1# Taboo Phrases
2
3These patterns signal AI-generated or marketing-heavy copy. Eliminate all instances.
4
5---
6
7## Hype Words
8
9Never use these unless quoting someone else:
10
11| Word/Phrase | Why It Fails |
12| ---------------- | ---------------------------------- |
13| revolutionary | Unearned superlative |
14| game-changing | Unearned superlative |
15| cutting-edge | Vague tech buzzword |
16| next-generation | Meaningless without context |
17| blazingly fast | Cliché, unquantified |
18| lightning-fast | Cliché, unquantified |
19| powerful | Vague; what does it do? |
20| robust | Vague; how is it robust? |
21| seamless | Almost never true |
22| frictionless | Almost never true |
23| effortless | Dismisses real complexity |
24| leverage | Corporate jargon |
25| unlock | Marketing manipulation |
26| supercharge | Marketing manipulation |
27| turbocharge | Marketing manipulation |
28| best-in-class | Unverifiable claim |
29| world-class | Unverifiable claim |
30| state-of-the-art | Vague tech buzzword |
31| groundbreaking | Unearned superlative |
32| innovative | Show, don't tell |
33| intuitive | Often means "we didn't explain it" |
34| elegant | Self-congratulatory |
35
36---
37
38## AI Structural Patterns
39
40These constructions reveal AI authorship:
41
42### Em Dash Chains
43
44```
45❌ "Zed is fast — really fast — and it shows in every interaction."
46✅ "Zed is fast. You'll feel it in every interaction."
47```
48
49### "It's not X, it's Y"
50
51```
52❌ "It's not just an editor — it's a complete development environment."
53✅ "Zed combines editing, collaboration, and AI assistance in one workspace."
54```
55
56### Triple Parallel Lists
57
58```
59❌ "Fast. Focused. Collaborative."
60❌ "Write code. Ship faster. Stay in flow."
61✅ "Zed is built for speed and collaboration."
62```
63
64### Colon-Introduced Lists in Prose
65
66```
67❌ "Three things make Zed different: speed, collaboration, and AI."
68✅ "Zed prioritizes speed, real-time collaboration, and AI integration."
69```
70
71### Rhetorical Questions as Openers
72
73```
74❌ "What if your editor could keep up with your thinking?"
75✅ "Zed renders every keystroke instantly."
76```
77
78---
79
80## Empty Enthusiasm
81
82Remove all emotional manipulation:
83
84| Pattern | Problem |
85| --------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
86| "We're excited to announce..." | Nobody cares about your emotions |
87| "We're thrilled to share..." | Same |
88| "We can't wait for you to try..." | Presumptuous |
89| "You'll love..." | Telling reader how to feel |
90| "Get ready to..." | Marketing hype |
91| "Say goodbye to..." | Cliché setup |
92| "Say hello to..." | Cliché followup |
93| "Finally, an editor that..." | Implies all others failed |
94| "The wait is over" | Presumes anticipation |
95| "Introducing..." (as standalone) | Weak opener |
96
97---
98
99## Vague Benefits
100
101Replace with specific outcomes:
102
103| Vague | Ask Instead |
104| ----------------------- | ------------------------------ |
105| "enhanced productivity" | How much faster? At what task? |
106| "improved workflow" | What specific improvement? |
107| "better experience" | Better how? Measurable? |
108| "streamlined process" | What steps were removed? |
109| "optimized performance" | What metric improved? |
110| "increased efficiency" | What takes less time/effort? |
111| "modern development" | What specific capability? |
112| "next-level coding" | Meaningless |
113| "superior quality" | By what measure? |
114
115---
116
117## Forbidden Punctuation
118
119| Pattern | Rule |
120| ----------- | ---------------------------------- |
121| `!` | Never. Zero exclamation points. |
122| `...` | No dramatic ellipses |
123| ALL CAPS | No shouting for emphasis |
124| `?` as hook | No rhetorical questions as openers |
125| `—` overuse | Max one em dash per paragraph |
126
127---
128
129## Corporate Euphemisms
130
131| Phrase | Problem |
132| ------------------- | ----------------------------- |
133| move the needle | Jargon |
134| synergy | Meme-tier corporate |
135| ecosystem | Often meaningless |
136| paradigm shift | Dated buzzword |
137| holistic approach | Vague |
138| scalable solution | What scales? How? |
139| actionable insights | Corporate speak |
140| value proposition | Never in customer-facing copy |
141| leverage (verb) | Use "use" instead |
142| utilize | Use "use" instead |
143| facilitate | Use clearer verb |
144| empower | Patronizing |
145| enable | Often vague; be specific |
146
147---
148
149## Filler Phrases
150
151Delete without replacement:
152
153- "In today's fast-paced world..."
154- "As developers, we know..."
155- "Let's face it..."
156- "The truth is..."
157- "At the end of the day..."
158- "When it comes to..."
159- "In order to..."
160- "It goes without saying..."
161- "Needless to say..."
162- "As you may know..."
163
164---
165
166## Detection Checklist
167
168Before finalizing, scan for:
169
1701. **Superlatives:** best, most, fastest, only, first, ultimate
1712. **Absolutes:** always, never, every, all, completely, totally
1723. **Hedging:** might, could, potentially, possibly, may help
1734. **Intensifiers:** very, really, extremely, incredibly, absolutely
1745. **Vague quantifiers:** many, numerous, significant, substantial
175
176**Rule:** If you can't prove it or measure it, rewrite it.
177
178---
179
180## Quick Reference
181
182**Instant red flags (auto-fail if present):**
183
184- Any exclamation point
185- "We're excited/thrilled"
186- "Revolutionary" or "game-changing"
187- Em dash used 2+ times in one paragraph
188- "It's not X, it's Y" construction
189
190**Yellow flags (review carefully):**
191
192- Any word from Hype Words list
193- Sentences starting with "And" or "But"
194- Questions in headlines
195- Lists of exactly three items