or events
Break "rules" occasionally
End some sentences with prepositions
Use fragments. For emphasis.

Don't Do This

Announce what you're about to say
Use five words when two will do
Hedge every claim
Balance every argument perfectly
Reach for impressive vocabulary
Start every paragraph the same way
Put everything in bullets
End with a summary of what you just said

Resources

AI-WRITING-TELLS.md — Background research on AI detection
Plain Language Guidelines — Federal guidelines for clear writing
Style guides: Strunk & White, AP Style, Chicago Manual

Synapse Connections

When writing policies → Load this skill + documentation-quality-assurance
When reviewing documents → Load this skill + code-review (for systematic review patterns)
When teaching writing → Load this skill + bootstrap-learning

Skill Version: 1.0.0 | Created: 2026-03-05 | Category: Writing Quality