Rules for Natural Writing
This document outlines strict rules to avoid common "AI-isms"—stylistic and structural patterns that language models typically fall into. Follow these rules to produce content that is more understandable, and reads as natural, human-authored text.
1. Vocabulary & Phrasing Controls
The "Banned" List
Avoid these words, which are statistically overrepresented in AI text. Use simpler, more direct alternatives.
- Verbs: delve, underscore, highlight (as verb), foster, cultivate, maximize, leverage, democratize, ensure, align with, resonate with, encompass, bridge.
- Nouns: tapestry, landscape (abstract), realm, testament, interplay, synergy, cornerstone, hub, ecosystem (abstract).
- Adjectives: pivotal, crucial, vibrant, intricate, nuanced, unwavering, indelible, uncharted, rapidly evolving, transformative, breathtaking, nestled, dynamic.
Avoid "Copula" Substitutions
Do not replace simple "is/are" verbs with flowery equivalents.
- Bad: "The library serves as a center for learning."
- Bad: "The statue stands as a monument to..."
- Good: "The library is a center for learning."
- Good: "The statue is a monument to..."
Eliminate "Elegant Variation"
Do not use synonyms just to avoid repeating a subject's name (e.g., "the eponymous character," "the titular protagonist," "the celebrated author"). It is acceptable to repeat the name or use pronouns naturally.
Banned Temporal Words in Code & Comments
Do not use relative temporal terms in code, variable names, function names, or comments. These words lose their meaning as the codebase evolves over time.
- Banned Words: now, currently, existing behavior, previous behavior, old, new, modern.
- Bad:
// This function now uses the config parser instead of hardcoding.
- Good:
// Resolves paths via [ConfigParser.loadConfig] to support custom config locations.
2. Content & Tone
No "Puffery" or Forced Significance
Do not inflate the importance of a topic with vague praise. If a subject is important, the facts should demonstrate it without help.
- Rule: Avoid phrases like "serves as a testament to," "marking a pivotal moment," "underscoring the importance of," "leaving an indelible mark," or "shaping the landscape."
- Bad: "The founding of the institute marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of regional statistics, representing a significant shift toward independence."
- Good: "The institute was founded in 1989 to collect regional statistics."
No Superficial Analysis
Avoid attaching "dangling" present-participle phrases that offer vague commentary.
- Rule: Delete clauses starting with "highlighting," "emphasizing," "reflecting," "showcasing," or "demonstrating" if they just restate the obvious or add fluff.
- Bad: "The building uses blue glass, reflecting the region's natural beauty and symbolizing unity."
- Good: "The building uses blue glass."
Avoid Promotional Language
Maintain a neutral tone. Avoid "advertisement" words.
- Words to Watch: boasts, features (as a verb), offers, premier, leading, state-of-the-art, committed to, dedicated to.
- Bad: "Nestled in the heart of the city, the hotel boasts a vibrant atmosphere."
- Good: "The hotel is located in the city center."
No "Challenges and Future Outlook" Formula
LLMs often end articles with a generic "Despite challenges... remains important" conclusion.
- Rule: Do not end with a summary paragraph starting with "Despite [X], [Subject] continues to..." or speculating on the future. End with the last fact.
- Bad: "Despite facing economic hurdles, the company continues to thrive and remains a beacon of innovation."
No "Title as Proper Noun" Leads
Do not treat a descriptive article title (like a list or broad topic) as a proper noun in the first sentence.
- Bad: "The List of songs about Mexico is a curated compilation..."
- Good: "This list contains songs about Mexico..."
No Generic "See Also" Links
Do not populate "See Also" sections with broad, generic terms.
- Rule: Links must be directly relevant and specific to the subject.
- Bad: Linking Financial technology in an article about a specific startup.
- Good: Linking a competitor or specific related technology.
Attribution Precision
Do not use vague "weasel words."
- Rule: Avoid "Experts argue," "Observers have noted," or "Several sources indicate" unless you cite specific people immediately.
- Rule: Do not claim a subject interacts with a "broader" history or trend unless a source explicitly says so.
3. Sentence Structure
No Negative Parallelism
Avoid sentences that structure a contrast unnecessarily.
- Bad: "It is not only a painting, but also a representation of..."
- Bad: "It is not just about X; it is about Y."
- Good: "It is a painting that represents..."
No "Rule of Three"
Avoid listing exactly three adjectives or three noun phrases to sound "comprehensive."
- Bad: "The event brings together marketers, engineers, and designers." (Unless those specific three groups are the only ones).
- Bad: "It is bold, innovative, and unique."
No False Ranges
Do not use "from X to Y" unless X and Y are endpoints of a logical scale (like time or size).
- Bad: "The book covers everything from biology to space travel." (These are just two random topics, not a range).
- Good: "The book covers topics including biology and space travel."
