# AI Tells — Catalog

The lexical and structural markers of machine writing. This catalog feeds Passes 1 and 2 of the slop check.

Read the principle in SKILL.md first: these are symptoms, not the disease. A flagged word on top of a real sentence is not slop. Flag these when they cluster, or when they sit on hollow writing.

## Tiered vocabulary

### Tier 1 — flag on sight

These rarely earn their place in good prose. Their presence is a strong signal.

delve, leverage (as a verb), tapestry, testament (to), realm, beacon, embark, unleash, unlock (figurative), game-changer, ever-evolving, paradigm shift, treasure trove, behoove, multifaceted, in today's [fast-paced / digital / ever-changing] world.

### Tier 2 — flag when clustered

Fine in isolation. Three or more on a page is a pattern worth naming.

robust, seamless, harness, foster, resonate, nuanced, holistic, intricate, elevate, vibrant, pivotal, underscore, vital, crucial, landscape (figurative), navigate (figurative), bustling, rich (figurative), profound, transformative, empower.

### Tier 3 — flag at density

Ordinary words. Slop only when overused — the writing reaches for them instead of saying something specific.

significant, innovative, compelling, comprehensive, essential, key, various, numerous, effective, powerful, dynamic, valuable, important, meaningful.

## Template phrases

Constructions that fit any topic — which is the problem. They carry no information specific to the subject.

- "It's worth noting that…"
- "It's important to note / remember…"
- "In today's [fast-paced / competitive / digital] world…"
- "When it comes to…"
- "At the end of the day…"
- "Navigate the complexities of…"
- "Plays a [crucial / vital / key] role in…"
- "Stands as a testament to…"
- "More than just…"
- "That's where [X] comes in."
- "Let's dive in." / "Let's explore…"
- "The bottom line is…"
- "[X] is a powerful tool that can help you…"
- "Whether you're [X] or [Y]…"

## Sentence openers

Flag when they open consecutive sentences or stack up across a piece. One is fine; the tic is the repetition.

Moreover, Furthermore, Additionally, Notably, Importantly, Indeed, Ultimately, Certainly, In conclusion, In summary, Overall.

## Structural patterns

- **Rule of three, compulsively.** Every list is three items; every sentence has three clauses. Real thought is not that evenly shaped.
- **The negation flip.** "It's not just X, it's Y." "This isn't about X — it's about Y." Used once, fine. Used as a rhythm, slop.
- **The hedging seesaw.** "However… That said… On the other hand…" — the writer rocking between positions without landing on one.
- **Bulleted fragments with bold lead-ins.** A list of "**Thing:** explanation" where the bullets are not genuinely parallel and the bolding substitutes for structure.
- **Uniform paragraph length.** Every paragraph the same size. Human emphasis is uneven.
- **Rhetorical question as section opener.** "So what does this mean for you?" — a stall, not a thought.
- **Em-dash overuse.** More than one or two per page, used for drama rather than grammar.
- **The restating conclusion.** A final paragraph that summarizes the body and adds nothing — no implication, no next step, no sharpened claim.
- **The "from X to Y" range cliché.** "From startups to enterprises, from healthcare to finance" — fake comprehensiveness.
- **Title-colon-subtitle everywhere.** Every heading is "Punchy Phrase: Explanatory Clause."

## Empty-sentence shapes

Sentences built to sound like content. They survive deletion.

- "[X] plays a crucial role in [Y]."
- "Understanding [X] is essential."
- "[X] has become increasingly important in recent years."
- "There are several factors to consider."
- "This raises important questions."
- False agency — giving intention to abstractions: "the data wants to tell a story," "the framework seeks to," "this approach aims to."