Your Simple Guide to Talking to ChatGPT

Have you ever wondered why ChatGPT doesn’t always give the answer you expect? I once asked ChatGPT to give me a summary of a book. I thought it could be very easy. What could go wrong? But the response was very confusing and messy. That’s when I realized AI wasn’t the problem; I just hadn’t asked the question clearly.

At first, I just typed something simple like,

“Summarize Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone book like I would understand it.”

The response I got was confusing and the key parts were missing and some sentences didn’t make any sense at all. That’s when I realized my prompt was way too vague for ChatGPT to understand. So I tried again with a bit more detailed instructions and the new prompt looked something like this

Summarize Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone book in 5 sentences. Focus on Harry’s journey, the friends he makes, and the main challenges he faces. Make it simple, fun, and easy to understand for a 12-year-old.

So, yes the problem isn’t AI. Most of the time the AI tool is just confused because it didn’t receive correct instructions or a clear question. The better your Question/Prompt the better will be your answer. Think of it like giving someone a map. If it’s messy, they’ll get lost and wander around, unsure where to go. But if it’s clear and detailed, they’ll find their way quickly and easily, without any confusion. Asking ChatGPT a question works the same way: the clearer and more detailed your instructions, the better the answer you’ll get.

There’s a simple 5-step way to write prompts that help ChatGPT understand exactly what you want. Follow these steps, and you’ll get answers that are clear, useful, and ready to use.

STEP 1 : Role

This is self-explanatory, and I believe many people are using this in their prompts. This is the most basic step that many people seem to have learnt and use it for maximum.

So basically, you have to tell ChatGPT who it should act like. The clearer you are, the better it can respond in the way you want.

How to Tell ChatGPT Who to Be: 25 Role Ideas

You are a friendly librarian helping kids find books.
You are a kind teacher explaining spelling to beginners.
You are a helpful guide showing someone how to draw.
You are a cheerful gardener giving plant care tips.
You are a friendly coach teaching basic yoga.
You are a wizard explaining magic spells like a science teacher.
You are a pirate giving a cooking class for kids on a treasure ship.
You are a robot giving tips on how to have fun without screens.
You are a superhero disguised as a librarian, secretly teaching life lessons.
You are a talking cat explaining history in a sassy way.
You are a helpful math tutor.
You are a friendly travel guide.
You are an expert in healthy cooking.
You are a teacher explaining science to kids.
You are a coach giving fitness tips.
You are a professional life coach who uses stories to explain lessons.
You are a historian who tells history like a detective solving a mystery.
You are a tech reviewer who writes in a funny, relatable style.
You are a career mentor giving advice to people switching jobs mid-life.
You are a creative chef who explains recipes like a short story.
You are a pirate giving navigation advice to kids on a treasure hunt.
You are an alien learning about Earth and explaining it in simple terms.
You are a talking dog giving life advice to humans.
You are a time traveler from the future describing 2025 to a 12-year-old.
You are a superhero teaching kids how to solve everyday problems creatively.

when you tell chat GPT what role to play. It understands your perspective, tone, and exactly what is expected from it. This will help to give you the answer you want. Without this guidance, it will continue giving you confusing answers as it doesn’t know how to act. By defining the role, you’re basically giving it instructions on how to think and respond, which makes the answers more accurate, focused, and tailored to your needs.

STEP 2 : Idea

Giving ChatGPT Context means to not only let ChatGPT know why you are asking the question, but also what you are going to do with the answer. Without Context, AI will only guess. which will lead to generic answers. When you share details about your goals, your targeted audience, or the challenge you’re trying to solve, chatGPT will be able to give you a better response and make it useful for your situation.

10 Simple Before-and-After Context Examples

Here are 10 examples showing how a vague prompt becomes powerful when you add a specific idea or context.

