# Rules reference

Every rule the scanner applies. The open-source unmachined CLI, the web app, and the API share this catalog.

## Scoring
Each finding adds its weight: critical 20, major 10, minor 3. The score is the sum, capped at 100. A draft passes below 40. Code spans and fenced code blocks are masked before scanning. Each catalog phrase counts once per draft; matching ignores case, respects word boundaries, and also matches simple plural and past forms. At most 8 hedge or filler words are counted.

## Critical phrases (+20 each)
delve into, delve, dive into, let's dive in, let's explore, let's break it down, let's take a closer look, unpack, embark on, here's what you need to know, in conclusion, at the end of the day, the key takeaway, the bottom line, it's important to remember, it's worth noting, needless to say, one thing is clear, without a doubt, this changes everything, here's what people miss, the real question is, the real unlock, at its core, what really matters, in today's fast-paced world, in today's digital landscape, as technology continues to evolve, now more than ever, whether you're, from beginners to experts, no matter your experience, unlock your potential, become the best version, dream big, game changer, game-changer, game-changing, next level, next-level, tapestry, testament to, a testament, evolving landscape, rich tapestry, pivotal moment, indelible mark, i hope this helps, great question, excellent point, you're absolutely right

## Major phrases (+10 each)
cutting-edge, state-of-the-art, world-class, industry-leading, best-in-class, market-leading, revolutionary, groundbreaking, disruptive, innovative solution, robust platform, robust solution, seamless experience, seamlessly, seamless, supercharge, blazing fast, blazingly fast, powerful capabilities, comprehensive solution, scalable solution, next-generation, mind-blowing, synergy, paradigm, holistic, value proposition, mission-critical, leverage, leveraging, utilize, utilizing, pivotal, crucial, landscape, ecosystem, elevate, empower, harness the, unlock, revolutionize, redefine, underscores, underscoring, highlighting the, showcasing, showcases, fostering, boasts a, boasts an, serves as a, stands as a, experts argue, industry reports, some critics argue, studies show that, in order to, due to the fact that, at this point in time, for all intents and purposes, it goes without saying, the vast majority of, has the ability to

## Hedge and filler words (+3 each, at most 8 counted)
just, really, very, actually, basically, literally, simply, obviously, clearly, somewhat, arguably, vibrant, intricate, interplay, garner, notably, moreover, furthermore, additionally

## Structure and openers
- em/en dash (critical, +20): Any em dash or en dash, or a double hyphen between words. Counted once for the whole draft.
- negation-redefinition (critical, +20): The "not just X, it's Y" and "it's not about X, it's about Y" constructions.
- echo opener (critical, +20): The text opens by agreeing with someone: "exactly right", "spot on", "well said", and the rest of the echo list.
- template artifact (critical, +20): Leftovers from a template or prompt: unfilled {placeholders}, TODO or TBD, lorem ipsum, raw field names, bracket scaffolds, separator lines, dangling ellipses.
- unsupported claim (critical, +20): Fastest, #1, number one, guaranteed, or unbeatable, with no measurement, benchmark, or methodology in the same draft.
- sweeping categorical claim (major, +10): Absolutes such as "every single team", "100% of", or "no one is".
- personified abstraction (major, +10): An abstraction given agency, such as "the market doesn't care" or "the data doesn't lie".
- repetitive sentence opener (major, +10): The same first word opens three or more sentences (more in long drafts). "The", "a", "I", and "it" are exempt. Needs four or more sentences.
- rhythm monotony (major, +10): One pattern of short, medium, and long sentences covers more than half of the draft's cadence. Short is 8 words or fewer, long is over 20.
- emoji decoration (major, +10): An emoji inside a heading or bullet line.
- exclamation budget (minor, +3): More than one exclamation mark in the draft.
- rhetorical questions (minor, +3): More than two question marks. Skipped in chat mode.
- curly quotes (minor, +3): Typographic quotes in a plain-text surface.
- possible false range (minor, +3): A "from X to Y" phrase that may not describe a real scale.
- banned sentence opener (minor, +3): A sentence that opens with a stock transition from the banned openers list.

Echo openers, checked at the start of the text: exactly right, this is exactly, you're right, that's exactly, spot on, 100%, couldn't agree, well said, great point, so true, this!
Banned sentence openers: certainly, moreover, additionally, furthermore, indeed, undoubtedly, importantly, interestingly, notably, ultimately, in essence, in summary, overall
Template artifacts: unfilled {placeholder}, TODO/TBD/FIXME left in text, lorem ipsum, raw template field name, bracket scaffold line like [Hook - sharp claim], ____ separator, dangling ellipsis line

## Voice profile
A profile relaxes four budgets toward what a team measurably writes: exclamation marks, rhetorical questions, sentence-length monotony, and favorite sentence openers. The phrase catalogs, the dash rule, template artifacts, and unsupported claims never relax, so a score with a profile is never higher than the score without one.

HTML: https://copylint.xyz/rules.