The Read-Aloud Test

Here's the simplest test in this course, and one of the most reliable: read your draft out loud and ask, at every sentence, "would I actually say this?" Your ear catches things your eyes skip. Stiff phrasing, a word you'd never use, a sentence that runs out of breath. AI text fails this test in predictable ways.

How to do it properly

1. Read out loud, at normal volume. Whispering or reading in your head doesn't work as well. You need to hear it.
2. Read slowly. Your brain fixes errors on the fly when you rush. Slow down enough to hear what's on the page, not what you meant.
3. Mark, don't fix. Put a dot next to every spot where you stumble, wince or feel like a stranger. Fix them all afterward.
4. Imagine one real reader. Picture the actual person reading it, your manager or a client or a friend. Would you say this sentence to their face?

If you can't read aloud where you are, most devices can read text to you. On a phone, select the text and choose Speak. Hearing a flat computer voice read AI text is very revealing.

What you'll hear, and what to do

A note on contractions

Contractions are a small thing with a big effect. Most people write "it's", "we're" and "don't" without thinking. Default AI output often spells them out, which makes it sound formal and slightly off. Reading aloud catches this immediately, because you'll naturally say the contracted form.

Formal writing, like legal documents or some academic papers, may need the full forms. Everywhere else, write it the way you'd say it.

Listen for your own words

Everyone has words they use and words they'd never use. You might say "sorted" where AI says "resolved", or "a bit" where it says "somewhat". When the read-aloud test makes you wince, it's often because the draft is using somebody else's vocabulary. Lesson 4.2 helps you list your own words and quirks so you can spot this faster.