20 ChatGPT prompts for beginners you can copy and paste

How to use these prompts

Copy a prompt, replace the bracketed parts with your details, and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. If the first answer isn't right, reply with what to change — conversation is part of the process.

Work and writing

1. "Rewrite this paragraph to be clearer and more concise: [text]"

2. "Draft a professional email to [person] about [topic]. Keep it under 150 words."

3. "Turn these meeting notes into a list of action items with owners: [notes]"

4. "Give me 10 headline ideas for an article about [topic]."

5. "Proofread this and list every change you made: [text]"

Learning

6. "Explain [concept] as if I'm a complete beginner, then give one real-world example."

7. "Quiz me on [topic] with 5 questions, one at a time."

8. "What are the most common misconceptions about [topic]?"

9. "Create a 4-week study plan to learn [skill] in 30 minutes a day."

10. "Summarize this article in 5 bullet points: [text]"

Planning and decisions

11. "List the pros and cons of [option A] vs [option B] for [my situation]."

12. "Help me plan a weekly schedule that fits [commitments]."

13. "Break [big project] into small steps I can finish this week."

14. "What questions should I ask before deciding on [decision]?"

15. "Plan a 3-day trip to [place] on a [budget] budget."

Everyday life

16. "Suggest 5 dinners I can make with [ingredients]."

17. "Write a friendly message to a neighbour about [issue]."

18. "Create a simple monthly budget template for [income] with these expenses: [list]."

19. "Give me 10 gift ideas for [person] who likes [interests], under [price]."

20. "Act as a job interviewer for a [role] position and ask me practice questions."

Make any prompt better

Add context (who it's for), a format (list, table, word count) and an example of what you want. And always double-check facts, figures and advice before relying on them.