zhizdev/humanize

Humanize Skill

Purpose

Transforms AI-generated text into human-sounding writing by applying a fixed, ordered pipeline of rules. Each rule is a specific find/replace or structural operation. The agent executing this skill must follow rules exactly as written -- do NOT apply creative judgment, do NOT reword beyond what the rule specifies, do NOT skip rules because "the text seems fine."

Critical Constraint

This skill is designed for agentic use. The rules are intentionally rigid. An agent must not:

• Decide a rule "doesn't apply" based on vibes
• Rephrase more than the rule requires
• Add new content
• Merge rules or apply them out of order

Work through the pipeline in order, rule by rule. Log which rules fired.

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Pipeline Overview

Run these phases in sequence on the target text:

1. PHASE 1 -- Vocabulary Replacement (word-level, regex-safe)
2. PHASE 2 -- Sentence Structure Fixes (pattern-level)
3. PHASE 3 -- Structural / Paragraph-level Removal
4. PHASE 4 -- Final Checks

Read /reference/word-lists.md before starting Phase 1. Read /reference/patterns.md before starting Phase 2.

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PHASE 1 -- Vocabulary Replacement

How to apply Phase 1 rules

For every rule below: scan the entire text. Replace every instance of the trigger term or phrase. Do not leave any behind. Replacements are case-preserving (if original is capitalized, keep it capitalized).

Load the full banned word list from /reference/word-lists.md before proceeding.

Apply these replacement rules in the listed order:

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1.1 -- Copula Substitution (highest priority)

These phrases replace the simple verb "is/are/was/were" with elaborate constructions. Revert them.

| Find (case-insensitive) | Replace with | |---|---| | serves as a | is a | | serves as an | is an | | serves as the | is the | | stands as a | is a | | stands as an | is an | | stands as the | is the | | marks a | is a (only when followed by significance word -- see word-lists.md significance) | | represents a | is a (only when followed by significance word) | | acts as a | is a | | acts as an | is an | | holds the distinction of being | is | | boasts a | has a | | boasts an | has an | | boasts (standalone verb) | has | | features (as verb, not noun) | has or includes -- choose whichever is grammatically shorter | | offers (when meaning "has") | has |

Rule 1.1 Exception: Do NOT apply these substitutions inside quoted text or titles.

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1.2 -- Banned Adjective/Adverb Swaps

Replace the following with the listed alternative. If no alternative is listed, delete the word entirely (and fix spacing).

| Banned word | Replace with | |---|---| | vibrant | busy / active (pick shorter fit) | | rich (when describing culture/heritage) | delete it | | diverse (when describing "array" or "range") | delete it | | nestled | located | | breathtaking | delete it | | stunning (landscape/beauty context) | delete it | | fascinating | delete it | | captivating | delete it | | meticulous | careful | | meticulously | carefully | | pivotal | key then see Rule 1.3 | | crucial | important | | vital | important | | intricate | complex | | intricacies | complexities | | tapestry (abstract/metaphorical) | delete the clause containing it and rewrite as a plain noun phrase | | landscape (abstract: "evolving landscape") | delete it; rewrite as the underlying noun | | groundbreaking | delete it | | renowned | delete it | | indelible | delete it | | enduring (when used as filler adjective) | delete it | | vibrant | active |

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1.3 -- Banned Verb Swaps

| Banned verb | Replace with | |---|---| | underscore (metaphorical) | show | | underscores | shows | | underscored | showed | | highlight (metaphorical) | show | | highlights | shows | | highlighted | showed | | emphasize / emphasizes / emphasizing | stress / stresses / stressing -- or delete the "-ing" tail clause entirely (see Phase 2) | | showcase / showcases / showcasing | show / shows / showing | | foster / fosters / fostering | build / builds / building | | cultivate / cultivates / cultivating | develop / develops / developing | | garner / garnered / garnering | get / got / getting | | bolster / bolstered / bolstering | strengthen / strengthened / strengthening | | delve / delves / delving | look / looks / looking | | align with | match | | resonate with | match / fit | | encompass / encompasses | include / includes | | exemplify / exemplifies | show / shows |

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1.4 -- Banned Transition Words at Sentence Start

These words are fine mid-sentence but must not open a sentence in AI-generated text (they signal padding).

