No magic words. Just the small moves that separate a vague reply from something you can actually use.
One line of framing changes the whole answer. Tell ChatGPT who it is, who it is talking to, and how the result should sound.
write an email about the delay
You are a warm but direct project manager. Write a four-line email to a client whose delivery slipped by a week. Own the delay, give a new date, keep it calm.
Length, format, and structure are the easiest wins. If you do not say it, you get an essay when you wanted a list.
help me study biology
Turn these notes into 10 flashcards: question on one line, a one-sentence answer below. Then quiz me one at a time and wait for my answer.
An example beats any amount of adjectives. Paste something in the tone or format you want and ask it to match.
make this sound friendlier
Rewrite this in the tone of the sample below, under five lines, no exclamation marks. Sample: 'Hey Sam — quick win from today…'
The first answer is a draft. Reply with what is off and it will fix that specific thing rather than rerolling everything.
no, try again
Keep paragraph one. Paragraph two is too formal — rewrite just that in plainer words and cut it to two sentences.
When accuracy matters, ask why. It makes weak answers easy to spot and gives you something you can edit with confidence.
give me a marketing idea
Propose three launch plays for a small skincare brand under a $5k budget. For each, explain the logic and the main risk.
ChatGPT can state wrong things fluently. For facts, numbers, laws, or medical detail, ask for sources and verify them yourself.
is this legal in my state?
Summarise what generally applies here, flag anything that varies by jurisdiction, list what I should verify, and point me to the official source to check.