ChatGPT Phrases to Avoid Checker (Free)
Paste your draft into the box above and the checker marks the stock phrases that make professional writing read like a chatbot wrote it. Each flagged phrase comes with a plainer alternative. It's free, and you don't need an account.
It's the same checker that sits on the homepage, so you can use whichever page you land on. This page explains what it looks for, how to read the results, and where it falls short.
What the checker does
It scans your text for phrases that language models produce far more often than people do when writing a cold email, a LinkedIn post, a resume bullet or a product page. Think of openers like "I hope this email finds you well," filler like "it's important to note that," and puffed-up claims like "a testament to."
When it finds one, it highlights it and suggests a direct way to say the same thing, or tells you the phrase can usually be cut. You decide what to change. Nothing is rewritten without you.
It checks for phrases. It doesn't read your meaning, verify your facts, or guess who wrote the text.
How to use it
- Paste your text. A full draft works, but a single paragraph is easier to fix in one pass.
- Run the check. Highlighted phrases show up in place, so you can see them in context.
- Read each suggestion. Some are swaps. Many are just "delete this." Accept what's accurate and skip what isn't.
- Add what the tool can't. A real number, a name, a detail only you know. This does more than any phrase swap.
- Run it again. Replacing one cliché sometimes introduces another.
Example: a cold email opener
This is a made-up sample to show the idea, not output from a real campaign.
Input
Hi Dana, I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out because I'm passionate about helping dynamic teams navigate the complexities of hiring. Our results-driven platform can take your recruiting to the next level. I'd love to connect!
Flagged phrases and plainer alternatives
| Phrase | Why it stands out | Plainer option |
|---|---|---|
| I hope this email finds you well | Says nothing. Wastes the preview line. | Cut it. Start with the reason you're writing. |
| I wanted to reach out because | Announces the email instead of starting it. | "I'm writing because" or just state the point. |
| passionate about helping dynamic teams | Vague. Could describe anyone. | Name the kind of team and what you do for them. |
| navigate the complexities of | Stock phrase that hides the actual problem. | Name the problem: "fill engineering roles faster." |
| results-driven platform | A claim with no result attached. | Give the result you can back up, or drop the adjective. |
| take your recruiting to the next level | Empty promise. | Say what changes: fewer screening calls, shorter time to offer, whatever is true. |
| I'd love to connect | Generic ask that's easy to ignore. | Ask for something small: "Worth a 15-minute call Thursday?" |
One way the edited version could read
Hi Dana, I saw you're hiring three backend engineers. We help teams cut screening time on roles like that. Would a 15-minute call on Thursday be useful?
Notice the edit isn't only swapping words. The rewrite is shorter and commits to something specific. That's usually what separates a message that sounds written by a person from one that sounds generated.
Why these phrases get flagged
Language models learn from huge amounts of text and settle into safe, familiar wording. The result is writing that is grammatical and bland. Readers who see a lot of it start to notice.
There is some research behind the pattern. A medRxiv study of PubMed records looked at 142 terms suspected of being influenced by AI and found that 100 of them showed an unusually large rise in 2024. That's medical literature, not sales email, but it shows that word choices can shift measurably when many people draft with the same tools.
Wikipedia editors keep a field guide to AI writing habits, such as tacking on vague "-ing" commentary about significance. Their page also warns that not all text with these signs is AI-generated, since the models learned from human writing in the first place. We agree. A phrase is a hint, not proof.
Some of this is old corporate habit too. Woodpecker's cold-email blog says "I hope this email finds you well" reads as too cold and should be dropped. The checker covers both the old clichés and the newer ones.
Where it helps most
- Cold email. The first line gets cut off in the inbox preview, so a throwaway opener costs you. See writing for cold email.
- LinkedIn. Posts and DMs full of "excited to share" and "thrilled to announce" blur together. See LinkedIn writing.
- Resumes. "Results-driven" and "dynamic" tell a recruiter nothing. See resume writing.
- Product pages. Adjective-heavy copy with no specifics. See product descriptions.
For a longer reference list with explanations, read words that make writing sound like AI. For the full editing process, see how to make AI writing sound human.
Limits you should know about
- It's not an AI detector. It won't give you a "percent AI" score and can't tell you whether a person or a model wrote something. If you're curious why detectors misfire on human writing, read why AI detectors flag human writing.
- Clean results don't guarantee anything. A draft with no flagged phrases can still be generic, padded or wrong.
- Some flags are false alarms. "Navigate" is a fine word if you're writing about maps. Context matters, and you're the judge of it.
- Alternatives are starting points. A suggested swap may not fit your facts or voice. Edit it.
- It doesn't check facts or grammar. It's built for one job.
- It's built for professional writing. It isn't meant for schoolwork.
For how pasted text is handled, see the privacy policy.
Free check vs. the rest of the site
The phrase checker is free with no signup. If you want help beyond spotting phrases, the pricing page lists what else is offered, and you can create an account when you're ready. If you're weighing tools, the comparison pages cover how we differ from others, including GPTZero and Originality.ai.
Tips for better results
- Check one piece at a time. A cold email and a resume bullet have different problems.
- Fix the biggest problem first. Usually that's the opener or the closing line.
- Read the revised text out loud. If you wouldn't say it to the person, change it.
- Replace adjectives with facts. Numbers, names and dates beat "innovative" every time.
- Don't strip out every flagged phrase mechanically. Plain writing still needs rhythm, so mix short sentences with longer ones.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Is the ChatGPT phrases to avoid checker really free?
Yes. You can paste text and run the check without paying or creating an account.
Do I need to sign up to use it?
No. There's no signup for the phrase checker. You only need an account if you want features beyond it, which the pricing page lists.
Will this tell me if my text will pass an AI detector?
No. It flags stock phrases and suggests plainer wording. It doesn't predict detector scores, and detectors can disagree with each other and with the truth. Removing cliché phrases makes writing better to read, which is the point.
Does it only catch ChatGPT phrases?
It catches phrases common in output from many AI writing tools, plus older business clichés that people wrote long before chatbots. The label ChatGPT is shorthand for that whole group.
Should I remove every phrase it highlights?
No. Some highlights are false alarms in context. Treat each one as a prompt to ask whether the sentence says something specific, then keep, change or cut it.
Can I use it on a resume or LinkedIn post?
Yes. Resumes, LinkedIn posts, cold emails and product pages are what it's made for. It isn't meant for schoolwork.