A clear request is usually more useful than a supposed secret command. When using ChatGPT, explain the task, provide the context it needs and review the result before relying on it. These five examples are starting points you can adapt to everyday work.
1. Turn rough notes into an action list
Try: “Arrange these notes in a table with task, owner and deadline. Mark missing information as to be confirmed. Do not invent agreements.” Follow this with notes that exclude unnecessary private information.
Check that every action comes from the original text. Resolve ambiguous commitments with the people involved; a tidy table does not establish that an agreement was actually made.
2. Explain terms with a short glossary
Instead of asking for a word to be “added to the dictionary”, write: “In this document, listing means a business profile and activation means publishing it. Use these definitions when reviewing the following text.” This explains the intended meaning for the task.
It supplies context for the conversation. It is not a command that guarantees a permanent dictionary change or changes every future answer.
3. Summarise without adding information
A useful request is: “Summarise this text in five points. Separate facts, proposals and unanswered questions. Add no outside information and flag contradictions.” Then compare names, dates and figures with the original. Always return to the source when you need an exact quotation.
4. Set a sensible length target
You might ask for “around 120 words for a directory introduction”. Treat that as a target. If a form has a strict limit, use your editor’s word or character counter and trim the result as needed.
5. Describe the tone you want
Try: “Rewrite this paragraph in clear, friendly language without superlatives. Keep the facts and add no personal experiences.” Follow up with specific changes: explain a term, remove repetition or make the opening sentence more direct.
Before you use the answer
Read the whole result, verify consequential claims against original sources and remove unsupported details. OpenAI’s prompting guidance recommends explaining your goal, context and desired format. The examples here are practical suggestions, not special features or guarantees of accuracy.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked on 24 September 2026: OpenAI: prompting.
More practical guides from Buscatea.
Conceptual artificial intelligence illustration; not a ChatGPT screenshot.
