You’ve just submitted your essay, only to get hit with a dreaded message from Turnitin: flagged for potential AI-generated content.
Panic sets in. You know you wrote it—or at least, most of it. So what went wrong?
Let’s break it down. Turnitin’s algorithms are getting better at picking up signs that a piece of writing may have been generated by an AI tool.
But the truth is, even if you wrote your essay yourself, certain writing habits can make it look like a robot had a hand in it. Here are a few reasons why your essay might have raised red flags.
1. Too Many “AI Words”
Some words just sound robotic—especially when they’re overused. Phrases like utilize instead of use, or endeavor instead of try, can feel a bit stiff. AI models often lean on these kinds of words because they sound formal and academic. But when they pile up, it stops sounding natural and starts feeling automated.
If your essay is full of high-level vocabulary but lacks personality or nuance, Turnitin might see that as a red flag.
2. Too Many “AI Phrases”
Similarly, AI tends to lean heavily on certain turns of phrase. Think of lines like, “Throughout history…”, “In today’s society…”, or “It is important to note…”. They’re not wrong, but they’re so commonly used by AI that they’ve become telltale signs.
Of course, real people use these phrases too—but if your essay has a lot of them, especially without any original or specific detail, it might set off some alarms.
3. That Robotic Tone
Even if your grammar is perfect, your essay can still sound robotic. AI-generated text often lacks a natural rhythm or flow—it follows rules a bit too closely. There’s little warmth, little variation in emotion, and not much of your personal voice.
If your essay reads like a polished Wikipedia entry rather than something written by a human with a point of view, Turnitin might interpret that as artificial.
4. Overusing Em Dashes (—) Instead of Hyphens (-)
This one’s a surprise to many people. AI tools often default to using em dashes for emphasis or as asides—like this. But overuse of em dashes, especially when they replace more common punctuation like commas or parentheses, can hint at machine involvement.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use them. Just don’t let your essay be overrun by them—it looks unnatural.
5. Not Enough Sentence Variety
Another subtle giveaway? Sentence length. AI tends to write in a very consistent rhythm: medium-length sentences, one after another. There’s nothing wrong with that—but human writers usually mix it up. Some sentences are short. Others are longer, more complex, and winding.
If your essay reads like every sentence was cut from the same cloth, it can feel formulaic. And Turnitin’s algorithm picks up on that.
So, What Can You Do?
If you’ve been flagged and you know your work is original, don’t panic. You can always revise to sound more human:
- Swap out stiff vocabulary for more natural alternatives.
- Use your own voice—write like you’re explaining it to someone, not just ticking academic boxes.
- Add variety to your sentence structure and length.
- Don’t rely on cliché phrases or filler intros.
- And when it comes to punctuation, keep it balanced.
The goal isn’t to sound less smart—it’s to sound more you. Human writing has quirks, nuance, rhythm, and personality. Lean into that, and your essays will not only pass the AI sniff test—they’ll also be a lot more engaging to read.