You can train yourself to hear empty writing. Here is a one minute game you can play with your team.
The test
Below are seven sentences about cars. Five say nothing. Two say something. Spot them.
- This car takes performance to the next level.
- Engineered for drivers who demand more.
- 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and a 30 percent shorter braking distance.
- Designed around you for every moment.
- Luxury you can feel the second you sit down.
- Charges from 20 to 80 percent in 28 minutes on a 150 kW charger.
- Innovation that changes the way you drive.
Pause. Pick your answers before you scroll.
Answer
3 and 6 say something.
- 3 is measurable. It names a speed and a braking delta you can test.
- 6 is operational. It names a start, an end, a time, and the charger required.
The rest are air. They gesture at a feeling without a fact or a step the reader can take.
Why this matters
When you replace air with measurables, readers decide faster. The same rule sharpens support docs, release notes, and onboarding flows.
Fix your own sentences in one minute
Use this quick loop inside Brain Dump:
- Paste one paragraph of your copy.
- Read it out loud. Put a question mark after every claim.
- Ask: what can a reader test, count, or do.
- Replace one vague line with one measurable or one step.
- Repeat tomorrow.
Template you can paste at the top of a note:
Claim → what would prove it
Benefit → what changes for the reader today
Action → what to click or try right now
Two quick examples
-
Vague: Our app is lightning fast.
Clear: Text starts streaming in under 300 ms on iPhone 14 Pro. Try it in Airplane Mode.
Learn more: On device vs cloud. -
Vague: Works great outside.
Clear: Hold the phone 15 to 25 cm from your mouth and face away from wind. Wired EarPods beat AirPods while walking.
Learn more: Mic positioning and Wired vs AirPods.
Practice that sticks
Turn this into a three minute daily:
- Day 1: Find two empty lines in your site and replace them.
- Day 2: Run the car test on a teammate’s draft.
- Day 3: Record a one minute rewrite using Brain Dump, then paste the measurable version back.
If you like this, try the companion prompt: Markdown from your voice.
Download the one‑pager
- Printable one‑pager (SVG, use “Save as PDF”): /resources/copywriting-test-onepager.svg
Share on social
Tweet‑length prompt you can paste:
7 car lines. 2 say something. 5 say nothing. Can you spot them before you peek? 3 and 6 are the only concrete ones. Replace air with measurables and steps. Copywriting gets better fast. /blog/copywriting-test-spot-nothing-sentences