Slop patterns

This file merges Humanizer and Stop-Slop, both MIT licensed. See THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md in the repo. The patterns are written in English, but they apply in any language. Spanish forms and word lists are in lang-es.md; English lists are in lang-en.md.

Why AI text sounds the way it does

A language model picks the most likely next words, so it writes for the widest range of readers and subjects. A person writes for one reader and one subject, so their choices are specific and uneven. Every pattern below is a default choice made by rule instead of by need.

Two tests follow. Every sentence must add something the reader does not have yet. And a pattern counts as a tell in proportion to how rarely a careful writer would use it on purpose.

How to use this list

Strong patterns justify an edit on one sighting.
Weak patterns justify an edit only when other tells share the passage, or when the profile forbids them. A careful writer may use any one of them on purpose.
The user's profile overrides this file. If a profile rule allows a pattern, keep it.
Fix the idea, not the phrase. Swapping "delve" for "explore" leaves the same empty sentence.

A. Staging instead of stating

A1. Not X but Y (strong). "It's not just X, it's Y", "This doesn't mean X. It means Y", "not because X, but because Y", "X isn't the problem. Y is", "the question isn't X, it's Y", "stops being X and starts being Y". Also negative lists before the reveal: "Not a tool. Not a toy. A partner." The negative half names something nobody claimed so the positive half sounds bigger. State Y directly. Keep the contrast only when the reader really holds belief X, or both halves carry information.

Before: It's not just a survey; it's a window into how households live. After: The survey records what households earn, spend and own.

A2. One-line closers and dramatic fragments (strong). A short paragraph that restates the one before it ("That's the real win.", "Let that sink in."). A sentence that names what an example just showed ("This shows the importance of..."). Rows of fragments ("No prior. No nostalgia. No mercy."). Lines that sound like pull quotes. Cut the closer if it repeats. Keep a short sentence only when it adds a new fact. Merge fragments into one specific claim.

A3. Sayings that sound deep (strong). "At its core", "the real question is", "what really matters", "the heart of the matter", "X is the language of Y", "X becomes a trap". Also vague declaratives: "The implications are significant", "The reasons are structural", "The stakes are high". Replace with the specific claim, or cut.

A4. Run-up before the point (strong). "Let's dive in", "Here's the thing", "Here's what you need to know", "Honestly?", "Think about it:", "What if...?" answered in the next sentence. State the point.

A5. Arguing with no one (strong). "This isn't about...", "I'm not saying...", "To be clear", "A tempting approach would be...", "You might think... but". The text answers an objection nobody raised. Remove it. Keep an objection the text attributes or answers in full.

A6. Writing about the text (strong). "In this section we will...", "The rest of this essay explains...", "As we'll see", "Let me walk you through", "the table below compares", "This was added to replace...". Let the text move without announcing itself. Keep a note only when the reader needs it to act.

B. Inflation

B1. Inflated significance (strong). "Marks a pivotal moment", "plays a key role", "stands as a testament", "reflects a broader trend", "sets the stage for", "lasting legacy", "the future looks bright", "Despite these challenges, X continues to thrive". Keep the fact. Drop the importance claim. End on the last concrete fact.

Before: The institute was founded in 1989, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of regional statistics. After: The institute was founded in 1989.

B2. Borrowed authority (strong). "Experts believe", "studies show", "observers note", a list of famous outlets. Name the source and what it said, or cut the claim.

B3. Sales language (strong). "Nestled", "breathtaking", "renowned", "rich heritage", "groundbreaking", "a diverse array". Say what the thing is.

B4. Fancy verbs for is and has (weak). "Serves as", "stands as", "functions as", "boasts", "features", "represents". Use is, are, has.

B5. Shallow -ing riders (weak). A clause like "highlighting its importance", "reflecting a deep commitment", "fostering collaboration" bolted onto a plain fact. Keep the fact. Keep the rider only if a source supports it.