Vague: “Tell me about meditation.”
With Context: “Explain the benefits of meditation. I’m a student who feels stressed and wants a simple, science-backed reason to start meditating.”
Vague: “Write a poem about nature.”
With Context: “Write a short poem about a rainy forest. Make it sound peaceful and cozy, like a warm blanket on a cold day.”
Vague: “Give me a recipe.”
With Context: “Create a simple, healthy dinner recipe for a family of four. It should take less than 30 minutes to make and use common ingredients.”
Vague: “Summarize this article.”
With Context: “Summarize this article for a busy CEO. Give me the key takeaways in a bulleted list, focusing on the main points and business implications.”
Vague: “Write a joke.”
With Context: “Write a funny, witty joke about a lazy cat. The joke should be appropriate for a family audience and easy to understand.”
Vague: “Help me plan my day.”
With Context: “I have a busy day tomorrow. Help me create a time-blocked schedule to finish my work, go to the gym, and have some downtime. I want to feel productive but not overwhelmed.”
Vague: “Give me some travel tips for Dubai.”
With Context: “I’m traveling to Dubai for the first time with my family. Give me five essential tips to help us respect local customs and make our trip a smooth one.”
Vague: “Explain the stock market.”
With Context: “Explain how the stock market works in simple, easy-to-understand terms. I’m a complete beginner with no financial background and want to learn the basics.”
Vague: “Give me a list of exercises.”
With Context: “Create a 20-minute bodyweight workout plan. I want to build muscle and increase my strength without using any gym equipment.”
Vague: “Write a social media post.”
With Context: “Write a fun and engaging Instagram post to announce our new coffee shop opening. The post should encourage people to tag their friends and visit us this weekend.”

Always share the goal behind your question. The clearer ChatGPT is about your purpose, the more focused and useful its answer will be giving you exactly what you need.

Step 3: Examples

We all love examples. So does ChatGPT. Giving ChatGPT examples is like showing it a model to follow. Whether it’s the format, style, or tone, it will create the answer. It will also mimic the format and tone you showed in the example. This way, the response will match your expectations more closely.

Category	Prompt	Example
Gift Ideas	Suggest 5 unique birthday gift ideas for a 25-year-old who loves photography and coffee.	Portable coffee grinder, photography-themed mug, camera strap, mini photo printer, coffee subscription.
Indoor Plant Care	How do I take care of a small indoor succulent that gets little sunlight?	Water once every 2 weeks, keep in indirect sunlight, use well-draining soil.
Evening Relaxation	Suggest a 20-minute evening routine to relax before bed using things I have at home.	10 min warm shower, 5 min light stretching, 5 min journaling or reading.
Meeting Preparation	Prepare 3 questions to ask during a client meeting about marketing strategy.	What are your key growth goals? Which channels perform best? What’s your target audience?
Quick Productivity Hacks	Share 5 ways to stay focused while working from home.	Pomodoro timer, remove distractions, schedule breaks, set goals, tidy desk.
Motivation at Work	Write a 2-sentence motivational note for someone struggling with deadlines.	Small consistent steps beat occasional bursts. Focus on one task now to build momentum.
Sleep Optimization	Give a bedtime routine for better sleep in 30 minutes.	Dim lights, no phone, warm shower, light reading, 10-min meditation.
Yoga Routine	Suggest a 15-minute yoga flow for relaxation after work.	Cat-cow, downward dog, child’s pose, seated forward bend, supine twist.
Phone Photography Tips	How to take a professional-looking indoor photo of coffee using only an iPhone.	Place near a window, use natural light, adjust exposure, use portrait mode.
AI Productivity Tools	Suggest 5 AI tools for daily time-saving tasks.	ChatGPT for drafts, Grammarly for editing, Canva for design, Otter.ai for transcription, Notion AI for planning.
Photo Composition Tip	Give a tip for taking better landscape photos with my phone.	Use the rule of thirds, include a foreground object, shoot during golden hour.
Quick Blog Ideas	Give 5 simple blog post ideas about AI for beginners.	Top 5 AI apps to save time, AI for daily tasks, AI myths debunked, beginner AI projects, AI tools for students.
Language Basics for Travel	Give 5 essential Arabic phrases for tourists.	‘Hello’ – Salam, ‘Thank you’ – Shukran, ‘How much?’ – Kam, ‘Yes’ – Na’am, ‘No’ – La.
Hotel Choice Tips	How to choose a hotel in Dubai under $150/night with good reviews.	Check location, read multiple reviews, look for free breakfast and Wi-Fi.
Cultural Etiquette	Give 3 tips for tourists to respect local customs in Dubai.	Dress modestly in public, avoid public displays of affection, respect prayer times.

When interacting with AI, the tone of your prompt can drastically change the style and feel of the response. Tone refers to the attitude, mood, or personality conveyed in the text, whether it’s friendly, professional, humorous, empathetic, or formal.

Below are examples of 5 prompts with variations in tone to illustrate this effect.

Cultural Etiquette

Prompt: “Give 3 tips for tourists to respect local customs in Dubai.”