4. Structure & Formatting
Headers
- Rule: Use Sentence case for headers (e.g., "Early life," not "Early Life").
- Rule: Do not use "Title Case" in headers.
Formatting Avoidance
- No Inline-Header Lists: Do not use the format:
* **Header:** Description.... Use prose or simple lists.
- No Excessive Bold: Do not bold keywords, "key takeaways," or names in the body text (except the first mention in the lead).
- No Symbols/Emojis: Do not use emojis (🚀, 🧠) or unusual bullets (
#, -) in lists. Use standard bullets (*).
- No Unnecessary Tables: Do not create tables for simple information that fits in a sentence.
- Context-Appropriate Markup: Do not use Markdown (like
##) in formats that do not support it (like Wikitext), unless explicitly converted.
Punctuation
- Quotes: Use straight quotes (
", ') and straight apostrophes ('). Do not use curly/smart quotes (“, ’).
- Em Dashes: Use em dashes sparingly. LLMs overuse them for emphasis. Use commas or parentheses instead.
5. Citations & Integrity
No Hallucinations
- Rule: Never generate a citation unless you are looking at the source.
- Rule: Do not invent URLs or DOIs.
- Rule: Do not assume a book exists or contains a specific fact without verification.
6. Communication (Chat Context)
- No "Collaborative" Filler: Avoid starting responses with "Certainly!", "Here is the information," or "I hope this helps." Just provide the content.
- No Knowledge Cutoffs: Do not apologize for being an AI or state "As of my last update in..." unless relevant to a specific time-sensitive fact.
- No Subject Lines: Do not preface a response with
Subject: ...
- Concise Edit Summaries: If generating an edit summary, keep it brief and informal. Avoid verbose, formal paragraphs explaining "I have ensured compliance with..."
1---2name: natural-writing3description: Contains well-defined rules for creating natural, accurate, and readable writing. Use whenever authoring longer text, like analysis documents, PR or CL descriptions, or documentation.4---5# Rules for Natural Writing
6
7This document outlines strict rules to avoid common "AI-isms"—stylistic and structural patterns that language models typically fall into. Follow these rules to produce content that is more understandable, and reads as natural, human-authored text.
8
9## 1. Vocabulary & Phrasing Controls
10
11### The "Banned" List
12
13Avoid these words, which are statistically overrepresented in AI text. Use simpler, more direct alternatives.
14
15* **Verbs:** delve, underscore, highlight (as verb), foster, cultivate, maximize, leverage, democratize, ensure, align with, resonate with, encompass, bridge.
16* **Nouns:** tapestry, landscape (abstract), realm, testament, interplay, synergy, cornerstone, hub, ecosystem (abstract).
17* **Adjectives:** pivotal, crucial, vibrant, intricate, nuanced, unwavering, indelible, uncharted, rapidly evolving, transformative, breathtaking, nestled, dynamic.
18
19### Avoid "Copula" Substitutions
20
21Do not replace simple "is/are" verbs with flowery equivalents.
22
23* **Bad:** "The library *serves as* a center for learning."
24* **Bad:** "The statue *stands as* a monument to..."
25* **Good:** "The library *is* a center for learning."
26* **Good:** "The statue *is* a monument to..."
27
28### Eliminate "Elegant Variation"
29
30Do not use synonyms just to avoid repeating a subject's name (e.g., "the eponymous character," "the titular protagonist," "the celebrated author"). It is acceptable to repeat the name or use pronouns naturally.
31
32### Banned Temporal Words in Code & Comments
33
34Do not use relative temporal terms in code, variable names, function names, or comments. These words lose their meaning as the codebase evolves over time.
35* **Banned Words**: now, currently, existing behavior, previous behavior, old, new, modern.
36* **Bad**: `// This function now uses the config parser instead of hardcoding.`
37* **Good**: `// Resolves paths via [ConfigParser.loadConfig] to support custom config locations.`
38
39## 2. Content & Tone
40
41### No "Puffery" or Forced Significance
42
43Do not inflate the importance of a topic with vague praise. If a subject is important, the facts should demonstrate it without help.
44
45* **Rule:** Avoid phrases like *"serves as a testament to," "marking a pivotal moment," "underscoring the importance of," "leaving an indelible mark,"* or *"shaping the landscape."*
46* **Bad:** "The founding of the institute marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of regional statistics, representing a significant shift toward independence."
47* **Good:** "The institute was founded in 1989 to collect regional statistics."
48
49### No Superficial Analysis
50
51Avoid attaching "dangling" present-participle phrases that offer vague commentary.
52
53* **Rule:** Delete clauses starting with *"highlighting," "emphasizing," "reflecting," "showcasing,"* or *"demonstrating"* if they just restate the obvious or add fluff.
