# English Structural Patterns to Avoid

## Binary Contrasts

False drama. State the point directly.

| Pattern | Problem |
|---------|---------|
| "Not because X. Because Y." | Telegraphed reversal |
| "[X] isn't the problem. [Y] is." | Formulaic reframe |
| "The answer isn't X. It's Y." | Predictable pivot |
| "It feels like X. It's actually Y." | Setup/reveal cliché |
| "The question isn't X. It's Y." | Rhetorical misdirection |
| "Not X. But Y." / "not X, it's Y" | Mechanical contrast |
| "It's not this. It's that." | Same formula |
| "stops being X and starts being Y" | False transformation |
| "doesn't mean X, but actually Y" | Negation-then-assertion |
| "not just X but also Y" | Additive hedge |

**Fix**: State Y directly. Drop the negation.

## Negative Listing

| Pattern | Problem |
|---------|---------|
| "Not a X... Not a Y... A Z." | Dramatic buildup through negation |
| "It wasn't X. It wasn't Y. It was Z." | Same, past tense |

**Fix**: State Z. Reader doesn't need the runway.

## Dramatic Fragmentation

| Pattern | Problem |
|---------|---------|
| "[Noun]. That's it. That's the [thing]." | Performative simplicity |
| "X. And Y. And Z." | Staccato drama |
| "This unlocks something. [Word]." | Artificial revelation |

**Fix**: Complete sentences. Trust content over presentation.

## Rhetorical Setups

| Pattern | Problem |
|---------|---------|
| "What if [reframe]?" | Socratic posturing |
| "Here's what I mean:" | Redundant preview |
| "Think about it:" | Condescending prompt |
| "And that's okay." | Unnecessary permission |

## False Agency

Inanimate things performing human verbs. AI loves this because it avoids naming the actor.

| Pattern | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| "a complaint becomes a fix" | Someone fixed it |
| "a bet lives or dies in days" | Someone kills the project or ships it |
| "the decision emerges" | Someone decides |
| "the culture shifts" | People change behavior |
| "the conversation moves toward" | Someone steers |
| "the data tells us" | Someone reads it and draws conclusions |
| "the market rewards" | Buyers pay for things |

**Fix**: Name the human. "The team fixed it that week" beats "the complaint becomes a fix."

## Narrator-from-a-Distance

Floating above the scene instead of putting the reader in it.

| Pattern | Problem |
|---------|---------|
| "Nobody designed this." | Disembodied observation |
| "This happens because..." | Lecturer voice |
| "This is why..." | Same |
| "People tend to..." | Armchair sociologist |

**Fix**: Put the reader in the room.

## Passive Voice

| Pattern | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| "X was created" | Name who created it |
| "It is believed that" | Name who believes it |
| "Mistakes were made" | Name who made them |

## Sentence Starters to Avoid

- Wh- openers (What, When, Where, Which, Who, Why, How)
- Paragraphs starting with "So"
- Sentences starting with "Look,"

## Rhythm Patterns

| Pattern | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| Three-item lists | Use two or one |
| Questions answered immediately | Let questions breathe or cut |
| Every paragraph ends punchily | Vary endings |
| Em-dashes | Remove. Use commas or periods. |
| Staccato fragmentation | Don't stack short sentences |
| "Not always. Not perfectly." | Hedging disguised as reassurance |
| Lazy extremes (every, always, never, everyone) | Use specifics |

## Inflated Symbolism

| Pattern | Problem |
|---------|---------|
| "serves as a testament to" | Inflated importance |
| "a pivotal moment in the evolution of" | Puffery |
| "underscores its significance" | Meaningless emphasis |
| "deeply rooted in" | No information |
| "setting the stage for" | Metaphor clutter |
| "marks a shift in the evolving landscape" | Word salad |

## Vague Attributions

| Pattern | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| "Industry reports show" | Cite specific report |
| "Experts argue" | Name the expert |
| "Observers have noted" | Name who |
| "Several sources indicate" | List the sources |

## Promotional Language

| Pattern | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| "boasts a" | "has" |
| "nestled in the heart of" | "in" |
| "groundbreaking" | Name what's new |
| "renowned" | Name who considers them so |
| "must-visit" | Delete |
| "stunning" | Describe what you see |

## Other Common Patterns

- **Rule of Three overuse** — LLMs force ideas into groups of three
- **Elegant variation / synonym cycling** — Same entity called by 4 different names in one paragraph
- **False ranges** — "from X to Y" where X and Y aren't on a meaningful scale
- **Curly quotation marks** — ChatGPT uses "" instead of ""
- **Inline-header vertical lists** — Bold colon lists (- **Item:** description)
- **Title Case in headings** — Capitalize only proper nouns
- **Emoji decorations** on headings/bullets
- **Bold overuse** — Bold should be rare, not every other phrase
- **Generic positive conclusions** — "The future looks bright" / "Exciting times lie ahead"
- **Outline-like "Challenges and Future Prospects" sections**
- **Excessive hedging** — "could potentially possibly be argued that... might have some effect"