Who this checklist is for
This better AI prompts checklist is for anyone who pastes a document into ChatGPT or Claude, types "summarise this", and gets back a long, vague answer. Owners, managers, accounts teams, salespeople and students all do it. The AI is not the problem; it simply does not know who the answer is for, how long it should be or what you will do with it.
Each of the ten prompts below is a phrase you can copy into your next chat. They work in any AI assistant. Keep this page open the next time you need a summary, a reply or a plan.
The 10 prompts, in the order of the reel
"Summarise this for my boss, 5 lines"
Naming the reader and the length changes the whole answer. A summary for your boss leads with decisions; one for a new hire explains the basics.
"Ask me 3 questions before you start"
The AI fills gaps with guesses. Letting it ask first means the answer fits your situation instead of a generic one.
"Give me 3 options, then pick one"
One answer is a coin toss. Three side by side show you the range, and asking it to choose and say why makes the trade-offs clear.
"Match the format of this example"
Paste a past report, email or post you liked. Showing the shape you want works better than describing it.
"Put it in a table: who, what, when"
Meeting notes, long email threads and contracts turn into a list of actions you can check at a glance.
"Rewrite it in my tone" + 2 old emails
Paste two or three things you actually wrote. It is the simplest way to stop replies sounding like AI.
"Leave out the intro. Max 100 words"
Saying what to cut is as useful as saying what to write. It removes the polite opening paragraph nobody reads.
"What is missing or risky in this?"
Use it on a quote, a contract or a plan before you send it. It is often more useful than asking for a summary.
"Explain it like I'm new to this"
Good for tax notices, technical replies from a vendor or a report full of terms. Ask it to define each term in one line.
"Quote the line each point came from"
The one few people use. When you summarise a file, ask for the exact line behind each point. Anything it cannot quote is worth checking yourself before you act on it.
Questions about writing better prompts
Do these prompts work in ChatGPT and Claude?
Why does AI give vague answers?
Is it safe to paste work documents into AI?
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