54* **Bad:** "The building uses blue glass, *reflecting the region's natural beauty and symbolizing unity.*"
55* **Good:** "The building uses blue glass."
56
57### Avoid Promotional Language
58
59Maintain a neutral tone. Avoid "advertisement" words.
60
61* **Words to Watch:** boasts, features (as a verb), offers, premier, leading, state-of-the-art, committed to, dedicated to.
62* **Bad:** "Nestled in the heart of the city, the hotel boasts a vibrant atmosphere."
63* **Good:** "The hotel is located in the city center."
64
65### No "Challenges and Future Outlook" Formula
66
67LLMs often end articles with a generic "Despite challenges... remains important" conclusion.
68
69* **Rule:** Do not end with a summary paragraph starting with "Despite \[X\], \[Subject\] continues to..." or speculating on the future. End with the last fact.
70* **Bad:** "Despite facing economic hurdles, the company continues to thrive and remains a beacon of innovation."
71
72### No "Title as Proper Noun" Leads
73
74Do not treat a descriptive article title (like a list or broad topic) as a proper noun in the first sentence.
75
76* **Bad:** "*The List of songs about Mexico* is a curated compilation..."
77* **Good:** "This list contains songs about Mexico..."
78
79### No Generic "See Also" Links
80
81Do not populate "See Also" sections with broad, generic terms.
82
83* **Rule:** Links must be directly relevant and specific to the subject.
84* **Bad:** Linking *Financial technology* in an article about a specific startup.
85* **Good:** Linking a competitor or specific related technology.
86
87### Attribution Precision
88
89Do not use vague "weasel words."
90
91* **Rule:** Avoid *"Experts argue," "Observers have noted,"* or *"Several sources indicate"* unless you cite specific people immediately.
92* **Rule:** Do not claim a subject interacts with a "broader" history or trend unless a source explicitly says so.
93
94## 3. Sentence Structure
95
96### No Negative Parallelism
97
98Avoid sentences that structure a contrast unnecessarily.
99
100* **Bad:** "It is *not only* a painting, *but also* a representation of..."
101* **Bad:** "It is *not* just about X; *it is* about Y."
102* **Good:** "It is a painting that represents..."
103
104### No "Rule of Three"
105
106Avoid listing exactly three adjectives or three noun phrases to sound "comprehensive."
107
108* **Bad:** "The event brings together *marketers, engineers, and designers*." (Unless those specific three groups are the *only* ones).
109* **Bad:** "It is *bold, innovative, and unique*."
110
111### No False Ranges
112
113Do not use "from X to Y" unless X and Y are endpoints of a logical scale (like time or size).
114
115* **Bad:** "The book covers everything *from* biology *to* space travel." (These are just two random topics, not a range).
116* **Good:** "The book covers topics including biology and space travel."
117
118## 4. Structure & Formatting
119
120### Headers
121
122* **Rule:** Use Sentence case for headers (e.g., "Early life," not "Early Life").
123* **Rule:** Do not use "Title Case" in headers.
124
125### Formatting Avoidance
126
127* **No Inline-Header Lists:** Do not use the format: `* **Header:** Description...`. Use prose or simple lists.
128* **No Excessive Bold:** Do not bold keywords, "key takeaways," or names in the body text (except the first mention in the lead).
129* **No Symbols/Emojis:** Do not use emojis (🚀, 🧠) or unusual bullets (`#`, `-`) in lists. Use standard bullets (`*`).
130* **No Unnecessary Tables:** Do not create tables for simple information that fits in a sentence.
131* **Context-Appropriate Markup:** Do not use Markdown (like `##`) in formats that do not support it (like Wikitext), unless explicitly converted.
132
133### Punctuation
134
135* **Quotes:** Use straight quotes (`"`, `'`) and straight apostrophes (`'`). Do not use curly/smart quotes (`“`, `’`).
136* **Em Dashes:** Use em dashes sparingly. LLMs overuse them for emphasis. Use commas or parentheses instead.
137
138## 5. Citations & Integrity
139
140### No Hallucinations
141
142* **Rule:** Never generate a citation unless you are looking at the source.
143* **Rule:** Do not invent URLs or DOIs.
144* **Rule:** Do not assume a book exists or contains a specific fact without verification.
145
146## 6. Communication (Chat Context)
147
148* **No "Collaborative" Filler:** Avoid starting responses with *"Certainly\!", "Here is the information,"* or *"I hope this helps."* Just provide the content.
149* **No Knowledge Cutoffs:** Do not apologize for being an AI or state *"As of my last update in..."* unless relevant to a specific time-sensitive fact.
150* **No Subject Lines:** Do not preface a response with `Subject: ...`
151* **Concise Edit Summaries:** If generating an edit summary, keep it brief and informal. Avoid verbose, formal paragraphs explaining "I have ensured compliance with..."
gabrielmoreira