If the sentence begins with any of the following, either:

• Delete the word and capitalize the next word, OR
• If deleting creates a run-on with the previous sentence, replace with a period and start fresh.

| Remove at sentence start | |---| | Additionally, | | Furthermore, | | Moreover, | | In addition, | | Notably, | | It is worth noting that | | It's worth noting that | | It is important to note that | | It's important to note that | | It is crucial to note that | | It is critical to note that |

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1.5 -- Banned Noun Phrases

| Banned phrase | Replace with | |---|---| | a testament to | proof of | | a vital role | an important role (then consider deleting the sentence -- see Phase 3) | | a significant role | an important role | | a crucial role | an important role | | a pivotal role | an important role | | a key role | an important role | | the evolving landscape of | the changing + [underlying noun] | | the broader | delete broader | | the rich tapestry of | delete this phrase entirely; rewrite as the noun only | | a diverse array of | many | | a wide range of | many | | a comprehensive understanding of | an understanding of | | valuable insights | information | | deeply rooted | delete it | | focal point | center | | indelible mark | delete the clause | | active social media presence | delete the sentence entirely |

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PHASE 2 -- Sentence Structure Fixes

Read /reference/patterns.md for examples of each pattern type before applying.

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2.1 -- Delete "-ing Tail" Superficial Analysis Clauses

Pattern: A sentence ends with a participial phrase that makes a vague significance claim. These clauses add no factual content.

Detection rule: If a sentence ends with a comma + present participle (-ing word) + clause that uses any of {highlighting, emphasizing, underscoring, showcasing, reflecting, symbolizing, contributing to, fostering, cultivating, ensuring, demonstrating}, AND the clause makes a significance/impact claim rather than a factual one, delete everything from the comma onward.

Example:

• Before: The bridge was built in 1923, reflecting the region's commitment to infrastructure development.
• After: The bridge was built in 1923.

Do not apply if the -ing clause contains a specific, verifiable fact (dates, names, numbers).

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2.2 -- Delete "Not Just X, But Also Y" Negative Parallelisms

Pattern: not just [X], but [also] [Y] or not only [X], but [also] [Y] or It's not [X], it's [Y]

Rule: Rewrite as the positive claim only. Keep Y, delete the "not just X" scaffolding.

Example:

• Before: The museum is not just an exhibition space, but also a center for community engagement.
• After: The museum is a center for community engagement.

Example 2:

• Before: It's not just about the music -- it's about the culture.
• After: It's about the culture.

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2.3 -- Collapse Rule-of-Three Padding

Pattern: Three consecutive adjectives or short noun phrases joined by commas or "and" where 2 or more items are near-synonyms or vague.

Rule: Keep only the most specific/concrete item. Delete the others.

Example:

• Before: The event features keynote sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.
• After: The event features keynote sessions and panels.

Do not collapse if all three items are meaningfully distinct and specific.

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2.4 -- Remove Elegant Variation (Repetition-Penalty Synonyms)

Pattern: Within 3 sentences, the same entity is referred to by 3+ different noun phrases (e.g., "the organization", "the body", "the institution", "the entity", "the group").

Rule: Pick the most common/simple noun phrase and use it consistently throughout the paragraph. Delete the variants.

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2.5 -- Flatten "Serves to" Infinitive Constructions

Pattern: serves to [verb] / aims to [verb] (when used as padding)

Rule: Replace with the verb directly.

Example:

• Before: This initiative serves to enhance community wellbeing.
• After: This initiative improves community wellbeing.

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PHASE 3 -- Structural / Paragraph-Level Removal

These rules operate on whole sentences or whole paragraphs, not words.

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3.1 -- Delete Legacy/Significance Sentences

Rule: Delete any sentence that ONLY claims something is important/significant/pivotal without providing a specific fact. Apply this test:

"Does this sentence contain a date, number, name, or verifiable claim?"

If NO, delete the sentence.

Examples to delete:

• This marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of regional statistics.
• This initiative was part of a broader movement to enhance regional governance.
• This highlights the enduring legacy of the community's spirit.
• The station has supported the socio-economic development of the region.

