AI Copywriting Tell Library

It might not always be AI

When a “tell” isn’t a tell — and what to look for instead.

Stop hunting for “AI words.” Most of them are just standard English that algorithms learned from us. One word doesn’t make copy synthetic — lazy patterns do.

Ditch word paranoia

Robust, seamless and leverage existed before ChatGPT. A single appearance isn’t proof of a prompt — it’s vocabulary. Purging useful words only weakens the writing.

Spot vocabulary stacking

One seamless is fine. Seamless, effortless, streamlined and innovative crammed into one sentence is where copy dies. Repetition is the culprit, not the word itself.

Match the room

Utilise works in a technical spec. On a homepage, use wins. Words aren’t inherently “AI” — they’re either useful or out of place.

Fix the substance, not the vocab

Swapping buzzwords won’t rescue empty copy. A cliché can work in a sharp, specific context. Simple words still sound robotic when they say nothing.

18 diagnostic categories

Score the draft against these. Drill into individual tells underneath.

#	Category	What it catches
1	Word choice	AI-associated vocabulary
2	Corporate language	Inflated / formal wording
3	Generic marketing	Clichés and empty claims
4	Rhetorical patterns	Not X/Y, rule of three, templates
5	Metaphors	Landscape, ecosystem, journey…
6	Vagueness	Abstract / general language
7	Specificity	Missing concrete information
8	Repetition	Words, ideas, structures
9	Sentence-level	Rhythm and syntax
10	Page architecture	Formulaic organisation
11	Conversational tells	“Here’s the thing…”
12	Manufactured personality	Fake human voice
13	Hype / evidence	Unsupported claims
14	Formatting	Visual AI patterns
15	Voice	Distinctive human voice
16	Originality	Original thought / expression
17	Information density	Substance per sentence
18	Authenticity	Truthfulness / real experience

What a cluster looks like

One paragraph, five tells. This is what “overuse” means in practice.

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, our innovative platform empowers modern businesses to unlock greater efficiency and drive meaningful results at scale.

01

Word choice

AI-associated vocabulary. Score clusters and overuse — not single hits.

1.1 AI-associated verbs

leverage utilise harness facilitate foster empower enable elevate unlock unleash transform revolutionise streamline optimise maximise bolster enhance cultivate navigate accelerate amplify propel ignite drive champion showcase redefine reimagine align integrate implement deploy cater to resonate

1.2 AI-associated adjectives

robust comprehensive seamless cutting-edge innovative revolutionary groundbreaking powerful dynamic holistic multifaceted sophisticated transformative unparalleled exceptional remarkable compelling impactful meaningful strategic scalable agile versatile intuitive effortless frictionless vibrant exciting engaging insightful invaluable essential crucial pivotal paramount meticulous bespoke tailored world-class next-generation state-of-the-art future-ready forward-thinking

1.3 AI-associated nouns

innovation transformation optimisation efficiency scalability agility productivity collaboration connectivity accessibility flexibility visibility growth success excellence performance potential empowerment engagement alignment acceleration intelligence capability opportunity impact value complexity clarity confidence control

1.4 Inflated alternativesPrefer the plain form unless the formal one earns its place

utilise→use

facilitate→help

commence→start

endeavour→try

obtain→get

numerous→many

additional→more

approximately→about

demonstrate→show

provide→give

require→need

ascertain→find out

regarding→about

subsequently→later

prior to→before

in order to→to

due to the fact that→because

a number of→several / many

at this point in time→now

in the event that→if

with regard to→about

is able to→can

02

Corporate language

Inflated and formal wording that adds weight without adding meaning. (See also 1.4 inflated alternatives.)

Latinate stack

Formal verbs where plain ones are clearer.

utilise · facilitate · commence → use · help · start

Noun chains

Stacked abstractions with no actor.

solution implementation process optimisation

Prepositional bloat

Long prepositions for short ideas.

due to the fact that → because

Ability circumlocution

Three words where one works.

is able to / has the ability to → can

03

Generic marketing language

Clichés and empty claims that could sit on any site in the category.

