Words and Phrases That Make Your Writing Sound Like AI (and What to Write Instead)
Delve, tapestry, leverage, "I hope this finds you well", "Let that sink in". The words and sentence shapes that make writing read as machine-made, grouped by type, each with a plainer replacement. Plus why one word is not proof, and what is.
One word is not proof
People used "leverage" before ChatGPT existed, and some still mean it. A single word does not make text sound like AI. What does is a cluster: a stock opener, two model words and a dramatic closer in the same short message. That is the pattern readers react to, so that is what to look for in your own writing.
Below are the phrases that show up most in AI-written text, grouped by what they do, with what to write instead. For email-specific phrases, see ChatGPT words to avoid in email.
Openers
| Sounds like AI | Write instead |
|---|---|
| I hope this email finds you well | Cut it. Start with the point. |
| I hope you're doing well | Cut it, or say something specific |
| I wanted to reach out regarding | I'm writing about |
| Thank you for reaching out | Thanks, or answer the question |
| I trust this message finds you | Cut it |
Closers
| Sounds like AI | Write instead |
|---|---|
| Please don't hesitate to reach out | Just ask |
| At your earliest convenience | When you can, or a date |
| I look forward to hearing from you | The next step: "Can you confirm by Friday?" |
| Please feel free to | Feel free to |
Model vocabulary
| Sounds like AI | Write instead |
|---|---|
| delve into | look at, go through |
| leverage, utilize | use |
| facilitate | help, run |
| a tapestry / landscape / realm of | Name the actual thing |
| a testament to | shows |
| robust solution | Say what it does |
| seamlessly integrates | works with |
| navigate the complexities of | deal with, or name the problem |
Sentence shapes
These are harder to search for, and they give text away faster than any single word.
| Shape | Example | Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Not X, it's Y | "It's not just a tool, it's a mindset." | Say Y. |
| Not only... but also | "Not only faster, but also cheaper." | "Faster and cheaper." |
| Three fragments | "No guessing. No waiting. No stress." | One sentence with a fact. |
| Staged set-up | "Here's the thing:" "Let's dive in." | Delete it. |
| Dramatic closer | "Let that sink in." "Read that again." | End one line earlier. |
| A saying that sounds deep | "At its core..." "The real question is..." | Make the point directly. |
| Arguing with no one | "This is not to say..." "One might be tempted to..." | Drop the objection nobody raised. |
| Inflated significance | "A pivotal moment." "Plays a crucial role." | Say what happened. |
Chat leftovers
| Sounds like AI | Why |
|---|---|
| Certainly! / Absolutely! | The model answering you, pasted in |
| Great question! | Same |
| Here's a revised version: | Same |
| As an AI language model | Same, and the most embarrassing |
| Let me know if you'd like me to... | The model offering to rewrite it |
Patterns that are not words
- Even rhythm. Every sentence 15 to 20 words, every paragraph the same size.
- No contractions. "It is", "do not", "we will" in a casual message.
- Every list has three items, and every item starts the same way.
- Headers and bold in a five-line message.
- Em dashes everywhere, especially with no spaces. More in why em dashes make email look AI-written.
- Hidden characters like non-breaking and zero-width spaces, which come along when you copy from a chat window. See hidden characters in ChatGPT text.
Find them in your own draft
Paste it into our free AI slop detector. It finds every phrase above, names the type (Stock opener, Model vocabulary, Model sentence construction, Dramatic closer and so on) and suggests a swap where one is safe. It counts kinds of tells, not single words, so one stray "leverage" gets a mild note, not a verdict.
Presend runs the same check when you click Send in Gmail, Outlook on the web, Slack and LinkedIn, with a Fix button next to each phrase it can swap. For the habits behind the words, read how to avoid sounding like AI.
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