# Taboo Phrases

These patterns signal AI-generated or marketing-heavy copy. Eliminate all instances.

---

## Hype Words

Never use these unless quoting someone else:

| Word/Phrase      | Why It Fails                       |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| revolutionary    | Unearned superlative               |
| game-changing    | Unearned superlative               |
| cutting-edge     | Vague tech buzzword                |
| next-generation  | Meaningless without context        |
| blazingly fast   | Cliché, unquantified               |
| lightning-fast   | Cliché, unquantified               |
| powerful         | Vague; what does it do?            |
| robust           | Vague; how is it robust?           |
| seamless         | Almost never true                  |
| frictionless     | Almost never true                  |
| effortless       | Dismisses real complexity          |
| leverage         | Corporate jargon                   |
| unlock           | Marketing manipulation             |
| supercharge      | Marketing manipulation             |
| turbocharge      | Marketing manipulation             |
| best-in-class    | Unverifiable claim                 |
| world-class      | Unverifiable claim                 |
| state-of-the-art | Vague tech buzzword                |
| groundbreaking   | Unearned superlative               |
| innovative       | Show, don't tell                   |
| intuitive        | Often means "we didn't explain it" |
| elegant          | Self-congratulatory                |

---

## AI Structural Patterns

These constructions reveal AI authorship:

### Em Dash Chains

```
❌ "Zed is fast — really fast — and it shows in every interaction."
✅ "Zed is fast. You'll feel it in every interaction."
```

### "It's not X, it's Y"

```
❌ "It's not just an editor — it's a complete development environment."
✅ "Zed combines editing, collaboration, and AI assistance in one workspace."
```

### Triple Parallel Lists

```
❌ "Fast. Focused. Collaborative."
❌ "Write code. Ship faster. Stay in flow."
✅ "Zed is built for speed and collaboration."
```

### Colon-Introduced Lists in Prose

```
❌ "Three things make Zed different: speed, collaboration, and AI."
✅ "Zed prioritizes speed, real-time collaboration, and AI integration."
```

### Rhetorical Questions as Openers

```
❌ "What if your editor could keep up with your thinking?"
✅ "Zed renders every keystroke instantly."
```

---

## Empty Enthusiasm

Remove all emotional manipulation:

| Pattern                           | Problem                          |
| --------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| "We're excited to announce..."    | Nobody cares about your emotions |
| "We're thrilled to share..."      | Same                             |
| "We can't wait for you to try..." | Presumptuous                     |
| "You'll love..."                  | Telling reader how to feel       |
| "Get ready to..."                 | Marketing hype                   |
| "Say goodbye to..."               | Cliché setup                     |
| "Say hello to..."                 | Cliché followup                  |
| "Finally, an editor that..."      | Implies all others failed        |
| "The wait is over"                | Presumes anticipation            |
| "Introducing..." (as standalone)  | Weak opener                      |

---

## Vague Benefits

Replace with specific outcomes:

| Vague                   | Ask Instead                    |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------ |
| "enhanced productivity" | How much faster? At what task? |
| "improved workflow"     | What specific improvement?     |
| "better experience"     | Better how? Measurable?        |
| "streamlined process"   | What steps were removed?       |
| "optimized performance" | What metric improved?          |
| "increased efficiency"  | What takes less time/effort?   |
| "modern development"    | What specific capability?      |
| "next-level coding"     | Meaningless                    |
| "superior quality"      | By what measure?               |

---

## Forbidden Punctuation

| Pattern     | Rule                               |
| ----------- | ---------------------------------- |
| `!`         | Never. Zero exclamation points.    |
| `...`       | No dramatic ellipses               |
| ALL CAPS    | No shouting for emphasis           |
| `?` as hook | No rhetorical questions as openers |
| `—` overuse | Max one em dash per paragraph      |

---

## Corporate Euphemisms

| Phrase              | Problem                       |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| move the needle     | Jargon                        |
| synergy             | Meme-tier corporate           |
| ecosystem           | Often meaningless             |
| paradigm shift      | Dated buzzword                |
| holistic approach   | Vague                         |
| scalable solution   | What scales? How?             |
| actionable insights | Corporate speak               |
| value proposition   | Never in customer-facing copy |
| leverage (verb)     | Use "use" instead             |
| utilize             | Use "use" instead             |
| facilitate          | Use clearer verb              |
| empower             | Patronizing                   |
| enable              | Often vague; be specific      |

---

## Filler Phrases

Delete without replacement:

- "In today's fast-paced world..."
- "As developers, we know..."
- "Let's face it..."
- "The truth is..."
- "At the end of the day..."
- "When it comes to..."
- "In order to..."
- "It goes without saying..."
- "Needless to say..."
- "As you may know..."

---

## Detection Checklist

Before finalizing, scan for:

1. **Superlatives:** best, most, fastest, only, first, ultimate
2. **Absolutes:** always, never, every, all, completely, totally
3. **Hedging:** might, could, potentially, possibly, may help
4. **Intensifiers:** very, really, extremely, incredibly, absolutely
5. **Vague quantifiers:** many, numerous, significant, substantial

**Rule:** If you can't prove it or measure it, rewrite it.

---

## Quick Reference

**Instant red flags (auto-fail if present):**

- Any exclamation point
- "We're excited/thrilled"
- "Revolutionary" or "game-changing"
- Em dash used 2+ times in one paragraph
- "It's not X, it's Y" construction

**Yellow flags (review carefully):**

- Any word from Hype Words list
- Sentences starting with "And" or "But"
- Questions in headlines
- Lists of exactly three items
