Not Official Commands: 9 Prompt Shortcuts That Can Improve ChatGPT Replies

Nine simple text cues can help ChatGPT users signal whether they want a summary, a critique, a comparison, a table or a more natural edit before the AI begins answering. The technique drew fresh attention on October 2, 2026, after a practical guide highlighted several shorthand examples, but the underlying principle is much simpler: clearer instructions generally give the model a better chance of producing the response the user actually wants.

None of the nine terms is an official OpenAI command, and typing a slash does not unlock a hidden ChatGPT feature. The labels work as prompt cues — short ways of communicating instructions that could just as easily be written out in full. OpenAI’s own prompting guidance recommends clearly identifying the task, supplying useful context and specifying the desired tone or style.

/human — keep the writing natural

The /human cue is intended for editing jobs where the user wants smoother, more natural language without losing the original writer’s voice. It can be useful when a paragraph needs refinement rather than a complete rewrite.

/critic — look for weaknesses

Using /critic signals that the user wants flaws, risks and unsupported assumptions examined rather than receiving reassuring or broadly positive feedback. That can make it useful when stress-testing a proposal, business idea or decision.

/tldr — get to the point

The familiar “Too Long; Didn’t Read” abbreviation can be used as shorthand for requesting the essential information from a lengthy email, article or document. In practice, it simply tells the model that brevity and prioritization matter.

/senior — skip the beginner material

Users who already know a subject can use /senior to indicate that introductory explanations are unnecessary. Giving the model a specific experience level or professional context, however, is likely to be more useful than relying on the label alone.

/diff — show only what changed

For editing and review work, /diff can be used to request only the proposed changes instead of receiving an entire document again. The same idea can apply to prose, code, instructions and other long material.

/bullets — make the answer scannable

The /bullets cue asks the model to organize information as concise points rather than continuous prose. It can work well for meeting notes, pros and cons, brainstorming or quick reference material.

/table — organize a comparison

When several options need to be assessed against multiple criteria, /table can signal that the answer should be structured for side-by-side comparison. The result will still depend heavily on how clearly the user defines the options and criteria.

/devilsadvocate — challenge your own position

This cue asks the AI to construct a strong case against the user’s preferred view. The goal is not necessarily to overturn the decision, but to expose counterarguments and potential blind spots before a choice is made.

/rubberduck — think through the problem

Borrowing from the programming practice known as rubber duck debugging, this approach asks ChatGPT to help the user reason through a problem rather than immediately supplying an answer. One method is to have the AI ask a single question at a time until the underlying issue becomes clearer.

Users can also invent their own shorthand labels, but those labels should not be mistaken for built-in ChatGPT commands. A term such as /short or /verify has no fixed function on its own; its meaning depends on the instruction the user attaches to it. People who want preferences to carry across conversations can also use ChatGPT’s Custom Instructions feature.

The practical takeaway is that the slash is not the important part. Deciding what kind of answer is needed — concise, critical, structured, comparative or lightly edited — and stating that requirement clearly is what makes the technique useful.