2.1 Generic claims

drive growth drive efficiency drive engagement drive innovation drive results deliver results create value maximise potential unlock opportunities improve performance enhance productivity increase efficiency make an impact achieve success create meaningful impact deliver meaningful results

2.2 Generic transformation language

transform your business transform your workflow transform your operations transform your customer experience revolutionise the way you work redefine productivity redefine what's possible reimagine your workflow reimagine the future take your business to the next level unlock your full potential unleash your potential

2.3 Generic superiority

world-class industry-leading best-in-class cutting-edge state-of-the-art next-generation game-changing groundbreaking revolutionary unparalleled unprecedented extraordinary exceptional future-ready future-proof

2.4 Generic reassurance

we've got you covered we've got your back you're in good hands peace of mind rest assured worry no more we're here to help your success is our success

04

Rhetorical patterns

Templates AI reaches for when it needs structure without substance.

Contrast

Not X, but Y

“It's not just a tool. It's a transformation.”

Not only X, but Y

“Not only does it save time, but it also…”

X without Y

“Scale without complexity.”

Less X, more Y

“Less admin. More growth.”

Transformation & dual frames

from strategy to execution from data to decisions from planning to delivery from ideation to implementation from first click to final conversion reactive to proactive manual to automated complexity to clarity data to insight

Simple enough for small teams, powerful enough for enterprises Easy enough for beginners, powerful enough for experts creativity meets technology data meets intelligence simplicity meets power strategy meets execution humans meet AI

Whether / Imagine / What if

whether you're a startup or enterprise whether you're new to X or experienced whether you're looking to X, Y or Z Imagine a world where… Imagine being able to… Imagine if your team could… What if you could…? What if your team could…?

05

Metaphors

Environment, journey, construction, movement, change — and the literary clichés.

Environment

landscape ecosystem environment arena realm

Journey

journey roadmap pathway route destination

Construction

foundation cornerstone blueprint framework building blocks

Movement & change

propel accelerate navigate drive bridge move forward catalyst engine fuel unlock ignite

Literary clichés

tapestry rich tapestry intricate tapestry testament to at the heart of

06

Vagueness

A major scoring category. Core test: Can I replace the generic noun with something concrete?

Generic audiences

businesses organisations teams professionals users customers individuals modern businesses forward-thinking businesses

Generic problems

challenges pain points complexity inefficiencies bottlenecks obstacles demands pressures

Generic outcomes

success growth results impact value performance opportunities potential

Generic actions

improve optimise streamline enhance transform empower enable support facilitate

Generic objects

solution platform ecosystem framework approach methodology system tool offering

07

Specificity failures

What’s missing when the sentence sounds precise but isn’t.

Missing people

Role erased into a blob audience.

Businesses struggle with… → RevOps leads spend Mondays…

Missing situations

“Manual processes” with no scene.

Manual processes slow teams down → Copy-pasting from Salesforce into a spreadsheet

Missing mechanisms

Outcome with no how.

Improves efficiency → Auto-assigns leads by territory so SDRs don’t triage

Missing evidence

Assertion without proof.

Better results for customers → Cut onboarding from 14 days to 3 (n=40)

Missing consequences

Saved time that goes nowhere.

Save hours every week → Save two hours Fridays — enough to close the week clean

Missing context

Could be any industry.

Built for modern teams → Built for multi-clinic physio practices

Fake specificity

Precision theatre.

Up to 10x better performance* → Cite the test, the baseline, the condition

08

Repetition

Words, ideas, benefits, structures, sections, CTAs.

Lexical

Same word repeated until it dulls.

Our platform… the platform… with this platform…

Semantic

Same idea restated in different clothes.

We save you time. You’ll work faster. Hours come back to your week.

Benefit chain

One benefit spun into three near-synonyms.

Save time → reduce workload → increase productivity

Structural

Same sentence machine, new nouns.

With X, you can Y. With X, you can Z. With X, you can…

Section

Every block: heading → claim → three bullets → soft close.

Problem / Solution / Benefits — repeated four times

CTA echo

Mini-CTA at the end of every section.

Ready to start? · Get started today · Start your journey

09

Sentence-level tells

Rhythm, symmetry, fragments, openings, overqualification.