Tone	Example
Formal	“Visitors should dress modestly in public, refrain from public displays of affection, and observe prayer times.”
Friendly	“Remember to dress modestly, respect public behavior rules, and be mindful of prayer times.”
Casual	“Keep it respectful: dress okay, no PDA, and watch out for prayer times.”
Empathetic	“It’s easy to enjoy Dubai while respecting customs : modest clothes, no public affection, and be mindful of prayers.”
Witty	“Dress like a tourist, but a polite one—cover up, skip the smooches, and time your sightseeing around prayers!”

Providing examples helps ChatGPT understand exactly what kind of answer you want.

Step 4: Style

Style is the way something is expressed. It is a particular procedure by which something is done. For humans, it’s how you speak, write, or present your ideas. It’s your tone, word choice, & overall voice. When it comes to this AI Tool, style works almost in the same way. It guides the AI on how to say things, not just what to say.

Understanding Style in AI Prompts

Formal Style
Prompt: “Explain the benefits of meditation in a formal, professional tone suitable for a scientific article.”
Example Output: “Meditation has been shown to reduce stress, enhance cognitive function, and improve emotional regulation. Numerous peer-reviewed studies support its efficacy across diverse populations.”
Casual / Conversational Style
Prompt: “Explain the benefits of meditation in a friendly, casual tone, like you’re talking to a friend.”
Example Output: “Meditation’s pretty awesome—it helps you chill out, think clearer, and just feel better day to day.”
Humorous / Witty Style
Prompt: “Explain the benefits of meditation in a funny, witty tone.”
Example Output: “Meditation: the only time it’s socially acceptable to sit like a pretzel, stare at nothing, and call it self-improvement.”
Persuasive Style
Prompt: “Explain the benefits of meditation in a persuasive style to convince someone to start practicing.”
Example Output: “Start meditating today—it can slash your stress, sharpen your focus, and make your days far more productive. Why wait to feel better?”
Descriptive / Vivid Style
Prompt: “Explain the benefits of meditation in a highly descriptive and vivid style.”
Example Output: “As you close your eyes and focus on your breath, tension melts away like morning fog under the sun, leaving clarity and calm in its wake.”
Instructional / Step-by-Step Style
Prompt: “Explain the benefits of meditation in a clear, instructional style with steps.”
Example Output: “Step 1: Sit comfortably. Step 2: Focus on your breath. Step 3: Notice stress melting away. Regular practice reduces anxiety and improves focus.”
Storytelling Style
Prompt: “Explain the benefits of meditation through a short story.”
Example Output: “Sara used to feel frazzled every morning, juggling work and home. Then she tried meditation. Five minutes later, she felt lighter, calmer, and more ready to face the day.”

Style shapes the way an idea comes across, not just the words themselves. By specifying style in your prompts, you can control the AI’s voice, tone, and personality, making responses more engaging, appropriate, and tailored to your purpose. Mastering style allows you to communicate ideas clearly, persuasively, or creatively, depending on your needs.

Step 5: Format

This is the final step and an important one. Format is about how the answer is organized and presented. It controls how the answer is organized, not just what it says. For example, you might want a short paragraph, a numbered list, a table, or bullet points.

10 ChatGPT Format Examples for Everyday Use

“Summarize this article in 5 bullet points.”
“Write a 3-paragraph explanation for beginners.”
“Create a listicle of 10 easy ways to boost productivity.”
“Give a step-by-step guide to baking chocolate cake.”
“Plan a child’s playdate schedule in 4 time blocks.”
“Write a numbered list of 7 key meeting points for our team call.”
“Summarize this story in under 100 words.”
“Create a table comparing 3 smartphones with pros and cons.”
“Write a fun fact paragraph for kids in 3 sentences.”
“Organize a weekly workout plan using headings for each day.”

By thinking about format, you give ChatGPT a clear structure to follow, making its answers easier to read, use, and share. Whether it’s bullet points, numbered lists, paragraphs, or tables, specifying the layout saves time and ensures the response fits your needs perfectly. The clearer you are about the format, the more polished and ready to use the AI’s output will be.

So, there you have it. The secret to getting great answers from ChatGPT isn’t about the AI; it’s about the instructions you give it. By following these simple steps—giving it a clear role, adding context, and focusing on tone and format—you’re no longer just talking to an AI. You’re directing a powerful tool to work for you. Start applying these tips today and watch your answers go from confusing to incredible.