Summary
This part introduces concise commands and phrases for quickly guiding Large Language Models.
You will learn to steer LLM output for specific tasks, formats, and analytical goals.
The goal is to enhance productivity and the quality of your results.
Shortcut list
In your journey to master prompt engineering, efficiency and precision are key. This session will introduce you to a comprehensive set of shorthand commands and key phrases that you can integrate into your prompting workflow. These shortcuts are designed to streamline your interactions with Large Language Models, allowing you to quickly steer their output towards specific formats, tones, and analytical goals, ultimately enhancing your productivity and the quality of your results.
Here’s a comprehensive, organized list of shorthand-style commands or key phrases you can use to enhance your experience, complete with short descriptions:
Business & Productivity Prompts
EMAIL REPLY: Create responses for professional email scenarios.
Example:
EMAIL REPLY: "Hi Tony, thanks for your email. I've reviewed your request for an extension on the project. Unfortunately, due to strict deadlines, we cannot accommodate extensions at this time. Please let me know if you have any questions. Best, Sanna"
SWOT: Analyze Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
ACTIONS: Lay out a quick plan or next actionable steps.
OUTLINE: Organize rough ideas into a structured outline.
JOB PITCH: Write a concise, role-specific professional intro.
PROS/CONS: Compare upsides and downsides of a decision.
BULLET: Turn blocks of text or info into bullet points for clarity.
Utility & Formatting Prompts
REPHRASE: Express content in a new tone or style for clarity or variation.
EXPLAIN: Break down or define the input for better understanding.
LIST: Structure information into a tidy, readable list.
SUM: Perform basic addition on numeric inputs.
DIFF: Show a side-by-side comparison of two items.
FORMAT: Output results in markdown, CSV, JSON, table, or other formats.
TLDR: Offer a quick summary of the given content.
Example:
TLDR: https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/alphagenome-ai-for-better-understanding-the-genome/
Learning & Thinking Prompts
SIMPLIFY: Explain in 5th-grade-level terms.
Prompt:
SIMPLIFY: Quantum entanglement is when two particles become linked in such a way that they share the same existence, no matter how far apart they are.
SOCRATIC: Teach via questions and guided reasoning.
ANALOGY: Provide a metaphor or analogy to explain something.
QUIZ ME: Ask questions to test understanding.
MEMORIZE: Create a mnemonic or memory trick.
TEACH BACK: Have you explain something, then I correct it.
Creative & Fun Prompts
POEM: Write a poem.
HAIKU: Summarize in a haiku format.
Prompt:
HAIKU: Summarize the feeling of a rainy autumn day.
STORYTELL: Explain using a narrative.
DADMODE: Casual, friendly dad-style explanation.
IMAGE: Prompt image generation.
WHISPER: Give subtle advice or informal take.
Frameworks & Strategy Prompts
MENTAL MODEL: Use a known thinking model (e.g., Pareto, Inversion).
DECISION TREE: Lay out branching decision options.
TRADEOFFS: Compare benefits vs costs in competing paths.
STEPS: Show a clear sequence of how to do something.
Prompt:
STEPS: make 5 chocolate muffin
BENCHMARK: Compare tools/ideas by specific metrics.
Meta Thinking & Self-Awareness Prompts
PROMPT: Analyze your prompt or ask how to write better ones.
SYSTEM: Temporarily adjust tone or personality.
REFLECT: Have me analyze my own output.
CRITIQUE: Review like an editor, peer reviewer, or prof.
Prompt:
CRITIQUE: Review this paragraph like a professional editor, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and flow: "The synergy of disparate operational paradigms often precipitates a re-evaluation of established methodologies, leading to emergent efficiencies within the extant infrastructural framework."
STYLEMATCH: Match a given writing tone or format.
MEMORY: Ask what I remember (if applicable).
Simulation & Voice Control Prompts
THOUGHT PROCESS: Show internal reasoning steps.
CHARACTER: Respond as a specific persona (e.g., pirate, VC).
Prompt:
CHARACTER: Pirate: Describe how to get to the treasure island.
TONE: Adjust delivery (e.g., sarcastic, academic, noir).
INTERNAL DOC: Write like it’s for internal company use.
ONE-LINER: Condense an idea into one punchy sentence.
TIMEBOX: X mins: Suggest what’s possible in a time frame.
SIMULATE: Walk through a scenario or simulation.
Visualization & Planning Prompts
DIAGRAM: Draw (ASCII or verbal) structure or flow.
Prompt:
DIAGRAM: Draw an ASCII diagram showing the flow of data from a user's web browser to a backend database, including a load balancer and an application server.
FORMULATE: Turn an idea into a model, formula, or principle.
ARCHITECT: Design a software system or physical setup.
API SHAPE: Outline endpoints, data types, and behavior.
Final Thoughts: Mastering Part 4
Part 4 arms you with a powerful prompt shorthand toolkit that transforms how you interact with large language models. From boosting productivity and formatting content with precision to analyzing, strategizing, and even having fun—these quick commands streamline your thinking and accelerate output. Whether you're crafting clean emails, generating SQL queries, exploring analogies, or simulating thought processes, this collection is your practical Swiss Army knife for navigating the LLM landscape with speed and creativity.
Efficient, expressive, and endlessly adaptable—welcome to your new favorite workflow.