Quills Check › Is my text rude?
Free tool · Quills Check
Is my text rude?
Paste what you’re about to send. See how easily it could read as rude, and a version that says the same thing without the sharp edges.
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Why a text can sound ruder than you meant
In person, your face and voice soften what you say. In a text, the words are all they get. A short reply, an “always,” or a joke with an edge can carry more than you put in, especially when you’re tired or upset. That’s why it helps to check before you send, not after.
Cool down, then talk ›Signs a text might come across as rude
- Sarcasm or a dig: “Must be nice.” Respect, even when angry ›
- “Always” and “never,” which turn one time into a verdict. Describe, don’t diagnose ›
- A question that’s really an accusation: “Why would you even do that?”
- A complaint with no request, so they can’t tell what would help. Honest and hearable ›
Quills up, quills down
A few texts people send in a hurry, and the same point with the quills down.
To a roommate · quills upThanks for leaving your dishes in the sink AGAIN. Love that for me.
Quills downCould you wash your dishes tonight? I want to cook, and the sink’s full.
To a coworker · quills upPer my last email, the deadline was Friday.
Quills downThe deadline was Friday, and I haven’t seen it yet. Can you send it today, or tell me when it’ll be ready?
To a partner · quills upYou never text me back. Forget it.
Quills downI texted a few times this afternoon and didn’t hear back, and I started to worry. Could you send a quick note when you’re running late?
To a friend · quills upFine, do whatever you want.
Quills downHonestly, I’m disappointed. I was looking forward to it. Can we find another night?
Rude isn’t the same as firm
Quills down doesn’t mean backing down. The Quills Check keeps everything you meant: every point, complaint, request and no. It takes out the sharp edges and never adds an apology you didn’t make. If your text already reads the way you mean it, it says so.
Not sure how they meant theirs?
Sometimes the text that stung is the one you got. Switch the box to “Sent to me” and paste it, and you’ll see a few ways it could be read, and a question you could ask instead of guessing.
What does this text mean? ›Common questions
Is it rude to put a period at the end of a text?
It can be. In a short reply, a period reads as curt to some people and not at all to others, so it depends who’s reading. If a text matters, the Quills Check points out anything that might read colder than you mean.
What one study found
In an experiment, college students rated one-word text replies like “Okay” and “Sure” as less sincere when they ended with a period. The same replies in handwritten notes weren’t affected.
Will it make my message too soft?
It shouldn’t. It keeps your point, and shows what it heard you want. If that’s not quite right, tell it, and it checks again. You can edit any word, and you decide what to send.
What if my text isn’t rude at all?
Then it says so: “Probably not” at the top, and quills down. It points out what already works, so you can send it as it is.
Does it write the message for me?
It offers a version of your own message, with everything you meant still in it, and you decide what to send. The free Quills Check helps with one message. Porcupine helps with the whole conversation: on your own, from your first words through their reply, or together in a porcupine chat, where they get a coach too.
Is what I write saved?
We don’t save what you write. It’s used only to make your result, and the AI service that helps make it doesn’t train on it. The privacy policy has the details.
How many can I check?
Ten a day, free.
Find the words with Porcupine
PorcupineIn Porcupine, I’ll also show you why each change helps, so the next hard text comes a little easier.
Porcupine is coming soon. Sign up to be one of the first to try it.
Just your email. How we handle it
Checking something specific?
- What does this text mean?A text you got
- Is this text passive-aggressive?A text you got
- Apology checkerAn apology you’re sending
- What does a thumbs-up mean in a text?A text you got
- Is this text sarcastic?A text you got
- Is this text dry?A text you got
- Does this sound needy?A text you’re sending
- Is this text flirty?A text you got
Guides that go with it
- How to talk to your roommate about choresRoommates
- How to ask your partner for more help at homePartners
- How to push back on your manager’s deadlineManagers and employees
- How to give a coworker feedback without making it personalTeammates
- How to tell a friend they hurt youFriends
- How to calm down before replying to an angry textAny relationship
Play Mixed Signals
A daily game: one short text, read a few ways. Guess what they meant, then see how everyone else read it. Play today’s
The Quills Check is general information about communication, not legal, financial or professional advice, and AI can get things wrong. If you’re afraid of how someone might react, a tool isn’t enough: put your safety first and talk to someone you trust (Safety first).