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3.2 -- Delete "Despite Challenges" Boilerplate

Pattern: A paragraph or sentence that follows the formula: Despite [positive description], [subject] faces [challenges/difficulties]... followed by a vague optimistic conclusion.

Rule: Delete the entire boilerplate block. If there is specific factual content buried in it (named challenges with data), extract only the factual sentences and keep those. Delete the framing.

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3.3 -- Delete Conservation/Future Prospects Speculation

Pattern: Sentences speculating about future potential, ongoing preservation efforts with no named program, or claiming "factors such as X, Y, and Z could potentially impact..."

Rule: Delete if the sentence contains no specific named program, budget figure, or verifiable fact.

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3.4 -- Delete "Maintains an Active Social Media Presence" Sentences

Rule: Any sentence stating that a person, company, or organization "maintains an active social media presence" or "has a strong digital presence", delete entirely.

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3.5 -- Delete Vague Attribution Sentences

Pattern: Sentence attributes a claim to experts, observers, industry reports, several sources, scholars, or researchers with no specific citation.

Rule: Delete the sentence entirely. Do not attempt to fix it.

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3.6 -- Remove "Challenges and Future Prospects" Section Headers

Rule: If a section is titled any of the following, delete the entire section header and merge content into surrounding prose (applying Rules 3.2-3.5 to its contents):

• "Challenges and Future Prospects"
• "Future Outlook"
• "Challenges and Legacy"
• "Future Directions"
• "Ongoing Challenges"

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PHASE 4 -- Final Checks

Run these checks after all above phases are complete.

4.1 -- Em Dash Reduction

Count em dashes in the text. If more than 1 per 150 words on average:

• Replace em dashes used as parenthetical brackets with commas or parentheses
• Replace em dashes before a concluding clause with a period (start new sentence)
• Keep em dashes only when they set off a genuine appositive with no cleaner option

4.2 -- Sentence Length Variation Check

Scan for runs of 3+ consecutive sentences of similar length (all short or all long).

• If 3+ consecutive short sentences (< 10 words each): combine two of them with a conjunction
• If 3+ consecutive long sentences (> 30 words each): split one at a natural clause boundary

4.3 -- Opening Word Diversity Check

Check the first word of every sentence in a paragraph. If any word appears as the sentence opener more than twice in the same paragraph, rewrite one instance so it opens differently.

4.4 -- Passive Voice Audit

Find passive voice constructions (was [verb]ed by, were [verb]ed by, is [verb]ed by).

• If the agent is named (e.g., "was built by engineers"): consider converting to active voice
• If the agent is unnamed: leave it -- unnamed passives are natural

4.5 -- Output a Change Log

After completing all phases, produce a change log in this format:

PHASE 1 CHANGES:
- Rule 1.1: Replaced "serves as" -> "is" [N instances]
- Rule 1.3: Replaced "underscore" -> "show" [N instances]
- ...

PHASE 2 CHANGES:
- Rule 2.1: Deleted [N] -ing tail clauses
- ...

PHASE 3 CHANGES:
- Rule 3.1: Deleted [N] legacy/significance sentences
- ...

PHASE 4 CHANGES:
- Rule 4.1: Reduced em dashes from [X] to [Y]
- ...

RULES THAT DID NOT FIRE: [list any rule numbers where 0 instances were found]

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Web Page Workflow

When running this skill on a live web page (agent context):

1. Extract the editable text region (article body, document, text box -- not nav/footer/headers)
2. Copy text to working buffer
3. Apply all 4 phases in order on the buffer
4. Output the rewritten text -- do NOT auto-submit/replace unless explicitly instructed
5. Show the change log to the user
6. Wait for user approval before writing back

If the page is read-only (news article, published page), output the rewritten version as text for the user to copy.

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What This Skill Does NOT Do

• Does not rewrite for style/tone beyond the rules
• Does not add new content
• Does not restructure paragraphs beyond what Phase 3 specifies
• Does not check facts
• Does not remove content simply because it's poorly written -- only removes content matching specific rule patterns