How to prompt an AI like a teacher
Three rules make every prompt below work better:
| Rule | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| State your level | The model calibrates vocabulary and pace | "My level is B1 (intermediate)." |
| Demand correction, with a format | Otherwise the model prioritises being agreeable | "List my mistakes after every message." |
| Give it a role and a goal | Turns a chatbot into a lesson | "You are my strict English teacher preparing me for job interviews." |
Every prompt below works in both Claude and ChatGPT. In our testing, Claude tends to give more detailed structured feedback on writing; ChatGPT's voice mode is handier for spoken drills. Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details.
Conversation practice prompts (1–6)
- The everyday tutor.
"You are my English teacher. My level is [B1]. Have a conversation with me about [my weekend]. Keep your replies to 2–3 sentences, ask me one question each turn, and after each of my messages add a CORRECTIONS section listing my mistakes with one-line explanations." - The roleplay partner.
"Roleplay with me: you are a [waiter in a London restaurant], I am a customer. Stay in character. If I make a mistake, finish the scene naturally, then break character and list my errors." - The disagreement drill.
"Take the opposite position to me on [remote work] and debate politely. Push back on my arguments so I must explain myself in more detail. Correct my English at the end of the debate." - The story continuation.
"We are writing a story together, one paragraph each, set in [a small coastal town]. Use vocabulary slightly above my level ([B1]) and bold any word you think is new to me, with a short glossary at the end of each of your turns." - The interview simulator.
"Interview me for a [marketing manager] position. Ask one question at a time, follow up on weak answers like a real interviewer would, and after 6 questions give me feedback on both my English and the substance of my answers." - The small-talk gym.
"Practise small talk with me as a stranger at [a conference coffee break]. Keep it light and natural. Afterwards, list any phrases I used that sounded unnatural and give the version a native speaker would say."
Grammar & correction prompts (7–12)
- The forensic editor.
"Correct this text. For each mistake show: the original, the fix, the rule behind it, and one extra example of the rule. Then rewrite the whole text at a native level: [paste text]." - The rule explainer.
"Explain [the difference between 'since' and 'for'] like I'm a [B1] learner. Give 5 example sentences, then quiz me with 5 fill-in-the-blank questions and check my answers one at a time." - The mistake journal.
"Here are mistakes I made this week: [list]. Group them by grammar topic, tell me which single topic to fix first for the biggest improvement, and build me a 10-question practice quiz on it." - The tense workout.
"Give me 10 sentences in the present simple about [my job]. I will rewrite each in the past, present perfect and future. Check each answer and explain any errors before showing the next sentence." - The translation checker.
"I will write sentences in English that I translated from [Azerbaijani] in my head. Tell me which ones sound translated, why, and what a native would say instead: [sentences]." - The register switcher.
"Take this message and rewrite it 3 ways — casual to a friend, neutral to a colleague, formal to a client — and explain what changed and why: [paste message]."
Vocabulary prompts (13–17)
- The niche vocabulary pack.
"Build me a 20-word vocabulary list for [talking about software development], with definitions, an example sentence each, and a short dialogue using all 20 words. Then test me." - The synonym upgrader.
"I overuse these words: [good, very, nice, thing]. For each, give me 5 natural alternatives with the contexts where each fits, then rewrite this paragraph of mine using them: [paste]." - The phrasal verb trainer.
"Teach me 8 phrasal verbs about [work meetings]. For each: meaning, example, and a common mistake learners make with it. Then give me a gap-fill exercise using all 8." - The spaced repetition deck.
"Turn these 15 words into flashcards: front = the word in an example sentence with the word blanked out, back = the word + definition. Format as a table I can import into Anki: [words]." - The idiom decoder.
"List 10 idioms native speakers actually use in [office] conversations in 2026 — no outdated textbook idioms. Explain each and mark which are safe in professional settings."
Business English prompts (18–21)
- The email surgeon.
"Improve this work email. Keep my meaning, make it concise and professional, and show a before/after table of the phrases you changed and why: [paste email]." - The meeting rehearsal.
"I have a meeting tomorrow about [project delay]. Roleplay the meeting as my [client]. Be realistically difficult. Afterwards, give me 5 stronger phrases I could have used." - The presentation polisher.
"Here is my presentation script. Mark every sentence that would sound unnatural spoken aloud, suggest spoken-English alternatives, and add signpost phrases (firstly, moving on, to sum up) where they help: [paste]." - The negotiation coach.
"Teach me 10 diplomatic phrases for disagreeing in negotiations (e.g. 'I see it differently'). Then roleplay a salary negotiation where I must use at least 5 of them, and score my performance."
IELTS & exam prompts (22–25)
- The IELTS speaking examiner.
"Act as an IELTS speaking examiner. Run a full Part 1–3 test, one question at a time. At the end, estimate my band score for fluency, lexical resource, grammar and give the 3 changes that would raise it most." - The Writing Task 2 grader.
"Grade this IELTS Writing Task 2 essay against the official band descriptors. Give a band per criterion, quote the exact sentences that cost me marks, and rewrite one paragraph at band 8: [paste essay]." - The paraphrase gym.
"Give me 8 sentences typical of IELTS Task 1 introductions. I will paraphrase each; tell me if my version would score well and show a band-8 paraphrase after each attempt." - The exam-day phrase bank.
"Build me a one-page phrase bank for the IELTS speaking test: openers, fillers that buy thinking time, opinion frames, and linking phrases — grouped by test part, with a note on which sound memorised (to avoid)."
What prompts can't do
Prompted well, Claude and ChatGPT cover explanation, correction and material generation superbly. But three gaps don't close no matter how good your prompt is:
| Gap | With prompts | With a dedicated tutor |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | Barely assessed | Scored and corrected live |
| Level memory | Re-prompt every session | Tracked automatically across weeks |
| Session leadership | You drive everything | Tutor leads hands-free |
That's why our recommended stack pairs the two: use these prompts in Claude or ChatGPT for study and writing, and do your daily spoken practice with a speaking-first tutor like Enverson AI, which leads the conversation hands-free and corrects pronunciation and grammar in real time. For the full comparison, see ChatGPT or AI tutor apps — which is better?