Sentence symmetry

“Fast, flexible and powerful.”

Rule-of-three saturation

Three benefits everywhere.

Uniform sentence length

Same approximate length, page after page.

Excessive short sentences / fragments

Less admin.
More growth.
Better results.

Repeated openings

Our platform… Our platform… Our platform…

Overly neat cadence

Everything equally polished and balanced.

Overqualification

may might could often generally typically potentially arguably in many cases to some extent depending on

10

Paragraph & page architecture

Formulaic organisation at section and page level.

The AI blog structure

A fixed pipeline regardless of the topic.

Hook → problem → explain → solution → 3 benefits → summary → CTA

Identical section structures

You can predict the next block before you read it.

H2 → 40 words → 3 bullets → soft close (×5)

Over-sectioning

Headings doing the work of sentences.

Eight H2s on a one-screen product page

Over-signposting

Announcing structure instead of using it.

“First, we’ll explore… Next, we’ll look at… Finally…”

Manufactured conclusions

Every block ends with the same bow.

“The result?” · “The takeaway?” · “The key is…”

Information symmetry

Minor points get the same airtime as the real differentiator.

Equal word count per feature, including the trivial ones

11

Conversational AI tells

Artificial hooks, engagement, reassurance, urgency.

Artificial hooks

Here's the thing… Here's what you need to know… Here's the kicker… Here's where it gets interesting… Here's the catch… Here's what most people miss…

Artificial engagement

What do you think? Agree or disagree? Have you experienced this? I'd love to hear your thoughts. What's your biggest challenge?

Artificial reassurance

You're not alone. And that's okay. We've all been there. You shouldn't have to…

Artificial urgency

Now is the time. The time is now. Don't get left behind. Don't let competitors get ahead.

12

Manufactured personality

Fake vulnerability, discovery, experience, authority.

Fake vulnerability

I'll be honest… · I used to think… · I made a mistake… · Here's what nobody tells you…

Fake discovery

This changed how I think about… · That's when I realised… · It made me realise…

Fake personal experience

“A client called me…” · “I was speaking to a founder…” · “Last Tuesday…”

Fake authority

experts agree · studies show · industry leaders know · research proves

…without identifying the evidence.

13

Hype vs evidence

Score the claim-to-proof ratio. High-risk claims need evidence.

revolutionary transformative unprecedented exceptional significant dramatic massive enormous remarkable powerful meaningful

Where’s the evidence?

If the claim is high-risk and the proof is missing, the score should reflect that — whether or not the vocabulary is “AI-ish”.

14

Formatting tells

Visual patterns that often travel with generated drafts.

excessive bold excessive italics excessive bullet points one-line paragraphs emoji-heavy formatting repeated colons em-dash overuse parentheses stacking rhetorical-question headings excessive headings identical formatting patterns

15

Voice

Beyond detection: does this sound like a believable human author?

A recognisable point of view
Appropriate informality
Natural contractions
Natural vocabulary
Personality
Appropriate humour
Genuine opinion
Industry fluency
Audience awareness
A believable human author

16

Originality

The positive side of humanisation — what to reward, not only what to flag.

Original observations
Uncommon examples
Genuine opinions
Specific customer insights
Unexpected comparisons
Distinctive phrasing
Real-world details
Company-specific knowledge
Useful disagreement
Interesting anecdotes
Information competitors wouldn’t naturally have

17

Information density

How much useful information each sentence delivers.

Low density

Our innovative platform empowers modern businesses to unlock greater efficiency.

High density

Connect Salesforce to Snowflake and let sales reps pull customer data without asking an analyst.

Look for: who + what + how + why + evidence + consequence.

18

Authenticity

Separate from “AI-ishness”. Is the writing true to experience and evidence?

Are anecdotes real?
Are customer claims verifiable?
Are numbers sourced?
Are opinions genuinely held?
Is personal experience genuine?
Are testimonials real?
Are claims appropriately qualified?
Is the brand actually capable of doing what it says?

This list will keep growing. Spotting a tell doesn’t mean the copy is bad — it means AI may have had a hand in it. The job is to decide whether that pattern is earning its place.