ChatGPT can do a lot. It can be used to write essays, summarize meetings and even act as your therapist in a pinch.
But if you’re still struggling to get personalized responses that go beyond the bland or overly basic, the problem might not be the AI. It could be your prompt.
That’s where the “3-word rule” comes in — a super-simple prompt tweak that can take your chatbot from surface-level answers to something that feels custom, thoughtful and expert-level.
What is the 3-word rule?
No, the three little words are not “I love you” — but it doesn’t hurt to be polite.
The concept is simple: Add a short, three-word directive to your prompt that tells ChatGPT how to respond. These three words can instantly shape the tone, voice and depth of the output. You’re not rewriting your whole question. You’re just giving the AI a lens through which to answer.
Here are a few examples that work surprisingly well:
“Like a lawyer” — for structured, detailed and logical responses
“Be a teacher” — for simplified, clear and educational explanations
“Act like Hemingway” — for punchy, minimalist writing with impact
It’s kind of like casting the AI in a role, and then you're directing the performance with the specifics in your prompts.
Why it works
ChatGPT has been trained on a massive variety of writing styles and professional voices. When you give it a short cue — something like“like a professor" — it taps into that persona and shifts its tone accordingly.
That one tweak can turn a vague summary into something polished, insightful and audience-appropriate.
The 3-word rule is especially helpful when:
- You want a response tailored to a specific audience
- You need a certain tone, like persuasive or technical
- You’re trying to avoid generic, shallow replies
It’s a lightweight form of prompt engineering that makes a big difference; no jargon or prompt-hacking required.
Prompts to try
Need a few starter ideas? These formats work across writing, research, translation and even creative tasks:
“Summarize this article like a journalist”
“Explain dark matter like a professor”
“Give feedback like a mentor”
“Write a poem like a songwriter”
“Translate this message like a diplomat”
You can swap in almost any role or voice that fits your needs: CEO, therapist, designer, coach, teenager or just about anyone else. The more specific, the better.
Each tweak helps ChatGPT interpret your request through a more useful lens, and the difference in quality is often immediate.
Final thoughts
The 3-word rule isn’t magic, but it’s close. It’s one of the easiest ways to upgrade your prompts and get smarter, more human-like responses from AI.
Whether you’re writing emails, building lesson plans or brainstorming your next novel, three extra words could make all the difference.
More from Tom's Guide
- 7 genius AI prompts to supercharge your ideas (and get more done)
- I just tested ChatGPT-4o vs Claude 4 Sonnet with 7 prompts — one crushed the competition
- Want ChatGPT to remember you? This one trick makes it happen
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