Claude has a different personality from ChatGPT: it tends to follow detailed instructions more literally, hold a long document in mind without losing the thread, and give a straighter answer when you ask for one. These five prompts are the ones worth bookmarking if you’re just getting started.
1. Get a straight opinion, not a hedge
Give me your single best recommendation for [decision], not a list of options. Tell me the one factor that would change your answer.
2. Turn a wall of text into something you can actually act on
Read the following and pull out only the parts that require a decision from me. Ignore background information and context I already know: [paste text]
3. Stress-test an argument before you publish it
Here's an argument I'm making: [paste argument]. Play the strongest devil's advocate you can — what's the weakest part of this, and what would a smart critic say?
4. Keep a long document consistent
Here is a style guide: [paste style/tone notes]. Rewrite the following section to match it exactly, without changing the meaning: [paste section]
5. Ask Claude to show its assumptions
Before answering, list the 3 assumptions you're making about my situation. Then answer based on those assumptions, and flag anywhere I should correct you.
Why these work
Each of these plays to something Claude is specifically good at — following a constraint literally, keeping a long context coherent, or reasoning explicitly instead of guessing silently. Use them as a starting template, not a script.