How to use AI / ChatGPT to learn English + prompts

Bet you’ve already figured out that AI can help you greatly with learning languages? While ChatGPT might not be as fluent in other languages, it’s almost native in English.

So, switch your conversations to English for improved results and more practice for you. It's an impressive resource, particularly if you're adept at avoiding pitfalls and maximizing results. Its vast capabilities might seem overwhelming at first, but don't worry. We've simplified it for you.

Note: This article primarily explores how ChatGPT, as a sophisticated language model, can be effectively used to master English. However, it's worth noting that many of the strategies and approaches discussed here can also be beneficial when applied to interactions with other large language models (LLMs) and AI-based tools.

Here’s how you can make the most of ChatGPT for English learning.

Engage in Casual Conversations: Just start chatting. Kick off with something like ‘let’s talk about movies’ and let the conversation flow. It’s a great way to practice.
Active Error Correction: While chatting, ask ChatGPT to correct your mistakes and rephrase your sentences. This way, you'll see where you need improvement. Don't hesitate to further ask for clarifications.
Vocabulary Help: Got a list of words to learn and revise? Throw them at ChatGPT. Ask ChatGPT to incorporate them into questions or discussions, helping you to reinforce your learning. It’s an engaging way to get those words to stick. You can get creative and ask it to craft questions where you have to guess which word it's hinting at, or create 'fill in the gap' exercises. This turns vocabulary learning into an interactive game, making it both fun and effective.
Specific English Tutoring Prompt: Use prompts like, "I want you to act as a spoken English teacher and improver. I will speak to you in English and you will reply to me in English to practice my spoken English. I want you to keep your reply neat, limiting the reply to 100 words. I want you to strictly correct my grammar mistakes, typos, and factual errors. I want you to ask me a question in your reply. Now let's start practicing, you could ask me a question first. Remember, I want you to strictly correct my grammar mistakes, typos, and factual errors."
Role-play with Favorite Characters: Fancy talking to a favorite character? Say, "Act like [character] from [series]," and immerse yourself in their style of speaking.
Diverse Practice with Prompts: There's a treasure trove of prompts at Hugging Face that can steer ChatGPT into various roles - from a public speaking coach to a history expert. These prompts are not just for practice; they're a way to engage with the AI in English while potentially accomplishing tasks or learning new information. So, grab a prompt from this extensive list, and get started. You'll be practicing English, and you might just get something done along the way!
Comprehension and Test Preparation: Read a text and then ask ChatGPT to formulate comprehension questions, or 'true/false/not given' statements. It's especially useful if you're prepping for exams like IELTS.

Important

Beware of AI Mistakes: ChatGPT isn’t perfect – especially with tricky grammar. So, take its grammatical guidance with a grain of caution and always double-check.

The Art of Asking: The value you get from ChatGPT is largely dependent on how well you frame your questions and interactions. Be clear and precise—think about what you want to know or practice, and craft your questions accordingly. The sharper your question, the more useful ChatGPT's response will be. Instead of asking, "Teach me new words," you could say, "Can you provide me with five advanced synonyms for 'happy' and use them in sentences?"

Prompt Ideas for Engaging with ChatGPT

Talking to ChatGPT

Conduct a mock job interview where you will be asking me questions as if I were interviewing for a [position / job role]. Please provide feedback on my answers.
Make small talk with me about [topic].
Have a conversation with me about [topic] and correct my mistakes.
Have a discussion with me about [topic] and suggest different vocabulary or phrasal verbs I can use.
Have a discussion with me about [topic] and suggest better ways I could express my ideas.
Create a scenario where I'm a hotel receptionist dealing with a guest's complaint. Help me navigate the conversation using polite, diplomatic language.
Set up a situation where I'm buying a car and need to negotiate the price. Guide me through the conversation with tips on persuasive language use.

Once you have started the conversation, you can additionally ask for feedback and improvements.

Suggest words and expressions that I can use in this conversation.
Suggest phrasal verbs that I can use in this conversation.
Correct my grammar mistakes in the text above.
Rewrite my answer and explain your changes.

Writing Enhancement

Make the vocabulary in my text fancier but still natural.
Rewrite this text using [A1 / C2, etc.] level vocabulary.
Rewrite this text in a more [formal / informal] way.
Rewrite this text in a more polite way.
Review a paragraph I wrote and correct any tense errors.
Edit a short story I created, focusing on improving sentence structure.

Vocabulary Building

Introduce me to five new words related to science and use them in sentences.
Let's talk about art using specific art-related vocabulary.
Discuss the business world using corporate jargon.
Introduce me to five advanced words in psychology and help me create sentences with them.
Explain financial terms and help me use them in a discussion about economics.
Talk about health and fitness, introducing me to related vocabulary.
Discuss different art styles, guiding me to use specific artistic vocabulary.
List ten idiomatic expressions and challenge me to use them correctly in a conversation about daily life.

Creative and Reflective Writing

Provide a fictional character outline and I'll write a character sketch.
Suggest an unusual setting for a story and I'll describe it in detail.
Offer a moral dilemma for a narrative plot, and I'll write a short story around it.
Propose a futuristic scenario and I'll write a dialogue between characters in that setting.
Give an abstract concept and I'll compose a reflective essay on it.
Give me a description of an imaginary city and I'll write a detailed narrative exploring it.

Additional Prompts Potpourri

Create a scenario where I need to use English negotiation skills and guide me through it.
Write a customer service dialogue where I need to solve a problem and use polite, diplomatic language.
Give me a character background and I will write a short story about them.
Provide a complex English grammar rule and challenge me to create sentences that demonstrate it.
Imagine interviewing a famous historical figure. Provide questions and guide me on integrating complex questions and responses.
Instruct me to pitch a new tech product. Guide me in using compelling and descriptive language.