B6. Vague connection (weak). "Associated with", "linked to", "in connection with" when the source says the real relation. Name it. If the source does not say, keep the vague wording rather than invent one.

B7. Overused AI words (strong in groups). The lists are in the language files. One formal word alone is not a tell. Three in a paragraph are.

C. Rhythm by rule

C1. Forced triads (strong when empty). Three items because three sounds complete: "innovation, inspiration and insight", three parallel examples followed by a lesson. Use the number of items the meaning needs. Two often beat three.

C2. Metronome rhythm (weak). Three or more sentences in a row of about the same length, or every paragraph ending on a punchy line. Vary length. End paragraphs in different ways.

C3. Repeated openings (weak). Several sentences in a row that start the same way ("She noted... She noted... She filed..."). Merge them or change the subject.

C4. Dashes as the universal joint (weak alone; often forbidden by the profile). Em dashes (—), en dashes (–), spaced hyphens and double hyphens used to join clauses. Replace with a period, comma, colon or parentheses, or rewrite. Leave hyphens in compound words, ranges in data, code, paths and URLs alone. Spanish uses the raya (—) correctly for asides and dialogue; keep it only if the profile allows dashes.

C5. Stacked qualifiers (weak). "Could potentially possibly", "it may arguably be". Keep only the qualifiers the evidence needs. Real uncertainty stays; see meaning.md.

C6. Padding adverbs (weak). "Really", "truly", "simply", "actually", "genuinely", "literally", "deeply", "fundamentally", "importantly", "interestingly". Cut adverbs that add nothing. Keep adverbs that carry meaning: only, never, rarely, roughly, still.

C7. Lazy extremes (weak). "Every", "always", "never", "everyone", "nobody" used for weight, not as a true count. Use the real scope.

D. Hidden actors

D1. False agency (strong). Things doing human acts: "the data tells us", "the decision emerges", "the market rewards", "the conversation shifts", "a complaint becomes a fix". Name who acts: "we read the data as...", "the board decided".

D2. Passive voice and missing subjects (weak). "Mistakes were made", "It is believed that", "No configuration needed". Name the actor when it makes the sentence clearer. Methods sections and some academic writing use the passive on purpose; follow the profile.

D3. Narrator from a distance (weak). "People tend to...", "Nobody designed this", "This is why...". In explanatory writing, put the reader in the scene: "You don't decide one day to...". In academic writing this pattern is often fine.

E. Leftovers from the chat

E1. Chatbot residue (strong). "Great question!", "Certainly!", "I hope this helps", "Let me know if...", "Would you like me to...". Remove the wrapper. Keep the content.

E2. Knowledge limits and guesses (strong). "As of my last update", "while details are limited", "it is likely that she grew up...". State what the source does not show, or cut the sentence.

E3. Heading repeated in the first line (strong). "## Performance" followed by "Speed matters." Let the heading do the work.

F. Formatting by rule

F1. Bold as decoration (strong). Bold on every term, or a bold label and colon on every list item. Remove the bold. Turn labeled lists into prose when the labels carry nothing.

F2. Decorative headings (strong). Title Case In Every Word, emojis, arrows, a rule between every section, a heading written for effect. Use sentence case and plain headings that name the content.

F3. Lists that should be prose (weak). Bullets for an argument whose steps depend on each other. Write the argument as a paragraph.

G. Writing for the wrong reader

G1. Re-explaining what the reader knows (strong in replies). A reply that restates the problem, walks through the diagnosis and gives the decision last. In a reply, lead with the decision and keep only the reasoning that could change the reader's mind.

When not to act

Inside a quotation, a title, a proper name, or a passage that discusses a phrase instead of using it.
In text written before late 2022, which no model wrote.
When the user's profile or samples use the pattern on purpose.
One weak tell alone is not proof. Look for several together.

Keep what carries a human voice: a specific odd detail, mixed feelings, a dated reference, a real aside, a first person choice the writer can explain.